Songwriter Producer Mixer

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

A: Nowadays I'm working on a projects that I think is really important. I am composing lyrics of Jewish holocaust survivors here in Israel. In order to preserve the memory of the holocaust in a different manner than horrific images, my wife and I decided that merging lyrics that living survivors write with my music can be a living memory that is recorded and documented. I want my children to listen and learn from that contribution.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working on co producing, recording, mixing and mastering an album for a band. Also, I'm currently producing my materials with vocalists here at Soundbetter and around the globe in order to pitch these songs to music publishers.

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

A: To my fellow producers, if you need a vocalist work with Ethan C. He's awesome to work with!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: For me, being able to record with high end analog gear is great but mixing is so much better in the digital domain. Every little thing can be automated in seconds, recalls are total and super fast. Plus computers are so strong these days and there are some amazing plugins out there. If you feel that this reverb doesn't quiet there, you can combine your signal with other reverbs as well and practically create a new reverb. Then you can automate every parameter on these reverbs...Amazing flexibility create great results.

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

A: I will do my very best to understand you and to understand what you need in order to create an exciting song!

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I like that every song is a new playground and a new puzzle that needs solving. Being able to play around with a song until it shapes up, it's a gift not a job :)

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

A: I think most of them are concerned about the process - how it's gonna go? Will I have a choice if something's needed to be changed? Stuff like that. I always do my best to explain things at the beginning and to create a common ground so we can be on the same page. Once a trust is built during the work process, everything works right.

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

A: There are lots of misconceptions.. One of them is that sometimes one can not understand why music production takes so much time.. You might say that a song is only 4 minutes long but the amount of thought, skills and hard work that is put on each song is tremendous because there are lots and lots of elements to align for it to sound good. Starting from key choices, song structure, mic choices, vocal takes choices, mixing decisions and so on and so on.. Also the better the technology gets, the more choices we have and therefore more to make..

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I guess how are you? (That would be the first one :) Second, how can I help you? Or in other words, what is your vision? If I know what is the client's vision I know how to create it. Other than that if the client has clear budget limits, than we can think together how to get there within those limits.

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

A: Laptop, audio interface, midi keyboard, Headphones and a mic :)

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

A: I think that trust and kindness are the most important things for a musician to have (a side from the professional aspect that obviously matter). If you find some one you can trust, kind and willing to communicate with you, it will be a process that you'll enjoy.

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

A: I started recording songs since I was 15. I was writing songs for my band and we went to recording studios. So that was the first times I saw that process of recording..Nowadays I'm 43..So it's been a while.. I went to Rimon school of Jazz in Israel and studied Jazz guitar..so that was when I enriched the musical colors and merged it with Rock music. Afterwards I went to Berklee and studied Music production and engineering. I spent years working on SSL consoles and hi end outboard gear. After I came back to Israel I started producing and recording. I've been doing versatile projects in Israel from recording major artist, create music for corporations and even supply voice over projects to National Geographic and Eurosport.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: It's really hard to frame your self to one style because each song takes you to different places. I'd say my style is a combination of melodic Rock that merge with Pop influences. I have songs that are more in the "grungier" corner and there are ones that are more at the Coldplay Rockish - Popish kind of corner.

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

A: Oh there are so many! I probably won't get to work with Chris Cornell since he's not with us anymore.. But he's one of the best vocalists I've ever heard! I wish I could work with Lady Gaga - She's the example of being an interesting Pop artist. I think I can learn so much from her!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Be in a mixing mode from step one. When I start arranging a song, I'm thinking: will this bass part sit well in the mix? Will this snare sample behave right in the mix. Don't be random, be precise and know where you want to go with stuff. But always keep your head opened. If you hear an inspiring loop/ one shot, find a way to merge it with your song.

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

A: I usually do a range of alternative Rock - Pop kind of thing. It's a wide range from Sting, Radiohead to Bruno Mars (some of his tracks add least :) I do electro stuff that is triphop influenced (Portishead, Massive attack).

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I think that songwriting is my highest skill since I've been doing it for 20 years (if not more..) but my production skills are really high because that was my major at Berklee, and I've been a professional producer for 15 years already.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a lot of passion for melody. I always look for that moving melodies and I always try to harmonize them in the most interesting way, even though lots of times, simple is beautiful.. I'm trying to create a landscape of sounds so that the listener can actually imagine where he or she is at the moment.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: If it comes to a complete songwriting & production process, I usually start with a melody. Melodies come really easy to me but I make revisions over and over until I'm satisfied. Lets say I have a verse, I will send that verse to the client for him/ her to give me an ok to proceed. I usually send an mp3 of me humming the melody :) Once I've got the ok to go for it, I go on for the chorus and so on. Afterwards I do the same process with lyrics. When I continue to the production process I make a really advanced MIDI sketch with a rough vocal track to the musicians. Obviously, the client gets to approve it first :) Prior to recording sessions, the musicians get charts/ music sheet with the MIDI production. Needless to say, I choose my musicians according to the song. Once I recorded an EP with two different drummers because each one had the exact sound I was looking for that specific song.. After the recording process I make comp track for each part which is combining the best parts from each taake and make the most solid and emotionally moving take. After that process, I go through the tracks and quantize / edit timings / pitch etc, MIX and MASTER.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Monitoring System: Class A custom made control room module. Studio monitors: Dynaudio BM12a, Yamaha NS10. Cubase 11 pro DAW Computers: PC with i7 processor and 32giga RAM, windows 10 pro on an SSD drive. Ideapad Gaming Laptop. With RME Fireface. Mics: Neuman U87, Neumann TLM103, Audiotechnica 4050, Beyerdynamic m160, Shure sm57, Shure sm58. Recording chain: Two custom made class A Albatross mic pre normally connected to two 1176 custom made compressors with Neve outputs. Instruments: U1 Yamaha piano, D35 50 anniversary edition Martin acoustic guitar, American Fender Stratocaster customized with dynamic EMG pickups, Classic guitar, Fender Hot Rod deluxe amp, Blues Junior amp and lots of guitar pedals.

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

A: Oh I really like Sting as an artist and Mark Ronson & Rick Rubin as producers. Basically anybody who knows how to create productions of songs that the melody stands out and really counts. Arif Mardin is an amazing example in the context of Norah Jones.

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

A: There are a few production processes I usually do. Sometimes I get the melody only and have to create the entire production and harmony around it. Sometimes the client has an idea or a sketch and we're taking it from that point on. I also do songwriting projects, which I really like because it's a challenge to create something from scratch and to pinpoint what the client needs. Anyways, it's all about listening and communicating with peaple.