Remote production and mixing

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

A: There's an artists called BYRUM that I produced and mixed and it was such an enlightening, exciting, creative process. We recorded the band live in a wonderful studio and I took those live tracks and completely flipped them upside and inside out to create something new and beautiful. I'm very proud of that work.

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

A: Spencer Martin!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: hmmmm....analog is most exciting and real, digital is just convenient. I can make either work just fine.

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

A: I will find something in your song that you did not hear or see.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love the thrill of finishing.

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

A: Q: Can you make it louder? A: :)

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

A: Every song I produce is a wildly different process, with exception to the very beginning. Nothing is boiler plate, no song is the same.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Well, I'd say the biggest question is: What do you expect?

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

A: Be open. What you have has so much room for growth and change. Embrace it within collaboration and you will be stunned at what can occur.

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

A: My MacBook, my interface, my favorite condenser mic, my bass and my AKG headphones. That would keep me busy for a lifetime.

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

A: My musical path has been a long and winding road. for the better part of 15 years I've been learning and absorbing, with no intentions of stopping any time soon.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: It very much depends on the song but everything I do has a strong sense of rhythm.

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

A: Sufjan Stevens. He truly is this generations genius and blessing to the world. I'd love to just watch him work.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: I record vocals first, or have something that's very very close to final. I get that in the can so that everything I do is dictated by the vocal that already exists. This ensures the song is the center.

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

A: I've done a lot of different stuff. Rock, Funk, Hip Hop, Folk, Alternative, Electronic, Ambient.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Balancing grit and sheen and always making sure the song is the star.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Life, air, punch, bite.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: For production, I typically start with an acoustic/vocal track and build around that. For mixing, I start with Vocals and Drums and focus on leveling. For me, that's 80% of the mix, then I tinker and tweak until every moment shines.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I keep it pretty slim. I feel the less tools I have, the more creative I am. I have what I need to do just about anything.

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

A: Wow. This could be a huge list. I adore Dr. Dog, Vulfpeck, Paul McCartney, Animal Collective, Jack White, Bob Dylan, Butch Walker, Spoon, Q Tip, MF DOOM, Sufjan Stevens.

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

A: Most commonly I mix with the goal of bringing life to the mix. Often times I get sessions that made been recorded across space and time and I aim to make it sound like it's happening live in the room, if that's what the mix calls for. I love that lived in sound. For production, I try to produce with an unbiased ear. I like twists and turns and taking a great song and make every moment memorable.