Producer // Mixer

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

A: WAY cop-out answer, but I'm especially proud of everything I do where my clients end up happy. I can't think of any other way to answer this.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Producing a bluegrass album, mixing a country album I produced, and working with an amazing new pop artist.

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

A: My close friend and Kyle Castellani is an amazing singer/songwriter. He's someone I've collaborated with over and over again throughout my career. Another close friend James Nagel is a fantastic producer, singer, and all-around musician.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I used to get caught up in this debate and it's futile. I use/rely on both. Listeners generally can't pick out a U87 through an 1176 into a 1073, but they can certainly tell if a singer believes what they're singing.

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

A: I always do my best, no matter what. And I keep ego out of it.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: There's nothing like the thrill of hearing your ideas come to life. A close second is hearing how something you had a hand in creating affected someone else.

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

A: "What do you need from me?" And the short answer is "whatever you can give me."

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

A: People looking to hire me or someone like me probably have a good idea about what we do. For relatives or friends I think the biggest misconception is the TIME required to make (most) music. A lot of them think a band or artist shows up to the studio, performs a song a few times in a studio, then it's on Spotify.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: It always varies. But in general I like to know what my clients are hoping to accomplish with a given project.

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

A: The world of audio and music production is very competitive, so you'll have no shortage of bids for virtually any project you come up with. So given a plethora of options, I recommend making sure what you're shopping for is as clear as possible -- that way you're not sold something you don't want or need.

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

A: Anything strictly recording-related I could probably do without or adapt to something comparable. So on this desert island I'd want my piano, my guitars, and a computer capable of recording.

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

A: I've played piano nearly my entire life. I started playing in bands around 1999. I started recording my own music around the same time (on a Tascam 8-track cassette tape machine which belonged to my dad!). I started recording other bands as a hobby/job a few years later. I was signed to a major label which led to amazing experiences touring and working with expert songwriters and producers.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Flexible.

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

A: Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran. Both fantastic performers and songwriters.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: In dense arrangements, I've been using a multiband compressor lately across entire groups (keys or guitars) with the vocals as the key input. Helps make sure there's space for the vocals without overly thinning the rest of the mix. Also, get up and move around. People don't generally sit/stay in a perfect listening position in an ideal listening environment, and you shouldn't while making music.

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

A: Rock, Pop, Country

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Instinct. I'm technically proficient, so I can edit drums or EQ a vocal or add keys/guitar to your song. But my clients hire me more for my ability to see where they want to go and then make clear decisions to get there.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a passion for doing the best I can possibly do to any project -- production, mixing, performance, whatever it is. I try to capture the spirit of your ideas and help your achieve your vision.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Every project varies slightly, so does my process. But broadly -- I like to listen to whatever a client has prepared (whether it's a self-recorded demo, a rough mix, or a scratch recording) and then have a discussion to make sure I'm the right guy for the job. If you're a new client I like to dig a little more into your inspirations, what you're going for sonically, what you hope to achieve with your music. I get to work, we talk, and we make sure YOU'RE happy with YOUR music.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work in a hybrid studio where I generally mix through a high-end summing mixing with great analog bus compression and EQ, though clients seem to care less and less about gear and more about the end result regardless of method (which I think is the right mindset!). I have high-end gear for tracking -- mics, preamps, guitars, drums, keyboards, and a Yamaha C1 which is amazing to play and record. I'm most comfortable in Cubase/Nuendo but clients often send me Pro Tools sessions where I can certainly find my way around.

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

A: Growing up my dad played in classic rock cover bands, my mom blasted Dolly Parton on the radio every Saturday morning, and I had every Michael Jackson tape or CD available. Incredible vocal performances and production are what hooked me for life. I listen to and enjoy all types of music. So any artist or producer willing to strive for excellence for their audience and clients are who I want to emulate.

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

A: My clients generally hire me to produce a song from scratch or mix tracks they've recorded themselves or in another studio. I'm frequently hired to do what I consider "additional production" as well, which could be programming, performing synths/strings/piano, adding backing vocals, and so on.