Producer and Saxophonist

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

A: The project I am very fond of is the one that I posted it's audio sample on my profile. I received a gig proposal on Airgigs from a new client named DJ Mordecai and he wanted me and my band to record a song from a demo he had sent. We really went all out on it and it came out great. We had so much fun with the project. I recorded the main sax and mixed and mastered the project.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am currently working on a weekly jam session project with my band and posting the production on youtube every week.

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

A: I am now starting my journey on this platform but I will definitely keep an eye out and update this question once I find one.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: In terms of recording, analog because there is just something about a live band that you can't replicate in the box. In terms of processing and post production, digital because the minuscule differences between analog gear and digital emulations is not appreciated by the average listener and so I would just go for what is more economical and efficient in terms of availability and speed of use which is clearly digital.

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

A: My promise to my clients is that I will not stop until they are fully satisfied with their project or their money back no questions asked.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love the fact that my work brings me a lot of fulfilment especially when my clients love the work I produce and when their songs perform well once released.

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

A: Most of my customers are commonly concerned about how much it would cost them to have me fully produce a lot of songs at a time. I usually tell them to let me go at it one step at a time as there's no need to rush unless there is some kind of deadline to meet.

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

A: The biggest misconception I know of regarding my work is that world class music takes a long time to finish producing and that getting world class professional musicians on your record is very expensive.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I usually ask for references and anything that can help me paint a better picture in my mind of how they want their song to come out.

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

A: My advice to all my future clients is to hurry and book me because I can't to start making great music with them.

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

A: If I were on a desert island, I would make sure to have my saxophone, my laptop, a DSLR camera, my laptop, and a Starlink device so I could first and foremost do a quick vlog and post it online showing my location so I can get rescued, and have my sax with me to pass away the time, perhaps I would finally get to practice those licks I've been putting off for how many years now lol.

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

A: My career path has always been in the creative arts industry. I have a vision of how a thing should be in my mind, and I do my best to make it a reality. I have been playing the saxophone for the past 23 years and I have been producing and mixing and mastering for the past 10 years.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I can't put my finger on it but I'd say my style is very unique due to the vast difference in influences. For example I play the sax like a vocalist or lead guitarist would solo or ad lib. My riffs and runs aren't your typical sax licks and runs. When it comes to arranging and producing, my style is "less is more" lol 'nuff said.

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

A: It would be an honor to work with Cory Henry one day. I know that I would learn so much by just having the opportunity to work with him.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Using reference tracks has been a game changer when it comes to everything from recording to mixing and mastering and arranging and producing.

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

A: I work a lot on Gospel records and Pop and Afrobeats records with a live arrangement feel to them.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is my ability to communicate with artists to fully realize their vision for their songs. I am very deliberate about making sure that every last detail is paid attention to.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring my unique style that is influence by my childhood of growing up listening to the greats like Kenny G, David Sanborn, Donnie Mcklurkin, Fred Hammond, Cece Winans, etc. My sound is a blend of unique influences rich with culture from my Ghanaian background and heritage.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: For recording saxophone tracks, I get sent the song along with the bmp and bitrate and sample rate my recording should be in, I then head into my studio and listen to the song over and over and get to recording multiple takes of solos, embellishments and ad libs or horns parts. I pick the best takes, make any necessary edits, and export dry and wet stems of each take and deliver high quality wave files. When it comes to producing and arranging a full production, I ask the client to give me a voice note of the melody of their song along with a lyric document, and as many song references as they can give. I record a vocal guide to a click track to match as much as possible what is given to me in the voice note and lyric document. I send the vocal guide to the artist for approval. Once approval is given, I send the vocal guide over to my pianist and keys arranger along with the song references for him to come up with a chord progression and keys arrangement for the song based on and in the style of the song references provided. I send over the keys arrangement to the artist for approval before the rest of the band comes in to record the remaining instruments live. Once everything is recorded, I edit, mix and master, and deliver the mixdown and stems of the song to the artist.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a full band setup in my recording studio with a full Maple drum set with Sabian cymbals, Fender amps for bass and lead guitar, a Yamaha MOXF8 and Nord Electro, as well as a Midas M32 with a Rode NTK Large Diaphragm tube Condenser mic, Shure SM7B, 2 Shure SM57's & 9 SM58's.

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

A: My inspirations are Jon Bellion, Kamasi Washington, Quincy Jones, Jacob Collier, and Cory Henry.

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

A: The most common type of work I do for the majority of my clients is producing and arranging a full instrumental production from recording to mixing and mastering of a new original song from a voice note of a melody and lyrics.