Recording Philosophy

There are a few principals that guide us towards making meaningful art. Arguably the most important of them are authenticity, purpose/vision, and presence. 

People crave authenticity, they need to know you the artist mean and feel what you say with your songs. Listeners connect with that truth more than anything else, and that vulnerability as an artist is what leads to more fans and a long and successful career. For me, each production is a pathway to that authenticity and leads you the artist to your truth. Which in turn gives the listener permission to make the songs their own.

Vision is listening to who we are, and not being afraid to open our eyes to what we discover. Vision is often multilayered. Sometimes we know it and it’s clarity is immediate. Other times we sense it, but we don’t know how to communicate it. Sometimes we arrive to a project with the vision fully formed, and other times we arrive with bits and pieces. We cultivate and protect our vision, while simultaneously encouraging our vision to grow and change. The whole point of vision is to help facilitate and realize your deeper purpose as an artist. As a producer, this is done by filtering all of our ideas, skills, tastes and feelings through your vision. We place all of these elements in a position to serve you as a writer, singer, player and artist. Which ultimately helps your deeper purpose blossom more and more. Music heals. Music is magic, it literally moves and re-shapes the atoms around us. I love that magic. Thats why your vision and purpose are so important, and that is why we move forward every single step of the process with intetion.

To be present, is at times the easiest, and at other times the hardest principle of them all. By being present, we allow all things to flow. A big part of my job as a producer is to create the space for you, the artist, to be fully present in the creative process. If you need to be vulnerable, you are given space to be vulnerable, if you need to be angry, you're encouraged to be angry. If you need a break, we take a break, if you're getting hangry, we eat. It's partly reading the room, partly being counselor, and it's always wholly honoring the present. Whatever it takes to capture the truest and best moments, the best performances, that's what we do. And that's the gift that being present to each moment gives us. 

All of the heavy (and wonderfully true) points aside, lets not forget that music making, record making in particular, is one of the most fun and creatively satisfying endeavors we can take part in. I love the partnerships and friendships that are born along the way. It is truly a joy, and magical.

THE PLAN

When working together, we follow these 3 simple steps:

1. We Build Trust

2. We Crack The Code

3. We Do The Work

Building trust means we get to know each other and truly understand how to best serve you, your desired recording experience and the finished result.

Cracking the code means we dig into the HOW––HOW we deliver the most meaningful version of your music, what you’re trying to say and HOW to say it, what kind of finished recording result you want and HOW we will achieve it.

Finally, WE DO THE WORK. We prepare for and enter into the recording process. Once the tracking is done, we put final touches on everything, then it’s ready for you to share with the world!

Studio Vibes

I would be remiss if I didn't mention sound and sonics at all while speaking of my recording philosophies. I love vintage instruments (keyboards, guitars, drums... all of them!), I love creating in a space that allows us to get into the flow effortlessly. I love ribbon microphones, and compressors, reverbs and delays, I love classic pre-amps. I feel very fortunate to work in one of the greatest recording studios on the planet, a musical sanctuary that has the best of the low key private vibe, and the gear of a commercial recording studio paradise. I’m also about to break ground on my very own recording studio. It is a dream come true, and I really can’t wait to share all of the details of the build and space as they roll out. The general vibe is a beautiful barn on the outskirts of town. It will have a large live room, with big open ceilings, a beautiful stained glass window, natural light, and all the instruments one could imagine. If you're gear and instrument curious, here's a list:

Guitars and Basses:

Gibson LG-2 (1942)

Guild D-25 (1970)

Alvarez Nashville Tuning

Gibson 335

Fender Tele Deluxe

Fender Jazzmaster

Keyboards:

Hammond C3 with 122 Leslie

Wurlitzer 200A

Fender Rhodes

Steinway Grand

Drums:

1972 Rogers Kit (22, 16, 14)

Lots of Percussion Instruments

Consoles, Converters and Summing:

Trident Series 80 (32x34)

SSL Origin (16x16)

Pro Tools Ultimate HD

Listening:

Atomic 610's

Dynaudio BM5A’s

EQ:

API 550A EQ (3)

Warm Audio EQP Tube EQ (2)

Chandler Limited TG12345 Curve Bender Stereo EQ

Pre-Amps:

API 312 (2)

Neve 1073 (2)

CAPI Audio Heider 312 (16)

BAE 1073 Neve (6)

Dynamics:

Teletronix LA-2A (2)

UTA UnFairchild

Urei 1176 Blackface

Tube Tech CL1B

EL8 Distressor (2)

dbx 160 VU (2)

Alan Smare C1 (2)

Microphones:

Requisite Audio L7

Neuman U47

Neuman U67 (2)

Neuman km56 (2)

Neuman U64 (2)

Neuman KM84

Dachman Audio DA87i (2); U87i clone

PTW M49 clone

AEA 440

AEA R84

AEA R88 (2)

AKG C12A

AKG C451EB (2)

AKG D112

Coles 4038 Ribbon

Beyer Dynamic M-88

Other:

EMT 140 Plate Reverb

TC Electronics System 6000

Lexicon PCM70