Alt Producer, Mixer & Drummer

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

A: hit the wall by millo. i wrote it, played everything, produced it, mixed and mastered it. it stays quiet for most of the song and then finally opens up at the end, and getting that build right took forever. it’s the one i point people to first.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: finishing the debut Millo album and taking on mixing and production work for other artists.

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

A: I've hired Matty Bedrosian and Joey Vannuchi on here and had great success with collaboration on Millo

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: mostly digital. i work in logic with an apollo twin, so i get some analog color on the way in and the speed of working in the box. whatever gets the song there fastest.

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

A: your song will still sound like you, just better. i’m not going to turn it into my song.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: hearing a rough idea turn into something that actually sounds like a record. that moment never gets old.

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

A: “can you work from just a voice memo?” yep. a lot of my favorite songs started that way. “how many revisions do i get?” two included, more if we need them.

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

A: that mixing can fix anything. it can do a lot, but a good song and a decent recording still matter most. my job is to make what’s already there hit harder.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: what are the core elements of your favorite artists you want to borrow?

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

A: listen to their samples in your genre, not just their credits. and ask for a short spec mix before you commit. a good fit matters more than a big name.

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

A: macbook pro, yamaha dx reface, alesis nitro, shure se215's, and an sm58

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

A: i started on drums and took private lessons for 10 years, then got a degree in music production from malone university. i’ve played over 300 shows, done years of creative and video work, and been making my own music the whole time. mixing for other people is where all of it comes together. i currently run a marketing agency full-time called Token but making music is where my joy really is.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: big, a little hazy, and emotional, but the drums always hit. i want it to feel like a band in a room, not a grid on a screen.

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

A: m83. the way anthony gonzalez makes huge, cinematic songs that still feel personal is basically what i’m chasing every time.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: if you’re programming drums, humanize the velocity on every hit. real drummers never hit the same way twice, and that’s what makes it feel alive. also, even though my drums are 'programmed', i always preform them on a MIDI kit for actual feel.

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

A: alternative, indie, electronic, and dreamy rock. i listen to a ton of hip-hop too, so i’m open to anything with good structure and vibe to it.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: drums and dynamics. whether i’m playing them or mixing them, i know how to make a song feel like it’s breathing.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: a drummer’s ear. i care a lot about groove and dynamics, so i make sure the song moves and builds where it should instead of staying flat the whole time.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: i listen to your song and references first, then we talk about what you want it to feel like. i send a rough mix, you give notes, and we go from there. two rounds of revisions are included, then you get your final files.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: logic pro, an apollo twin, and krk rokit 5s for monitoring. i play drums on an e-kit and use ezdrummer, keyscape, and kontakt for instruments. for mixing it’s mostly slate, fabfilter, valhalla, and melodyne.

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

A: m83, tame impala, radiohead, loathe, night tapes, ninajirachi, and lord huron. all over the place, but they all make songs that feel huge without losing the heart of it.

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

A: mixing and building out demos. a lot of people send me a voice memo or a rough recording, and i add drums, bass, and keys until it feels like a full song. then i mix it. i make a lot of stuff for myself but want to get more collaborative and work with other people.