Welcome!

My website is here to give you a little information about myself as a sound engineer, some of my history and credits, and allows me to talk a little about what I do and why I do it.
I have been playing music ever since primary school, and I also have a strong interest in technology and the 'hows' of making things work - so I guess it isn't surprising that I have taken the music & the technology and used them both to become an engineer!
As a Recording and Mix Engineer, I largely follow the traditional methods and approach. I aim to record the sound we want to hear right from the start by using the right mic, in the right place and manipulating the instrument itself, rather than having to bend it all into shape later with lots of plug-in or hardware processing. The same is true when I'm asked to do a mix - I rely heavily on analogue consoles and outboard processing, but combining it with a powerful Pro Tools HD rig. The sound of analogue gear is something I've always loved, and the combination of digital and analogue allows both the artist and I the greatest flexibility, while still keeping the sonic characteristics of high quality analogue gear.
When it comes to production, I consider it a process that needs to involve both the artist or band and myself equally, and I work closely with the artists to achieve a result that reflects who they are musically. I am not a producer that will necessarily dictate parts, but rather someone who will offer encouragement, ideas for improvements and make sure we capture the best possible performance.
During my career so far I have been fortunate enough to work with some great musicians & songwriters, and have had the opportunity to work in some great studios here and overseas. From Jimmy Barnes and Human Nature to 360 and The Twoks, In Melbourne, Sydney or LA, I've enjoyed every minute and am still as passionate and enthusiastic about making records as ever!

I began my career in music initially as a woodwind player, completing VCE & AMEB exams on flute. I had also joined some local bands as a guitarist, as well as gaining a chair in the local theatre orchestra, performing productions of Evita, Wizard of Oz & Jesus Christ Superstar. I was also mixing live sound - often for the groups I was in with the mixer on stage beside me – but I was also doing the odd gig as the sound guy for other groups as well.
I had had my first taste of the music industry, and I decided that a career as an Engineer was what I wanted to do!

I accepted a place at Box Hill’s College of Music, studying for the ‘Advanced Diploma Music/Production’. It was a very comprehensive 3 year course and gave me a solid grounding in the skills needed for an engineer. Working on the analogue console & tape machines at the college gave me the abilities I needed to begin assisting at Sound House Studios (Richmond) once I’d graduated.

Sound House had an SSL 4000E, a 2-inch Studer and a Pro Tools TDM system in Studio 1, as well as a rack of outboard that included things I’d only ever seen pictures of before! Studio 2 was our digital suite, based around another Pro Tools TDM system and the original Pro Control.  Being the in-house assistant gave me the opportunity to increase my knowledge and skills with both large format analogue consoles, and the digital equivalent, at the same time.  I had been using consoles and tape at Box Hill, but being able to track through an SSL onto 2”, then bounce it all into ‘tools for edits, and still be able to decided whether to mix on the console or ‘in-the-box’ was an eye opener at the time!

After I left Sound House in 2002, I joined the team at Kick Studios in Port Melbourne. Again, I was lucky to have a large collection of gear at my disposal, including some classic outboard, a powerful Pro Tools rig and a number of great microphones. I had moved up from an assistant and was building my own client base and extending my skills as an engineer and mixer - but I was missing working on a large console and the ‘sound’ it gives a record. So, I found an Amek G2520, fell in love and installed it in the studio. - and I still use it every day! It was also during my time at Kick that I began to work with Dennis and Darren Dowlut, Andrew DeSilva, Gary Pinto & Jimmy Barnes. I also began spending some time in other studios – notably 301 and SingSing - engineering various projects that required the larger recording spaces these studios provided.

In 2006 I was offered a position with a production company that needed a full time engineer and I jumped at the opportunity! Two of the albums I subsequently engineered involved a stint at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, as well as many more sessions at SingSing & Trackdown (Sydney).

After 2 ½ years I wanted to return to the free-lance engineer world, and I had the opportunity to form a partnership with The Base Recording Studios that allowed me to focus on my own career, with the support of a great facility behind me. So, in July of 2008 I installed the Amek and all my gear into Studio 1 at The Base, and set about engineering and producing records as a free-lance engineer.

This happy arrangement continues today, and with some of the great artists and awesome records that I’ve worked on continuing to build audiences and fans, I am looking forward to what the future will bring for myself and the studio.