Creative producer and mix engineer specializing in bass, guitar, and melodic grooves, with an attention to detail. I approach your song by first understanding your needs, then delivering a heart-driven, authentic, great sounding track. On time.
I have a passion for collaborative creativity, and I am devoted to making the band sound its best and serving the song!
My formal training includes classical performance and theory, jazz performance and theory and even traditional Tönmeister recording training at the Fredonia School of Music.
From touring numerous stages backing incredible artists, to working as a session player in studios, I’ve got a knack for great sound honed by real world experience.
I take pride in delivering musical, inspiring performances to help you make your track sound great!
Services I offer:
-Bass
-Guitars
-Production
-Songwriting
*25% expedite fee for projects needed in 48 hours or less
I’m fairly new to this platform, so my rates are low while I’m building my page. Let’s talk!
Send me a note through the contact button above.
Credits
27 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client
Endorse Ben C.- check_circleVerified
Ben provides an amazing combination of professionalism with a personal touch that makes working with him a dream. He takes the time to thoroughly outline the value he brings to the process, and the pricing is fair and worth every penny!
He has the technical skills to create professional, industry-ready tracks, as well as the in-depth musical experience to provide the magic “ear” which a producer needs.
I’m confident that he can manifest the music I’m hearing in my head! - check_circleVerified
Ben delivered a top-notch track on the first take. He understood the style and tone right away. Could not have been happier with how his bass locked in with the kick perfectly, setting the groove and elevating the production. Easy to deal with, too. Hire him.
- check_circleVerified
It was a pleasure to work with Ben! The song was well produced and mixed. The vocal production was amazing as well as the added bass guitar and drums! Highly recommended producer. Great communication and super professional.
- check_circleVerified
Great guitar tracks! Fair price and quality sound!
- check_circleVerified
I am so thankful that I booked a consultation meeting with Ben. I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I could have made when it comes to seeking advice and feedback on my music. Our meeting truly felt like a collaborative experience where we reviewed my songs, and I received professional advice, constructive feedback, and information that filled in the gaps for me as a songwriter and singer - truly invaluable! I'm excited and ready to take the next step for my songs!
- check_circleVerified
Another great experience! Looking forward to working together again. Thanks Ben!
- check_circleVerified
Ben did an amazing job producing and mixing 4 songs, overcoming multiple technical challenges on my end, getting working tapes into danceable timing, using my hodgepodge of instrumental ideas and paring them down or adding his wonderful bass and guitar parts, drums, etc. where needed with me giving feedback along the way. Working online takes patience from both parties and Ben met the task, giving me his thoughts and listening to mine so it was truly collaborative. EP sounds great! Thanks, Ben!
Ben is a great guy to work with. He gave me a couple of different options. One which he played more simply and one with a few more fills. It was nice to be able to mix and match those takes. He also has really nice tone on his bass. Delivery was easy and painless. I highly recommend working with Ben. You won’t regret it.
Spot on, kickass bass track. Thank you Ben, for giving our song that special groove that it needed.
Ben produced and played all instruments on a song we worked on together, including live guitars and bass. He was super fun to work with and easy to communicate with over a few Zoom meetings and text messages as we developed lyrics and discussed details of the project, and was incredibly thorough in making sure all elements of the song worked together. I’ve already booked another project with him for next month.
I brought Ben well into a production for an advertising sync song for guitar and bass. Ultra quick turnaround for both; delivered files and pulled into protools timeline and done. Multiple guitar track's tonality, matched perfectly with song direction. Bass was spot on. Highly recommend his work. Thanks Ben. Looking forward to working with you again soon!
Having dowries with many bass players over the years it can be a tricky thing finding someone you lock in with, but that also gives you the room to breathe in rhythm section...Ben did just that, and it was effortless. He’s creative, resourceful and has a great ear for the “right” parts and above all serves the song.
Here are some adjectives I can use to describe Ben as a bassist: Intuitive, thoughtful, creative, attentive. He wrote many bass parts when he was in my band. Spot on. He always plays the song, not just his part...it's a subtle thing and hard to describe, but it's super important. Simply put -- he made our band better by being in it.
