Producer, Composer, songwriter

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

A: I worked with a young American songwriter and singer for a bit more than a year. His name is Brian Keele, you can find him in Youtube. Brian is such a talented person, he lives in Riverton Wyoming U.S.A. I produced a number of original and cover songs, all from scratch. I played all instruments, and I am really proud of the result. They all sound great in their own individuality.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am writing a batch of songs that are going to be used in advertising industry, I am mixing a song for a Canadian client, a Kansas "Dust in the wind" kind of song, really lovely sounding, and I am producing a bollywood style song for an Indian client.

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

A: Not at the moment.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. Ease of work, no limitations, explosive technology that goes beyond the limits all the time. Analog only on early stages of recording, using tube amps and processors. The warmth is unparalleled.

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

A: I will deliver to you your dream track.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Been creative, and that the result of my work makes someone else's dream come true.

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

A: Most people would like to know if I can play this or that instrument, if I can add backing vocals or this kind of lick or riff or a piano part that sounds like this or that. My answer is you ask, we deliver. Most times I can meet my client's needs in the boundaries of the musical genres I produce.

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

A: Depending on the musical level of my clients, some may believe that studios can do miracles. It is the misconception that studios can do whatever they want regardless technical barriers.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: First of all, I want to know what result is each one of them expecting me to deliver, so I am sure I can meet this expectation. Then I ask what instruments would each one would imagine me using in the particular song, and finally what kind of a famous or well known song would this song sound like. I also want to know a few things about the person I am to work with, if he or she is a songwriter, a singer, a musician, pro or amature, because all these are defining the level of communication I am about to establish throughout our common project. This is enough as a guideline for me to make a start. Constant feedback is a thing I consider necessary through the whole process.

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

A: Look at profiles, check the sound samples or Soundcloud profiles if there are any, and last but not least, make contact with the provider. Most of the times, a few word exchange will leave you with a feeling that this is the right or not person for you to work with.

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

A: Well... Definitely a guitar, a zoom recorder, a solar panel, ( to keep it charged) a stove, and a water purifier. Just trying to be practical, stay alive, and keep making music.

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

A: I studied music since I was a kid, played electric bass and guitars in several bands, and ended up making an international career as a session musician. That eventually brought me into the studios as a player, and I got enchanted from the music production. I never wanted to do anything else in my life. I am a songwriter as well, and I have been awarded with two "Golden records" and with a "Platinum record" awards. I am 55 years old now, so practically I am doing this for my whole live.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would call myself productive, effective and very open minded. I can't tell if this is a kind of style or not...

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

A: This would be a long list. You would get tired reading.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Keep things simple. Judge the song's needs, and don't overdo things.

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

A: Usually I work on Country music genre, but I did quite a few Christian songs as well, and lots of classic rock, soul, funk, older R&B, contemporary jazz and some ethnic music too. I work both on original material, and cover songs as well. I love to rearrange classic songs so they sound modern, but without loosing that vintage vibe.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Coming up with ideas that promote the sound of each song is my top skill in my opinion.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Most of all as a producer, I try to fulfill the artist's expectations. I believe that this is what each one of the artists out there would consider as my primary goal. I really strive for arrangement perfection, as well as instrument integration, and I always bring an alive sounding radio ready track.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: As soon as I get an order from my client, I would contact him or her for details considering both technical and artistic matters. File types, sampling rates, song's bpm are the most common issues, and how each one of my clients dreams of his song to be. This would include examples, or youtube links so I can get the perception of what my artist is striving for. Then I would start making a basic recording, playing all instruments and exchanging ideas with my client at what I call song milestones, and this process leads us to the song finishing. Mix and master the song are the final parts of this process.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Mostly digital setup, as most of the time I mix in the box, now days digital environment is almost equal to mixing through the desk. I got a DDX3216 digital mixer, equipped with two adat expansion boards, MOTU 2408 MK3 digital audio interface, Genelec and KRK studio monitors, three old Alesis ADAT digital tape recorders hooked together up to 24 tracks, several outboard compressors and expanders, Roland TD 20 digital drums. About 12 different guitars, electrics, acoustics and mandolins, 8 different basses, and quite a few amplifiers, and peripheral equipment, guitar synths, mother keyboards, I work on Cubase 8.5 pro mostly, I find it more suitable for this small studio setup than pro tools.

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

A: Classic pop rock musicians are my inspiration. Eric Clapton, The Eagles, Tom Petty, Kansas, Pink Floyd, to name a few. I also love modern country music, I love the sound of George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson ect.

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

A: The most common work I do for clients, is to produce a full song from a basic idea. Most people would send me a rough track, e.g. a guy singing his own song while playing an acoustic guitar, and I would turn that to a full radio ready song. All after having an exchange of ideas with the artist, so I get a clear image of his or her vision about the song. I am staying in contact with my client throughout the whole process, so we end up to a dream track as a result.