Composer of Piano and Synth

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

A: The project "lost without you" is a very deeply emotional project because of the reality of the story. I composed and mixed it.

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

A: "can you show me how you work?" I always answer yes, but I don't do that for free. I record while I work, then upload it to youtube as a link-only video if they decide they want to add that.

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

A: I would say the biggest misconception about what a composer does would probably exist in people thinking that creating music is all fun. Searching for the right sounds can take a good while to finish, and that can be very tedious. Along with developing the ear, and feel for music.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I ask questions that arise from reading over their job submission to fill in holes that I don't want to get stuck in. I ask for clarity. I ask, "What's your timeframe? What's your vision? Do you have an instrument set picked out that you want me to work with, or do you want me to pick the sounds I use to convey the story?" and other project appropriate questions.

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

A: Ultimately, the decision boils down to this - do you like what you hear? Do you think I can do what you need?

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

A: I've been writing music for over 20 years. It evolved through different instruments.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My synth work drips with nostalgia. My piano work is contemporary, but with touches of classical sprinkled in.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Taking breaks is the most important part of the process because burnout will kill your drive, and ear fatigue ruins creativity. There's only so many times a person can listen to a piece over and over before burnout sets in. We must take breaks and listen to other things. Sometimes those other things we listen to during breaks can inspire what we're working on.

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

A: synth music and piano / ensemble music.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring my unique perspective to music. No one else can create the expressions I do because no one has my experience.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I usually start with seeing where the story takes me. What kind of location? country road through fields heading to a lake? what time of day? What happened in the main character's life currently and before? what stands out in the main character's mind emotionally? What does that sound like?

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have my osmose, which runs into the computer. I use Steven Slate VSX Immersion One headphones to get a nice instrument mix. I use izotope, fabfilter, UA ravel for piano work, and Omnisphere 3 for much of my synth work.

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

A: Hans ZImmer is a huge inspiration, as is Pedro Macedo Camacho, and Luca Pretolesi.

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

A: I tell the story through the voice of synth or piano. I also mix if a client needs that.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm currently working on a soundtrack for a movie called "Rain," And two piano pieces.

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

A: If you need a top notch mastering engineer, Justin Colletti is your guy. If you need a great female vocalist, Capri Everitt.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. Analog is needlessly expensive, and most people can't hear the small difference that some analog gear gives. It's different, not necessarily better. Of course, if you're talking about Piano, analog is the way to go. But if you go with me, I'll make it very hard for you to tell the difference between an analog piano recording and the digital piano I use.

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

A: I promise satisfaction. period.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love working with music because music is like the language of the angels. It's an amazing thing to experience.

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

A: A power generator, a fridge, my immersion headphones, osmose, and computer.

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

A: I'd love to work with Hans Zimmer so I could watch him in action, and hear the story evolve as he writes the music.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Imagining sounds that convey scenes and emotion into music.