Ben is a musician's musician. He is an instinctive player that knows the when, where and what to play in any given style or musical situation. He brings a musicality born from experience and plays with a confidence that can raise the bar. Live, in the studio, or on the road, working with Ben was easy and fun. We could always count on him to bring the touch, tone and feel we needed to make our music the very best it could be.
Ben is feel. He is also technical. He knows how shit works. He knows how to get there. Great on the bandstand. Looks great. Seriously gifted player. Knows live sound and recorded audio.
Ben did an amazing job producing and mixing 4 songs, overcoming multiple technical challenges on my end, getting working tapes into danceable timing, using my hodgepodge of instrumental ideas and paring them down or adding his wonderful bass and guitar parts, drums, etc. where needed with me giving feedback along the way. Working online takes patience from both parties and Ben met the task, giving me his thoughts and listening to mine so it was truly collaborative. EP sounds great! Thanks, Ben!
Ben worked with me as the bassist on the recording of my album “Stumbling Towards Happiness”, for which I am very grateful. We met through the producer Alison Pipitone, and from the beginning I could tell that Ben “got” my music and what I wanted. The songs were diverse in style, ranging from loud rock to quiet folk, and in each case Ben understood the approach that was needed and developed bass parts that perfectly fit the mood and my intention. Ben was a leader both in making suggestions and collaboration, and he brought dedication, musicality and a good dose of humor to the project.
Another great experience!
Looking forward to working together again.
Thanks Ben!Ben has produced several tracks for me, played bass and guitar, as well as programmed drums and other instruments on them. I love his musical instincts and selflessness.
Five Stars!!!I am so thankful that I booked a consultation meeting with Ben. I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I could have made when it comes to seeking advice and feedback on my music. Our meeting truly felt like a collaborative experience where we reviewed my songs, and I received professional advice, constructive feedback, and information that filled in the gaps for me as a songwriter and singer - truly invaluable! I'm excited and ready to take the next step for my song
Interview with Ben C.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I'm quite proud of my contributions to Alison Pipitone Band's record "Big Wide World". I played bass, wrote my parts, and contributed to the arrangements. I put a lot of thought into all of those aspects, and also deliberately chose instruments and amplifiers to suit the songs best. Then tracked all my parts in a day, live with a few punches.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm working on getting better at writing, singing and self-producing with an eye on the sync market. Doing as many co-writes and productions as possible. Building my catalog and finding long-term collaborators.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Kyle Weirzba is an awesome producer I've worked with - gets really great analog sounds and a super cool guy.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: ooof... Digital. I love the sound of analog, and have had really great playback systems with vinyl, tube amps and massive horn speakers. There's something to it. But the amazing sounds that can be created with digital, and the speed and ease with which we can create them, is simply transcendent. I love it.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: Authenticity, honesty and integrity. Effective communication and their satisfaction with the results.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I just love collaborating and the joy of creating something that has the ability to move bodies, hearts and souls.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: This is a new platform for me - ask me your question and find out!
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That you can't make money at it unless you're famous.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: * A: Approach the process with specific intentions, and an openness to what comes as a result of collaboration. I like to know about reference sounds and vibes. If there's a reference track for the whole song, great! Or if there's a performance on an unrelated song that inspires you, let me know! Often, that's more helpful than a thousand words and 8 emails. And when do you need it? I like to deliver a track so if a revision is desired, we have time to make adjustments.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Approach the process with specific intentions, and an openness to what comes as a result of collaboration.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: G&L L1000 bass Ampeg B15 Heritage H140 (sits between a Les Paul and an SG) Fender Deluxe Reverb A nice vintage drum kit, like some 40's Slingerland Radio Kings
