Songwriter and Producer

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

A: I'm proud of what I've been doing with Misha. We're working with some great people from SoundBetter and getting great results.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A continuous stream of masterpieces by Misha Gellman. Writing and producing songs with my songwriting partner Eric Passmore. Our project is called "Passmore and Johnston".

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

A: So far everyone I've worked with on SoundBetter is a total pro that delivers amazing results.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Irrelevant question.

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

A: You have my commitment and dedication. I will truly care about you and your project. I've been in the artist's shoes working with producers that didn't really care and it showed. That sort of conduct shouldn't be acceptable, but sadly it is pretty prevalent in our industry.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Bringing a creative vision to life! It's so rewarding

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

A: Can we change such and such a part at a late stage in production? My answer is usually that it's a bad idea, which stems from over-listening. Don't listen to your stuff 300 times during the mastering and try to decide if it's good enough. Trust the instincts and emotions that you had in the earlier stages. You've probably just fatigued yourself by over-listening.

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

A: I think a lot of people still see audio production as a discrete step in a process that might include pre-production, recording, mixing, and mastering. I don't agree - I think that in the modern context, you are kind of mixing from Minute 1. You need a producer that understands the entire chain and works into that from the outset.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I don't have a standard set of questions. Ideally, I'm looking for clients that can write songs and are coming to the table with a creative vision.

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

A: Look for somebody that can bring the full package to the table like I can. And perhaps most importantly, somebody that is organized, and will be considerate of you and your time. I've worked with producers that suck at file management and interfacing with clients and it's hugely stressful.

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

A: Nothing! I'd take a soccer ball.

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

A: Career path? Audio and the music business in general is not a standard career. I made my label to make the kind of music I want to hear. I've had some of my songs in film and t.v over the years. I've played shows with bands that people have heard of (The National, Interpol, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club). But that's not important. I've never really made a ton of money off of music.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Musical. Idiomatic. I'm always pre-disposed to make things that will translate well for the broadest range of listenership. I'm not interested in impressing my friends, or some small elite group of music snobs. I don't give a shit about music critics. I'm really %100 focused on making stuff that has a vibe and soul.

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

A: I have my own label and I'm already working with the artists that I'd want to work with. I'm not looking to ride anybody else's coattails.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Use your ears! Start getting a vibe from minute 1. Never think "We'll fix it in the mix".

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

A: I'm open to working on pretty much anything, but my two go-to genres are modern country and metal. I come from an alternative rock / indie rock background so I can easily immersive myself in those styles. I would love to garner more experience working in hip-hop.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is my ears and my instincts. I know a hit when I hear one. I'm great at nurturing what I feel are the strongest elements of a song and a production. I know what is idiomatic and appropriate across a broad range of instruments.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring years of recording and songwriting experience to the table, as well as my skills as a multi-instrumentalist. Because I am a trained musician (BFA Music Concordia University) I'm great at interacting with musicians and getting the best possible performances and results. I'm also very passionate and dedicated to results. I won't stop until I truly believe we have achieved excellence. I'm also a very systematic, well-organized, and considerate person. I know we are nurturing dreams here, and I treat you with the respect and consideration that this sort of enterprise requires.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I like to work with the artist in the early stages to lay down scratch tracks and start putting together a great vibe from minute 1. A lot of what we do at this stage might end up in the final production. Then it is a process of iteration and continuous improvement to make it better and better. This can involve multiple editing passes and re-doing some parts to bring them up to standard. I also enjoy hiring musicians on SoundBetter to add signature parts that can really elevate a production. Once it has achieved maximum heavyosity we are done :)

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work primarily in Logic Pro. I have an Apollo x6 interface which I find is great for getting guitar sounds using UAD plugins. My Slate VMS provides an excellent, clean, industry-standard vocal sound. I also get great results running an SM7B microphone through it. I work with many third party plugins to get great sounds and textures including many products from Toontrack, including Superior Drummer 3, EZbass, and EZkeys.

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

A: Bob Rock is my biggest inspiration as a producer. I love his musicality and the textured approach he takes to building a track. I use his Toontrack drum sounds in some of my productions.

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

A: I have a record label called Enabler Records and I do complete song productions for the artists on the label. I build songs from scratch and prepare them for the mixing and mastering phase. I work with a trusted mix engineer to guide productions to completion.