Musician and Electronic Artist

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

A: Tom Dupree is a great drummer on here. He focuses on what counts, serving the song. He is a friend of mine and we've played many the same club together back in our rock 'n roll days.

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

A: I promise to put just as much effort into your song as if it were my own.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: What draws me to this line of work is getting to help people's dreams come true. I know, it sounds hokey! But really! They start out dreaming of an idea, and me getting to turn that idea into reality and seeing their reactions when it's finished is the most rewarding part of the job.

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

A: Sometimes I'm not even sure what I do...I do it all!

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

A: Make sure you know what you want before you ask for it! Trying to make big changes once the project is finished never ends up working out very well.

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

A: WelI, I started out as a college field goal kicker....haha yes way back when...then after school joined a band in Nashville called Fools For Rowan. I was with them for a good three years or so, playing all over the country and meeting many amazing people, one of which is now my wife! After the band I transitioned into the studio side of things, producing and working with songwriters. At that time I really became a student of mixing and what it takes to take a song from good to AWESOME! I'm still working with songwriters but am now a freelance producer working on various projects, ranging from recording local bands to doing remixes for big YouTube channels.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would say I have a hybrid style. When you can play instruments like the guitar or the drums, you can't help but infuse it into the way you produce electronic productions, for example. Having that knowledge only makes your production stronger. I would say the same about producing a song with your traditional drums, bass and guitar. You've always got the electronic production techniques to subtly lean on when it comes to the dynamics of the song or bringing in fresh textures that enhance the instruments being played.

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

A: I would love to work with the guys in Above & Beyond, a dance music group. Besides seeming to be a great bunch of guys, their music is so well orchestrated and thought out. They also make a point to write songs that can be played in the club, yet also hold up when you sing them while strumming an acoustic guitar. Since I'm an active musician in addition to producing and engineering, I really appreciate their approach to their work, and it's something that I certainly strive to do as well.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Cook with good ingredients.

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

A: I've worked on a lot of country, living and working in Nashville for a while, but when I'm working on my own projects it's almost always in the electronic genre, it's so much fun!

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My greatest skill is thinking like a producer, and then having the skills to put it all together.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: My goal is always to create a track that is greater than the sum of its parts. I want to feel something when I listen to it. If it's working for me, odds are I'm on the right track.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I start with the client's worktape, usually just a guitar/vocal recording on a phone, and from that I can get a tempo and a key for the song. Based on what they tell me they want the song to sound like, I'll start with a beat and start layering instruments, basically just following my gut.

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

A: The majority of the time I have worked with songwriters who want demos of their songs to pitch to labels. They give me the blueprints and I build the house!