Remote Rock/Blues Drummer.

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

A: To never end the job unsatisfied. If there is ANYTHING my clients need from me, or aren't happy with, I'll work tirelessly until it's just right.

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

A: I originally had in inclination around 9 years old for guitar, I joined the school band in 6th grade for trumpet, and then went into the drumline in 7th grade and began heavily competing. I continued to learn the bass guitar, ukulele, and piano the following years. I started my first band in 2015 as a freshman in high school, and began my path of recognition, immediately heading a home festival, and continued booking gigs since. Performances competed heavily with my academics, but I still graduated a year earlier than expected and continued my path in Music. Over time I've worked with metal, rock, ensembles, CCR (Christian Contemporary Rock) groups, Alternative Folk/Rock artists, and more until I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps for a brief period of time, was injured and had to take time to focus on my health and recuperation. Upon my return home, I continued to record live drum covers for social media to build my client base back up. As of 2025, I've been performing live music for 13 years, and have been profiting for 10 years.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: When I receive a job, the first thing I do is look at the notes/liners in the introduction. I make sure I have everything available and functioning before I accept the deal, to insure a quick and easy workflow, and a happy client/friend. Once I have my materials available in my DAW, I then begin to work on my microphone positioning, setting the gain, and have my tempos and time signatures arranged. After I have my foundation covered, I'll proceed to examine and chart the song/track/STEM for whatever my client calls for. Next, I'll begin the writing/creative process behind the song/track request and I'll build the parts that fit best. Once I have the first draft, I'll then send it to my client to approve/make changes upon request; and if all is well, I'd either continue to EQ my drums appropriately (or, if you'd rather receive the raw STEMs so your engineer can continue from there) and proceed to export in 44.1k - 192k WAV files, OR I can continue my input on the drum tracks at your request. At the end, I make sure once again my client is satisfied with the work, and are always welcome to visit me again for any retrospective revision.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I like both, as long as the understanding is there. I'm not going to sit and teach myself on all this expensive gear without knowing what to look for, or what the effect truly is. I love the ease-of-access that comes with digital recording and editing, as opposed to learning how to cut tape and potentially making an irreparable mistake.

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

A: I had volunteered to assist at University of Texas at Dallas Recording Studios as a session drummer for a music production class, it was the day before I left for a small tour starting in West Virginia. I like to relisten to the UTD sessions because it captured my drums in the best, most fundamental way to date, and I was able to be part of a creative learning process for those students.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Currently working on a revision, and booking 2 more clients.

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

A: I'm not quite sure at the moment.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I love making friends and connections in Music. I love getting to play the drums and cymbals of my favorite and most inspirational drummers, continuing their legacy in music.

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

A: "Are you strictly in-the-box?" A: No, I have a Mackie Onyx 24.4 that I'll use the preamp/EQ for my drumbus or guitar chain if requested. "Can you send Hits/Loops for STEMs for my MIDI controller?" A: Yes, I always take those requests to my best care to ensure a great sounding STEM/Loop. "Do you play to a click?" A: A proper drummer makes the click their best friend.

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

A: "You just play drums."

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What feel/atmosphere/genre are you looking for? What dynamics are you looking for? What drum texture/s are you looking for?

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

A: Please make sure you have your materials ready, have researched and ensure your track/s are ready for export on your end! Do it with confidence!

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I'm old-school. I can indeed play with a double pedal, but I don't unless specifically asked. I taught myself the drum set based off of Led Zeppelin I and II growing up, along with MUSE and a variety of Alt Rock/Classic Rock/Blues bands/artists from the 1930's-Late 90's and have that sound embedded in myself. I do have a background in classical/orchestral music, and understand Standard/Chart notation for a little over 6 out of my 13 years of playing.

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

A: I would LOVE to be able to work with Dave Cobb. His sound is so recognizable, I've always been able to spot his songs just from the sound. The way he brings 'life' to drums in such an individual way is inspiring to me.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Trust your ears, but don't disregard your meters. Give yourself a 15-minute break to "reset your ears."

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

A: I typically accept rock/blues/soul songs quicker than others, but I make myself available to any variety of artist that considers me.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill out of all would be drumming/percussion.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I've been referred to as a "creative asset" and a "strong member of the creative process" by my previous clients, and have been recognized for my ability to essentially "make an idea into reality". In a day of modern sounding/feeling drums, I can either bring the swing along the likes of John Bonham, Gene Krupa and Ginger Baker and other Big Bands, or I can lay in the pocket and add more depth to the feelings of your songs/ideas; all with dynamics and rudimentary performing such as symphonic orchestral percussion.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I'm still working on gaining new equipment and learning, so I do run a basic setup in a 10x10x10 room, medium carpeted floors, concrete foundation tucked into the back end of my house. I have both Windows and Apple access, but I use my 2017 Upgraded iMac paired with a Focusrite 18i20 3rd Gen linked to a Behringer ADA8200 Input Extension to properly capture my drumset. Before we get into that, I also have a Yamaha U1R Upright Grand Piano, an assortment of guitars, Tambourines, Ukuleles, and other world percussion instruments. My microphone list is as follows: Shure SM57 Audix D6 Samson 5-piece close microphone kit 2x Lewitt Audio LCT240 PRO Large Diaphragm condenser microphones Sterling Audio ST130 and ST150 Small/Large Diaphragm Mic Pair. 2x sE Electronics sE7 small diaphragm condenser microphones. I typically use a Ludwig Centennial Zep Set (6-ply Maple) and use my sE7's as spot mics for my 18" Paiste 2002 Crash, and on my 20" Paiste 2002 Ride cymbal, with my ST130 and ST150 as my room microphones, kept near the opposite corners of the room to my drums. I use the Audix D6 as my resonant side bass drum mic, and a Samson DMC100 kick drum microphone for my batter side head. My snare drum is either a 14x6.5" Gretsch Black Nickel Snare, or a 5x14" Ludwig Acrolite Snare drum, and I use my SM57 for the batter side, and I use another DMC100 clip-on snare drum microphone for my snare side head. I use both of my LCT240 PROs on my 16" and 18" floor toms, all drums are outfitted with Remo Coated Emperors or Ambassadors, tuned in 3rds of each other, the fundamental note starting in C.

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

A: My greatest inspirations are as follows: Ash Soan (Adele, Coldplay, etc.) Rick Beato (RickBeato on YouTube) John Bonham (Led Zeppelin, The Spiders, etc.) Travis Barker (Blink-182, etc.) Dominic Howard (Muse) and many more.

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

A: In recent times I've completed a single for a Christian Rap artist, 1 STEM set for loops for a home producer, 5-song Southern Rock EP, along with continued work for another Blues/Soul/Rock and Roll singer as a session drummer/Live Hire.