Remote Drums and Percussion

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

A: 1. 18” kick drum 2. 14” limited edition A&F brass snare. 3. 60s hats 4. A kick pedal (old speed king would be fine) 5. Round top throne.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Make way for the vocal.

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

A: I USUALLY work on rock/pop Americana music but do mostly everything but Metal.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is delivering a solid pocket that is both musical and un intrusive.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I like to serve the song by locking into a conversation that is both rhythmically and sonically pleasing.

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

A: I am really inspired by the drumming of greats such as JJ Johnson, Steve Jordan, Adam Deitch, Nir Z, Peter Erskine, Levon Helm, Jim Keltner, Alan Evans, James Gadson, Steve Gadd, Mitch Mitchel, Dave Grohl, John Bonham, and Zigaboo to name a few.

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

A: I am especially proud of one of my first records I did when I first moved to Austin. It was with a band called Bobby Jealousy. The guitar player/singer/writer in the band (Mark Stoney) heard me playing drums in my house as he was walking by. He knocked on the door and we later began making record. That band was super talented. Seth Gibbs, Sabrina Ellis, and Mark. I helped write and play on the record from start to finish. It was pretty magical for me.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I like that I get to have musical interactions with so many different people who share a similar love for the art of creating music.

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

A: Q: Do you need a click? A: It’s preferable for mobile tracking but not necessary.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is the VIBE we are going for? Are we going for vintage or modern sounds?

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

A: SOME of my family thinks that I play on the street corner for pocket change..

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

A: I started out in 2000 playing with my friends at church. We would play summer camps every summer just traveling around mostly Texas for about 4 years or so. While doing that some of my other friends and I started a rock band that sounded like Jet and Foo Fighters. We played some shows then we split ways. My freelance work started filling my calendar around 2004 playing with blues and soul bands. In 2004 while attending community college I discovered John Scofield. That changed my life. I started doing some jazz gigs around the Dallas Ft. Worth area. I loved the interaction of music in the jazz style. I eventually went to a university and studied jazz more closely and played in the big band. In 2007 I moved to Boston and finished school there in December 2009. While in Boston I worked in a big band that played every weekend in the New England/New York area. I also had a residency playing with a guitar bass and drum trio twice a week. That was mostly Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, Ahmad Jamal, and Jimmy Smith type music. I also met a great friend and guitar player who turned me on to Oz Noy, Wayne Krantz, Johnny Lang and Charlie Hunter. Once graduating I moved back to Dallas, got married then relocated to Austin. Once in Austin I started playing with some great singer songwriters, traveling around the Texas country circuit a bit. I had the pleasure of making one of my favorite and first records with a band from start to finish. I eventually joined a Motown cover band who keeps me pretty busy in and around the Austin area. I am currently a happily married father of 3, I work in a Motown cover band on most weekends, I do session work around town, I am a sideman for some great bands around Austin and am a touring member of an acclaimed rock band.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: People tell me I have a solid pocket. I am no chops man. I really love to groove.

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

A: I would love to work with Tedeschi Trucks band because their music comes so naturally to my style and it is always so pleasing to my ears and soul to hear and play along with.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Once I have a track from a client, we will decide on tone and style direction. I will pick a kick and snare configuration that best fits the song and then toms (if needed) then cymbals. 2nd I will get sounds by tuning to best fit the song. Then I will begin placing mics to achieve the best tone and sound without any EQ. Once I have sounds I will do a quick pass of the song. I will bounce a track with all of the drums AND the clients track at an even db usually around -9 so the client can be sure that tones, sounds and groove/parts direction are going in the right direction. When the client is happy with that I will begin recording takes until I have the best one! I then send the client a dropbox folder of 10 raw untreated tracks all around -9db so they can go to a mix engineer and be treated in any way that the client wants.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My most used drum set configuration is a maple A&F 24x14 kick, 13x9 snom, and a 16x16 floor. I have wood hoops I can swap out with the brass hoops at a clients request. I also like to use a 1968 maple Ludwig kit with 22x14 kick, 12"13"16" toms. A 2009 Yamaha maple custom nouveau kit with die cast hoops 20x16 kick, 12"14"16" toms. I also like to use my A&F 18x14 maple kick and A&F 22x10 single tension brass kick when the track calls for it. My snare rack includes a George Way solid maple14x7, Ludwig Black Beauty 14x7, A&F raw brass 14x4, 68 Supraphonic 14x5.5, Early 70s Acrolite 14x5, Yamaha maple custom 14x5.5, A&F 15x3.5 raw brass with walnut hoops. I work with Logic Pro X with with a matched pair of Coles4038, senheiser e609s, Beyer m160, senheiser MD441, Shure beta 52, AKG d112, Shure sm57 to name a few..

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

A: I provide the client with quality and tasteful drum tracks. I strive to incorporate both the vibe the artist is going for while also including a little bit of my own personality. My goal is to bring the song to life.