Session Guitarist

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

A: I'm really proud of my demo work with Guitars To Be Played. I did all the aspects of demo making, from writing, playing, editing, mixing, videoing, and video editing. It was all very independent and it was a great way to build up a portfolio of my playing!

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working with Maren Morris at the moment doing playback, Mainstage, and VFX. I'm looking for more opportunities to play and to transition off the road to be there for my family.

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

A: Ryan Casey!

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Why not both? There are some things that each can't do. Do you need crisp, clear delays and weird pitch modulators or a thousand different cabs or tweak little things that would take hours to change if it's even possible? Then digital is great! Do you need that perfect, smooth, imperfect analog goodness from delay, drive, or compression? Then you've gotta use analog. I almost always will use analog overdrive even if I'm using digital amps and delays.

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

A: I will always respect your choices and serve the song over myself

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I like that I've been able to see the world and support myself and my family with music full time. I've been to Australia 5 times, I've been to 49 states (c'mon Alaska!), I've toured all over Europe, been to UAE, South America, and Canada.

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

A: A lot ask what it's like to tour and to work with famous people. Really it's just figuring out your personal boundaries and finding times to rest. And famous people are just people that folks happen to know. Most are genuine and kind, and are just used to having to interact with a lot of people.

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

A: That because I have been touring as an engineer I may be lacking as a musician. The truth is that I've spent several thousand hours listening and working with musicians and making musical calls every show for the past 6 years. My pocket is so much better having studied bands' playing against a click and in front of thousands of people every night. Seeing how the biggest and the best do it influences my own playing and musical choices. And I still play every chance I get.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What sort of sound are you hearing in your head for this? Have you written music/charts for this? Do you want me to send some ideas of my own or do you have a strong sense of what you want? What instruments are you looking for? What are some songs that are close to what you want production or music-wise?

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

A: I'd say to have an open mind and a general idea for what you're looking for. We can work together to find just what you need!

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

A: I'd take my Kauer Korona, my supro Delta King 12, my Cmatmods Butah, my LM308n Rat, and my Strymon Flint

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

A: I have been playing guitar since I was 13, gigging since 15, and I started touring doing playback in 2019 my last semester of college and immediately went to international touring.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is very diverse. I grew up playing country and rock in honky tonks around the Carolinas, but I also had a love of jazz and black metal, and had a solo jazz guitar gig every week in high school. In college as a music major at Belmont University, I studied jazz and classical and continued to play country and rock gigs as well as americana/Indie in bands.

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

A: I'd love to work with Brad Paisley as a player, his style of playing is incredibly kinesthetic and unique. Because my playing is so diverse, I'd also love to work with Jonathan Kreisberg as a jazz musician.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: For guitar players, it's best to not scoop the mids for it to sit in the mix better. And I always say to put at least some compression at the end of all the wet effects for a bit of a natural "ducking" technique to ensure what you're playing doesn't get drowned out by your effects.

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

A: I've done a lot of musical work that's been my own writing which leans towards a mix of Country, Rock and Jazz Fusion. Professionally, I've spent the most time in Country and Pop and have done some Indie/Alternative touring.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Musical communication. Being able to talk to someone and figure out what they're going for musically and executing that is my strongest skill. Working with so many different artists, bands, MDs, managers, and crews, communication becomes the most important aspect of the industry.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a strong sense of musicality and earnestness to a song. I can come up with signature, specific tones to a song and build lots of interlocking parts as well. My sounds are "record ready" and can fit right where you need them to. I try to make my musical choices intentional and right for the song. I consider voicings and phrasings that may not be the most conventional for guitar if it's right for the song.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I like to familiarize myself with the music and internalize it before I even pick up an instrument. I will chart a song out or read down the music to start. Then once I can "turn off" my brain to hear the part, I start playing around with the arrangement. If it's something I'm coming up with, I often improvise while recording or improvise while the song is playing if it's something I'm working from. I'll play with tones and figure out what works. Then I'll record, sometimes comping some takes, and then mix afterwards.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I use a UAD Apollo as my main interface, and also have a Ferrofish Pulse 16 for when I need more inputs. Monitors are Yamaha HS8s and a sub. Guitars: Kauer Korona Custom Schecter Custom Shop Traditional Fender/Warmoth Telecaster Archer Semihollow Telecaster Eastman T386 Arbor Japanese lawsuit Les Paul Harmony Banjo Squier 5 String J Bass

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

A: I love hearing musicians where you can tell they've put in "the work" rather than just relying on talent/good gigs to keep their playing up. Especially among older country and jazz players, you can tell who's spent the hours in the shed and on stage to get their craft up. People you'll never hear of working bars and clubs you've never been to often are the most incredible musicians.

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

A: I've been a playback engineer for the past 6 years. This means I work with bands and MD's to get their songs into an Ableton session and program and edit the music to what they want. I also program MIDI and often do some sound design with guitarists and keys players. As a musician, I've been doing guitar demos for 3 years where I get a guitar from the seller, Guitars To Be Played and I build out a full track to showcase the guitar. I write all the parts, play and program the instruments, mix and edit the audio, and shoot and edit video all from my home studio. I also have continued playing in downtown Nashville when I'm not on the road.