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started out with a University training in the mid-90s, playing string bass with a bow in an orchestra, and living and breathing jazz outside of class. I was too afraid to move to a major market to try to make a living with music, so I learned how to survive doing work I didn't love. I always kept playing and listening deeply to music, and my ears and taste have been developing the whole time. I got serious about putting myself in better musical situations around 2005 and joined a great original band in 2008 - The Alison Pipitone Band, based in Buffalo, NY. Check her out - she's been writing great songs for a long time. Life took some twists and turns and I left after about 5 years, many shows and one record (it's prominent in my demo reel here). I also co-founded Black Rock Zydeco as a singer and guitarist in that time frame. I left town and started over in a small central NY town, taking a couple years to get my legs under me, figure out how to roast amazing coffee and run a business. In the process I rediscovered the joy of creativity. After a while I returned to the Buffalo area and rejoined my old zydeco band and have been moving toward my desire of making music full-time since. Covid kinda gave me a nudge, and I'm sure not alone in that.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: In the pocket. Versatile. Authentic. Musical. Soulful.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I'd like to work with Jason Isbell. I think he's writing some of the very best songs today, and that's what I'd like to learn about the most. Plus it would scare the s*** out of me, and I learn the most from doing scary things.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: The most helpful thing for me has been to understand how sound behaves in the air, in a space. This translates into a core understanding of how to use compression and time based effects. It's important in knowing how to get sounds that represent a recorded but faithful version of an instrument or vocal, and equally important in taking that and twisting it into something new.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I play in a Zydeco band, at least when we're not in the middle of a global pandemic... That's a ton of fun and takes care of my groove jones. I also fill in quite a bit for live work - this is exhilarating stuff, and I've met so many great drummers at soundcheck. I met Beyonce's current drummer at a soundcheck for a reggae gig at a winery... But most of the studio work I get is in the singer/songwriter bag. And I love it.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Knowing when to stop. With the technology at our disposal, it's easy to keep tweaking and beating the art and musicality out of a song. It's important to have a sense of when it's done.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring a perspective and sense of appropriateness that has taken years to develop. Sometimes no notes or one note are what's called for. Anyone COULD do that, but how many WOULD? Commitment. Whether it's busy, dense playing, or simple grooves, I'm not satisfied until you are.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I like to have the track the day before I start writing or recording. I'll listen and ask for direction if anything's unclear about what the client wants. If charts are available that's great too - it makes my work more efficient. Nashville style or fully notated, whatever you've got. Once I'm in the DAW, I'll typically take 1 or 2 "gut passes", then start shaping the part to work musically with the song. I am happy to provide dry stems, but most often clients are happiest with the light compression and amp tones I provide, so only minor sweetening to fit the final mix is necessary.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I track into Logic, using an Apollo Twin X. Acoustics and vocals get captured using a Neumann TLM107 (not super common, but check it out), Shure SM7B, AKG C535EB pair, and various other mics for color, including ribbons and other vintage dynamics. I monitor with Beyerdynamic DT770pro 250 ohm cans, and Focal Alpha 65. I mainly program soft instruments in the box, but also have an Akai MPKmini. I tend to go after and achieve tube/tape/analog sounds. UAD plugins are great for this. I usually mix into Oxide tape emulation and Ozone.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Daniel Lanois has been a favorite producer since I heard "For the Beauty of Wynona" in '93. From there I went back and discovered his important earlier work with Peter Gabriel, U2, Dylan, Willie and Emmy Lou. There's so many great producers and engineers, though. Jaco broke my brain when I was young; his contributions to Joni Mitchell's late 70's - early 80's records truly reset the standards for creative collaboration by a bassist, but I don't try to emulate his playing style. I love Aston Barrett's and Robbie Shakespeare's playing and tone when reggae was breaking new ground. So many greats like Chuck Rainey, Leland Sklar, Sting, Adam Clayton...
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I'm best known as a bass player, so that's the type of calls I get most often. Lots of work with singer/songwriters who need me to write and perform a musical part that helps their tune take shape from a guitar/vocal.
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $300 per song
- Bass ElectricAverage price - $70 per song
- Electric GuitarAverage price - $70 per song
- Acoustic GuitarAverage price - $70 per song
- ProducerAverage price - $350 per song
- Pop-Rock ArrangerAverage price - $100 per song
Let's talk about your needs and how you want to get it done! I'm flexible and a big fan of clear communication and setting accurate expectations.
- Pino Palladino
- Leland Sklar
- Jimbo Hart
- '81 G&L L1000
- '83 G&L SB-1 (P)
- '20 G&L CLF L2500
- Bass Uke
- Simon & Patrick Showcase RW D style
- '50s Kay 015 copy
- UAD Apollo Twin X and plug-ins
- Logic
- Shure SM7B
- AKG C535EB
- Beyer DT770
- Focal Alpha65
- Fender Strat
- The Heritage H140CM (LP/SG)
15% discount on multiple jobs booked - for a limited time!