Producer, Mix Engineer

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

A: I have always drawn inspiration from outside-the-box thinkers and engineers who work with unique songwriters to realize their collective vision: Thom Moynahan & Devendra Banhart, James Ford & Arctic Monkeys, Shawn Everett & The Voidz, Nigel Godrich & Radiohead, Bruce Swedien & Michael Jackson. I believe that the partnership between songwriter and a producer/engineer is the beautiful friction at the heart of all popular music. I take inspiration from those creative professionals who blur the line between their own work and the songwriter/performer to create a track that is greater than the sum of its parts.

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

A: I started as a songwriter and touring musician, but started to move towards production/engineering ~10 years ago. I produced a music web-series on NPR called "Barnburners" where we recorded bands in a barn, and spent years making records remotely - in churches, barns, houses. I then began freelancing in Brooklyn recording studios for a number of years, until I started itching to have a space of my own. I bought a farmhouse in New Paltz with my partner in 2017, and promptly began designing and building Welterweight. Having my own space has opened up so many creative and business opportunities for me. My ears have grown exponentially in the past few years.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring enthusiasm for music, an ear for what's working in a song, and the ability to not mistake the forest for the trees.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What were you inspired by when you wrote this song?

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

A: Do what you can on your own to cue up a successful recording process: make soulful demos, rehearse with whoever's gonna play on it. The more prepared you are, the more collaborative and fluid a record making process can be. The combination of preparedness and discovery is what makes for a great record.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is soulful and playful. I want a track to grab you and remind you how good it feels to listen to music.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Capture a vibe on your demo, but don't get too attached. Find the soul of your song and reference it often throughout the process. Your track should capture that inspiration.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My ears would be nothing without my experience as a recording engineer - I believe in recording things right and with enough vibe that the mixing process is intuitive and additive. Getting good sounds is my specialty.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Welterweight is a modern studio with analog and digital integration. It's designed to accommodate basic tracking for a full ensemble with two isolation areas. I work without a console, (to conserve energy and space!), but I incorporate great vintage and modern analog gear at all stages in the process. I mix in the box using state-of-the-art plugins (I have a vast suite of UAD plugins and others), but I tend to print stems through choice analog pieces as well as mix through a fully analog chain, including my Studer A80. I tend to emphasize recall-ability, as I understand it's important to get it right.

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

A: I specialize in producing music for my clients - from engineering basic tracking sessions, to producing and fine-tuning tracks during overdub sessions, all the way through mixing.