Eli Baumgarten on SoundBetter

I will record R&B, Jazz, Neo-Soul, Pop, and Rock piano or rhodes for your music! I am a jazz-trained pianist/composer and have written piano parts for major Lo-Fi artist, Gabb.

Hi, I’m Eli — a jazz composer and pianist based in Los Angeles.
My background is in jazz and instrumental composition, but I also work extensively in R&B, Neo-Soul, Pop, Lofi, and Funk. I bring a composer’s ear to every session — focusing on emotional nuance, rich harmony, and musical storytelling.

I’ve played with jazz, funk, and soul groups in Denver and LA, composed for theatre and film, and collaborated remotely with artists and producers around the world. I hold a degree in Jazz Piano Performance, and I’ve also studied music production, mixing, mastering, and film scoring.

Primary Genres I work in:
R&B • Neo-Soul • Jazz • Pop • Lofi • Funk • Soul • Rock • Fusion • Theatre

You can hire me to:
-Write and record piano, Rhodes, or synth parts
-Create harmonic textures and arrangements to support your vocals
-Add jazz-influenced voicings and chord progressions to your track
-Produce a full song from demo to polished version
-Provide underscoring or music cues for theatre/film projects

I’m detail-oriented, easy to work with, and care deeply about making music that feels intentional and alive. I don’t limit revisions — if your vision is clear, we’ll get there quickly.

Send me your demo, stems, or sheet music/lead sheet along with a short description or reference track, and let’s make something together!

Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.

Credits

Gabb.

Reviews

Endorse Eli Baumgarten

Interview with Eli Baumgarten

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I am proud of my instrumental jazz album, Into Nowhere, released in December 2023. I composed and arranged all of the music, and played the piano on the album.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: At the moment, outside of freelance work, I am composing a large-scale jazz orchestral album, and working on writing musical theatre songs!
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That I will deliver work of exceptional quality and revise until you are happy!
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: If you like it, it's probably good!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: With clients, I most often work on Neo-Soul/R&B, pop, jazz, and rock music. I also compose music for theatre and film.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill is my piano playing. I have a unique pianistic voice, and well-honed technique, as I've been a jazz pianist for over 10 years and have played piano for almost 20 (since I was very little).
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a simple yet effective studio setup. My primary keyboard is a Roland RD-2000. I often use it for onboard electric piano sounds. I have that hooked up to a Scarlett 6i6 interface, where I also record vocals and auxiliary percussion instruments with a Samson condensor mic. The reason I have a slightly larger interface (for my needs) like the 6i6 is that I do lots of live performance routing with it. I write, produce, and mix music on Yamaha HS5s, and Audio Technica ATH-M50x Headphones. I use Ableton and Logic, depending on the type of project, and for piano sounds primarily use Keyscape Spectrasonics.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I have a wide range of inspirations. In the pop/rock/R&B world (disregard the fact that those are three different worlds in and of themselves), I love artists like Rex Orange County, Bruno Mars, D'Angelo, Robert Glasper, Supertramp, Billy Joel, The Beatles, and many more. I am also heavily influenced by jazz pianists like Chick Corea, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, Bill Laurance, and the band Snarky Puppy. And, I also love musical theatre, particularly the music of composers like Jason Robert Brown, Pasek and Paul, and the lyrics of Stephen Sondheim!
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Most commonly, I record piano and electric piano parts for my clients, often for bands or artists who are looking to add a particular jazz/R&B influenced sound to their music, or for singers looking for backing piano. Sometimes I also take on more of the creative role as a songwriter depending on what people are looking for!