Producer | Songwriter | Mixer

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

A: I've been playing or making music my whole life and doing it professionally for more than 15 years. My dad was a drummer in an MCA-signed rock band in the ‘70s/‘80s. I started playing bars with him when I was 12 years old and never looked back. Since 2011 I've been based in Nashville, and have toured North America with a variety of national acts (most recently Gary Allan) and recorded/performed/done live TV with dozens of artists of all stripes, from emerging indies to platinum major label stars. Prior to Nashville, I earned a Bachelor of Music in music technology and jazz guitar from Duquesne University, and worked under the tutelage of Emmy-winning producer Rick Witkowski, contributing to hundreds of recording sessions in a variety of roles, including compositions for Nickelodeon and Spike TV, albums that featured Bruce Springsteen, and popular video game Guitar Hero which mapped original guitar tracks that I performed. I continue to release my own original music, which I've done since I was a teenager, either as a solo artist [ANTi] or as part of a band [The Love Elektrik].

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

A: I just finished producing (and mixing/mastering) the forthcoming debut album from an exciting new synth-pop band from Germany. The project was done entirely remote via shared sessions and Skype calls. There were many firsts for me: doing all of the post-production work myself; producing an album's worth of material for an artist other than myself, and doing it all remote without ever having met the client face to face; learning and working in a new DAW (Studio One, so that the band's sessions could be more easily shared with me); and making friends with total strangers from across the pond via the internet during Covid! The band had such a joy about their songs that was easily felt when I was working to help take their music up a notch, we just didn't quit until every detail was perfect. The album will be released in February 2022 and I'm so excited for them.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Learning and improving everyday.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Hybrid but mostly digital. Convenience, efficiency and fidelity from a primarily digital setup, sauce and mojo from a few great outboard analog pieces.

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

A: "How fast and how much?" I have established pricing and turnaround times that I work from (as you can see on Soundbetter) but because music production is honestly such complex and unpredictable work, sometimes it's difficult to know what time commitment will be required until you start digging around under the hood. Is it one song, or a full album? Am I putting finishing touches on a song that's already produced for the most part, or am I creating an entire track from scratch? Just know that my number one priority is always to make sure you get the best and most competitive product possible, not just the fastest made.

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

A: That it is easy and quick.

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

A: Be clear and honest about your vision, even if you are not exactly sure what it is yet. Music is a conversation! It's so beneficial to communicate openly about your goals for your project.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Pro Tools 2020.5 // Studio One 5 Pro // RME interfaces/converters // UAD-2 QUAD Core // Native Instruments Maschine // Focusrite ISA 430mkII and Voicemaster channelstrips // Inward Connections Magnum pre // Gauge ECM-47 and ECM-87 condenser mics // Slate ML-1 and ML-2 virtual mic system // Dozens of electric and acoustic guitars // Roland Juno and JP8000 synths // Nord Electro 3 // Thousands of plug-ins and virtual instruments // Native Instruments Komplete // Arturia collection (everything they make) // TBs of vintage drum machine samples (Linn, 808, etc.) // Superior Drummer and Toontrack collection (everything they make) // Tons of stompbox effects, guitar amps and cabs // More than enough to get any job done! Being in Nashville, I also have access to larger commercial studios as well as boutique microphone and gear rentals from Blackbird.

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

A: I'm inspired in some way by almost all music I come into contact with. My north stars have always been Prince and Max Martin.

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

A: Song production, co-writing, and mixing.

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

A: To do my very best to honor and help you achieve your vision, and to be an honest collaborator and communicator.

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

A: Max Martin. His work has had an indelible influence on my creative process and musical philosophy since I was in middle school.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Decades of finely tuned ears and encyclopedic knowledge, but more importantly I bring a deep love for the process. Writing and producing a song is a magic trick that never loses its wonder. I have experience in almost every facet of the music industry and a unique palette of wide-ranging influences, so when I'm in the room my forte is to be a linchpin and a big-picture person. Music is my life and has blessed me nearly every day for three decades.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Who are your influences or artists whose career you wish to emulate? Even though you don't want to sound exactly like someone else, if I know what you love about another artist's work, I have a much clearer launch point for the production process.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The reward of creating something cool that doesn't yet exist and then releasing it into the world. I'm constantly learning from every song and artist I work with.

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

A: I gravitate towards any music that is part-driven, well-crafted, and built around hooks. Creating those types of songs is my passion!

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

A: '63 Stratocaster, Juno 106, LinnDrum, SM57, Tascam Portastudio. Other than cabling and a generator, you could make a record on any desert island with just those pieces. :D

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Simplicity always wins! We live in a short attention span world. Every part should be singable and memorable.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Song production and arranging.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Commercial and competitive.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Every project is unique, but everything starts and ends with the song and always leading with decisions that serve the song first, regardless of whether I'm mixing, arranging a vocal, or producing a track.