Bass Player

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

A: I played bass on Ester Rada's album "Different Eyes" and I think it's a very cool album!

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I just got back from a long period of touring with Asaf Avidan, and currently I'm working on my on music, occasionally recording bass for people, and also working on some Animation projects!

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

A: Ben Aylon is an incredible percussionist and Ngoni player. Daniel Bloch, Gal Petel - both are fantastic drummers, producers, and mixing engineers.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: whichever supports your creative process best :) It can obviously be either one in different situations and for different reasons.

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

A: to serve their music as good as I can.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The ability to do something that feels natural, expressive and playful to me on a daily basis, and getting to know and work with really talented (and usually very kind) people.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Honestly, I usually don't have a lot to ask as my clients generally tend to be pretty clear with that they want. If I'm not totally sure what they want to go for I'll further discuss it with them or send a few options.

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

A: Make a decent demo, be communicative, don't be scared to give some artistic freedom (but if you know exactly what you want it's totally cool too :)). If you have a very specific idea in mind - provide a mock bass track. It's also a good idea to record drums before bass (if you record a live set) - this way I can lock into the actual feel of the drummer.

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

A: an OP-1, my mustang bass, a simple classical guitar, a piano and a field recorder.

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

A: I started playing the Bass around the age of 14 in Israel. I was studying music and playing with people in high school, did my mandatory military service as a bass player in a band, studied jazz in the Tel Aviv Conservatory, and started to tour with bigger artists. At the age of 22 I got a full tuition scholarship for Berklee College of Music, Which I've graduated from with a dual major in Music Production and Engineering and Electronic Production and Sound Design. I have been playing with various artists, and also working on my own music. After my studies I joined Asaf Avidan's touring band.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Melodic yet groovy, pockety, playful, warm

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

A: Beck - because I adore his music and it seems like a very fun situation to play bass on.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Be loving, sensitive and respectful towards the material you're working on.

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

A: It's pretty eclectic - I don't really like throwing genre names in the air, but I'll try my best - I come from the worlds of funk, hip hop and groove-oriented stuff, but I also love playing indie, alternative, singer-songwriter stuff, west-african music and latin music.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Playing what the song needs.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Musicality, sensitivity, creativity, and groove. I really try to tune in, listen deeply and react to what I'm hearing in a way that supports it and adds beauty to it.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: It highly depends on the artist, but I usually take some time with the song to learn it and get a good sense of form, and then I'd either try to sing a bass line in my head or experiment on the bass, alternating between pick and fingers until I find something that feels right.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a pretty simple studio setup that works great for me - I usually record directly into my Apollo twin, and I have a 5-string Fender Jazz Bass and a Fender JMJ mustang bass, each one gives me a slightly different color and vibe.

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

A: Some names that come to mind are Nigel Godrich, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Beck, Broadcast, Stereolab, Pino Palladino, The Beatles.

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

A: My main thing on SoundBetter is tracking bass - I love the process of finding and tailoring the perfect bass part for a song or taking an existing idea and bringing it to life. I also do some editing work, as well as composition, mixing and production.