BACKGROUND
After I got out of college I started playing in bands and writing some music. I hooked up with some guys and formed a rock band called tablet. We grew together musically for a few years and landed a deal with Mercury records. We recorded one record, Pinned, produced by Matt Hyde in 1996, but after we were dropped in a large record company housecleaning, we broke up. In that time, the studio experiences I had were completely life changing, and I began to pursue a career on the other side of the studio glass.
I received an internship at Last Beat Studios in Dallas in 1997, and within a few years I’d worked my way into the chief engineer’s seat. Along the way, I’ve had incredible experiences, most notably the opportunity to work on a couple of records under the late British producer Nick Griffiths, who was a regular Pink Floyd and Roger Waters engineer.
Since leaving Last Beat I have been working as a freelance engineer/producer, working out of a number of different studios, mostly in the Dallas area. I also play guitar in the band Mur, and continue to collaborate on other musical and songwriting projects
PHILOSOPHY
I work with a wide variety of artists in different genres, and I try to be as flexible as I need to be. There are many physical and scientific principles which always apply in recording musical instruments, but some projects and individuals require different sensibilities and sonic tools. I always love to work with bands that are super-tight with lots of stage experience. I don’t believe in adding a lot of elements in the studio that a band won’t be duplicating onstage. I aim for the most accurate reproduction of such groups’ live performances, capturing as much energy as possible, and tracking as much of each song live as logistics and good fortune allow.
On the other hand, for artists who possess a wider range of instruments and styles, or those who haven’t established a brand-like quality to their live show, I like to really push the edges of what we create in the studio. In these sessions, it’s great to make the most sonically creative record we can, and then, “……well, boys, now you get to work sorting out how to do that live!”
SCATTERSHOT
I love to record rock band rhythm sections on analog whenever possible; I don’t mind mixing with some band members involved, but I always want some time alone first with a song to get basic mixing done without the band. I want your time in the studio to be spent effectively and efficiently; I try and make the sessions as fun and vibey as possible. Making a good record takes a lot of hard work, and if we’re not having fun, it’s gonna show up in the final product – and we can’t have that.