Composer and Music Producer

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Digital Performer, 24 Metric Halo channels. Vintage keyboards and analog synthesizers: Rhodes MkII, Hohner Clavinet D6, Juno 60 (w/MIDI), Nord Lead 3, Hammond XK1-c, Moog Sub Phatty, Korg MS20, Dave Smith, SH09, RS09, D-05, Triton, etc. Vintage Ludwig drums, Paiste 2002 Bonham set, LP drums and percussion, Vox amps, Fender guitars, Rickenbacker bass, AEA ribbon mics, Strymon pedals, moogerfoogers, etc. A one-man studio playground where everything is hooked up and is always a place for music.

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

A: Songwriter for a couple songs in PXNDX's MTV Unplugged

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Collaborating with artists and helping them bring their song/film to full fruition.

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

A: Macbook, Metric Halo ULN8, Yamaha U3 piano, a pair of Coles 4038

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

A: I started out as a drummer almost 30 years ago. I grew up in bands, and was their main songwriter/arranger. After that, I became a hired gun for other touring acts, and started my own recording studio. That led me to working in the advertising and film industries.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Clean, subtle, organic feeling, minimalistic.

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

A: Latin alternative rock, indie pop, film music.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I try to always support the melody and create music that flows, evolves and carries the beat.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Creating arrangements (rhythmic patterns, countermelodies, bass lines, vocal harmonies) that complement the melody to keep things flowing naturally.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: As a music producer I arrange to make the pieces of the puzzle fit and feel natural. I write and sketch drums, bass and keyboard/string parts on MIDI, guitar scratch tracks, to refine the arrangement and once the client is ready, I track the actual instruments. As a film composer I work closely with the director to create a subtext or subtle language that can score different facets of the 'world' they created in his/her film.

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

A: Alan Silvestri, Danny Elfman, Radiohead, John Lennon, Quincy Jones, Paul McCartney.

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

A: Arrangement, recording engineering, laying out piano/keyboard parts.