Music Producer

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

A: Stepping out of stage after a gig with a bunch of young people being impressed with sound asking me to show them my rack, what effects I use, how pedal board is routed etc. Showing them a cable going from my guitar straight into a mesa boogie triple rectifier. Not even a pedal to switch the channels. Stealing show as opening band for multi platinum one by going all analogue. Memorable.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Conceptual album. Hopefully something you would enjoy once it's out :)

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Analog. Because of Zeno's paradox. To get from point A to B within some time (t), you need to be in the middle at some point. To get there you need to be in the middle of the middle. And the middle of the middle of the middle. And so indefinite. No matter how strong digital lobby is - Analogue, because it uses infinite number of samples to describe your string vibrations. This Paradox is set 490–430 BC. Beat it - and I'll accept digital. Further, A/B Blind testing always showed superiority of analogue vs digital.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The fact that music is my side job. This allows me to work out of love for music not to depend on it. The moment you start making music for a living - it becomes a job - and music becomes a product. There's a huge difference between product and art. I love being able to make an art.

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

A: Can you make me sound like specific band? My answer is yes, but how about making it sound like you? If we get there to sound like you - it will for sure make it sound like your favourite band. But not in the other direction.

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

A: That the process needs to be complex and complicated. Not at all - it's easy going.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Provide me your top 5 or more songs that you listen for years. Name Artists you like - describe why. Tell me about Artists that could be your favourite BUT they are not. Discuss about that "But" and IF. I need to understand what you like - but equally important, what you don't. Describe everything that is important for you as detailed as possible. Give references. In order to provide you with best service I need to understand your Musical Personality.

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

A: Read this in whole - lmao, it's important. Have a will to move a boundaries. Never focus on what others would like - focus on what you would consider perfect for you. Make no compromise there. If you don't feel you got what you want, be ready to work on it till you make it perfect for you.

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

A: Tube Amplifier, High Fidelity Stereo Loud Speakers, MacBook and a Guitar

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

A: Since I have a memory. Actively, by the end of my elementary school high school and university by playing in different bands of different genres, mixing live performance of others. I think this is the point where I started to "Act Smart" :)

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Blend of genres. Take what's good from everything. Create harmony over harmony by multilayering, making it unpredictable calling you put on repeat to hear what's actually happens there. Than capture you and make you unfold something new you did not pay attention to every time you listen to a track.

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

A: Alan Wilder - I saw what he can make out of raw draft while keeping the original idea intact. That's the work of art.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't produce on studio monitors. They are widely adopted due to cost saving. in fact don't produce on Class D. Save yourself for great class A, A/B amp and pair of precise low distortion Floor-standing speakers. Most of modern day production that sounds great on Airpods will sound like a crap on decent system.

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

A: From electronic to pop, rock, heavy metal. Usually it's a subtle blend of genres. Each artist is genre for itself.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Creating Harmony, multilayering instruments in a way to bring unpredictability. Music is like a Chess. We live in a world where we don't pay enough attention to details. My strongest skill is making a harmony that will sound good - yet add a glitch making a listener to play it again. As it plays again and again, every time something new is revealed. Subtle tricks is what makes music current and that's the reason most radio stations have something from the 80s every now and then. How many tracks you hear on the radio made 40 years ago still sound current? Getting you there is my strongest skill.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Listeners that are usually out of reach and fans. See the topic about studio monitors. Well, I make song sound great not only on consumer grade equipment. You know these "crazy" people called Audiophiles. Your song will shine with them too. Bringing life, emotion creativity and unpredictability. Last thing to expect is "yet another song you know the rest upon first chord. So let me say what I would not bring to your song: i – VII – IV. VI – VII – v – i – VII. I – v – ii – I sus4 – I. i – VI – iv – VII. Everything else depends on what you want in "Ideal world" and we will work to accomplish that. I bring a structure that makes listener want to hear the track again after hearing it for the first time.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Please see section one. We Discuss we Argue, we Fight, then we spend some more time Discussing Fighting and Arguing. I propose, you reject, you propose I reject, till we press play, sunlight happens and say "that's it make a backup! make a backup!".

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Analogue or digital? Yamaha DX 7 (I stole the bathroom Duck from Jens Johansson) Whole offering of hardware and software from Native Instruments (S66, S88, both mk2 and mk3), Maschine+ mk3, Komplete Collectors edition. Yamaha C6 Piano Custom shop ESP Electric Guitar Fender Artist Series Yngwie Malmsteen Stratocaster Lag Arkane 3000, Bedarieux Custom Shop Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier Mesa/Boogie Road King 3x12 * Note that production is done on following system. (This is important as your production will not be done on studio monitors - see Dirac) - Speakers: Sonus faber Amati - McIntosh MA12000 - Dirac profiling on request (You are free to send your filters) in which case NAD Masters M33 will be used. List is huge. Please ask if you need specifics, this is to give you an overview of how I work.

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

A: Depeche Mode Dawid Bowie Alan Wilder _ Timo Tolkki Symphony X Daniel Gildenlöw Stéphan Forté Jens Johansson _ List is huge. I tend to enjoy the harmony, than melody - genre is just a cliche.

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

A: Sorry for step one, but in this I need to put you on Psychiatrist Couch :) Goal is to extract as much as possible informations in order to form what you would perceive as "Ideal World production". It's an easy going communication about your influences, what makes you like specific works. What you don't like. I like to ask you to name me an Artist, that you would become your favourite "BUT", "IF" and concentrate around these. In short, the better I know you - better I can produce your music. Most important is - that final delivery reflects You. And like it or not - for that to happen - we need to become buddies :)