Matt Wong on SoundBetter

I am an experienced guitarist on the New York City music scene. I have recorded for artists such as Jason Robert Brown, and Ben Platt, but also independent artists in eight different countries. I'm passionate about collaborating with artists to craft guitar parts that support and serve the song.

I am a versatile guitarist and musician with a wide range of instruments, sounds and approaches, and have dedicated more than two decades to playing my instrument. I have worked on projects from songs by independent artists, to national TV commercials, and a Grammy Award nominated major label album.

I love working with artists and producers who want to bring their music to life using live guitar, whether it is funky R&B parts, aggressive rock guitar, country rhythm, guitar sound design, or a beautiful acoustic part. I focus pairing the right tones with guitar parts crafted to support the song and the artist's vision. I'm very particular about delivering high quality audio, and I record using the same grade of equipment that you would expect to find in a commercial recording studio.

Please reach out and let's talk about your next project!

Contact me through the green button above and let's get to work.

Credits

1 Reviews

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by Thomas Hill
Great guitarist and a great guy! Very versatile player, would totally recommend to anyone who needs some solid guitar parts.

Interview with Matt Wong

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That I'm here to add my "stamp" to your song. Nope! This is your song and your art, so please don't hesitate to communicate exactly what you're looking for in any way that you're comfortable doing - its up to me to interpret your instructions and execute what you're hearing.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Ed Sheeran - incredible songwriter, vocalist, and musician.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Not every sound can be massive! With guitars, sometimes that "thin" sounding guitar part may sound unappealing on its own, but within the context of the overall song and mix, it carries weight and shines because of how all the frequencies are interacting with each other. Don't hesitate to high pass and use EQ to carve out a space for each instrument, especially in a dense mix. It's a team effort though, so I try to help on the tracking end with this when I'm dialing in tones for my parts.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I'm usually hired to play on indie, pop/rock, and singer/songwriter songs. I also play on musical theatre, film, and tv projects.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Arranging - I'm a guitar player, but I also see the "big picture" and understand that my guitar parts are just a piece of the overall puzzle that is the song.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I will give your project nothing less than my best effort, and will deliver your tracks to you on time.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love being part of the creative service industry, and helping to bring an artist's song to life according to their creative vision.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: 1) When is the deadline? 2) Do you have any musical references or influences I should keep in mind? 3) How would you like the tracks to be delivered?
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I have an eclectic list of musicians that have inspired me - The Beatles, Motown artists, James Taylor, Chet Atkins, Michael Jackson, Van Halen, Coldplay, John Mayer, and Charlie Puth are a brief list.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: When I'm not recording, I'm playing in the orchestras for Broadway shows. I've worked at shows like Wicked, the Book of Mormon, and a bunch of others.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both! I have a great collection of vintage and modern amplifiers, microphones, and a rack of microphone preamps, and other outboard gear. However, I won't hesitate to use a modeler like my Kemper Profiler, or a plugin. Whatever is right for the song and gets us the sound that we're looking for. A lot of the time, it's a combination of both!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: My Tele, my Deluxe Reverb combo amp, an acoustic guitar, an SM57, and a laptop.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I began taking guitar lessons at age six and studied with some great teachers and mentors. When it was time to go to college, I attended Berklee College of Music, and got my bachelor's degree in Contemporary Writing and Production (music arranging and production). After graduation, I was hired to play guitar, mandolin, octave mandolin, and bouzouki on the 1st national tour of hit Broadway show Come From Away. After the tour, I made New York City my home base, and have been working in town ever since.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Electric mics: Isolated cabinet mic'd with an SM57 and a Royer R-121, Acoustic mic: Neumann KM184s, Mic preamps: API 3124V, BAE 1073 (neve style), Compression: Empirical Labs Distressor, Post Effects: TC Electronic G Major-2, Audio interface - Apogee Symphony MKII 8x8, DAWs - Pro Tools, Logic Pro X
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Guitar recording for artists, songwriters, producers and composers in a wide variety of genres.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: First, I have a discussion with my client to get an idea of their vision for the song, and any specific ideas they have for the guitar parts. Next, I listen through the mix that is sent to me. If no chart/lead sheet is provided, then I'll make my own at this point. Then I start brainstorming what tools I will use to achieve the tones that I think are appropriate for the song. At this point, I begin creating the parts. I like to start with the chorus first, and then work on the verses, so I can make sure the chorus is the "biggest" section of the song. I will record as many guitar parts as I think the song needs, while making sure I'm always complementing the vocal, and respecting the existing arrangement.