Music production and mixing

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

A: I am especially proud of an album I produced with members of my group between 2006 and 2008. It was made out of love for the process and the pure joy of just making something that we enjoyed. It won us an award in 2008. My role was extensive as I produced, recorded and mixed every song as well as rapping and writing on most of them.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am creating a new royalty free loop kit. The genre is underground sounding boom bap Hip Hop and instead of simple loops and I creating extended kits that have variations.

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

A: I am quite new to SoundBetter so I am not sure that I know anyone on here.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I have used analog gear but I use mainly digital now simply because it fits more easily into the circumstances of my life and the way I work

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

A: I promise clients that I will invest my time, talent and experience into their project as though I am their partner. Their success ultimately is my success

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: That I get to make music. Music is what I was born to do.

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

A: Customers usually ask how long I take to make a beat, if I am able to make a certain style and if I can charge them less. I usually respond: Depends on the vibe but it ranges from 10 minutes to an hour; yes I can make basically any style; I can usually work within the customer's budget provided the budget is reasonable for the scope of the work they are requesting

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

A: I think the biggest misconception about any branch of this line of work is that it is glamorous. People see the rappers showing off the cars and the money and the super producers like Timberland and Pharrell and they have no idea what a struggle it is for most.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I ask them what inspired the genesis of the particular project, what vibe or style of music they see fitting it best and what the intended purpose or overarching goal is.

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

A: I would encourage them to have a very clear idea of what their needs are and to find a collaborator who is willing to work with them to see their vision through. The relationship should not simply be transactional. The provider should be a true partner, able to help the customer shape their creative vision to achieve its best version.

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

A: My Audio Technica headphones, a laptop with my production software, a MIDI controller, a microphone and solar powered battery pack.

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

A: I have been making music for over 24 years. I began as a rap artist in my home country Barbados. Back then some friends and I formed a crew and started making cypher tapes over popular instrumentals. After a while I felt the urge to start making my own original beats and picked up Reason and FL Studio (at that time it was just Fruityloops). As time progressed and I gained more experience, my music started to get significant radio play and, now as a part of a new crew, I produced an album that won a Barbados Music Award. By this time I had started my own studio and was producing and releasing a large percentage of the local artists that got heard in my country. Soon after when I realized that my business model needed to change, I found the online beats/loops selling scene and found a lane there with loops mainly. Since then I have continued to produce for artists around the world and at home on a freelance basis while distributing my loops and VST presets.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Classic, musical and artfully imperfect

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

A: The artist I would like to work with the most right now is Andre 3000 because he is my favourite MC and his musical inclinations are both eclectic and soulful. He has expressed his inability to view himself as great and I can relate to that.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: The one tip I've been talking about recently relates to building melodies on top of chords and it is alarmingly simple yet many may not want to try it: Whatever key your beat or song is in, learn the corresponding pentatonic scale. I've found that no matter the key, one can play any melody in those 5 notes and make something stirring and beautiful.

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

A: I usually produce Hip Hop (including Trap and Lofi), Dancehall, R&B and certain styles of Pop

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is my ability to easily create almost any vibe that is requested of me, especially if it is Hip Hop, Dancehall or other urban genres. As I don't read music, my years of experience has helped me understand music theory on a level where I can make most popular music styles authentically.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I have been doing music production, mixing etc. for over 24 years and I have significant experience working in studio with rappers and singers. I am able to get a great vocal performance out of a talented artist. For instances where I am working remotely, my knowledge of music theory and experience making full albums allows me to really help bring the vision intended for a music project to life.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Apart from production and mixing work I do for clients, as I outlined above, I run a small royalty free sample label called Strategic Audio. We had been in the industry since 2011 and we do relatively well. Typically my process involves conceptualizing and creating the musical content for the loop kits and melody packs. For example, if I decide to do a 90s boom bap style kit, I tend to listen to alot of that sub genre and get into the right head space. Next I begin to use that inspiration to start making the 5 'beats' that will become the content for the kits (MIDI and WAV). I then format the kit, create the artwork and prepare to release. Of late it has also included significant sound design work, creating preset banks for Serum and Omnisphere.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a fairly small and simple set up with a Focusrite 2i2, a pair of JBL 305p MK 2s, a beast of a pc, an AKG C 3000 microphone and a Novation Launchkey 49 as my main MIDI controller.

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

A: I draw inspiration from legendary hip hop producers such as J Dilla and DJ Premier. I am also keyed into many lofi hip hop artists like Nujabes and STLNDRMS. As far as mixing does, Leslie Brathwaite is one mix engineer I connect with.

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

A: The main service I provide is producing custom hip hop, r&b and dancehall instrumentals as well as recording, mixing, editing and mastering. Artists usually indicate what style or vibe they want and I am able to meet their needs.