Music Producer

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

A: Go with producers that have a demonstrable portfolio of work, preferably in the style you require. And any producers offering their services at way below the average fee probably aren't any better than you are at producing and mixing!

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

A: 1) My iPad (along with some ingenious way to charge it) 2) My headphones! 3) My MIDI keyboard complete with iPad lead 4) My pen and Pad 5) My iPad condenser mic Then I'd pretty much be doing exactly what I do now, but on a desert island!

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

A: I have been producing for over 10 years, following an upbringing that was filled with musical training and performance. It has been in the last three years that I have been working to forge a career as a musician, producer and sound engineer. I helped found Latent's Records at the beginning of 2014, and since then we have released 15 albums from a roster of 10 acts, made numerous radio and blog features, and many other proud achievements that we are carrying into our future plans. I have also worked with a number of external record labels on individual projects, as well as several independent artists. I have a successful beat selling website which I am looking to expand, but my primary focus as a producer is working on projects and adding my artistic touch.

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

A: I recently completed work on Bullet Tooth Snipes, an album by UK rapper Snypa D Delic which you can hear at latentsrecords.bandcamp.com. I produced all but two of the songs and also made vocal features on several of them, and I mixed and mastered the entire finished product. I enjoyed fitting my production to the artist's aggressive, urban style, and I gave the album a concept by injecting an overriding theme of revolution and anti-establishment activism similar to that of Project Mayhem in Fight Club.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I generally bring Hip-hop principles to any production project I take on, meaning gritty, catchy drums and a prominent bass are common features of my work. I tend to have a gritty, sometimes melancholy sound, using lots of minor chord sequences, but am consciously trying to add more upbeat sounds to my repertoire.

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

A: I would love to work with Cee-Lo Green because his voice is so unique and versatile, and he can do everything from spoken word poetry, through rapping and on to numerous singing styles, complete with brilliant songwriting.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: There is always more you can learn. BUT if you master the art of instinctively comprehending the bass in the mix, you won't go far wrong!

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

A: I primarily work with Hip-hop and other urban styles including Grime, Trap and RnB. I am also very competent in commercialised versions of these styles, so pop music both electronic and acoustic are right up my alley. I am a classically trained pianist, and as such have a strong instinct for mixing and creating orchestral music.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest asset, which sets me apart from other producers, is my ability to fundamentally understand the music I work with as art, and bring out the full potential of every musical project.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: First and foremost I bring passion and a methodical approach to every music project. I aim for maximum creativity, as I consider myself an artist primarily. I will always try to establish a connection with the soul of every project so that my work is aligned with the music's meaning and context.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I wouldn't say I have a specific process or routine, I just relish the solitude and the opportunity to bury myself for hours in the music creation process. I will first aim to piece together as much creative material to a track as possible, experimenting with sounds and plugins. Then I begin the process of tidying up the sound of each track individually, then in groups through busses, and finally the entire mix as a single organism.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a piano, acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, trumpet and violin with the necessary equipment and mics to record them if I need an organic sound. I have a nice compressor mic with studio monitors and monitor headphones, a versatile MIDI keyboard and Roland sampler. I also have an iPad with the Reason, Fruitloops and mpc apps, plus numerous other synths and sequencers, and my DAWs of choice are Fruity Loops Studio, Samplitude and Magix, with countless plugging and VSTi add-ons.

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

A: I am most inspired by creative producers who aim to think outside the box when it comes to making beats. Hip-hop producers like J Dilla, MadLib, Flying Lotus, Dr Whodat and other similar artists are my greatest inspiration, but I also appreciate the super clean mixes and commercial styles of producers like Timbaland and The Neptune's.

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

A: I frequently produce instruments for an artist to write to, or around a song that an artist has already written. I can assist with the songwriting process if needed, and once the vocal recording is sent back to me I can mix and master to an extremely high standard for the finished product. I also specialise in creating piano arrangements, and can provide vocal features as singer or rapper if required.