Alternative Pop Producer

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

A: I worked with an artist out in Chile, that wanted a Witch-House influenced track and he loved what I did. He was very receptive with how modern and fresh the track sounded, while I was very pleased to accomplish a project for someone in South America. This particular track was built around an acapella voice memo he sent me and we went back and forth until we found the best version for the song.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I’m working on the Debut EP for an artist near my local area, Pensacola, Florida, called “Pink Collar Worker”. Also about to start on the Debut Album of another band, “Wild Charge” , in the coming months. Recently finished their 3rd EP. A debut single for an artist out in Vancouver finishing up in February. My band, “Morning Trips”, is releasing our debut EP in Spring, produced by me. Working on our 2nd EP and writing our 1st album.

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

A: I found this website through an old colleague named Carl Bahner. He’s a great person with lots of wisdom and industry level mixing chops. I learned a lot about producing music through the work I was fortunate enough to do with him. Nicholas Roberto Di Lorenzo was one of the first mastering engineers I ever worked with as well. He introduced me to Carl and was a great source of information and honesty.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Well, digital - if you are on a budget or live in an apartment, or somewhere with restricted space or noise ordinance. The only people who can really tell a difference are other gear heads, not most people who consume your music. If you have the chance or the opportunity to own or play around with some analog gear, then more power to you. Both are tools that should be utilized when possible.

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

A: I “promise” to bring my best efforts and work to your music until all parties are truly satisfied with what has been created.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Artists and creatives are incredibly gifted and passionate people who put their all into what they do and see the world slightly different. Gaining those perspectives, challenging other’s perspectives, and helping celebrate and inspire growth in what we do is awesome. Working with passionate people who are truly giving their best into what they do, is rewarding in every aspect of life.

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

A: “What kind of music do you make?” My answer is “whatever the song calls for.”

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

A: The biggest misconception about what I do might be the time aspect, how long it truly does take sometimes to get a song right in production. Sometimes it takes versions upon versions to find the right version. If you’re working with takes you didn’t record yourself, that can be time consuming as well. The biggest misconception about what I do might be the time aspect, how long it truly does take sometimes to get a song right in production. Sometimes it takes versions upon versions to find the right version. If you’re working with takes you didn’t record yourself, that can be time consuming as well.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I like to first inquire and dig deep into their goals and vision. Basic logistics like timelines, deadlines. Things like that are good to figure out so expectations are clear from both parties. Sometimes, the artist knows exactly what they are looking for, and it’s my job to sync up with where their head is at. So I have to determine what convictions and values they hold as an artist and to the process of creation and determine where I can best serve and execute those decisions for the artist. Sometimes, an artist’s ideas can be all over the place, and I need to determine their convictions and values based upon my questions. I try to find examples and resources based upon references and determine what it is about each reference they like, and try to take away attributes from each.

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

A: To definitely speak your mind and trust your instincts. We are here to serve the artists and their music, so don’t hold back on communicating how you feel before, throughout, and after the process. In music, conflict in opinion and taste is normal, and if you feel you need to speak up, then it is perfectly normal to do so. I’ve been on the other end as an artist myself, and sometimes the process can lead to feeling unsure or overwhelmed in thought, so it is okay to trust your instincts as they come too.

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

A: A MacBook An Apollo Twin An SM7B An Electric Guitar My Precision Bass A condenser mic could be annoying on an island, so that’s why the SM7B. I can still program MIDI for keyboards and drums. So this would probably be all I really needed.

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

A: My career path has been to not work a 9-5 job. I’ve been in music since I was 13, writing songs and playing shows in my band throughout junior high and high school. Those formative experiences taught me how to compose verses, choruses, bridges. How to write a melody, what harmony was, etc. For a brief period after high school, I learned the business of booking and hosted local shows in my hometown. Working out to communicate with bands and directing the organization and flow of a show. Into my 20’s, I started touring with my own band, producing our own music, and more. All of these experiences have help carve out this path and viewpoint.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Polished, Progressive, and Polite. Or Whimsical, Washy, and Witty.

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

A: I’d like to work with BLACKSTARKIDS. They have a neat sound and I’d love to bring what I could to the table to it. I’d also love to do a song for like an experimental pop star, like Charli XCX or FKA Twigs. I’d like to work with BLACKSTARKIDS. They have a neat sound and I’d love to bring what I could to the table to it. I’d also love to do a song for like an experimental pop star, like Charli XCX or FKA Twigs.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: If you’re having to program drums, a lot of people talk about sample selection. That is really important, but I think sometimes people don’t talk about how many samples you have to select. I personally like to use 3-4 different kicks as my “main” kicks before I layer them along with the same process of snares, hi-hats, etc. The trick I try to use tho, is finding samples that sound incredibly close to each other, or transposing the samples to sound incredibly close together, along with automating the volumes ever so slightly of each hit. The end goal, if you’re going for the programmed, drum machine feel - is that even if the samples are looped, each hit will have a slightly different feel. Now your programmed loop will have a bit of life and excitement, compared to just using one kick, one snare, one hat.

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

A: Alternative Pop music, with a Rock, Electronic, and sometimes - both, tinge.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Skills are learned and developed over time and experience. Wins and losses. I think my best skill is the experience of time. Since my teenage years, I’ve been playing in bands, developing my ear for songwriting, and learning the in’s and out’s of the music production. Being introspective and open to what the process - learning how to communicate with artists and get the best out of their thought process is something that can’t be learned in a YouTube tutorial.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: There are a lot of songs released onto the internet everyday, a lot of songs that never leave notebooks, or these days - laptops. I like to constructively challenge and assist artists to create the most unique versions of their music possible. Helping artists find and develop their own sound, not emulations but summarizations of their influences. I try to make sure each song is going to add a taste , a bit of flair, to help craft the song in sounding modern and unique. I think a lot of that starts with vocal production, capturing the best takes of each vocalist I work with, constructing the best takes and performances I can from each singer. I get hired frequently for building landscapes to songs as well, which comes from a love of ambient music and film scoring. I think of the process a lot like world building.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I work to the wants and needs of the artist and songs. I like to work with a clear structure and foundation to each song and aim to serve the music. If the artist comes with a song they have on just an acoustic guitar and their voice, we find the foundation by making sure the key of the song feels right, the tempo, the structure and arrangements. From there, we continue to develop the sonic production of the song with rhythms to build definition and direction and add textures, sometimes keyboards and synths, sometimes dreamy guitars. I typically like to record scratch vocals to build the landscapes around and track final vocals over the greatest instrumental we can complete.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Minimal setup with emphasis of maximizing out the minimum. Treated bedroom studio, an Apollo Twin interface, and a TLM 102 microphone for live tracking. In addition to the TLM, a a pair of Shure mic’s, the steady SM57 and SM7B for color choices as well. The Apollo Twin’s preamps make everything in the studio, from my Juno keyboard to my Fender mustang sound exceptionally pleasing.

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

A: Avid fan of James Murphy, Brian Eno, Steve Albini, Jack Antonoff, John Cale. Love SOPHIE, Dylan Brady, George Daniel. Have had the pleasure of working remotely with Jeremey Sh Griffith, Carl Bahner, and Zach Fogarty.

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

A: Typically building songs from scratch with voice memo note or demo written on acoustic / piano. From there, I work with the artist on creation of sonic landscapes, arrangement, and overall production to satisfaction.