Recording Studio, Mixing

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

A: Ray Wroten's Ostrich Syndrome. It was my very first full album recording, mixing, and producing. Very exciting times they were.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Keeping myself pretty busy with recording and mixing, but always looking for more. Besides that I am a subcontractor for a home improvement company.

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

A: Yes. Drew Mazurek. He was my Teacher at Sheffield and a very knowledgeable and successful engineer.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: A little bit of both to be honest. They say that Analog sounds better, but it's hard to find, so go digital when you can't.....Isn't analog supposed to have died already? lol

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

A: I will not stop working until you are totally satisfied with the record that I have made for you.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The ability to work with creative and talented individuals on a regular basis and to see/hear the final product of a completed project.

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

A: How much would you charge to mix and master my song? Mixing and mastering are 2 totally different things, and it depends on the complexity of the multi track recording as to how much I would charge to mix the song.

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

A: Recording and mixing is easy and anyone can do it.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What exactly are you looking to do? What is your budget? When do you expect to have this project completed? Do you have a particular "sound" that you want to have in your project? When would you like to start the process?

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

A: Please know your music when you enter a studio to save time, money, and frustration for the both of us.

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

A: Computer, monitors, interface, microphone, and headphones.

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

A: My career path was that of someone in sales, but my love for music has quickly overtaken my career path and turned it down a very strange road. I haven't been "professionally" recording and mixing since I started actually doing it, but I have been recording and mixing music for over 10 years now.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Unorthodox, Fun, and Energetic.

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

A: I'm not very pick on who I'd like to work with. The list is endless, but I feel like I can learn a lot by working with just about any artist out there.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Share your ideas and TRY EVERYTHING! Leave no stone unturned. Also, record EVERYTHING! You never know when you could strike gold by accident.

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

A: I grew up a hip hop head, so that will always have a special place in my heart, but here recently I've been working with a few singer/songwriters that concentrate on Rock & Roll/Funk/Punk style music. I'd like to expand very soon into some Country and Jazzy type genres as well.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I think that my strongest skill is my "ear" for mixing. I feel that I can make music sound the way it is supposed to sound, if that makes any sense, and I don't stop working until it sounds that way.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I believe that I can bring vision and idea to a song. I like to have input in any project I work on whether my ideas get used or not. You never know who has a good idea or if it will work until you give it a shot and see!

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I like to meet with a potential client and get a feel for exactly what it is that they want to accomplish as far as their project is concerned. Next step is to figure out the budget that it will take to complete it and the desired time frame needed from start to finish. Once an agreement is made, we then can set up dates and times to begin recording and then move to mixing.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: At the moment, my home studio is under construction, but still able to be used. I have a strong computer capable of running my protools 12 program and using 2 yamaha HS7 monitor speakers. It's perfect for recording small projects to medium sized projects, although at the moment I only have a 2 channel interface, but the recordings come out sounding good using my Blue Bird microphone. I have plans to build a full studio in my home complete with a control room and iso booth in the near future, but for now, most large projects I take into the pro studio at Sheffield Institute.

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

A: Anyone who loves to make music and who has a passion for making and performing their music.

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

A: Recording and mixing songs/albums.