Drummer/Musician, Producer

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

A: The first half of my musical autobiography ( “My Incredible Journey”) is very dear to me, and is the project I am currently most proud of. The first half covers 1990 to 2010 in about 30 episodes. Each episode contains a song or medley which represents a person, situation, environment, or season which significantly influenced my journey as a person and a musician. From scratch, I composed, arranged , and sung completely original renditions of songs that shaped my childhood, teenage years, and young adulthood. It is a reflection of the best parts of my story, the people and events which made me who I am today.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: My own Musical Autobiography

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

A: Carlin Mccular, hands down

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. Convenience, Efficiency, Speed, the times we live in. “Work smarter, not harder.”

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

A: I promise to dedicate my time, energy, innovation, and creativity to helping you #releaseYOURsound.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Satisfied clients who feel the music I produced/contributed/inspired manifested EXACTLY what they wanted, needed, or were thinking.

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

A: How long have I been playing? My answer is 20+ years. Then they say “seriously?”

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

A: The biggest misconception about music production is that it’s easy and glamorous. Everyone with a phone and a beat machine calls themselves a producer or videographer. Doing this for real, with real artists, real deadlines, real creativity, real innovation, and real pressure, it’s hard, and often under-appreciated. But that feeling of someone vibing to a song you arranged/tracked/wrote/composed is WORTH IT every time!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are their musical inspirations? What’s their favorite song/artist? What’s their least favorite song? What kind of feel do they see for the record?

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

A: I grew up leading worship in church while playing piano, and also playing drums. I played for several groups up and down the East Coast through grade school and college until I joined the U.S. Air Force. My gifts and my job took me all across the world: Japan, Greece, Germany, Italy, Ireland, England, and Qatar. Everywhere I went, I connected with amazing artists and musicians, I conducted clinics, and trained hundreds of vocalists. After I left the military, I spent some time as a High School Educator, teaching English, Speech, History, Theology, and Coaching a basketball and music. I felt a shift in the vision of my life, and my family and I relocated to Houston right before the pandemic. In Fall 2019, I committed to my music production company full time, and I’ve been loving every minute of it

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

A: Good a good idea of what you want your song to sound like, and then write it down or voice record these thoughts in as much detail and description as you can manage. I'll make it come to life.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: For drum tracking, I listen to the song for the first time while on the set and just fiddle around with it, get a feel for the vibe. not worried about cuts, dynamics, or anything, just the feel emotion and spirit of the music. Then I listen about 10 times analyzing every small hit, lead line, brass run, and detail. After I feel the music is fully internalized, I execute. For instrumental and full production its different, because everyone comes to the studio with something different. If there are lyrics, I study them before composing. if there is already and reference, I listen to that 2-3 times, and then start composing it phrase by phrase. Then I compare the original and my arrangement to ensure the heart of the song is still there.

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

A: Noise Cancelling Headphones, Power supply, Yamaha MDX6, Satelitte enabled cell phone, and a microwave full of pop tarts

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Smooth, Enthusiastic, and Eccentric

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

A: I'd love to work with Jason Schultz. He's a very talented and expressive young man. Warren brown as well. I also would love to work with Chandler Moore.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: It's ok to take a break from a song. If not, many of your compositions will end up sounding the same. Take breaks and listen to other music. To analyze it or evaluate, but just to feel good and be inspired. When you return to your own work, it will help tremendously.

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

A: Gospel, CCM, and Jazz/Fusion

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is creative arrangement and cuts. I am also really great at creating abstract harmonies to coincide with the musical arrangements.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I typically bring wild, yet precise and controlled creativity. I am bold enough to try anything in a song, yet tame enough to make sure it blends with the vision and the other musical contributions with it.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I use Reason, by Propellerhead, as my operating Daw, on an iMac. I use a Scarlett18i20 to consolidate the inputs from my Alesis Strike Pro Special Edition electric drum set and my acoustic Gretsch Energy Drumset. I us a Yamaha MX61 for a great deal of my recording and compositions, and several vocal mics.

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

A: I am greatly inspired by the late, great Chic Corea, Tony Royster Jr., Timothy Reddick,

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

A: For my clients, I do a great deal of remote drum tracking and instrumental production