Alex Somer on SoundBetter

Producer/Session Musician in the heart of Appalachia looking to bring classic rock and blues back.

Fully operational home recoding studio located in the mountains of Boone, NC. Inspired by blues and classic rock. Previously worked at WASU FM college radio station as a DJ and special programming for alternative rock and classic rock playlists. Computer Science student with custom plugin and Ableton Live knowledge. I also offer a certification for the entire Adobe Creative Suite, capable of producing music videos, visualizations, and custom social media content for your releases. Above all else, I want to be a partner in your music production process. I want to offer insight and production tips wherever possible for the highest quality of your release, and this requires a professional partnership on both sides of the project. I have played guitar, bass, and piano for 5 years now. I have played drums for over a decade and also have access to numerous hardware synths and studio production gear. I can deliver fully in the box mixes using Ableton Live or a DAW-less mix from a hardware mixing desk, or even a combination of both.

Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.

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Interview with Alex Somer

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I produced a track for all my drunk friends one night and it was a disaster, but too much fun to forget.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Q: Can we add more compression? A: No, that's a bad idea but here's what it would sound like if you did.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: An EP that will come out... eventually.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Depends on what sound you're going for. If you want a modern sounding mix go digital. If you want a more vintage sound go analog. The biggest difference between the two is the workflow required. Digital is a faster process and more streamlined, but analog allows for much more experimentation and heavily slows the workflow. In the end I would prefer to use a hybrid rig, which is exactly what I do.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: Beyond demo quality. These are tracks ready to be mastered and released upon completion.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Creative Expression
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: What sound do you want and most importantly, why?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Be ready to clearly communicate and articulate your ideas. Have sample tracks ready with a production style you're aiming for.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: 16 Channel Mixer, Stratocaster, MiniMoog, SM57, and a Spyder Amp
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I am still a Computer Science student, but I honestly feel this benefits myself even more because it forces me to stay up to date with technology and allows me to fix any recording issues myself.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: 70's Rock mixed with 80's production.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Steely Dan
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: EQ your send effects and make sure to place a limiter on mixing busses.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Alternative Rock
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Sound Design and Session Musicianship
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: A fully-realized mix. This is beyond Demo quality.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Record a placeholder drum track first. Main chord progression next followed by bass track. Re-record drums and properly mix in the track. Sound effects and ambient pads follow if needed. Re-mix in mono and properly set a master bus. Re-record anything else needed. Final mix.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Ableton Live Suite used with a hybrid Tascam Model 16 Interface/Mixer. Reel-to-reel tape recording also available upon request.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Steely Dan's production, Dire Straits' songwriting, Steve Miller Band's sound design.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Full instrumental track recordings and production for studio bands.