Modern music production is like navigating a minefield littered with more choices than the human mind can handle. Pretty much anything you can think of can be done in today’s technocentric approach to music making.
When starting on the road to any production I cling to my sanity by asking myself two fundamental questions. What is the feeling I’m trying to create? and am I creating it? These become the anchor points of anything I do and all rules go out the window. In order to achieve these goals I may dangle a singer from a ledge just to get that extra sense of urgency that a song may require. Consider this an introduction to my method as well as a disclaimer.
Recording & Mixing
Studios can be daunting environments for any musician and I have experience with this from both ends of the glass so to speak. My process begins with making you feel at home in the studio and ensuring that you’re able to perform and hear the song the way you imagined it when it was written. My approach to mixing is very much the same. I understand the vision and bring it to life. It’s as simple as that.
Sound Design & Game Audio
For sound design I employ an array of tools like FM, subtractive and granular synthesis. Building my own instruments in Reaktor and my absolute favorite capturing my own field recordings and manipulating them. Having worked with Unity Engine and FMOD and applying my composition, editing, recording and sound design skills I’m able to create foley and non-linear music for games and apps.
Live
Working in a live environment is a grueling, high pressure situation. It’s also extremely rewarding. Making the artist comfortable on stage is as important to me as getting a great sound in the venue. After all, live gigs are all about having a good time and if the artist isn’t having fun, nobody is.
Song writing & Composition
First, the song has to be written. There are several techniques that I employ to avoid being stuck in a loop or writer’s block. I can provide support during the entire process or just help with some additional input. For a peek into some of the things I do during the writing process, you can read an excerpt from a song journal I kept during my time at university here. >>Songwriting_Journal<<
Editing & Project Preparation
Editing is a fundamental building block of a production and it’s often overlooked. Probably because it’s the most boring and least sexy part of the process. However, you’re in luck. I’m enough of a geek to actually enjoy editing. Whether it’s preparing a session to send off to a mixing engineer or editinging your multitrack drum recording I welcome these mind numbingly time consuming tasks with open arms.