Indie Pop Music Producer

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

A: I started playing music fairly consistently when I was 13, not long after I had learned how to play the guitar & piano. I became enamoured with songwriting and found myself writing day in and day out when I wasn't preoccupied with school. It wasn’t long until I became fascinated with learning about music production, just so I could be able to take the music I was hearing in my head and turn it into a proper fully-produced song. After graduating from high school and playing with bands lots around my hometown, I enrolled at Seneca College as part of their Independent Music Production program, graduating with honours with the spring of 2022. Since finishing the program, I have spent the majority of my time and energy focusing on the branding of my band Tapes In Motion with my best friend / bandmate Colby McAllister.

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

A: The Beatles are my number one reason for everything I do musically. They are the sole reason I fell in love with music and the art of songwriting. Other artists I've found myself under the influence of during my development as a recording artist include Michael Jackson, Oasis, Coldplay, Twenty One Pilots, Mac DeMarco, The 1975, Vampire Weekend, and Radiohead.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm currently working on a handful of new songs for my band's debut full-length, but also find time to frequently collaborate with friends / other like-minded musicians.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I'm pretty 50/50 when it comes to debating the two. I'll say analog for its warmth, but digital for its convenience.

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

A: I will do my absolute best to bring whatever vision you have for your song to life. I believe my job is to explore each and every avenue your song / project could take, watching it developed from rawest form to its most developed and meticulously crafting it at every step in the process.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I like to know what makes you so passionate about your song and your music in general. I usually like to hear rough demos / sketches of the state your song is in at least a couple days prior to its recording, just to figure out how to better approach its production. I also find reference tracks incredibly helpful to hone in on the specific vibe / aesthetic you might want for your song.

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

A: 80s-influenced synth pop and indie rock. I try my best not to tie myself down to my one genre or style, as I'm still hoping to learn and grow the more I work with other artists and assist them with finding their own sound.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I'd like to think that I have a good sense of melody and a strong ear for what makes something a hit. I grew up listening to all types of music and tried very hard to refrain from keeping myself inside a bubble when it came to crafting my music taste, so I wear my influences on my sleeve quite abrasively with whatever I might be working on.

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

A: That it can actually take quite a bit of time to figure out the direction a song should take, and might not be something that happens in such uniform fashion. There are lots of things to think about when creating / producing, and it's far from the end of the world to find yourself running into roadblocks, as I think it's crucial to explore every minute detail of a track so the track can become the best version of itself. It doesn't always have to be difficult, because I also believe keeping things fun and exciting are the most important things to keep in check when crafting a song, but it is important to remember just how many little details can go into making a great song.