Session Drummer/Percussionist

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

A: Ludwig Black Beauty Snare, 20 in Yamaha Bass Drum, UA Apollo Interface, Neumann KM184 OHs, and a FET 47

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

A: Recently, I was apart of recording the drums for an Under Armour Commercial for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson which was a surreal experience.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Right now I am working on some of my own material that I have stuffed away for many years pre pandemic, and well as remote sessions with clients around the world.

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

A: Guitar players like Keven Eknes and Marc Malsegna are both musicians that I have worked with in the past and that I have full confidence will give you the same attention and treatment that I would. You would be in great hands.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Analog obviously has its perks, and it is so amazing to be able to track into those pieces of gear when possible. But from what I see now as far as advancements in the digital realm, that divide is getting closer and closer. Companies like UA and Izotope have really hit their digital emulations out of the park. And now given the fact that you can add plugins on the way in, it really changes the game.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: That I get to make beautiful music with people all around the world that I would normally never be in contact with! The internet is an amazing place.

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

A: Most customers ask me if I have any ideas for the song or to give them any arrangement ideas if they are unsure where the song should go. My answer as to be expected always varies, and usually I try my best to offer the best advice I can.

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

A: That I just walk in and record for 10 minutes and send it off. I really like to take time on my work, sometimes the whole day on one track if thats what's required. No matter the budget, I don't feel comfortable putting my name on something that I feel is half baked. So as simple as it may be given my setup to record, the act of creating is not.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Are there any sources of inspiration I should look to sound wise for the drums What mic setup do you prefer, if any? Are you looking for loud bombastic dense drums or a more sparse and open part? These questions typically allow for me to delve further into the clients vision and hone in on how we can make the best product.

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

A: That its okay to be specific about what you want from the drums, no matter how strange it may feel or be. My goal is to play YOUR song, and to make it feel how you want it to.

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

A: Well I am originally from Miami,FL, where I grew up playing in the Blues and R&B scene with different acts. My first real gig was actually backing my mother, who is a well known singer in that area. My father is also a musician, a drummer in fact, so you can say I grew up in a musical family. From there I received a full scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, where I majored in Music Business and Performance while studying with drummers such as Terry Lyn Carrington, Dave DiCenso, and Bob Gullotti among others. After graduating in 2016, I moved to Los Angeles where I have been lucky to work with a tour with many amazing acts such as the ones listed above in my credits section.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: The biggest thing I have learned from my time as a studio musician is to listen. Often times we rush to make our musical or mixing decisions based on the first thing we hear or our first impressions. But I have learned that the best products I have delivered were handled at a more thorough and moderate pace. And when doing that I often make more concise and overall less changes to the completed product.

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

A: Since I have a degree from Berklee College of Music, I am lucky to be proficient in many styles of music not listed above including Jazz, Latin, and other World Music Styles. But I would say the majority of the work I do in the studio is in the Rock, Country/Singer Songwriter, and Pop Genres as well as the occasional Movie Score.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I think my strongest skill is my musical sensitivity, my attention to detail, and that I try to make the experience of hiring someone online as personal and effortless as possible.

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

A: My promise to clients is that you will walk away from our experience together satisfied and excited about the music we have created. At the end of the day, music is supposed to be fun and give us inspiration. So I don't consider a project finished until both of those objectives are complete.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Id say my style is the sum of all my experiences. Growing up playing Blues and R&B has made my groove sit back in the pocket and get that greasy sound that many of our favorite songs have. Spending time studying and playing Latin and Jazz Music has made my ears open and accustomed to improvisation as well as creating a shared musical performance as opposed to just playing a part. And lastly, my years of playing behind Rock,Pop and Country artists of all different levels has given a maturity and polish to my playing so that the musical decisions I make while unique are still appropriate and serve the music.

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

A: I think my "dream gig" as people like to say is either Sting or Herbie Hancock. These artists in my opinion effortlessly weave in-between genres and create such unique and interesting music to play as well as listen to. And since I love playing so many styles, I think these gigs would allow me to scratch that itch each and every night.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: All in all, I do my best to go the extra mile and bring my musicality as well as sensitivity to each track I play on. I like to spend a good amount of time really ingesting the essence of the songs I work on, which I believe allows me to understand and serve the writer's vision.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Typically when clients reach out to have me record I like to chat with them in depth about what they are looking for from the drums. As a provider I really want to make sure that the person hiring me gets exactly what they envisioned, and this conversation allows me to place myself in the right direction. Afterwards, I go ahead and choose the gear that I feel best represents that vision and record one or two passes as a test. Then I will send a reference to the client for approval and notes. Once that comes through, I like to record at least two solid takes with different vibes and send them off so the client can pick and choose what feels right to them. I also like to attach rough mixes of my drums along with the raw stems, so if the client prefers its an easy drop into their session and they can move on to other important matters in their mix.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio setup is located in Los Angeles,CA where I am currently based. I have spent a lot of time especially during the pandemic creating an environment suitable for recording the best quality sounds I can. As far as gear goes, I have a wide variety of drums, cymbals, percussion, and microphones to fit each track's individual needs and nuances. My mic locker includes Beyerdynamic, Shure, SE Electronics, Audix, as well as some custom mics that have served me well on many tracks.

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

A: Wow, thats a hard one to narrow down to a short answer haha. But some bands and artists that continue to inspire me are Sting, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Nine Inch Nails, Herbie Hancock, Animals as Leaders, and Tigran Hamasyan. And some of my favorite drummers include Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl, Mark Guiliana, Dafnis Prieto, and Matt Garstka.

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

A: The vast majority of the work I get called to do is provide live drum tracks for artist projects as well as commercial clients. Many times I will receive demos or the beginnings of a song idea, and I do my best to help elevate and contribute to the sound of these projects all while sticking to clients vision.