Remote Session Bassist

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Right now, I'm producing the 6th studio album from The Mostar Diving Club, producing and playing bass for Jake Morrell for an upcoming project and, hopefully, working on your next hit.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both have their merits and a healthy combination of both will enhance a song. I'm a firm believer in trusting your ears, and if something is super expensive but just doesn't sound right for that song, but the cheap Sire P bass just has that thump you need, go with it. Same for in the box and out the box. It also varies with your workflow. I find it helpful to commit to a part and bounce it out to audio, as it keeps me focused, others like being able to modify until the mixing stage. The important thing is that you have your clients' best interests at heart.

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

A: Be honest with what you want. There are no stupid questions and I can work through any ideas you have. I don't set limits on revisions, as usually we have what we need within a few takes, but also it stifles the creative process at the start. I want my clients to feel free to explore more of what they want before we settle on a particular idea, but we can only do that if we are both open and honest.

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

A: I started on piano when I was very young. But when I was around 13, I realised that every band in my school and town needed a bassist, so I picked up a cheap one and started learning it. I then went on to complete a three year degree on bass in two years, specialising in learning how to be a session musician. After graduating, I started working with a band signed to Warner Poland, and so moved to Poland for two years, touring with them. When I moved back to London in 2015, I started gigging more, and recorded for a few artists, though live work was always my preference. However, lockdown rapidly put a stop to that and so I focused more on remote recording, finding out how much I love crafting a perfect bass line for each song, and now work on that just as much as live work.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Solid and groovy. A good bassist is one you miss when not there. A solid bass line should never get in the way, and should bridge the gap between rhythm and harmony. For me, Nate Watts is the perfect example. Listen to any Stevie Wonder tune that he's on and he will just sit back and vibe, then when there's a little gap, throw in a tasty little fill, then sit right back down and groove. He uses the space to bring a bit of variation and spice to a track.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Structure first. I've found the single biggest bottleneck in creating a piece is getting bogged down in the details, before the song has even taken shape. A good structure, with good transitions will sound more professional than a poor structure with some production salt and pepper thrown on. Once you have that structure down, the creative production process flows more organically, and you start thinking about things musically and holistically, rather than individually.

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

A: Recently, I've played on a lot of R&B and pop-rock/dance-rock, but I've always had a fondness for a well-written pop track.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I'm a good listener, both musically and professionally. I can pick up harmony and structure quickly, but more importantly, I listen to the client, to figure out exactly what they are after and work with them to get it.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: The low end! I make sure that I bring enough personality to the song with my playing, whilst also balancing the needs of the client. Sometimes they know exactly what they want, and that's exactly what I'll play. Sometimes they don't know what they want, so I will work with them, writing a few ideas and seeing which fits, before honing the final piece.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: First thing is to find out exactly what the client is looking for. If they don't know, I will work through a load of ideas quickly, from super simple to really busy, and we will see which direction we want to go down. Then I can start to hone a line that works through the whole piece until the client is happy.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: It's a dedicated studio in East London, setup primarily to track bass and edit audio. I have access to a wide variety or amps and preamps, including bass-specific ones like Sansamp, Darkglass and MarkBass, as well as general ones like Neve. Top quality monitoring from ADAM Audio and access to a live room for recording amps.

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

A: I'm primarily a live bassist, with the majority of my income coming from playing live. over the last couple of years, I started working with a prominent country song writer, both within the UK and Nashville, and have since started building the recording side of my business.