Session Drummer and Producer

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

A: Earlier in 2024, I was tasked with coming up with a cover version of Chris Stapleton's song, "Starting Over". I had a clear vision for how Owls & Lions could put their spin on it and turn it into a more rocking version of the original. I was in producer role for this, but I was also tasked with playing drums, guitar, and bass. This particular song was incredibly challenging and took me to new places as a musician, having to leave my comfort zones and dive a bit more into the realm of country and blues style rock. What we ended up with was a version of what I had first heard in my head, but ultimately so much more developed and thoughtful. When I listen to that record now, it makes me picture a band playing this live, in a room, having a great time.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm currently wrapping up production on the second full length record for Morning Lights! Next up will be an EP of covers with Owls & Lions, as well as a new record coming in 2025.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both! There's something undeniable about what high end analog equipment does in the signal path to impart a pleasing sonic quality to source material. It seems now more than ever, artists and producers are looking for that certain character or warmth on their records. But we record into a digital medium (most of the time) and I think the ability to manipulate audio in the digital realm is maybe the single most creative part in the production process. We can do things on a digital level that could never have happened back in the pre-digital days of analog tape.

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

A: I think the biggest misconception about recording drums is the level of detail that is required to record them in a professional way. It's not just throwing a few mics up and hitting record. There's so much that happens before I ever hit the record button. Does the drum need new heads? Is the drum in tune with itself? Is the drum in tune with the rest of the drum kit? Is this snare drum the right sound for the song? How do the drums sound through the microphones? Is the microphone phase correct? Are there any extraneous noises coming from the drums that could pose an issue later on in the mix? What will my approach be for the drum parts I'm being hired to play? The list goes on and on! All of these questions (and many more) are running through my mind as I'm prepping for a session. This doesn't include the time I spend actually recording for a client!

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

A: I'd be making my desert island debut record. And to make it, I'd need my: 1. Gibson J-45 Acoustic Guitar 2. Soyuz 017 FET Condenser Mic 3. DW Fearn VT-2 Tube Preamp 4. Empirical Labs Distressor 5. ProTools

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

A: I started playing drums in elementary school as a 10 year old and never stopped! Even as a teenager who was super passionate about sports, I always found time to throw on my headphones and play along with whatever music was blowing my mind that week. In college I joined my first, second, and third bands and played with anyone and everyone. Along the way, I found myself in studios recording with those bands and realized I had a profound interest in the technical side of recording and making records. While continuing to play in bands, I slowly put together the pieces of my own home studio until eventually I had enough microphones to record my drums and even a few live band rehearsals. I began helping friends make demos of their songs and eventually that turned into recording full records and even mixing the productions I was working on. I've been a drummer for 32 years and a recording engineer/producer for 15 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is a composite of rock solid drummers like Pat Wilson and Dave Grohl, married with more technical players like Jeff Porcaro, Josh Freese and Aaron Sterling.

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

A: I would love to work with Annie Clark from St Vincent. She's got such a unique approach and style to her music production and her guitar playing is killer! There's a huge stylistic range in her catalog, from quirky to funky to all out heavy rock. Her style ticks off so many boxes for me in regard to the type of music that I personally gravitate toward as a fan and the type of music that comes easily to me as a drummer.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: After speaking with a client and understanding what they're looking for in terms of style and sonics, I'll reach for the drums that will provide the sound they're looking for. I'll fine tune their tone and get them set up under the microphones and do some preliminary tests to make sure I'm in the right sonic ballpark. I'll get their track pulled up in ProTools and do a few full passes, providing different pattern options or drum fills to pick from between certain sections. Once I have a complete take that I feel great about, I'll bounce out a rough mix of the drums with their track and send it to the client for approval. If they have notes or revisions to make, I'll tackle it right on the spot. When the client approves my work, I'll send individual wav files so that they have maximum control when importing into their own sessions.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My live room and control room occupy the same space, albeit different sides of the room! I have all of my studio gear (analog preamps, compression and EQ's) on the opposite end of the room from my drums. I run ProTools remotely from a small mobile desk setup next to my drums so that I don't have to run back and forth. On the left and right sides of playing position for my drums, I have my other drum kits and snare drum options. I love having things out and easily accessible. My room has 15 foot ceilings, so I use tons of vertical storage space. As you look around the room, it's my entire adult life in music instruments! Drums, amps, guitars, microphones, cables, speakers. Visually, I think it can be overwhelming the first time you walk in haha.

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

A: Just make sure the provider you're hiring understands what you want. Be specific about sounds or ask for their guidance in selecting drum sounds (or provide examples of sounds you want to emulate). Most of us are good at choosing the right instrument or sounds for the job, but we're making this inference based on the information provided from you. Communication is huge!

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

A: I work mainly on rock, indie rock, pop rock and americana!

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Listening to the artist and understanding their vision. Hands down the single most important skill in any studio situation. More important than any technical skill you bring to the table!

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

A: For studio drummers, the list is long! But I've always admired Jeff Porcaro, Steve Gadd, Jim Keltner, Josh Freese, and Aaron Sterling. Their ability to fit the project their working on is by far their biggest asset. Of course they have their own styles and arguably their own sonic signature, but they always serve the song with their drum parts. On the producer side, Eddie Kramer, Brendan O'Brien, Butch Vig, Rob Cavallo, Jerry Finn, Eric Valentine, Jack Antonoff, and Shawn Everett.

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

A: Most often, I'm hired to record drums and percussion on songs for solo artists, songwriters, and bands. When I'm not recording drum tracks, I'm hired to be a producer and musician for artists that need someone to help bring their song to life OR completely "fix" and be a problem solver for a previously recorded, unreleased song that just didn't hit the mark.

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

A: Check out Matt Rifino for song mixing! He's incredible and has mixed 3 songs I've produced over the past year.

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

A: My promise is to give you a product that inspires you, makes you want to listen to it over and over, and elevates the quality of your song production.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Everything I write and play is meant to serve the song first. Zero ego. I only play what is needed or what is requested. I listen intently to the vocal and think about ways to support it. I think about how to propel the song forward in a way that complements the other instrumentation. I think about what frequencies the other instruments are occupying and adjust where my groove is being played (hi hat versus ride versus crash cymbals).