I'm am full-time professional musician with decades of experience performing and recording in a variety of styles. I record in my home studio using Logic Pro X and SessionWire. I'm ready to add guitar, saxophone and/or keyboards to your songs and take them to the next level! I'm easy going and look forward to collaborating with you.
I'm a session musician, songwriter, producer, arranger, copyist, music teacher, musical director and bandleader of the group Hip Pocket and sideman with several local groups and projects. I play in a variety of styles including Pop, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Funk, R&B, Country, Neo-Soul, etc.
I'm a graduate of G.I.T. the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles, California. I've performed extended engagements in Japan, Spain, New Orleans and on cruise ships, at BC Place for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. I've performed with Michael Buble', Colin James, Russell Malone (guitarist for Diana Krall) and with members of Wynton Marsalis' Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
I've recently contributed guitar and saxophone tracks to 3 album projects and am working on completing my own album project of original compositions.
Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.
Interview with Adam Rohrlick / Hip Pocket
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: Customer satisfaction.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Making music with others and the collaboration process.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: When EQ-ing instruments it's generally better to reduce offending frequencies than to add EQ.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Andy Snitzer. Session saxophonist recorded on albums by Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton and many more. Andy is also a recording artist with 7 albums of his own and he toured with the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon. Andy is not only a great session sax player but also a great songwriter, arranger, producer and ProTools editor. It would be a thrill to work with him and perhaps gain more insight into his methods.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I recorded guitars and saxophones for several tracks on Rob Weaver's Greatest Hits album in 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgwFFrpCKSU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR92qmF3UqY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t_6BxK_LPo
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Currently recording rhythm guitar and sax solos for a female vocalist's Jazz album project produced by Rick Kilburn.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Keyboard player Jonny Tobin.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I work in both analog and digital domains.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I usually ask them to describe the style of their music and perhaps provide a reference to a familiar recording artist. I also ask what they have in mind for my contribution.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Hopefully, they already have a sense of what the song needs in terms of instrumentation and parts and can clearly articulate what they'd like to hear. Providing a chart (sheet music or lead sheet) is helpful but not required.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Taylor GS-Mini acoustic guitar, Ibanez GB10 electric guitar, Conn 10M tenor saxophone, Buffet Super Dynaction alto saxophone, Roland RD-300 SX keyboard.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: Music has been a lifelong pursuit and career for me. Years turn into decades. I started out playing in bar bands and then played in corporate dance bands and tribute bands playing weddings and special events. I became a bandleader of my group, Hip Pocket, in 2001 and began writing and recording original music and doing recording sessions for other projects.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Melodic and versatile in a variety of styles.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Pop, Rock, Jazz, Soul, R&B, Country, Americana, Smooth Jazz, Neo-Soul.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Big ears and my musicality which I've developed over years of recording and performing.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring years of recording and live performance experience as a professional musician playing in a variety of styles and a strong melodic sense.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I usually listen to the song several times to become familiar with it and to acquire an understanding of what it might need in terms of rhythmic and/or melodic parts, perhaps a melodic motif in the intro and a solo in the middle. The ultimate goal is always to serve and support the song.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: Logic Pro X with SessionWire https://www.sessionwire.com/. AudioBox USB interface. Mackie HR824 studio reference speakers. JBL 305P-MKII studio monitors. AKG headphones. AMT True Acoustic Mic for sax, Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb, Quilter guitar amp, Fender Vibrolux. Zoom G5n multi effects, Zen Drive, Xotic RC Booster. Roland RD300 SX keyboard. MIDI.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Some of my favourite music producers are Larry Klein, T Bone Burnett and Tommy LiPuma. Some of my favourite session musicians are guitarists Larry Carlton and Robben Ford, saxophonist Andy Snitzer and keyboard player Larry Goldings.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Adding guitar (acoustic and/or electric), saxophone and/or keyboard tracks to an existing song.
I was the co-composer and played electric guitar, organ & keys in this production
- Electric GuitarAverage price - $150 per song
- SaxophoneAverage price - $150 per song
- Keyboards - SynthAverage price - $150 per song
- Acoustic GuitarAverage price - $150 per song
- PianoAverage price - $150 per song
- Fender Tele
- Strat
- Epiphone Sorento
- Taylor GS-Mini
- Yamaha nylon string
- Fender Deluxe Reverb
- Saxes: Yamaha YTS62 tenor
- Buffet Super Dynaction alto
- Trevor James soprano
- Roland RD300SX keyboard