Sound Engineer

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

A: In an exciting collaboration, I worked with Dimensional Innovations, pioneers in customized interactive experiences. Their project was an exhibit at the Amelia Earhart Hanger Museum in Atchison, Kansas. I was entrusted with audio capture on-set following a session of voiceover. My role was crucial to crafting a truly immersive visual experience. The project's authenticity depended on capturing airplane audio in Topeka, Kansas – a daunting yet rewarding aspect. By recording a plane similar to that flown by the legendary Amelia Earhart, we connected the exhibit to a genuine auditory past that carries historical weight. This professional venture also held personal significance. Atchison is my wife's hometown. Now, her community can experience my work whenever they visit the museum. As an audio engineer, projects like these are about more than just production - they are about connection, history, and sharing our craft with others. This experience epitomized the power of audio to bring stories to life, bridging past and present. And most importantly, it served as a reminder of the personal ties and emotional connections we as sound engineers can evoke through our work.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am currently working on an Atmos mix for an Electronica artist by the name of Astrales, and I have a long-running podcast called the SeasonED RD. I'm also working with a composer by the name of Jefferson Laurent who is working on a Bossa Creole project. I have post-production projects that are in various stages of completion.

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

A: I am new to SoundBetter and I will spend some time searching for people I know. However, at this moment I don't know.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I am mostly digital. A digital setup allows me to recall projects in seconds, not minutes or hours. I have three rooms I work in and a digital setup allows me to get up and walk into another room and instantly begin on a different workstation. If a client needs something while I'm on vacation, it's more likely that I can deliver it. I loved turning the dials on analog gear when I worked in large format studios. However, that meant we spent one to two hours a day cleaning machines in addition to a day a week dedicated to cleaning. That's a really expensive trade off and audio plugins sound so good today that it's not feasible for me.

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

A: The things that are in my control will be executed flawlessly. I will communicate immediately if there are issues that affect the scope of work, the budget, or the deadline.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love it when an artist has an idea in any stage of creation and seeing them wowed by how seamlessly I am able to execute their idea. Everyone who is involved feels the vibe leap to the next level in those moments.

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

A: Rightfully so, the first question most people have is how much will it cost. My answer is, it depends. How well was the music composed? How well was the audio recorded? What are your expectations? Where does it need to compete? How many deliverables do you need? All of which we can figure out in our initial conversation.

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

A: A lot of people get really excited about gear (myself included), but gear can only aid in the production process.  The best gear in the wrong hands and without purpose will not necessarily make the best recordings. I've watched people run out and buy new gear year after year so that they have the latest shiny gadget.  I would argue the best EQ is the one you've mastered.  The best compressor is the one you've mastered.  Most DAWs come with really good stock gear if you know how, when, and why to use them.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Where do you envision your music being played? What music are you listening to? What was going on in your life when you created this music? What are your personal thoughts on this music?

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

A: Find someone you like as a person to collaborate with.

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

A: Assuming I had an infinite source of electricity I'd bring my iPad, Laptop with Pro Tools and Logic Pro X (with all of my plugins and virtual instruments), my headphones, a USB vocal microphone, and an 88-key weighted keyboard with aftertouch.

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

A: I received my education in audio at the Conservatory of Arts and Sciences (CRAS).  I had the honor of starting my audio career apprenticing under Jeffery Clark Poe, a Grammy Award-winning sound mixer.  During my time at CAN/AM studios, I had the extraordinary opportunity to contribute to projects involving prominent music icons two of which are Herbie Hancock and Raphael Saadiq.   I now work on audio post-production for film, TV, Dolby Atmos, and immersive experiences that incorporate the use of immersive audio.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would describe my engineering style as a creatively transparent style.

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

A: I'd love to collaborate with DAO and write to some of his arrangements.  I'd love to mix songs for Alfa Mist because the arrangements are amazing.  If I could go back in time Nina Simone, Grover Washington, the Blackbyrds, Donald Byrd, and Smokey Robinson just to soak up as much creativity as I could.  My list is much longer than this.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: My number one music production tip is to protect the lyrics of the song. If every decision is made to support the lyrics of the song, the technical flaws will receive less light.

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

A: I most often collaborate and produce music with artists across various genres, including hip-hop, jazz, and electronica.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Being technically sound behind the boards so that my tools behave as instruments that aid in illuminating the nuances in the story being told, is my strongest skill as an audio engineer.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I've personally published over 170 songs, and I've recorded, mixed, and mastered many times more than that over the past 23 years as an audio engineer. I've worked with a variety of artists with all kinds of perspectives, backgrounds, and stories. This history in the crafting of songs coupled with decades of songwriting studies aids me in getting to the meat of ideas and getting to them quickly and honestly.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I begin by establishing who is going to be the point of contact for the project and what methods we will use to communicate, typically email. Then I work to define what it is they may be looking for, ie comping, editing, mixing, mastering, or all of the above.  During this period we'll discuss deadlines and any pertinent information the client deems necessary.  I listen to the two-track and share my insights on potential issues and solutions before I get started. Once the contact delivers the files and gives me the go-ahead, I communicate the date and time I will begin work.  If I run into unanticipated issues, I'll pause, communicate with the client, and wait for their response.  Otherwise, I'll present the client with the finished product via a cloud solution and hold for feedback.  If there are changes that need to be made, I'll make them and present the updated product again for feedback. The client signs off and we move on.

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

A: At times, I capture audio onset for TV spots and web series. Next, I might be found fusing sonic elements for musicians and partnering with composers on original scores for documentaries and short films. I'm a songwriter and I have a passion for collaborating with musicians to craft well produced songs.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a 10' x 13' control room and an 8' x 13' Vocal Booth. Recording to Pro Tools Ultimate HDX through my Focusrite Red 4 on a Mac Mini 3.2 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7 with 64 GB ram. Waves, Izoptope, UAD, Native Instruments, Soundtoys, and more than I have space to name here. I listen back through a 2.1 setup of the Focal twin be 6's while mixing with my Avid Artist Series boards.

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

A: Andrew Schepps, Rick Rubin, Nile Rodgers, Fab Dupont, Mick Guzauski, Jimmy Douglass, Luca Pretolesi, Rich Keller, and many more sound engineers and producers have inspired my journey.