Compose, Mix, Master

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Pop songs, and some world soundtracks

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I appreciate both, but I gravitate towards digital more. That's a lengthy discussion but going down the list, one simple reason is portability. I travel frequently, so having my gear with me is important.

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

A: You and I will learn something new in music from our creative journey, and you'll love it.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Freedom of expression and limitless possibilities of sound. But at the end of the day, it's reading those heart-warming comments from fans that makes everything worthwhile.

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

A: I think one misconception is that since I'm doing what I love, it's always gonna be fun! That's not always the case. When you do something professionally -- even it's something that you're ultra passionate about -- it can have its difficulties and painful moments. To me, it's part of the journey.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: The questions are totally based on the type of project, but I tend to ask a lot of details about the project so I can really be in tune with my client.

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

A: Have a plan, know your vision, ask questions, and make sure you have a lot of details to provide, it's important. Also, please don't say things like "that shouldn't take you too long right?" or "It's an easy project."

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

A: A guitar, a knife, a firestarter, rope, a good pair of walking boots

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

A: I was actually on a completely different path (i.e. Neuroscience) until 2004 when I realized I took the wrong road. I switched to music production at that time, but really I've been active in music for over 20 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Organic. I love to draw things from nature, so I like to embed subtle hidden elements in my music that might connect with people subconsciously.

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

A: Honestly, any artist who breathes music and loves a challenge.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: The details... pay attention to the details.

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

A: Pop, hip-hop, soundtracks, cinematic rock.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: For any project, I try to think out of the box, and during a collaborative effort, I always try to push myself, the artists and the songwriters out of their comfort zone to create a more dynamic output.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: A lot of South and East Asian perspective, if necessary.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: That's a complex question which has too many answers that's relative to the project. In general, I'm pretty hands-on in every stage of a song's life because quality control is extremely important to me and my clients. The more details I know about the history of a project and where it's headed, the better my output is. Also, regarding references, sometimes they are extremely useful and sometimes they can harm the creative process. So I like to be careful with that.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I utilize both my home studio and commercial studios for specific projects. As far as studio equipment goes, I'm a minimalist. In other words, I believe in knowing your gear inside-out and being able to push your creative boundaries with whatever you have, rather than the quantity of your setup.

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

A: Neptunes, Massive Attack, MJ, Hans Zimmer, Sia, Bruno Mars

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

A: Compose music, mix, and master