Bassist - Upright & Electric

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

A: Sure! Greg Sadler is a fantastic drummer. Jeremy Lappitt is a great saxophonist. Matt Hornbeck is a killer guitarist. Put us all together and you've got a killer band!! Also: Iajhi Hampden (drums); Ben Clarke (bass/producer);

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Mix of the two. Analogue tones...digital workflow.

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

A: How quickly can you get this done? My answer is: when do you need it by? And then I usually deliver it sooner.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I'm a versatile player and have spent many years gaining experience, knowledge and gear to support that. I'm a bit of a chameleon. If a client asks for something like Ray Brown; James Jamerson; Tony Levin; Marcus Miller...I feel comfortable in being able to deliver on that request. Recently has a client ask for a Dualists Lipa bass line... done! One take and they didn't want any further tracks.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: I have channel strip presets saved for quick workflow. i.e. Upright bass channel strip is set and ready for immediate tracking. Same for electric bass. After I track, its easy to make quick tweaks/adjustments to fit the particular project at hand.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Great bass tone on any/all basses. You will receive a bass stem that slots right into your mix perfectly. Also, I am a strong reader. Sending well written charts makes the session efficient and enables me to get right to creating musical moments.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Great bass tone and feel. Vast knowledge of many different bassists and iconic bass lines to draw inspiration and ideas from. If a client is looking for more input, I have the experience to draw upon to offer added insight.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: When a client sends along a track to work on, I start off by listening a few times to get a feel for the music and get into the "zone". If there is no chart provided I will draw up a quick chart for guidance. I am very visual in my process so it helps me to get an over arcing view of the music and help shape my contribution. After that it depends on what the music is and what bass is preferred. I usually send a reference MP3 after a first pass to make sure I am on the right path and to check for any further input or guidance before going any further. Once I know what to do for the part I can execute & deliver quickly.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Logic Pro X; UA Apollo Interface; Remic Studio upright bass mic; Roswell Pro Audio mini K87; Nordstrand Audio Starlifter Preamp/DI; Radial Engineering Bassbone Preamp/DI; various boutique pedals, Full suites of production plug ins/virtual instruments from Fab Filter; IK Multimedia; Melda Productions; Waves; Spitfire Audio; Native Instruments; and more!

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

A: Every colleague I share the stage with inspires me with their talent and work ethic.

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

A: My dad was a bassist and started me when I was young. Music and bass playing has been a constant ever since. I went to the New England Conservatory for classical bass studies while moonlighting in funk, jazz and rock groups. I've lived in a few cities (Boston, LA, London) where I quickly acclimated to the local music scenes. While touring internationally with the Grammy Award winning jazz vocal quartet, The Manhattan Transfer, I earned a Masters degree in Jazz Studies from USC. Now I call LA home and have been fortunate enough to perform and record with many top notch musicians and artists.

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

A: Daniel Lanois...Why? Because....Daniel Lanois!

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

A: I get called on for a lot of jazz and groove music, but feel very comfortable working with singer-songwriters and other more mainstream acts.

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

A: That I play only upright bass and that I play only jazz. I've really worked hard at being as versatile as possible. I really am at home in many genres.

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

A: It's hard to narrow it down...A few highlights: I had a jazz quartet called Sophisticated Lady. We released two albums. Everyone brought originals or arrangements to the project. I have a fair amount of my original compositions featured on the albums. You can hear one sample here on Soundbetter! Also, I toured and recorded with a great artist in the northeast named Peter Prince. On his Album, All This Time, there is a ballad called "Love Is Good". I recorded electric bass as well as a few tracks of arco (bowed) upright bass to create a "string section". That was very artistically satisfying.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I have a few projects ongoing. I have some clients that I am recording some pop and jazz tracks for. I am also working on some of my own music-when I can carve out some time for it!!

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

A: You will be happy when we are done.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Creativity.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What bass do you want? Upright? Electric? Musical direction...is there an artist or song that would be a good reference for what they are looking for?

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

A: Be communicative. The more direction and clarity you can provide, the better job I can do delivering what you need!

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

A: My main upright bass; my '69 Fender P-Bass; my guitar; a small amp and my Nordstrand Starlifter Preamp/DI.

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

A: Play bass! More often than not I am asked for the upright bass.