Mixing•Singer•Production

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

A: The 'Cry Little Sister' cover. I'm in love with the kick drum sound I got on that, and the cool, dangerous nighttime vibe of the instrumental. I did all things on that track.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A full production cover of Robert Tepper's 'No Easy Way Out', on which I'm doing vocals, playing/recording/programming all instruments, and mixing/mastering.

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

A: Not at the moment, just got here.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Because ADDA technology, ha! Plus warm & cold go well together in the sonic realm.

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

A: That I will give the job you hire me to do on your song everything I have.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Everything. Hearing the final result and remembering all that went into it. Then sitting back in the mix position in satisfaction of how it feels to hear a hopefully stunning final playback.

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

A: Q: How long will it take? A: Depends on the type of job. Vocals 2-5 days (one song). Mixing 2-5 days (one song). Production, usually 1-2 weeks (one song) sometimes more. Q: Can you do it for (cheaper price). A: I'd like to, but to commit fully to this I need to make it work my while as while, as I have a lot of projects I could be working on. I want to give you the best possible outcome and all my focus, and charging what I do makes that possible. Q: do you think you can make it sound like (example)? A: If I can't I wont take the gig.

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

A: That it's easy and should be done for free out of charity because said artist is 'poor'. I like working with serious people who appreciate the value of investing in their artistry & career.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Have a solid idea of where you want your project to go. Deeply understand it by the time you're seeking me out. Doesn't mean you have to hear every nuance in your head, but at least have a macro understanding of the textures & feelings you want to achieve. Be willing to communicate with me often & meet for at least 2 live video calls.

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

A: Make sure your styles and visions align. Without alignment in vision there will be lots of unnecessary conflict and lack of results. Working with the right people is key.

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

A: Assuming this desert island has electricity (would be a blessing, haha) - my Apollo, computer, my CV12 tube mic, my Prophet 6, & my Kramer Baretta.

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

A: I don't have nor want a plan B. I've been an independent artist & freelancer for my whole career. But I guess we all are, haha. I"ve been on this path for about 12 years and counting.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Glossy, vital, well rounded, sheen, covering-all-bases, dynamic, gravitates towards 80s sounds of all kinds, yet hi-fi enough for modern standards.

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

A: Axl Rose. Because of his vast creative, vocal & writing abilities.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Yes, try to have a great song, arrangement & performances, first and foremost. Also, use light mix bus compression of every mix. It gives your mix that sense of glue people are always talking about. And it makes life easier for the mastering engineer, too.

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

A: pop/rock music with a retro vibe is my favorite. Anything with a cinematic nature. And also melodic hard or soft rock. Those are my main areas.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Singing and production.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Exactly what it asks for and no more, no less. I have an impeccable ear which I use to ensure my client get what they ask for, not what I want (however, our visions usually align). When called on I channel my big, high range pop/rock vocal talent into every track I work on.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Depends on the type of project. If I'm doing vocals, I'll sing through and connect all vowels smoothly. When that's ironed out I add consonants & emotion and the phrases begin taking solid yet fluid shape. On full productions, first I get square on all sections of the piece, then choose rhythm elements & being constructing the back line. Then I do a bit of clean up arranging if necessary to smooth out the track, orchestration (choosing exactly what instruments come in and where), then mixing. In a mixing project, i choose my DAW (usually Pro Tools), import tracks, label & group them, gain stage if necessary, then do top down mixing, focusing mostly on EQ and compression where needed, get main instruments prominent, parallel comp, add some mix bus glue & light saturation, monitor mix on 3 different sets of monitors and in mono... then proceed to do what the track tells me it needs.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a Universal Audio Apollo Quad as my hub. I track vocals through an Avantone CV12 tube mic into an ART Voice Channel tube channel strip into Apollo's UA610b emulation, into Pro Tools 12 or Logic Pro X. In addition, I use KRK Rokit 8s as my near field mains, a KRK 10s sub, & Avantone mix cubes as my dirty mids. I work on all projects in my well treated home studio

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

A: Bob Rock, Mike Clink, Gunship, John Carpenter, Axl Rose, David Coverdale, Phil Collins, Def Leppard, Mutt Lange, Andy Johns, Enigma.

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

A: Singing, mixing/mastering, and production.