Ash Taylor on SoundBetter

Ash Taylor is a songwriter, producer and mix engineer from Middlesbrough, UK. He began producing in 2011 and has been working with a variety of artists professionally since early 2021.

Hey, my name is Ash and I'm a music producer, mix engineer and vocal engineer from the UK.

Let's break it down!

Production
Do you have an idea that you feel has potential? This is where I take your idea and turn it into a fully produced song that is directly in line with your vision.

Do you already have a track that you have previously released but would like to hear a new take on? Feel free to contact me regarding remixes!

Mixing
Have you nailed the production but need an extra pair of ears to help balance your track and allow everything to have its own moment and space?
I can help with that!

Vocal Editing
Have you recorded your vocal takes but need someone to come in and comp, tune and edit them to perfection?
This process typically includes comping, pitch correction, time aligning and general cleanup.

You can listen to my production playlist here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6srTxv3WtrH8yMvGPIEnnJ?si=7f09df42ee45492c

Click the 'Contact' above to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.

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Interview with Ash Taylor

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I'm very proud of my Austin Hull - Two Sided Mind Remix. I created that remix for fun and Austin ended up loving it so much to want to go ahead and release it. I took a track that was personal to him and expanded on the soundscape and overall vibe, creating a hard hitting, synth driven EDM flair. I produced, mixed and mastered the remix. I'm also very proud of my production of Stay for Bianca Ryan. This started as a cover of the Justin Bieber & The Kid Laroi song and it went viral on TikTok. We had very limited time to create the full cover after it starting gaining traction online. I personally think we did a great job and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm currently working on a solo EP as well as productions and remixes for various artists.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I'll typically start with scheduling a call with the client to discuss if I'm a good fit. We'll discuss artist background, previous and upcoming releases, their influences and references. We will also chat about the general production and discuss everything from personal taste, to instrumentation, to the arrangement, and more. From that point, if I have the green light to go ahead, I'll get to starting a production draft. This can be built around your exact needs and will be completed on a relevant time frame that suits you. From that point, we chat about revisions to the overall production. Once those revisions are completed, you'll be free to track your vocals. I work with my clients remotely so they are often tracking themselves. I can provide recording tips as well as a tracking sheet covering where exactly we could add harmonies, doubles, adlibs etc. After the vocals are complete, they'll be sent to me for editing. From there, we can work on your final mix and master.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I use Cubase as my primary DAW. However, I do also own FL Studio & Logic and have extensive knowledge of both daws. I'm using Yamaha HS7s for my monitors, alongside AudioTechnica ATH-M50X headphones. I'm also using an UAD Apollo Twin as my interface along with a Warm Audio WA47Jr as my primary vocal mic.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Christina Rotondo. If you're looking for a female vocal feature for your track, she is absolutely incredible.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: There's definitely pros and cons to each. However, I think digital has the edge slightly, simply because I can take a laptop anywhere and create music from any spot on the planet.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: My promise to my clients is that I have reasonably fast turn around times you will almost always hear back form me the same day as you enquire. I'm great at communicating with you and am open to every idea you have.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love getting to bring artists ideas to life. I love getting to be a part of the story that the artist is trying to tell.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: They're usually asking about new elements to add into a production. Whether it's instrumentation or vocal production. I love hearing new ideas and seeing where we can take them to create something fun and new. There's a million ways to do a million things in audio. That's the beauty of it.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: The biggest misconception about what I do is that I'm just clicking buttons and making beats all day.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Tell me about your background as an artist Talk to me about your past and future releases (if they have any) Who are your inspirations? What are you trying to achieve? What are you NOT trying to achieve? Are there any production elements you love and would like to have in your track? Are there any production elements you do not want?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Communication is extremely important, stay in touch and communicate your ideas to who ever you're working with.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Laptop, Headphones, Acoustic Guitar, my interface & some sort of mic. Most likely a really durable dynamic mic like my SM7B.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've been producing for 10 years but have been producing professionally since the start of 2021.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I'd love to work with Lorde. I find her songwriting really interesting and her persona is slightly mysterious. She's incredibly intelligent and I think our styles would compliment and contrast each other really well.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: You can make anything out of anything. Don't be afraid to experiment and create something new. Tweak those presets, re-sample, distort, clip what ever you want. It's about the overall track at the end of the day.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I usually work on every sub-genre of pop as well as a lot of EDM.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skills are sound design and development. I can take an idea and turn it into a full track. I'm always open to breaking the rules in order to create the vibe the artist is looking for.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring a modern, pop flare. I'm open to experimentation and have extensive sound design knowledge. I can help you achieve the sounds and ideas you have in your mind.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I'm inspired by Ian Kirkpatrick, Oscar Holter, Zedd, Loote, A.G Cook, Sophie, Madeon, Porter Robinson, Rob Swire, Max Martin, Benny Blanco
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I guide my clients throughout the production process. I'll typically be given a demo to work with, whether that is just a guitar and vocal or a rough production sketch. From that point, I build the track from the ground up and update you on a timescale that suits you. If you're the type of person that likes daily updates, I can do that for you. If you're more easy going and trust the process, I can also update you at a slower pace. For mixing, I once again love having the artist input as soon as I can. That way, I can craft the overall soundscape into something that is cohesive and in line with the artists vision.