Keyboards | Producer/Engineer

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Right now I'm mainly working with two artists... One has an Allison Krauss/bluegrass vibe. The other has a very tex-mex, swing/rootsy thing going on. Lots of fun.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I'm always learning. From others or from my own mistakes. The day I stop learning is the day I take my last breath. Secondly, interacting creatively with other people is special. The sharing and collaborative aspect of music. It's unique.

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

A: "Can you make it louder?" My answer... "Absolutely, but be forewarned that there will reach a point where dynamics will suffer." "Can you add another couple of tracks to my tune?" My answer... "Sure, but don't you think 13 guitar parts is already enough?" ;-)

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

A: I would say that alot of songwriters/performers/producers believe almost anything can be "fixed in the mix". There are certainly things that can be "fudged" or tweaked in the mix process. But very simply, good tune + solid recorded performances + great production = great mix. :-)

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I always ask for directive concerning what they "hear" for the individual track or tune. A vibe or "color" they they ideally envision for their production. I also ask if there is any specific style concerning already released material that they would like their tune/mix to be geared towards. This provides a reference/goal.

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

A: a piano, a guitar, a portable recorder, a mic... and plenty of batteries. :-)

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

A: I graduated from NYU with a degree in audio engineering and realized I was spending way more time in the studio with the musicians on the other side of the glass. I've been playing professionally for about 35 years, always keeping a hand in mixing, writing and production. It's just in the past couple years that I'm getting back and much more focused on my first passion... engineering and mixing.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: If I had to kind of self critique my own material and way of playing... I would say that no matter the style, no matter the genre, no matter if it's an uptempo or ballad, it has to groove and have emotion attached to it. It has to create some kind of internal feeling with the listener. If not, what the point. Music is supposed to "move" you in some kind of way.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: I'm into using different forms of saturation alot lately. Using it subtly. Using it on things I wouldn't normally. It can be very musical on instrumentation or vocals. Gotta be careful with it though. A little goes a long way.

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

A: I would have to say my last solo album from 2015, "A Dozen Donuts". Very proud of the way it turned out. It was both challenging and fun to complete. I wrote, performed, produced, arranged as well as mix/mastered the album.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: No preference. They are both tools. So whichever tool best gets the job done.

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

A: Like I said in my initial artist profile, Music is my passion. Music is my soul. So I can assure any prospective customer, most undoubtedly, that they will get no less than 100% of my diligence/efforts/focus/talent towards completion of their project.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I hope to bring a unique creative angle that does justice to and respects the song.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Cubase and Pro Tools based system with tons of plugins. All the usual toys. Nice, diverse mic locker and hardware. And a plethora of instruments at the ready. :-)

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Write... break to snack. Record... break to eat. Produce/mix... break to eat. See a pattern. ;-) Honestly... There is no typical work progress for me. It's never the same. Depends on the tune/vibe/artist/etc.

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

A: Clients appreciate that I am a "one stop shop" for producing their tunes. As a writer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and mixer, I can be a part of the production from inception to completion.

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

A: Speaking from a songwriting and performance point of view, I listen to Sting, Prince, McCartney, Corea, Foo Fighters. There are so many, many more I could mention, from many different genres. My tastes are very diverse. I feel there is so much creativity to draw upon within different styles, and then re-invent and apply to your your creations.

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

A: I would have loved to work with Prince. He seemed very passionate about his art. I can relate to that.

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

A: I'm always working on different styles. Diversity is good.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I'm flexible. Go with the flow type of person. And I love collaborative projects. Music-wise... I feel one of my stronger points is that I go into a project with the intention of honoring the tune. Serving the music is the #1 priority.