Metal Vocalist/Guitarist

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A single from my solo project to be relased on Halloween.

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

A: Not yet but I'm hoping to change that.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital for the convenience and portability.

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

A: My promise is I will work hard to produce the highest quality music based on their specifications to the best of my ability within the timeframe I am given.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: That I am able to make a living doing what comes most naturally to me.

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

A: "What’s the best way to contact you?" - Via email "Are you available to travel?" - Yes depending on schedule and given the right project. "Do you like to focus on one project at a time? Or are you able to juggle multiple things at once?" - Ideally, I’d like to focus on one project at a time so that I can give it the attention and focus it requires but I can be flexible if need be depending on the type of project. "Do you like meetings or just want to be told what to do?" - Honestly, I would prefer to have the client tell me exactly what he/she wants so I can simply go and get them the result that they are after. That said, meetings are helpful but it really depends on the project. "How do you handle constructive criticism?" - I try to be as sensitive to the client’s needs as possible but communicate what I feel is best for the project. "How do you like receiving constructive criticism?" - A lot of the time, I will ask for immediate feedback on any ideas that I present to a client so I see it as necessary. It helps me to improve what I do and serve my clients better. "How do you accept payment?" - Paypal and Stripe

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

A: That it's a glamourous lifestyle.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Basically, I’m just interested in knowing what success looks like to you on this particular project? In other words, what is your goal with this project? If we nail it, what does that look like for you?

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

A: Be very clear in your communication. The more you know what you're looking for, the easier it will be for me to get that for you.

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

A: Apple laptop, Focusrite Scarlett, Headphones, Schecter Hellraiser 7 String guitar,

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

A: I have been a professional musician for over 15 years. Here's an excerpt from my bio to give you the story so far. "Beginning as a guitar player at the age of 16 with roots in Thrash Metal, Aaron has expanded his playing to adopt influences from Jazz, Folk, Progressive Rock, Classic Rock as well as elements of Shred and even World music. After a year of private music instruction, Aaron’s pursuits led him to study songwriting, singing, and production resulting in a 15 song demo under the name "DAVOLA". By this time Aaron was teaching guitar privately and honing his guitar, vocal, songwriting, and production skills on his various projects both personal as well as collaborative before deciding to further his education. In the summer of 2009, Aaron relocated to Arizona and attended the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences to study music production and audio engineering. Upon graduation, Aaron had the privilege of assisting on "Dead New World" (Victory Records). The 2010 release from Latin Metal band Ill Nino where he handled recording duties for 90% of the vocals for the project. Earning him an assistant engineer credit on a record released worldwide in the process. Since the release of "Dead New World”, Aaron has spent the last 10 years as a Guitar and Vocal instructor for School of Rock both in New Jersey and Kentucky respectively, and currently teaches online lessons as part of Broadway Music. When he is not teaching or composing his own music, Aaron works as a hired gun collaborating with various musicians from all over the world ranging from independent artists and producers to music companies the likes of Korora Audio, Redwirez, and Ugritone. He even had a chance to work with world-renowned actor Sir Christopher Lee. Aaron lives for the creative process and continues to compose on a near-daily basis."

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Aggressive and intense but musical with emotion at the heart of everything I do.

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

A: Devin Townsend because I feel so many commonalities between our personalities. If we both got on the same page musically, I feel like we could get along in the studio for hours.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: When recording guitars, I find it best to NOT loop a section you're working on but rather go for a pass, stop, then repeat if necessary. In the past, I would try to record a part on loop over and over and found I began rushing the parts I was trying to play.

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

A: Typically, I work on Metal and Rock but have also worked in the EDM, Pop, and Singer-Songwriter genres.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Music creation. Hands down. If you give me a recorded idea from your phone, I'll give you a song.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I strive to bring my enthusiasm and passion for music along with an attention to nuance.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I love working first thing in the morning because I feel like I’m at my creative peak during those hours. As a result, my hours of operation typically run from 7:00 AM to 1 PM Monday through Thursday but exceptions can be made in the case of traveling. Typically, I prefer to work by myself at home if I’m working on something like creating an entire song from scratch. That way, I am able to get into my own headspace and focus on bringing the best to your music without losing sight of the vision. In the case of being in the studio with a full band on bigger projects, for example, I am more than happy to collaborate with other musicians, listen to feedback, take direction and come to a mutual understanding of what’s best for the song. Communication is key in either scenario. I can come up with multiple ideas if left to my own devices but to ensure that I get you exactly what you’re after, it’s all in the details. The more detail that’s given in your initial email description about your project, the better it helps me to serve you. From there, I like to get on Zoom for 15 minutes to get more of the project's details and eliminate any guesswork.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Less is more in my world and I don't have anything terribly fancy as I feel the gear is not what produces the best final outcome. That said I have everything ranging from Apple to Focusrite to Schecter to Shure to Isovox and more. Everything I need to take your rough idea and turn it into broadcast-ready music.

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

A: Among others, I'd say my biggest inspiration both as a musician and producer would be Devin Townsend. The breadth of his work and the sheer clarity of his vision is always a constant inspiration to me.

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

A: The most common type of work I've been doing lately is composing everything from short promotional music clips for audio-based companies to full song production from the ground up for bands and artists. I've also done plenty of one-off gigs as a remote guitarist, vocalist, and voice-over artist.