Mixing, Producer, Recording

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

A: I really like what came out from my collaboration with Adrina Thorpe, Russell Morgan and Martin Klein. I produced, engineered and mixed. The SheLoom albums, which I co-wrote and co-produced. I loved Peter Doran’s albums too. I also think that some minor unknown projects came out with a great sound, like brasilian Fabio Segal. One of the jazz albums I did with Stefano Bollani in 1998 is still musically very special to me..

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am working on an Ep with Jazz Pianist Don Grusin, co-writing for the band SheLoom, recording and producing the jazz-rock band Q-bizm, and soon producing a single for a young female songwriter.

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

A: There is this great vocalist Violetta, from Santa Ana, CA, and Julian Lowe, Mastering engineer from UK..

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Because they both have their advantages and sound aesthetics. And the fun factor is important. Analog is sexy and fun. Digital is comfortable and reliable.

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

A: That I’ll put my heart in it, and it’s finished when we both like it, but he/she has the last word.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The interaction between sound and music. Recording sounds and music, blending ideas to creaft the final creature. There is a line of thought and imagination that connects music with sounds, like pizza with beer. They call each other, inseparable. And talent. Being able to work with people with a great voice or gifted musicians and songwriters.

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

A: First thing that comes to mind… The unpersonal or short and unpolite emails usually go nowhere and I wish I never received them. The ones who introduce themselves properly and describe their project are the most welcome, and the most interesting to work with.. They usually ask if I am interested and if I want to meet them, or listen to their demo. How much will it cost and how long will it take for a given project..And when I can start. My answers are honest, both on my schedule and on the project or music. If I hear a genre I can’t help with, or something I can’t improve, I tell them. If the requested timeframe is unrealistic, I tell them. If the budget is too small I either tell them it can’t work and if I particularly like the project I sometimes ask if they could find a solution in a medium term. If they ask about location or studio I explain how I work.

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

A: Well, from the people who are not musicians or outside the music business ? It is all a general, total, big misconception. The ignorance on the subject is overwhelming. From the people inside our business and among musicians, the only big misconception comes from beginners and clueless amateurs, who expect you to do the job for something like 100 bucks or so.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Tell me about your music and your sound vision, can you play me your tracks, can I listen to your ideas ? What would you like to do with your demo ? How can I help you best ? If you tell me what you have in mind I can tell you if I am the right person to help you or to work with..How many songs or ideas do you have written ? Do you play any instrument ?

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

A: Prepare a solid repertoire. Write very good songs first, or at least good bits and pieces. We can glue them together then. Before hiring someone, listen to his/her work, do a bit of research. Then get into a calm conversation.

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

A: Thanks for asking this. 1- My guitar 2- a 4 track recorder with lots of batteries 3- a small drum machine with lots of batteries 4- an AKG 414 mic 5- AKG 141 Headphones

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

A: I dropped my classical guitar when I met Jeremy Spencer who taught me blues licks on his Gibson SG. That was 1978. A few months later I started recording all new ideas on a Reel to Reel Revox b77. I was 14. I never stopped since then.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Not easy, this one. Try: I am a rock musician who invaded jazz territories travelling through filmic landscapes.

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

A: I’d like to discover a young artist with a great voice and musicality without boundaries. Maybe the next Frank Zappa. On famous people, I always thought I could have done a great job with Dave Matthews Band because most of his albums always lack of low end and the energy they have on stage, and it makes me suffer. Then Fiona Apple for her immense authenticity, Wilco for creativity, John Mayer for his musicality, his guitar playing and band aestethics (providing he writes good material like in Continuum), and one album with Florence and The Machine, as she encompasses a wide spectrum of genres I like. Then Everything Everything, they are so inventive. Maybe Beck, he is hard to define and I like that. Thom York is taken, Nigel is just too g(o)od. One last, special and different album with Sir Paul, now that his hair is finally silver.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Listen. Listen. Listen to sound aesthetics in your head. Follow your instinct. try to get that connection between the song and the sound you hear for it.

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

A: Pop, Alternative and Indie pop, Alternative Rock. Ambient, Jazz, Acoustic and Singer Songwriter.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I suppose: Recording and producing. Writing. Making artists feel good and respected. Develop their vision without getting in the way too much. Bass lines and interesting guitar arrangements, textures and arpeggios. Drums and Snare sounds. Backing vocals.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I report what they say..:A better sound (unless it already sounds great), good interesting rhythms, interesting texture and colors, a musical arrangement which supports and doesn't intrude the lead vocal lines, a good solid bass line and low end, a deep and full mix.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: If I am about to or wish to produce an artist we chat about their vision and their goal and I tell them what I see or hear. We listen and talk music, to see if we get along and we have some things or ideas in common. Then if we feel good we start recording scratch vocals and guitar or piano possibly over a beat or a click and work on the songwriting and structure. Then I do most of the overdubs myself or I hire a talented drummer. When I am 50% through a song we listen together or online, we add ideas or change things. If it’s a remote collaboration we stay in touch a lot and we update each other with song developments and ideas sending mp3s and WAVs across with dropbox or Wetransfer. When the song sounds good we do the final vocal takes and finish the various decorations, until we are both happy, especially the artist/client, who has the last word for me. If I have a strong opinion I gently try to persuade. I mostly mix alone, 1 or 2 days per song. I have some reliable mastering engineers in Uk and US.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio is in Vienna and it's a beautiful space shared with lovely and passionate people. (Tic music studio, it's on Miloco studios of the world) I work with several Neve and Api preamps and love some boutique gear like Thermionic Culture and Retro Instruments. My favorite preamp is the old Neumann 476 though. I love using my FET47, and use sm57 and 7's a lot. 414's are ubiquitous too for me. I love my Oram DM summing amp and I mix through 2 Neve 2264 compressors. I love small setups too. I love Apogee and Universal Audio interfaces.

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

A: As a producer I suppose these are the ones who mostly Inspired and Inspire me: Jon Brion, Dave Bascombe, Trevor Horn, Roland Orzabal, Nigel Godrich, George Martin, Al Schmitt, Daniel Lanois, Prince, Jeff Lynne. As a music lover Radiohead, Frank Zappa, James Brown, Rufus & Chaka Khan, The Police, Rush, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Bartok, Strawinski, Led Zeppelin, Debussy, Ravel, Hindemith, Jerry Goldsmith, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer

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

A: I develop artists demos with the aim to bring their songs and music to significative artistic and sonic improvement. I co-write sometimes. I write songs and instrumental music a lot. I love the art of recording, at my studio or in a remote location, no matter with which type of gear, fancy or cheap. Sometimes I just mix people's tracks. I perform a lot in the studio, too. Bass, Guitars, Vocals, Piano, Keys, Programming.