Produce/Mix/Master/Instruments

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

A: I was once the head of a collegiate drumline. I got to perform alongside many talented drummers and musicians while traveling to places all around the United States. I even got to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the drumline as a tenor drum player.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Culture Audio-Visual Productions LLC, recording studio located in Morgantown, WV, USA. I'm one of two owners of the business, and it's where I conduct all my producing, mixing, mastering, and recording.

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

A: Eric Watkins (aka 1 Armed Bandit)

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I love working with analog gear, but I think digital can be just as good. In my personal experience, certain genres and contexts do not need analog gear to sound high quality. Having analog gear in the chain can lead to a clunky workflow at times. A happy balance I enjoy is working with organic sample libraries with my productions and analog emulated plugins for mixing and mastering. I will never judge another creative for using one method over another.

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

A: I promise that I'll work to my best ability to give you a product that we're both proud of!

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I get to work in the music industry every day. That's my dream lifestyle and I love it, even on the hardest of days.

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

A: Q: Can I make money from the music you produce for me? A: Yes, you may. I always discuss details of licensing and royalty splits after all parties are happy with the final musical product. My #1 goal is to make sure you have a product that we're both proud of showing to the world!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is your goal in the music industry? I always ask this question because it gives me a sense for where the client intends to go with their music; some people just want to make beats, some people want to be rocking stages as the main vocalist, and some want variations of many different scenarios. The more I know about the client, the better I can help them achieve their goals.

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

A: Please feel free to reach out and message me to talk about your artistry or music projects. I love making music, but I love developing connections with creatives even more. Beyond your music is you, and I'd like to grow a musical relationship with you!

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

A: 1) A satellite system to give myself internet service 2) A laptop to communicate with the outside world and for other computer programs 3) A solar panel to charge my electronics 4) A guitar to pass the time with 5) A knife

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

A: I've been performing as a musician for over 15 years. I began playing drums when I was 10 and continued to learn music theory and other instruments such as piano from there on out. About 5 years ago, I transitioned into producing beats and recording artists to mix their songs. But during that time, I was training to become a scientist, where I've earned multiple degrees in Physics throughout college. I've stepped away from science to run my own recording studio business, Culture Audio-Visual Productions LLC. Now my full-time career is to manage the recording studio space, along with produce, record, mix, and for local artists. I still apply what I've learned in science to my productions and mixes which sets me apart from others in this profession.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I wouldn't say I necessarily have my own style. I try to develop the best sonics that I feel would benefit each application. I would probably have my own distinct style if I created only one or two genres full-time, but I work with so many different genres that my influence is sporadic.

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

A: Pharrell Williams. Pharrell has always been a big inspiration of mine for both his artistry and creativity in production. The musical value I'd learn from him would be immeasurable.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Sound selection is very important when it comes to producing beats or songs. I've spent thousands of dollars to purchase high quality samples, sample libraries, VSTs, plugins, and real instruments to incorporate into my productions. It takes years of practice to hear sonic quality, and I share my years of experience with all my clients.

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

A: I'm able and willing to work on any genre! For production, I'm primarily asked to produce trap, hip-hop, R&B, pop, and other similar genres. For mixing, I usually mix rap, pop, and rock genres. For performing, I perform as a drummer in the alt rock, indie, funk, hip-hop, jazz, blues, and rock styles.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is following instructions. That may sound lame, but when it comes to work over the internet, I need to address every note given to me to insure you get the product you're paying for. I'm very capable of creating beats from scratch and mixing any genre of music. The more information you give me, the better the final product will be for you!

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring 15+ years of being a musician and 5+ years of being a scientist to your song. The similarities between both of my worlds fuse together to make myself unique in this industry. Throughout these years as a musician, I've learned music theory, drums and percussion of all kinds, piano, guitar, bass guitar, and more that gives me a greater musical grasp for all genres. My science background has trained me to understand sonics, acoustics, computers, and hardware components at a deeper level. This sets me apart from others in this field.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My first step is to always talk with my clients about what their goals are for their project. I find it helpful to understand the artist's mood, intentions, and sonic desires. From there, if I am producing the beat, I'll develop ideas to best suit their vibe for the track and work with the artist on the production ensure they are satisfied. Then, we would work on the recording and mixing to ensure the aesthetics of the track meet the artist's standards. After the song is completed and mastered, I usually talk with the artist on how to register the tracks properly and to post content on social media platforms.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I do all of my music work at the recording studio company I own called Culture Audio-Visual Productions LLC. There are several rooms for recording, mixing, mastering, and producing, including rooms for recording drums or other instruments besides vocals. We even have rooms dedicated for photo and video studios with lights, green screens, and other videography accessories. I record vocals using a $1500 tube condenser microphone through a tube preamp and a Clarett 8Pre preamp interface. My music software of choice are both Pro Tools and FL Studio, which runs sound through my Kali LP8 monitors. I mostly mix and produce in the box, aside from live instrument recordings and analog synthesizers that I record. All of our rooms have very low noise floors for professional-grade recording and mixing.

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

A: Pharrell Williams, monte booker, Rick Rubin, MixedByAli, Dr. Dre, Mike Dean, Taz Taylor, Nick Mira, Kenny Beats, Alex Tumay, Just Blaze, Kanye, Kendrick Lamar, Benny Greb, Carter Beauford, Chick Corea, Victor Wooten, Bootsy Collins, I could go on forever honestly.

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

A: I most commonly produce beats, record, mix, and master songs for my clients. I also perform as a drummer for several bands and recording artists.