Hard Rock Bassist

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Probably modern and heavy rock, with a little extra groove?

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Working with producers that push me to be the best I can be. I also like being around other creatives. Making music is a gift and I'm grateful to have a small part in that.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What's the mood for this track? What are you hearing in your head?

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

A: The more direction you can give me, the better. I really want to give my clients exactly what they're after.

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

A: Is there electricity on this island? I'd take a Martin D28 and four extra sets of strings!

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

A: I started as a teenager who was fortunate to live near Hollywood, CA. I had a lot of exposure early on to really great artists and that's always been my foundation. I've always considered myself lucky to have grown up in Los Angeles. I still take that with me, no matter where in the world I go.

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

A: Modern and classic rock are in my comfort zone, but I listen to everything. Lately I've been taking a deep dive into Thievery Corporation. Love them! Great bass grooves.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: For me, it's important to be easygoing, friendly, reliable, consistent, a good communicator, and generally pleasant to be around. Especially when you're working and traveling with people. I try to focus on being all those things. Is that a skill?

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I like to take direction from whoever I'm working for and service the songs to match their expectations. Sometimes that means attacking material in different ways like using a pick, or playing with my fingers. Sometimes they'll ask for a little more dirt on my tone, and sometimes a little less. Those are the things that stick out most.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: First I'll immerse myself in the material by ear. Next I'll work to lock in my parts with the drums until the groove feels bulletproof. I do that by loading tracks into my DAW and recording along. Then I'll work with my live rig to match or create a mix-ready low end that works best live. I have a lot of success working with a SansAmp Bass Driver. I pretty much use it for everything! It's great as a pre-amp or for going direct to FOH, if I'm using in-ears.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My #1 bass is a USA Fender P-Bass with V-MOD pickups, and I lean heavily on Ampeg rigs. I'm not an Ampeg artist, but I'd like to be! My home studio runs on mac, and I track in REAPER, most often with the Ampeg SVT Suite plug-in.

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

A: From a tone and groove standpoint, I draw a lot from top-shelf players like Nate Mendel of the Foo Fighters for rock-solid pocket, and Justin Chancellor of Tool for depth and weight in heavy rock production. On the live performance and touring side, I like the drive and consistency of Robert DeLeo from STP, and the melodic but heavy approach of Ben Shepherd from Soundgarden.

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

A: My focus is mainly writing and recording bass tracks remotely for clients. I also play live with a few original rock bands in Los Angeles and beyond.