Music Producer, Sound Designer

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

A: Tough one. I got a thrill when Jennifer Nettles sang a song I wrote on the CMA Country Christmas special. Millions of people watching. That one comes to mind. There are others.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A third song from my upcoming album by My Rich Friends.

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

A: I believe Jeffrey Casey is on here. I'd recommend him.

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

A: "Can you get me something by tomorrow?" My answer is "If that's when you need it, Yes."

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I prefer to work with grooves. Doesn't matter the genre at all. I like feeling a groove with what I work on. My personal music would be electronic alternative, boarder line industrial (sort of). I have done production for movie trailers for a long time. So I'm not intimidated by any style. Wait, let me think. No that's right. Any style is good.

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

A: I'll tackle any style at all. I always find what I love about a genre and that's what goes into it. When I work on my own projects I really like hard grooves like industrial and electronic stuff. I'm a huge fan of Massive Attack. I also love chart-ready pop songs.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Probably digging into what a client wants and why. I break down the project in my mind quickly. I identify how to bring something to life and start piecing that song together often before I even start the project. It's a skill that more times than not, gets the client something they love in version 1 or 2. I can creatively access what I'm hearing with the tools I have.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: If I'm creating something from scratch I start thinking of tempo and vibe. Then go with what the vibe dictates. Might be a groove or just a simple melody line. I tend to get the ideas recorded quickly, plotting out the arrangement loosely. Then I take each section and decide the vibe and what I should take out, leave in or add. This happens pretty quickly. I've presented my first pass of a complete song in 5 hours before though I have taken weeks dialing stuff in when I have the time.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My main DAW is Cubase but I'm comfortable with Logic, ProTools and Ableton Live. I have LOADS of plug ins both for orchestral sounds and also synth. TONS of effects so I have yet to not be able to emulate a sound or production style. I have and play acoustic, electric and bass guitars. I play harmonica and have a 6 string banjo.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both or either. Most of what I can get done and done well is digital but if it calls for acoustic instruments I'll get it done. But I'm not adverse to either format.

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

A: That I'll listen to you. That I'll bring both craft and art to the work. Authenticity with skill.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I LOVE making stuff. The happy accidents and things that surprise me. It's rarely dull work. And I LOVE the response from the client when I nail it.

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

A: That I can read your mind. The less I know about what you are going after, the more I have to guess. Which sometimes works out well but when it doesn't, it's the birth of a really bad experience for both of us.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Who is your audience? What inspired what you bring to the table? What artists resonate with you? How do you envision what we do together.

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

A: Don't come into it expecting a button pusher. I take direction really well but do my best work when it's a collaboration. Not a dictation.

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

A: My acoustic guitar because...would there be electricity? Ok if there was power, my macbook pro, a pair of IK Media desk monitors, My Apogee Quartet, My AKG 414. And I'm good.

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

A: I've been making music for decades. Working with multi-media platforms since 2003.

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

A: Sooo many. By genre I'd say for pop, Sia. She's an AMAZING lyricist for pop and I love what she does. Doing a track with Massive Attack would be amazing. I would say Trent Reznor but he doesn't need my help. :-)

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: I would say avoid clutter. Decide what is taking the center focus of a section and support that. Remove what doesn't need to be there. It can still have some complexity but without clutter.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I look at what the natural vibe of a song is. I look at song structure. Does it have or imply a strong arrangement? What's the hook? Then I try to support the vibe through the instrumentation I choose. When I'm producing vocals I shoot for honesty. Something that feels true. Because ultimately, that's what sells it. All the great production in the world can't replace authenticity.

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

A: Sia. Massive Attack, Nine Inch Nails, Beck, HEALTH, Gaga, James Newton Howard, Prince.

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

A: Production and instrumentation. I listen for how a song needs to be represented and find the right vibe. I also direct vocal sessions quite a bit too.