Michael Nutsford on SoundBetter

Fresh 'swiss-army-knife' producer with skills in songwriting, vocals, instrumentation, mixing & mastering.

Hi! I can offer you a unique and fresh sound for your musical project. I love music and all its creative expression and sonic art. I bring that love, along with my musical 'accent', which leans towards pop & alternative rock but extends into much fuller sonic freedom.

I have just finished acing two years study in audio engineering & production, adding to my 20 years experience as a casual musician and songwriter.

Let's strengthen the worldwide community of artists and musicians.
Hit me up and we can talk about making music you'll be stoked about. I can't wait to hear what you have cooking.

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

Credits

Languages

English

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Interview with Michael Nutsford

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I recently mastered a track 'Jetplane for my friend Jos on Soundcloud. It had a couple of hundred listens and then I had a crack at it. Jos re-uploaded it and it got 1.2k hits in a day, which sounds uneventful, but it helped him expand his audience and he was very happy. Helping an unknown kiwi artist press that extra bit forward was cool.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: A Soundbetter profile
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Not yet.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: It depends on the application. I like the flexibility and accessibility of digital.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: My efforts will be 100%. My answers will be honest.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The mutual satisfation of a team-built product
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: N/A (I'm new here)
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: I'm not sure.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Do you have a reference track or artist you would like me to listen to for inspiration? What instrumentation would you like to experiment with first? Would you like me to recommend some changes?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Be clear and concise with what direction you want to go, and be nice.. an ally is more valuable than a product.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: A knife, desalinization kit, magnesium rod, portable radio & a chicken. oh, maybe an 1176 so I could add some compression and a bit of harmonic richness to my chicken.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I have been an audio technician for 15 years and recently studied audio engineering & production. I am, however, new to audio freelance work.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Different.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Ben Howard. His music moves me and hits that creativity itch in the right spot.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Don't try to hit the tropes. Make a new thing.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Pop, hip-hop, & alternative rock
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Genuine Artistry: Adaptability, humility, and a deep love for music.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Music and creativity, with a sound that is fresh & unique. I have a kiwi accent and impart that flavour in my vocals. I also emphasise negative space and feel over bloat and pointless noises with my production. My guitar style is blues based with a lent towards efficiency & impact. My aim is to lift the song, not bog it down in performative nonsense.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: That depends. I usually start with planning and discourse. I will put together whatever has been discussed and show off what I have come up with, before polishing all aspects once it has been confirmed my work is heading in the direction the client wants. I will do as many call-backs on a track as required to meet client expectations.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a humble setup with mobile acoustic baffles that I will set up in my garage or lounge depending on the weather. I record, edit & mix in Reaper with an array of mics such as my CAD GXL3000 and Rhode M5mp. I favour results and quality sound over aesthetics and branding.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Any music that has emotional merit. Flashy production, fads & fashions don't hit me like authenticity and raw expression do.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I have just set up a profile on SoundBetter, so no clients as yet, but I have experience in producing, mixing, songwriting, ADR, vocals, guitar, bass, ect.. A deep pool of audio skills.