Engineer/Producer/Musician

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

A: I worked on a series of songs with a songwriter named Jack Van Cleaf. I was the engineer on the project. Jack is an amazing songwriter, and to help bring his songs to life was special. I am especially proud of the songs because we recorded them completely live with everyone in the band in one room. They sound lively and make you feel as though you are in the room with the band.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am working on an album for the band Zoo Culture (it sounds similar to Bon Iver and Dijon), two EP's for two other artists, I am mixing some music for a psych rock band, and I am also working on a solo project EP (it is jazz/surf rock).

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: BOTH. Both are great for different contexts. I prefer using a combination of the two.

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

A: I will do everything in my power to make your music how you envisioned it. I want you to be excited to share it with the world.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love waking up every day and getting to make music. It is my dream life. It never gets old. I love what I do endlessly.

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

A: Can you fix that in post? My answer is yes, but let's do it again anyways!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What are your favorite recordings? What inspires you to make music? How to you want your music to make people feel/react?

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

A: Ask questions! Get to know the person before working with them. Get a sense for if a producer/engineer will genuinely be invested in your project. Working with people who are kind and easy to communicate with always important.

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

A: I would bring an Electro-Voice 635a, a Coles 4038, a Neumann u87, a Neve 1064 rack, and a UREI 1176.

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

A: My career began when I was young, recording my own music and my friends' music. I made records out of home studios for years before working in commercial spaces. In my mid-twenties, I decided to leave my day job, and become a full-time engineer. I interned at two studios in Nashville and did some assisting, and now I am primarily a freelance producer, engineer, and musician.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Free. I aim to approach every project as a blank slate and do whatever is right for the song. I love being out of my comfort zone and allowing ideas to flow into music without hesitation.

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

A: One artist I would love to work with is Adrian Younge. His work as a producer, composer, and engineer is hugely inspiring to me. I would love to see how he works and gain his insight in a creative setting.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Get things right at the source! Microphone placement, a great room, a great instrument, a great performer- these are the biggest factors in production/engineering.

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

A: I work across a fairly wide spectrum- I have a hand in Americana/singer-songwriter projects, indie rock, psych rock, jazz, and even hip hop/rnb. I pride myself on being adaptive and not being limited by genre.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skills is my ability to adapt to the needs of each project.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a unique musical background and openness to music I work on. I believe the greatest records are made when ideas are allowed to flow freely. My aim is always to help make my clients' visions a reality by creating a creative space in which there are no barriers or preconceptions.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My process always begins with communication. Whenever I am starting on a new project, I love sharing ideas with clients and creating a picture of what their vision for the music is. From there, every project is different depending on my role and the scope of the work.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I primarily work out of a studio in Nashville called Forty-One Fifteen. It is an amazing space that features four tracking rooms, and a great collection of gear. The console is a vintage Trident 80B. The studio is also home to a vintage Neve 1064 sidecar, UREI 1176 compressors, DBX 160 compressors, Teletronix LA-2A compressors, Teletronix LA-3A compressors, and many others incredible pieces. In addition to this, I have a home studio rig that includes Neve 1073 preamps, Coles 4038 Ribbon mics, Neumann u87 condenser mics, and a nice collection of vintage instruments among other things. I have access to multiple studios in Nashville however, so bookings vary based on the needs/budget of a project.

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

A: I am inspired by the work of Kevin Parker, Blake Mills, Shawn Everett, Tchad Blake, Gustav Ejstes, Stu Mackenzie and many others as a producer/engineer. My influences are wide ranging, and continually evolving.

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

A: In most scenarios, I am involved in studio tracking/engineering, mixing, and mastering for my clients. I often have a hand in projects as an player and producer as well.