Recording Studio, Audio Engineer & Producer

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Great Songs. Proper Preparation. Mindless Execution.

Great recordings begin with great songs. Sometimes artists have a hard time revisiting a song after it's written. I've found that many times, if it feels like something is missing from a tune, if we look at the lyrics, phrasing, etc, there may be some minor adjustments that could take a song from being good to great.

It may be Nashville brainwashing me, but I need to "feel" the words to fall in love with a tune. Don't be scared to rethink the second verse or find a stronger line to tie the bridge together. Just because you wrote it already, doesn't mean its the best that it could be. "Hallelujah" took Leonard Cohen five years to write, sometimes the right words take a few revisions.

Unless you are a jam band, proper preparation is key to great studio performances. The intensity of this preparation can vary greatly depending on the vibe of the project, but in my opinion great recordings are more likely to come when the artist is clear on where the song is going to take them. This doesn't mean that every note has to be methodically planned, but a basic outline of the direction can go a long way in capturing the magic take... and avoiding the drummer throwing his sticks at the guitar player.

When you can play the song without thinking about it, you're ready to make a record. Too little planning can make for a difficult day in the studio, but too much thinking can also take away from the natural feel of a song. The goal is to find a balance, where you are comfortable with the tune, but don't have to think about what comes next. Let the song take over, get lost in the moment, and the audience will follow along. When I look out into the room and see an artist opening their eyes, returning from the journey they took while performing the song, I know we've got the take.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I believe the dedication to the direction of the artist is an important aspect of what The Record Shop has to offer. We have all the fancy equipment, but maintaining a clear vision of what the artist is seeking to achieve through their recording is invaluable to the process. I start every project with a series of pre-production sessions where we discuss the sonic vision of the material, work out arrangements, and allow everyone to get a feel for the studio. By the time we begin recording, everyone is on the same page, and we are able to focus on capturing the best performance. I take the time to get things right, so when we run the playback, the artist hears exactly what they were hearing in their head when they envisioned the material.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Goosebumps...the moment when the last note of a song is ringing out and I look around the room at everyone standing there with chills, knowing that we just got the "magic take" What a feeling! I had the privilege of recording vocals with a legendary artist a couple weeks ago, and as I glanced through the glass during the final take, I felt the emotion radiating from his performance, I was reminded of why making records is the only thing I've ever wanted to do with my life. The ability to spend every day creating something that will live forever is truly a blessing. I often refer to a quote from philosopher William James that sums it all up, "The best use of life is to use it for something that will outlast it."