Creative Session Drummer

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I feel the role of the drums can be to act as a driving force that defines the character of the song, or to add just the right amount of color to what is there, or any shade in between these. I feel that I'm pretty good at working with an artist to find the right balance based on both of our experiences and tastes.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I like to listen to whatever the artist sends without playing first, and I see what comes to mind (taking into account any specific instructions or reference tracks of course). Then I'll usually write out the form of the tune and go to the drums and mess around until something feels right, then do a take!

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I am lucky to have a treated room based on a consult from a professional acoustician. I use Pro Tools, and have a bunch of different microphone and instrument options to work with. Typically 8 mics at a time on a drum kit.

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

A: For this type of work, I think Jay Bellerose is my idol! He's played on some of my favorite records, particularly the ones produced by T Bone Burnett.

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

A: Typically, I am hired to write and record a drum part for a song based on a scratch track sent by the artist (ideally recorded to a click).