What I can do for YOU
Original composition for media or performing arts.
I have authored a diverse range of existing work and can design new music around your needs.
(Check out "Compose" and "Collab" selections in the player below).
Preparation, production, or post-production of your music.
I can provide the following from my home studio:
• Creative Production (as little or as much as you want).
• Recording/mixing/mastering (soloists & duos only).
• Midi Arrangement to supplement your recording (hi-quality strings, synths, +).
• Audio Arrangement to supplement your recording (vocal harmony, guitar, +).
• Performance as a guitar and/or piano session artist.
• Digital Music Editing and audio processing, to enhance existing recording.
(Check out "Arrange", "Engineer", and "Perform" selections in the player below).
D A W - s o l o
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D A W - s o l o
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My reasonable rates
In-studio @ $30 per hour ($75 minimum). Client site @ $40 per hour ($100 minimum).
Most services I offer involve some direct client contact. I live in Alameda, CA, a nicely centralized location for any of the Bay Area communities and close to the Oakland airport. For those tasks that can be accomplished entirely via internet, "virtual" contact is fine. If you have a need that you'd like me to look into, send me an inquiry using the "Contact" bar on my main page. I will promptly reply to you with an email analyzing your request and offering you a choice of options. If you then wish to pursue a solution, simply click the PayPal payment button displayed at the bottom of the email to make a $50 (US) initial payment, securely, with no extra fees. Rest assured that I do not see any of your financial info as it is handled entirely by the internationally trusted PayPal system. You will not need a PayPal account nor have to fill out any forms other than the standard payment entry. All they require is a valid credit or debit card. This initial payment will be applied to the minimum services I provide for you. For most jobs, you will not receive another bill from me until our project has completed.
Problems and Solutions: a few examples.
Side-Car vent: one or two-level enclosures can be effectively vented using simple 4" plastic plumbing pipe and 80mm DC fans. Attach fan to wood shelf, in exhaust position, underneath each pipe hole. Power fans by 12v (2 wire) connection direct to target PC via small access hole through the case or expansion slot cover. The top exhaust pipe should be a 90 degree elbow with an inserted wire-screen to prevent accidental spills and other unwanted entry. The intake vent to CPU (aluminum pleated-accordion) should be angled away from and below the exhaust vent for optimal effect. The resulting side-car setup may look a bit bizarre but works great! The same cooling concepts apply as in venting a project studio: cool air enters low and hot air exits high.
Click for larger image (3)
Speaker wall mount: Small room monitoring? You will never get accurate bass definition in a small space, but if a larger room is nearby and speakers are dismountable, run extension cable to the larger room and do your mastering there, on speaker stands. Well designed and properly attached mount hardware saves valuable space and works effectively within room limits. The Allen MM-010 is a mount which release into two parts (speaker/wall) by unscrewing a single lock bolt. I attached mine to double pine blocks: inner-to-wall via butterfly anchors and outer-to-inner via screw, Its advisable to replace all supplied (wimpy) Allen bolts with same size hex-head.
Data protection planning - customized to safeguard your system and personal files.
± Do you use multiple computers? If yes, are they networked?
± Do your computers have multiple drives? If yes, how many and of what type and purpose?
$ What would you estimate to be your Maximum Acceptable Loss of data?
I have managed data protection for over two decades as an IT professional and continue my expertise in this area focusing on needs of both the DAW and general user. I have written numerous articles on the subject, most recently for Sound On Sound magazine, and have a set of my own relevant PDF documents free to download from my FYI page. Data protection is an area overlooked by most users until its too late. Please don't realize its importance the hard way! Together we can put together a solution that will fit both need and budget.
Custom project studio - built to provide your optimal working environment.
± WIll you record other artists? How many simultaneous inputs?
± Will you do on-site mastering?
± Will you interface with multiple outboard devices and/or DAWs?
$ What is your budget?
The design and build of small project studios for "DAW-soloists" is a specialty of mine. Over the years I have developed a number of unique concepts and tools to facilitate this task (see MyStudio). I will work with you to create an organized, ultra-quiet, comfortably vented, creation space where you can focus on making music. Optionally, this room will double as a vocal/instrumental isolation booth (for you or guest artist) with your DAW(s) wired-in but physically located outside in a "side-car" enclosure, which can easily accommodate two tower computers. This approach is economical both in cost and dedicated square footage, with an effective mini-studio control room as small as 6' x 7' built within an existing room or garage. The time you invest with me will save you money in the long run.
Organizational Tools: panoramic view of the left/right corners of my studio, facing rear. On left is a mounted pull-out (lighted) music stand plus corner shelves atop and below data protection log (see FYI). On right is file cabinet, CD rack, various cable hangs, and electric guitar bag attached to door.