TheHookCo on SoundBetter

TheHookCo is a Montreal based music production company working in modern day pop genres. We're songwriters, musicians and sound engineers.

Started by Sonny Black (a producer of many french pop and urban hits) The HookCo have been busy since September 2015 working with new artists and developing new sounds. They love vintage synths and guitars and amps but also love the modern edge of producing in DAWs like StudioOne, mixing in ProToolsHD etc
TheHookCo has 5 employees at the moment from different backgrounds, Seb is from the pop and R&B world and has studied with the best for his engineering skills, Alex is from the London underground electronic music scene, Wilson grew up in church and gospel, Misha is a metal head and Emmanuel is our poet/lyricist.
We offer songwriting/producing, recording of guitars, bass and synths (including synth replacement and sound design with vintage analog instruments) mixing and mastering

Send me a note through the contact button above.

Credits

7 Reviews - 2 Repeat Clients

Endorse TheHookCo

by karl r.
Verified
great work done fast ,very easy to work with
by karl r.
Verified
amazing work . pros indeed
by Joel D.
Verified
As usual, 5 star service and outcome from Sonny Black and The Hook Co. Nothing but excellent things to say about every aspect of their music demeanor. What else can be said, this is my 4th time working on a project with them and wont be the last, that should say enough right there !
by Joel D.
Verified
TheHookCo never ceases to impress. I've been extremely pleased with the outcome of every one of our projects together.

These guys know what they are doing, no doubt. Also very communicative and always there with a quick response. Finding people like this to work with in this industry is rare. I recommend this company to anyone. 5 STARS all the way
by Joel D.
Verified
2nd time around with The Hook Co. And I got 5 star service again. Couldn't be happier with the business ethics, turn around time, outcome delivered, and professional attitude.
by Joel D.
Verified
Outstanding ideas and execution. TheHookCo performed as promised, and delivered as promised. Fun and easy to work with. Took the time to listen to very long explanations and catered to every detail. Went over and beyond to help. Handled everything professionally. Highly recommended.
by Raphael Di Raddo
Thanks to Sonny Black, and TheHookCo for the 2017 summer hit production - Take My Hand

Interview with TheHookCo

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: The first Corneille album "Parcequ'on vient de loin" was significant because french R&B didn't really exist at the time (early 2000s)and we had no money to do it. But it went on to be hugely successful, started my career and opened the doors for other french urban artist to do their thing. I was co-composer and producer of the album
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: just landed production on a new female artist signed to Warner in France (she signed thanks to the demos we originally produced for her)
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: analog instruments, hybrid recording/mixing. getting the right source and performance is key, so is efficiency and speed of workflow
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: that everything can be fixed, i can't fix a bad performance or lack of emotion in the delivery. I can make what is there better but if theres nothing to begin with...
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: we have a songwriting camp approach. Sonny will cast a bunch of songwriter, producers and musicians for a specific projects and have them come up with the maximum amount of ideas which he will then curate and help shape and mold into a final product
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: all our collaborators have their own setup which represents them (our guitarists have lots of guitars and vintage amps, our programmers have cool synths and fx etc) HQ is a home where a number of rooms are converted into writing/producing stations. The biggest room has lots of hardware equipment and acoustic treatment for mixing purposes.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Max Martin and Wolf Cousins crew, Ryan Tedder, Greg Kurstin, Prince, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Babyface, Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, , Quincy jones...
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I know Manny Maroquin, incredible mix engineer, learned a lot from him
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: we'll figure out what they need, hire a team for them, give them options and bring the project across the finish line on time and in budget with excellent communication along the way
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: seeing a project come together and bringing it to completion and the joy that brings to everyone involved
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: what piece of gear I used for X, answer: my ears (mostly because I don't remember, I get in a bit of a trance when working and I reach for whatever is needed but it comes from the sound in my head first
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: where do they see themselves at the end of the process and what do they love not what they think the market wants
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: put all egos aside and know that great projects have a team around them
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: besides the obvious computer a Linndrum, OBXA, a P-bass, an acoustic martin steel guitar and a strat
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: Sonny has been doing this for over 15 years, the other guys anywhere from 1-10 years
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: its mostly pop with a strong emphasis on groove, it has R&B and funk influences, but some of our guys are from the underground electronic scene so they bring that flavour, we have a metal head, a gospel dude so everyone brings a different perspective
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: we love unique voices and we just got the chance to work with Cyndi Lauper so that was a dream come true, so any strong personality vocalists we're all in
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: when doubling parts change the sound and voicing slightly, it makes things sound bigger
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: pop, urban, electronic
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: seeing and coming up with the final result/sound/vison
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: we bring an outside perspective and are able to identify what works, what doesn't and how to fix it
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: we're mostly a one stop shop where client are looking for either new songs or to finish the songs that they have, so it goes from the songwriting, arrangements, crafting the sound and help defining the vision of a project all the way to mixing and mastering.