Deeply Musical Production

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

A: Brunette Productions is another producer that I would recommend highly.

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

A: People often ask for what I do to improve mixes, and I think the real answer is that it's often only 4 or 5 small things that start adding up to make a large difference.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I think my style incorporates a bit of vintage feel and is rooted in the past but also goes into fresh and interesting directions - someone described it as "Vuja De" - meaning a fresh and free take on something you kind of feel like you already know.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a dedicated studio space in Brooklyn, with acoustic treatment, yamaha hs8 monitor speakers and various headphones and other speakers for referencing. I have a selection of digital pianos, a Prophet Rev2 analogue synthesizer, MicroKorg XL+ analogue synthesizer, Behringer D analogue mono synth, Apollo Twin audio interface along with many UAD plugins, Ableton 11 Studio, the Izotope Mixing and Mastering suites, Soundtoys, FabFilter, XLN (basically every plugin one could need)

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

A: I'd say there are three main types of work I do. The first is helping take your track from an idea to produced, by adding in instruments or musical elements that help bring the track to life. I particularly specialize in keyboard work, bass lines, synthesizer elements and beat creation, as well as sound design. The second main type of work is mixing - where you send me the stems and I return a musically sensitive mix that highlights what is so special about your musicianship to be prepared for the mastering stage. The third is keyboard session work - essentially adding piano or Rhodes or synth to your track.

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

A: I'm particularly proud of being featured alongside some of my favorite artists in The Heist compilation album released this year by Good Society and Retro Jungle Records. It was an honor to be adding production and playing alongside artists I've loved for a while.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: In addition to doing production and mixing work for clients, I am working on music for my own artist project. I find that spending energy there keeps my process creative and helps bring more spark to the work I do for others.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: It depends on the situation - different times call for different techniques. For a more organic feel or something that already has a recorded acoustic instrument, analog often is most appropriate. If the track is more modern, experimental, or utilizes a lot of plugins, it's often going to sound better to keep it digital.

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

A: I will go above and beyond in trying to make your music shine as much as possible and will never just treat you like "another assignment"

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: What I like most about my job is getting to experience so many different artists and be paid to do what I love. I think each musician has their own voice (it's ok if you haven't found it yet, also!) and that it's a unique and cool challenge to help bring it out as well as possible. It's always a fun game to solve.

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

A: That producers are relatively interchangeable and therefore paid by the hour just for the time spent. I think the right producer can breathe life into a track and what you're paying for is the value they've added from years of experience - not the act of sitting in the studio and clicking a mouse.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are some references for your vision? What are your favorite drum sounds, your favorite vocalists, etc. The more references I get, the better I can do for you.

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

A: Find someone who doesn't just talk to you like a commodity or like something to put through their one-size-fits-all process. If someone sends you a copied-and-pasted email to begin, run! The right person should bring an attitude that leaves you wanting to leave a glowing review.

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

A: Apollo Twin Duo, Prophet Rev2 Synth, Headphones, Laptop, Microphone

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

A: I have been studying and playing music since before I could really speak in full sentences. I graduated with a degree in music and have honed my theory, composition and production skills for over 10 years, including releasing music professionally as part of an artist project since 2019.

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

A: I would love to work with D'Angelo since he's so musical and soulful and experienced.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: In general, it's very important to remember that the ear can only focus on about 3 things at one time. While at any time there may be dozens of things happening in a track, it's important to be able to step back and steer the big picture for the first time listener.

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

A: I typically work in groove-based genres, whether hip hop, R&B, funk, alternative, or electronic music. I am typically not very active in modern hip hop or pop, though I am strongly influenced by those genres.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: In general, it's the strength of my ear and ability to instantly and empathetically figure out how to add to a production so that it grows organically with a quick turnaround time for my clients.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I have a lifetime of experience in music as a player and improviser and I think it informs the sensitivity that I can bring to a mix or production. There is a level of subtlety at which the mix is its own opportunity to show musicianship, and the instinct to highlight the most important aspects of a moment for the listener are honed from a lot of practice.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Typically, we first talk about the goals and get a very clear idea of what you'd like to get out of the production. We may discuss influences or reference tracks or speak more abstractly. From there, I will take care of the rest, including check-ins at various points to make sure we are still aligned through the production process. Finally, after a working mix is achieved, we can iterate a couple of times to make sure it's ready for the mastering stage.

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

A: I am very inspired by the flexibility of contemporary producers such as Terrace Martin, Flying Lotus, and Kaytranada, among others. I am very inspired by the soundscapes of artists such as Radiohead and Nils Frahm, and also draw endless inspiration from the piano work of Brad Mehldau and Robert Glasper.