Hello! My name is Michelle Canning. I am a professional musician with 20+ years experience. I have a bachelor of arts degree in traditional music, and my main love is the banjo. I can pick it in any style! I am also an accomplished songwriter, with cuts ranging from pop rock to a top 10 bluegrass hit. I would love to be a part of your next project!
I am a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. I am able to record banjo, acoustic guitar, upright bass, electric bass, and vocals from my home in the Nashville area. I am also able to write melody, lyrics, or topline for your song or track.
Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.
Languages
- English
Endorse Michelle Canning16 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client
check_circleVerifiedI can't say enough about how accommodating Michelle is. She takes direction easily, and is focused on giving you what you want. I've used her several times before, and it's always a great experience.
check_circleVerifiedMichelle was wonderful to work with. I would recommend her to anyone for any of her listed abilities. She absolutely nailed the part and put her own creative spin on it... Which is exactly what I hoped for. My goal when working with others is a collaboration of talents, not some narrow view of only what I "see" or what I think I want to hear. I will defiantly reach out to her again on my next project.
check_circleVerifiedMichelle was warm and friendly, worked super quickly within my time frame, and most importantly played the banjo for my song beautifully, thank you!
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Michelle was quick and a great communicator! I sent back some revision requests and she nailed them on her first try. The song is much better with her contributions!
check_circleVerifiedMichelle completed for me exactly what I asked for.
Gave me a date for the job to be completed that I agreed to, then completed the job sooner than expected (thumbs up)
understood well, smooth prosses, clear recordings.- check_circleVerified
It was lovely working with Michelle :-) She came up with a lovely banjo part for my (very strange!) little track, which really elevated it and brought the dark country vibes I was after. As an aside, the banjo she uses sounds amazing too!! :-)
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Michelle is very talented and great to work with. She created an amazing banjo part for my song. Working with Michelle was a wonderful experience!
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Michelle efficiently and effectively provided what was needed for my song. Will be back
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I had the pleasure of working with Michelle on a recent project. She's professional, easy-to-work-with, and extremely skilled on the banjo, delivering a final track we were very pleased with.
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Michelle delivered tracks with pick and without in a very short period of time. I truly appreciated her professionalism and willingness to give me some options. Wav files were clean and ready to pop into the mix. She definitely made accommodations for my deadline. 5 stars
check_circleVerifiedMichelle was easy to work with, professional, and a great communicator. She delivered stellar tracks that my client approved right away. Will certainly work with Michelle again!
check_circleVerifiedExcellent supplemental parts for my upcoming song!
check_circleVerifiedMichelle was wonderful to work with. She plays beautifully and worked with me to get my track sounding exactly how I envisioned. She delivered the files before my deadline as well! Will absolutely reach out again!
check_circleVerifiedMichelle did a banjo accompaniment segment on my bluegrass-style tracks. She showed a quick understanding of what I needed, and her animated playing style, superb musicianship, clear recording and flawless delivery were spot-on. A really nice person to work with as well!
check_circleVerifiedI really enjoyed working with Michelle on my track. She did a fantastic job with a quick turnaround.
check_circleVerifiedMichelle was very prompt. The main catch with my latest assignment was turnaround time. She did the job with excellence!!
Interview with Michelle Canning
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: In March 2024, I released my 3rd album. It was my first album of all original music and my first contemporary country album. I was proud of my writing, playing, and singing on this record. It was a dream in the making to release this! The album is called, "Outside the Lines." I'd love for you to check it out!
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am currently writing my 4th album!
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I believe Mark Dolin is on SoundBetter. He is a great producer and saxaphone player!
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Digital because I am 30 and have never used analog. Haha!
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise to listen to what you want, provide high quality performances, and meet our discussed deadlines.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love the creativity that comes from experimenting with different styles.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Most of the time, customers ask me if I can squeeze them in for a tight turnaround. As an artist myself, I know how important timelines can be and how frustrating it can be if they are not met, so I always do my best to make those tight turnarounds work.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: The biggest misconception is that banjo players only play traditional bluegrass or that a banjo always has the "hillbilly" sound.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I ask if they want me to play a specific line or if they would rather I come up with the part myself. I also ask what their timeline is.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: The best advise I can give is to be clear about what you want, what you don't want, and what your timeline is.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: 1. My Osborne Chief banjo 2. My Weber guitar 3. My computer with Logic 4. My EarTrumpet Edwina microphone 5. My Scarlett solo
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I have been playing music for 22 years. I am a professional entertainer, songwriter, and musician.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I am schooled in bluegrass scruggs style and contemporary three-finger banjo playing. I like to roll with cool rhythmic patterns that compliment the guitar and bass lines.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would love to work with Reba McEntire. I love the way every song has a musical hook and pulls you right in. Every instrument/vocal of her songs are placed perfectly to bring an energetic feel to her music.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: My biggest tip is to always listen to what is there and imagine what else is going to be there when creating a part. Don't over play!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I work on all styles of music ranging from folk to rock to country.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill is creating music lines that compliment the track.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I like to consider banjo to be the "sparkle" in a song. I provide interesting, creative music without overpowering. I listen and pay attention to the other instruments in the production to be sure that I am complimenting the rest of the band, not competing with them.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: While work process can vary from song to song, typically I start by charting the song, playing it once through, and then recording three full takes. I choose the best take and comp where necessary.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a home studio. I record on Logic, and I have varying microphones that I use depending on what instrument I am recording and what style I am recording in.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I find inspiration in all styles of music, but my favorites include modern & classic country, bluegrass, and classic pop.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I am most commonly asked for banjo tracks. I have provided tracks for various styles including folk, rock, and country.
I was the Banjo Player in this production
- BanjoAverage price - $100 per song
- Acoustic GuitarAverage price - $50 per song
- Bass FretlessAverage price - $50 per song
- Bass ElectricAverage price - $50 per song
- Singer - FemaleAverage price - $50 per song
- Songwriter - MusicAverage price - $100 per song
- Songwriter - LyricAverage price - $100 per song
*Includes 3 free revisions
*For all melody, lyric, and toplining, Michelle Canning retains ownership of equal writer and publishing shares with all other songwriters involved.
- Rhonda Vincent
- Dolly Parton
- Earl Scruggs
