Rock Vocalist - Free Sample!

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

A: I'm working on an album with guys from around the world. I'm proud of it because of the level of collaboration that has gone into it, the enthusiasm all the guys have, all the work that has gone into it ... and the quality of the final product thus far!

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

A: I'm still developing a list of contacts on Soundbetter, but I'll update this answer later.

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

A: Do you sound like your samples? Absolutely. Being an online session singer is much more than just being able to sing. There is no vocal coach, engineer, or producer in the studio with you. You have to be able to track, edit, mix, etc .. the whole process by yourself. Those are the skills I bring.

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

A: Not many big ones. Sometimes I wonder if some people under-appreciate the time, effort, skill involved in writing lyrics and melodies to conform to an existing instrumental track.

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

A: Do they have electricity on the island? Internet?

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

A: I'd love to work with Jerry Cantrell. I think his ability to write cool, different guitar parts, and find intriguing vocal harmony lines would mix really well with my skills and instincts.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Working on an album with some musicians from literally all around the world. Four different countries on three different continents. It's a metal album that should be released in September 2021.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. Way more efficient, available, and the historical advantages of analog have all but evaporated.

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

A: You will get a high quality recording that delivers what your song needs.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love the reaction I get from clients when I provide a customized demo. Recently, I was told: 'I couldn't be happier!' Enough said. That's what it's all about right there.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I ask what is defined, what is not defined. I'm happy to write entire songs, or just sing specific passages in a specific way. Just want to understand how specific your vision is so I'm not going too broad or too narrow.

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

A: Ask for a sample. If you're unsure, I don't mind tracking half of a verse for example. I'm confident you'll be really happy with it!

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

A: I've been singing for over 20 years in both original and cover bands, and have really refined my process for recording over the last 3 years since I started building my own studio. I think people would be surprised at how little overlap there is in the skills involved between recording vocals and performing vocals involve.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Emotive, soulful, dynamic.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: I think the process of comping vocals takes doesn't get enough credit. Even for the best vocalists, the human voice can be fickle, the sound is a sensitive to many variables. I believe you have to get a reasonable large sample of takes so you can choose from the best.

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

A: All varieties of rock. I do love a good pop song here and there, but that's not what I'm known for.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Tough to say, but I get the most feedback on my vocal timbre. Though I feel that's very subjective. Please be your own judge!

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Passion for quality. I'm not here to complete as many jobs as possible. I take pride in doing exceptional work without compromise. That's what I want my brand to be all about.

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

A: I've always aspired to be one of those singers whose voice gives you goose bumps. The timbre of their voice, the delivery, ability to be tender at times, and belt out really rich choruses at others. (Mostly) rock singers who have not just range, but perhaps even more importantly, dynamic and textural range. Singers like Maynard, Thom Yorke, Mike Patton, Eddie Vedder, Michael Buble, Layne Staley, Aaron Lewis, Brandon Boyd, too many too count.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: 1) Get Organized I start by importing existing audio files into a dedicated song file based on a template that I've refined after recording dozens of songs in my current studio. I organize the song to ensure I've got the placement and length of the various sections, dial in the BPM, then detect the chord structure 2) Compose Lyrics / Melodies (if necessary) If lyrics are needed, I'll come up with a song topic that fits the mood of the music. I love crafting a story within the lyrics that can impart meaning at multiple levels, and figure out how to work them into the existing song structure. I often write melodies in parallel, though sometimes those come before or after lyrics based on what I think will work best. Often, I create a melody track that is recording using a digital piano. That helps serve as a guide while recording if there is no other vocal reference track. 3) Rough it out Then I'll typically record 1-2 takes for each section to serve as a rough vocal. I mix that down and LISTEN, sometimes for a couple days or so ... at home, in the car, etc so that the song penetrates into my psyche. This helps me start to figure out how the song needs to be sung at a really deep level. By the time I'm doing final tracking, I've generally memorized the lyrics so I can focus on the music and the song. I believe it's tough to give a genuine performance your all if you're trying to read lyrics while you're tracking! 4) Tracking I track each section individually, 3-5 takes or until I feel l've nailed each section multiple times. Harmonies will follow a similar process once the leads are tracked. 5) Comping and Tuning Once the song is done tracking, I will comp a final performance from all the best individual phrases (and sometimes words!). Then I use Melodyne to help me fine tune. The differences are sublte, but I notice them! It's like a final critical polish. 6) Demo Mix I create a demo mix after getting the EQ, compression, reverb, delay and other effects just right ... though this is pretty quick because most of that stuff is dialed into my template. If necessary, I'll make adjustments requested by the client (this is rare and very minimal, but happy to do it!). Generally, I'll provide a premixed vocal bus, a printed version of what I provided in my demo in step 6, and individual wet and dry vocal tracks (typically 24 bit, 48kHz) ... but I can provide whatever is needed for the job! It's a rigorous process, but I think the results speak for themselves! And I do not sacrifice quality ... it's a critical part of my brand!

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I currently sing through a Rode NT1A into a Focusrite Scarlett interface. I use Studio One with Rokit 5 monitors. My room has plenty of treatment, with a semi-closed vocal booth using Auralex panels. My dry vocals are nearly completely with just a hint of life and warmth ... easy to treat however you want. In addition to the stock Studio One plugins, my favorite is Overloud's GemVoice to get some great established sounds.

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

A: I add killer vocals! :) Look, there are plenty of people who can lend their voice to a song. I go beyond that, seeking to find what the song needs to come to life. When I'm done, the song won't just sound good ... it will have personality and character. It needs to evoke the right emotions at the right time or I haven't done my job right. Because I'm adaptable and a natural problem solver, I fit right into what the situation needs. Most often, I start with a finished instrumental track. From there, I can identify a concept or theme that fits the mood, write provocative lyrics that can stand on their own without music, create melodies and harmonies, and then bang out a soulful performance. Then deliver high quality, professionally groomed audio files to spec. Wet / dry, individual tracks or mixed bus files, or mixed into the music. But I also quite happy to take written lyrics and melodies, or just lyrics or just melodies, and craft the missing pieces around what's already there. Every job is different, which is why I love what I do!