ValveTone

ME: Hello! Well, this is kind of awkward isn’t it. You can’t see me and I don’t know you. So…well. Hmmm. Where to start? What would you like to know?
YOU: “What do you do for a living?”
ME: “I produce and record music, mostly in NYC, but at times I’m lucky enough to travel around the country and abroad. Mostly back to North Carolina or to Europe where I have other ties.”
YOU: “Sounds like a cool job. How long have you been doing it? How did you get started?”
ME: “I’ve been recording bands for about 17 years. I was lucky; my high school system had a cool magnet school that taught various vocational classes. One of the classes was Electronic Music Recording. I was hooked! Everything was analog back then, so I learned the fundamentals of tape-based recording, microphone technique, analog synthesis, etc. I took that class for three years, then followed-up with an undergraduate degree in Music Recording from UNC-Asheville and then a Masters in Television, Radio & Film from Syracuse University. The whole time I used my free access to each school’s recording studios to record as many bands as possible. I probably did 30 or more great albums for free! I learned as much or maybe more from having free access to cool studios than I did in the classroom: experience is the only thing that can train your ears.”
YOU: “What happened after school?”
ME: “Since then I’ve been working as a producer and tracking, mixing and mastering engineer; first in Portland, OR and lately in NYC. I was working the whole time I was in school as well; touring with bands, working in studios, etc. This is what I love to do!”
YOU: “How has NYC treated you?”
ME: “Amazingly well. I’ve been very fortunate. I was welcomed by several studios almost immediately. WNYC has been one of my main gigs; I work recording bands for either their live shows or recording live concerts around the city. WNYC has an amazing studio, great mic collection and books top musicians from around the world. Through them I have been lucky enough to work with acts like Björk, Paul McCartney, Robin Hitchcock, Rufus Wainwright, The Berlin Philharmonic, etc. I also work at a great studio in Brooklyn called GodelString: Audient console, 2" analog tape, ProTools HD-2, tons of outboard, Rhodes, Wurly, Steinway, a 60's Rogers drumkit, you get the picture. Awesome place. I actually have my personal studio in the same building as GodelString so it's amazingly convenient to do larger sessions. Rounding things out, I also do work at MetroSonic Recording in Williamsburg (great 24 channel Neve console) and DB Plus Mastering in Manhattan.
YOU: “Do you have your own studio?”
ME: “Doesn’t everyone these days? Mine is quite nice actually as I’m a bit of a gear slut. See my blog for some photos. I mainly use it for pre-production, overdubs, editing, that kind of thing. I’ve got a nice old tube mixer / EQ /preamp from the 60’s, Crane Song HEDD 192 converters, Great River MP-2NV mic preamps, Millennia NSEQ-2 tube EQ, Pendulum ES-8 compressor, Telefunken V76/80, various mics, etc. I take a lot of this gear to sessions as well!”
YOU: “What’s new for 2007?”
ME: “Right now, I’m lucky enough to be able to pick and choose albums I want to work on. I'm doing tons of session work, both tracking and mixing. I'm producing a few albums this fall. I'm always interested in talking to new bands looking for a producer or engineer, so, if you think you’re up for it, maybe we can meet again sometime?”
YOU: “I’d love to!”
ME: “Well, send me an email with some tunes!”