Pro Session Cellist

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

A: I worked on an indie film score where the director needed an intimate, deeply emotional cello voice to carry the main theme across several scenes without overpowering the dialogue. My role was both arranger and solo cellist—writing custom counter-melodies and performing layered textures. Seeing the final cut with the live cello completely elevating the film's emotional arc was extraordinarily rewarding.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm currently tracking cello parts for a mix of indie folk tracks, layering multi-part string arrangements for a cinematic soundtrack, and providing solo cello overdubs for several remote singer-songwriter projects worldwide.

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

A: SoundBetter is full of incredible talent! While I specialize in cello tracking and string arrangements, I'm always happy to connect clients with top-tier mix engineers, vocalists, or mastering engineers on the platform whenever a project calls for full production services.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both! I love the analog warmth, natural resonance, and organic feel of a real wood instrument tracked through quality microphones. But I rely heavily on digital precision for pristine signal paths, flexible workflow, speed, and seamless remote collaboration. Hybrid is the best of both worlds.

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

A: Clear communication, quick turnaround, and a performance crafted with the same dedication I’d give my own music. I promise to deliver pristine, studio-ready stems and keep refining the tracks until you are 100% thrilled with how the cello sits in your mix.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Taking a song that exists only as a rough demo or electronic mockup and hearing it transform the moment real, resonant acoustic cello strings enter the mix. Adding that human warmth and emotional pull to a client's music never gets old.

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

A: Q: "Do I need to send you sheet music?" A: Not at all! Sheet music is great if you have it, but if you don't, I can transcribe from your demo or compose/arrange custom cello lines from scratch that fit your track's key, tempo, and emotion.

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

A: That you need formal sheet music or orchestral scores to hire a session cellist. Many clients think they can't add real acoustic strings unless they know how to write sheet music. In reality, I frequently build complete string arrangements from simple voice memos, MIDI sketches, reference tracks, or just a brief description of the mood.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is the mood of the track? Do you have a specific melody/arrangement in mind, or would you like me to write a custom part from scratch? Are you looking for a single solo cello line, or a rich multi-tracked ensemble/harmony section?

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

A: Don't worry if you don't know how to write for strings! Just share a reference track, explain the mood or emotion you want to evoke, and let the session musician experiment. Clear communication at the start of a project always yields the best results.

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

A: My Cello (Naturally—can't leave home without it!). A Neumann / AKG Studio Mic (To capture every nuance). Universal Audio Apollo Interface (Pristine conversion and preamps). MacBook Pro with Pro Tools/Logic (To track, arrange, and edit). Solar Generator / Power Station (Because a studio setup without electricity on an island won't get very far!).

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

A: I have 15+ years in the music industry as a professional cellist, composer, and arranger. Over my career, I've worked on projects worldwide and built a proven track record of over 1,100 5-star reviews working with artists, producers, and media creators remotely.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Versatile, expressive, and melodic. I can adapt seamlessly from intimate, classical-sounding acoustic tones to modern, cinematic, and multi-layered contemporary string textures.

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

A: I would love to collaborate with artists like Finneas or Bon Iver. Both have a masterclass approach to blending raw, acoustic acoustic instruments with modern production elements, letting string instruments breathe and tell a story within space rather than just filling background frequencies.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: When recording acoustic strings like the cello, mic placement and stereo arrangement are everything. Instead of relying solely on heavy EQ to make a cello sit in a dense mix, try double-tracking distinct takes and panning them slightly off-center, or pan a warm room mic opposite a direct close mic. It creates natural stereo width and depth without losing the instrument's chesty low-end warmth.

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

A: A wide variety! Primarily pop, indie-folk, singer-songwriter tracks, cinematic film scores, and video game soundtracks.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Translating a client’s vague vision or rough description into a rich, professional cello performance—even when they don't have sheet music or a fully written string part.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Emotional depth, warmth, and character. Whether it's a soaring cinematic hook, driving indie-folk rhythms, or subtle background textures, I focus on finding the emotional core of the song and elevating it with organic string instrumentation.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Clients send me a reference track, MIDI mockup, or even just a hummed melody or chord sheet (no sheet music required!). I review the vibe, record custom cello parts, and send over a raw cello part that can be reviewed by the client and ask for revision if needed.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work out of an acoustically treated home studio equipped with a professional-grade setup, including high-end studio microphones (such as Neumann and AKG condensers/ribbons), a clean preamp interface (Universal Audio), and top-tier DAWs (Logic Pro and Pro Tools) to ensure broadcast-ready, pristine WAV stems.

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

A: Legendary cellists like Mstislav Rostropovich and Jacqueline du Pré are huge inspirations for their unmatched passion, raw emotion, and expressive depth. Classical master composers like Dvořák and Haydn—who wrote some of the most iconic works in the cello repertoire—constantly influence how I approach melodic structure and harmony. On the modern production side, I look up to film composers like Ludwig Göransson and Hildur Guðnadóttir for how seamlessly they bridge classical cello traditions with contemporary scoring.

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

A: Recording remote cello tracks for songs, film scores, and video games. This ranges from writing and tracking lush multi-layered string arrangements to laying down a single, deeply emotional solo melody that anchors a track.