Mike Guido on SoundBetter

I am a professional songwriter and Berklee grad living in Nashville and specializing in Folk and Pop music. I like to write about small moments and big emotions in story form or in personal or dramatic vignettes. I especially love to write novel melodies and out of the box stories, keeping things feeling fresh is how I stay motivated.

I can write from scratch and troubleshoot songs.
This includes lyrics, chords, melody, form & structure, and arranging.
I also produce demos for myself and other clients but not to a radio-ready level.
I can sing and play guitar and piano.

My specialty:
As the former Berklee Songwriters Club president, I have a lot of experience analyzing songs or partial songs and figuring out where they're going and what they need. How to hone ideas and write more succinct and beautiful points. Brevity is the soul of wit.
When your idea or your song is in crisis of soul rather than technology, I have tools and instinct to course correct these things into a clearer vision.

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

Languages

English
Spanish

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Interview with Mike Guido

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've just graduated but I've sold a few songs and worked with some local producers like Bobby Holland and Matty Alger.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: St. Vincent, Anderson .Paak, or Hippo Campus. They have disparate styles and themes to their music but they all have an immutable quality of fun and levity. They just make you smile instantly with their sound, before any words are said.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I would say direction. when I'm crafting at any stage in the process, I'm thinking of all the other stages. How many lyrics I use affects how much the guitars will get to solo or how long before the song climaxes. I have a good sense for the big picture.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: iterative. Get a decent idea realized, then try something new over and over and with each version it gets a little more concrete. This has worked for me well in terms of feeling like all the ideas are out and have been explored.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a neuman 103 microhphone connected to an RME Babyface Pro. I have an acoustic and electric guitar, an arturia keyboard, and a solid setup with Yamaha monitors.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: All of the obvious greats live in my head but there are a few lesser known folks worth mentioning: Randy Newman has a wonderful way of satirizing and writing about people. Dirty Projectors inspired me a lot when I was younger in terms of experimentation as well as the band Mini Mansions. I don't think there's anyone more badass than St. Vincent and her skills inspire me in everything from writing to performance and presentation.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Writing and arranging