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

A: I opened my own music studio in 1997 after studying at the SAE and doing internships. Since then I've worked in the music software industry and I'm frequently involved in live concerts as an engineer. My passion is unusual projects, for example, I developed an interface between music-making robots and visitors for the Epcot Center in Florida back in 2004 (Rockin' Robots). Consulting work for studios, various live performances as a musician with my own band. I have been involved in socio-cultural and transcultural education for many years, for example in setting up a large project for people from all over the world (Grandhotel Cosmopolis). Finally, last year I set up a mixing suite at home and put together a mobile recording studio. Then this year I added the Selma Records label with 35 tracks released so far, and two albums on CD and vinyl.

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

A: Clearly, I am very happy about my work this year with TOM LIWA, one of the most renowned German-language songwriters and musicians. I had the honour of being his producer for his new album and enjoyed great creative freedom. Tom trusted me like no one ever had before. So I was able to focus optimally on his outstanding music. With this album I carry the reference for my offer on Sound Better in my hands. The reception of the album EINE ANDERE ZEIT is excellent (e.g. 5.5 stars from Rolling Stone Germany).

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: At the moment, I'm working on a roots reaggae album I recorded with a client who has since become a friend in 2005/06. At that time we were interrupted by external circumstances. Now we are both looking forward to completing the project well!

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

A: Not yet because I'm all new here, but I'll surely let ya know!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Our studio is now all-digital, apart from the front-end system of course (mic preamps, speaker system). Why? Because it's 2022, and it's not a matter of sound but it's a matter of attitude and also of energy consumption.

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

A: I will be honest with you, and when we work together, you can rely on me. I try to learn from mistakes, which can always happen. You can trust that your music is in good hands with me.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The great feeling when someone tells me that he or she is really happy with their song when my work is done. And of course, when I hear one of these songs on the radio sometime or read a good review about it. Then I know that it's not just art for art's sake.

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

A: For example, whether I can correct their voice in "that place" that they are never really happy with. And most of the time I can do something about it that satisfies them. When asked if I can make someone sound like ..., I regularly say no. I sincerely try to get the best out of the material I am offered and to encourage the client in his own originality.

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

A: I think it is important to know that I am an active musician myself. So I understand some things better without a lot of explanation as soon as I hear them. I am also an experienced engineer and editor. But I am not able to magically create something out of nothing or out of too little. However, I do have a sense of humour and I tolerate things. Art is sometimes demanding, and some artistic personalities are too, and that's okay. But it certainly won't work without a common basis of trust.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Openness, mutual respect and goodwill are essential to start a conversation and, later, to do business. First of all, I like to be told something about the project and like to ask questions only after I have already learned something. It is important to clarify whether we harmonise with each other. Sometimes it takes two attempts, but by then we both know if it can work out :)

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

A: Make sure that you get sincere answers to your questions. If they answer too quickly, they may not have listened properly. And: Equipment cannot replace skills.

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

A: Since there is no electricity there, I take my sansula with me (a kind of kalimba). But my current piece of favourite equipment is my Akai MPC X, I can spend days with it. Add to that three of my favourite microphones (a pair of Gefell M70s and a Shure SM7) and my beloved Audio-Technica R70x headphones and that's it.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is to make the brief itself blossom by abstracting and contrasting. In doing so, the basic idea becomes as strong as possible. Disruption, if necessary, at the right moment. Timing Afficionado

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

A: I am open to those yet to come, always curious

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Look for the magic hook in the song (extra tip: doesn't have to be in the chorus) and feature it in the production without making it too obvious

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

A: Singer-songwriter as the broad field that it is,very gladly extended to whole bands and electronica, also jazzy and progressive, small-scale classical recordings.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Empathy and sensibility

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I want to make the song shine, not put something on it that doesn't belong to it. It can happen that I take something away to bring out the core of the song more. Some songs also become alive with an almost inaudible additional loop. I think that a song is like a living being in its own right and should not be put too much into an existing grid. If it's a "genre-typical" song, of course I try to do justice to the genre, but not at the expense of its intrinsic originality.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: 1. we communicate and establish basics and expectations for the production. 2. I listen intensively to the existing tracks and arrange them as needed, prioritising and distributing them to different buses to get different perspectives on the song. 4. timing corrections 3. the actual mixing process: volume ratios and panorama, staggering and spatiality, effects, colourfulness 5: First proposed mix goes out to you

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: For a long time I worked with a hybrid set, combining hardware and software during production. For example, a big Lexicon M300 reverb unit or a Sequential Prophet-6 synthesizer. On the one hand, this was a lot of fun, but it unnecessarily complicated the workflow. I still use hardware in the composition process for my own productions. But for commissioned productions I need a faster workflow. Since modern plug-ins sound just as good and also make my work much easier, I have now switched to in-the-box and use plug-ins from Waves, Eventide, iZotope, Sonnox, Metric Halo, u-he etc. with a controller for optimised workflow.

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

A: People who try things out and break new ground. For example Dawn Richard, Missy Elliot or Laurie Anderson, to span three generations.

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

A: My main work is to join a given production with open ends and questions into a complete work. To do this, I make aesthetic and arrangement decisions in communication with my clients and implement them as an experienced audio engineer and producer. I can add colours that are missing or too weak, and I can often make recording weaknesses inaudible.