Songwriter & Vocalist

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

A: I'm very happy with my latest release. It's my most mature and deep record to date. I wrote all the songs, sang all the vocals, played the instruments, engineered, and produced the record myself. But I also genuinely feel good about all of the work I've done through SoundBetter. I've made friends and long-term collaborators and done some of my best work here.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I recently finished an original full length album called Trouble to Trouble under the moniker Augustine that you can hear at augustine88.bandcamp.com. I'm also in an acoustic duo called River Twain. We have a fun weekly gig playing oldies and some originals in Vancouver, WA.

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

A: I don't know any other providers on SoundBetter but having scrolled through the ranks a number of times it's clear that SoundBetter is a special resource for music makers of all kinds.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Analog if possible! There's no denying there's an added richness of sound there. But digital can sound great too!

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

A: To do my best, to give myself fully to the project, to be invested on a personal level, and to deliver what I believe to be nothing short of an excellent end product.

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

A: I'm often asked about pricing and creative process. Pricing depends on what I'll be providing, whether it's songwriting or lyric writing or music composition or vocal work. As far as creative process goes, the first step is communicating with the client to get a clear picture of what is wanted and expected. From there it's a matter of applying the skills I've developed over the years, coupled with continued communication with the client to make sure I'm moving in the right direction.

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

A: That it all comes down to talent! It's a mix of talent and hard work/development of skills.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I try to get as much input as possible. The more information the better. I want to be very clear on what we're going for. What's the genre, vibe, theme, similar songs or artists, and what inspired the song. The more info I have, the better I feel armed to execute accurately.

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

A: Try to find someone who not only suits the musical sensibilities you're going for but also who is a good match communication-wise. Good communication makes a huge difference!

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

A: Simple condenser mic, pop filter, interface, MacBook (with GarageBand!), guitar.

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

A: I've been serious about songwriting for 27 years and have been writing songs professionally for a a decade. I built up my clientele over the years not just by producing good work but by tending to communication with care and attention. SoundBetter helped me to build my clientele in a big way.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Soulful with sensibilities that hearken to the 60's and 70's. My work often sounds familiar and new at the same time.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: When I'm starting from scratch on my own song, I just try to pay attention to what's flowing out and nurture that. If I'm working on assignment, I get as much input from the client as possible, familiarize myself with that source material, then, trusting my instincts, I pursue the potential of those ideas and submit to the unfolding.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Simple home studio set-up. I'm a fan of putting emphasis on strong composition and execution over trying to find the "right" gear. A weak song or take won't sound good regardless of the gear through which it was captured, while a strong song or take will be recognized and felt as such regardless of the gear through which it was captured.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love the feeling of getting a song or a take exactly how I want it.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Layering (doubling, tripling) vocal and instrumental parts can make a huge difference, bringing added richness, texture, body, and color.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Songwriting.

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

A: I would love to work with John Mayer, the Scary Pockets gang, and Jack Stratton. They all put emphasis on composition, execution, and tastefulness.

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

A: My musical taste, abilities, and clientele are so varied that I end up working on a lot of different sounding stuff: R&B, soul, folk, Americana, hip hop, rock, pop, country, singer-songwriter...

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Decades of experience in the study and application of songwriting, performance and recording, honed and nuanced taste, and a loving seriousness.

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

A: I'm inspired by songwriters like Bob Dylan, Lennon/McCartney, and Doc Pomus, singers like Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers and Otis Redding, and the production sensibilities of Motown, Stax and Muscle Shoals.

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

A: I do songwriting and vocal work for artists, producers, and companies in need of content.