Session Drummer

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I recorded drums for an Italian Neo-classical metal album last year that was a lot of fun, it is a style of music I rarely get to play and it really pushed me out of my comfort zone and I am very happy with the result. I recorded the drums and provided extra samples as well.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Currently I am upgrading parts of my studio and also working on the release of an album with a band I am playing with.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: The people I have worked with previously are all very talented song-writers and producers, I would recommend to check them out if you ever need those kinds of services.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital, mainly for the convenience and ability to jump in to an older session without having to do recalls etc.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I will work with you to achieve your vision of your project, whether that is some shakers in the background or a full-blown metal album with all the bells and whistles.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The variety of work that comes through keeps working in the studio fresh and interesting, two projects are never alike.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: Most of the time my clients have questions about if I a recreate their demo beats, a sound or style from a record. The answer I give of course depends on the context, but I will always do my very best to achieve the clients vision.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: That I am a mind-reader! Joke aside, often times the client has a clear vision of what they want but without the proper notes and references that can often result in a lot of back and forth that could have been avoided had the information been provided from the start.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is your desired sound? What are your references? Do you want several takes? Do you want me to pre-mix the drums before I send them?

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: The more references, demos, notes and specific feedback you can give makes my job easier and in the long run yours as a customer as well.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: My bell brass snare, my Sabian Artisan ride, an sm57, a lap top and an audio interface.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I started playing in a band with friends, through high school and college I studied music and have maintained a career as a free lance drummer both on stage and in the studio throughout. Now I am teaching a few days a week as well as working as a live and studio drummer as a freelancer.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I am a hard hitting and precise drummer but with a focus on still maintaining a human feel in my playing.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: Foo Fighters would be a dream come true to work with, a hard rocking band that cherishes the sound of a real band playing together - right up my street!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Using gates to separate the accents and ghost notes on the snare onto separate tracks gives you more control of your mix and is a surefire way to bring clarity and definition to your snare sound.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: I generally get hired for hard hitting music, whether that is pop, rock or metal I make sure to give it my all and bring a lot of attitude to my recordings.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I am a very precise and meticulous drummer, and that reflects in the recording process. I leave nothing to chance, and I will always do another take rather then send something to a client that I am not entirely happy with.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I have a good understanding of what is required from a drummer in the studio, as well as a deep understanding of many different genres and what is appropriate in the recording process. I am also a big advocate of bringing a human feel to my recordings, as this is something that I feel is becoming a lost art in some genres.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My process starts with a discussion with the client to try and find out as much as possible about the ideas the client has for the project. This includes notes from the client, reference tracks, demos and anything else that could help me bring the clients vision to life. After this I record a couple of takes that I send to the client for feedback, and depending on what the client wants I will do re-takes until the client is happy with the result.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a variety of kits, snares and cymbals ranging from modern sounding to vintage sounding gear. I have a selection of microphones such as Lewitt LCT 440, Rode NT-5, SM57, Beta 52 etc.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: I am inspired by people like Aaron Sterling, Mark Guiliana, Vinnie Colaiuta, Chris Lord-Alge, Alex Hoefken, Dan Worrall.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: The work I do for my clients mostly involves recording live drums and percussion for their songs and projects.