Piano & Keyboards

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

A: Guitar: Chad Martin; Bass: John Thomasson; Drums: Christian Dorn; Mixing/Mastering: Doug Weier. All of them have provided outstanding results and are great to work with!

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

A: I hope there's an unlimited amount of space here... ok, in no particular order: Mercy Me, Lincoln Brewster, Daughtry, The Script, Billy Joel, The Hooters, Howard Jones, Michael W. Smith, The Piano Guys, Journey, Toto, Matchbox Twenty, Maroon 5, Phil Collins, Florida Georgia Line, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Tori Amos, Def Leppard, Chris Tomlin, Huey Lewis, Owl City, Sidewalk Prophets, Take That, Bach, Mozart, Handel, Haydn, Clementi, and the list could keep going.....

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: A strong desire and work ethic to get it "just right," piano and arranging skills to get the part to fit just where it needs to. That's so important and something I've learned over years of playing and recording. Also, I bring to the table a love for what I do.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Know yourself. Use the gear that you're most comfortable with, even if it's not what everybody else says you should have. Do it in the way you're most comfortable with. In the end, it's about the results!

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

A: Most often, I work in the pop, rock, and country genre. I also do quite a bit of piano instrumentals.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: First off, I think it's important for the client to send listening references of what they are looking for, either in the form of previous work they have done or in the songs of other artists. I take time to sit with the references and whatever tracks they provide for the song they want me to work on. If the piano tracks are the foundation of the recording, I can be the one who gets the whole process started for them. Communication and listening are two things that are crucial to the process. My next step will then be to put down tracks, bounce an mp3 of them, and send them to the client to take a listen to. If they want me to make any changes, I'm happy to do so. As a songwriter, I know how important it is to get it just right and how you envision it. When all is well, I will then create the final wav files for them.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is definitely my piano playing. I've been at it since what seems like the Middle Ages, and am experienced and well-versed in many styles. As I said in my main description, I have a fondness for all things melodic, and after all these years, have developed an instinct for what a song arrangement needs in its various sections.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a six foot Everett grand piano, which is actually a Yamaha G3 but bore the Everett name when it was built because of tariff issues. I use a number of Audio Technica and Sterling mics for vocals and for the piano. They are connected to a Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK board with ghost preamps. The DAW I most often use is Presonus Studio One Pro, Version 3.5 (at the moment, though will soon be upgrading to v4). It is powered through a MacBook. I have a number of additional plugins for sounds and loops.

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

A: Most often, I provide piano tracks for clients. I also have been asked to create and arrange keyboard/synth tracks for songs. The most common keyboard part requests have been to add things like synth pads and leads, organ, brass, and string parts. Basically anything that needs to actually be played.