Pedal Steel, Banjo, Bass, Mix

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

A: Yes - Tyler Fortier is a great producer. Kyleen King for strings.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have several amps at my disposal, plus a selection of condensor, ribbon and dynamic microphones, including an AKG 414 and a Shure SM7B. I use a Millennia TD-1 mic pre, with an Empirical Labs Distressor when needed. I use a Kemper Profiler with a bunch of custom profiles I made myself, plus some purchased profiles from top profile makers.

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

A: I recently finished an album called "Unheard, Unseen" for Small Souls, a duo I'm part of with a guy named Brian Rozendal. We worked on the album for about two years, start to finish, which included demoing out everything. We spent a ton of time in pre-production so that when we got to making the "real" album, we had already worked out the kinks. Sometimes you have to do the obvious thing first and then find something more interesting. Brian's songwriting is amazing, so I had great raw material to work with, but I'm really proud of how that album turned out. It's dark, challenging, and beautiful. Check it out - https://smallsouls.bandcamp.com/album/unheard-unseen

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Working on a couple steel tracks for Evan Phillips from Alaska. He's the frontman of the group The Whipsaws, as well as a solo artist.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I like a big fat analog front end and the convenience of digital editing! Best of both worlds.

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

A: I promise to listen deeply to both your music and your thoughts about what you want. I hate "one-size-fits-all."

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love to make things sound cool!

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

A: "Where'd you learn that pedal steel thingie?" I took lessons here and there and picked up a lot from my fellow steel players. There's a great community and brotherhood surrounding pedal steel. Also, transcription is a powerful learning tool.

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

A: That it's easy! Haha...

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What do you want the (steel, banjo, bass) to achieve in the song? What are the lyrics about? What emotions do you want to convey?

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

A: Have an idea of what you want from the performer beforehand, and be descriptive, but leave room for the player to work his/her magic. That's why you hired them, right? :)

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

A: Well, definitely my Emmons S-12 push/pull pedal steel. That thing is like my best friend. The Millennia mic pre and AKG 414 are both "Swiss Army knife" pieces of gear that are super versatile. Add my Goldtone banjo and Becker upright bass and I'm a happy guy!

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

A: I have a degree in audio engineering from the University of Miami, and I started my professional career in audio post production (TV, radio). When I moved to Portland I transitioned to music full time and never looked back! I split time between the road and the studio. I love both and don't think I could choose if I had to!

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Texture-based.

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

A: Too many to list! I've always thought The Avett Brothers could use some steel guitar :-)

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Coco Chanel once said "before leaving the house, a lady should look in the mirror and remove one accessory."

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

A: A lot of folk, Americana, and singer/songwriter material, though I do "get weird" every now and then. I've played on psychedelic rock records, aggressive goth-rock, pure country, cosmic country, high energy roots rock...

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Supporting the song.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I really strive to listen with an arranger's ear. Nobody's interested in hearing me play a bunch of stuff "just because I can." The parts I play should really fit the song, and enhance the lyric rather than obscuring it. I try to find the push and release already inherent in the song and enhance it. In fact, that's my motto: "Enhance...enhance...enhance!" "His arrangements on Denali are incredibly intuitive, and the choices he makes underscore his knack for knowing exactly what is needed to best showcase each song. Daste has a light touch, avoiding the temptation to clutter, allowing the tunes to breathe. But his skills don’t stop there; Bryan Daste is an excellent harmony singer. Add to that his selfless work ethic; he does everything to support the artist and nothing to draw undue attention to himself. He faithfully serves the singer and the song, in the process becoming invaluable to both. The list of instruments he employs is lengthy, and the manner in which he wields them is tasteful and understated. His presence, indispensible, adds depth to the live performance of Hill's material." - Joe McSpadden, The Flame Still Burns

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: For instrumental tracking, I usually start by charting out the song in the Nashville Number System, with as much rhythmic detail as I can. Then I set up a session with the rough mix of the song, a click if applicable, and track for the miked signal as well as a DI channel. I'll read over the client's notes and then take a rough pass at the song. Usually I will play the song between 5-10 times total, until I am pleased with every note. Sometimes I will edit together the take or replay sections to flow together seamlessly.

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

A: I love what Greg Leisz does on pedal steel for so many diverse artists...he really gets that beautiful, almost indescribable tone out of his instrument. And he plays an Emmons like me!

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

A: A lot of my online work consists of playing pedal steel for clients. I also specialize in clawhammer banjo, which is a rhythmic/melodic style that has a warmer, less brash sound than the more typical bluegrass style. Those are my two main touring instruments as well. I've also added upright bass (always loved that sound) into the mix, plus electric bass. I also work as a recording and mixing engineer in Portland and remotely.