Many people know a cello player. Then again, lots of people don’t, and when the music demands some cello, there’s nothing else that will quite suffice. I am a classically-trained cellist with a a particular interest in contemporary music. Since graduating from music school, I have been branching out into playing more popular styles of music. This has brought me quite a bit of local recording work as a session cellist. I’m now offering session recording for cello and strings from my home studio via the internet.
About Me, My Values for Service, Recording Approach
My favorite thing is to do good work. From communication with a client, to writing music, to recording, I set my standards as high as possible. I then work incessantly to achieve those standards. Fortunately, making high-quality recordings is more affordable than ever, contributing to the rise of the home project studio. As big local recording studios become fewer and fewer, there is a also less of a one-stop-shop approach to the other aspects of your project, like hiring musicians. Internet collaboration is able to fill this void as musicians make their contributions in their home studios. They then assemble and send tracks to the artist or producer via the internet.
My ability to write, improvise, and record idiomatic string parts for various music styles has put me in high demand for playing live in the Chicago-area and session recording via the internet. Through the internet, I am able to record tracks in my home studio and send them to artists all over the world.
My previous recording experiences range anywhere from playing simple bass notes to high-register lines that float over a vocal track to trading solos in a jazz style. For some projects, I improvise several takes, from which producers are free to pick and choose. For others, I play to detailed notation that I’m sent or write myself. Whatever your need, contact me to get started with your recording project.
Assurance
I fully stand by all my work. While I am yet to have a client that was less than fully-satisfied, there is always an inherent risk in entrusting your music to someone you’ve never worked with. If for some reason, the recorded parts you receive don’t match your vision, I will find a way to make it right at no extra cost to you.
The Process of Working with a Session Cellist
Working with me generally follows this track:
- We discuss the style and character of what you are looking for, and how the cello part can enhance that.
- You upload the track to my server and send along any other music you feel embodies what you are looking for.
- I’ll send along mp3’s of some possibilities, either of my written parts, or improvised takes, to get your approval.
- Once takes/parts are finalized, I will record and send you high-quality stems via secure download.
Various types of work will have different turnaround times. For a simple recording from notation, or several improvised takes, I usually have recordings back in 2-3 business days. If I need to write a more formal part and discuss that with the artist, that can add a day or more.
Technical Stuff
We will need to communicate the technical specifications of your project: beats per minute, time signature(s), sample rate and bit rate. For most projects, I default to 96khz and 24-bit PCM .wav output. If something else is needed, let me know.
File transfers are done via a private, secure server. Once you have contacted me, I will send you login details with a brief overview of how to use the interface. The whole project will be stored on that server during the work phase. After the project is finished, I offer an archival download of the entire project for two weeks.
Gear
In my experience, when recording strings the most important quality factor besides the instruments themselves is the room.
For most rock and pop recording, I use my home studio. I have treated my recording room to minimize peaks, nulls, and room modes that distort the sound of the instruments. It is also setup to maximize flexibility with the cello’s sound. With a modular approach to my room setup and a lot of experimentation with microphone placement, I can achieve a great variety of sounds: from a deep thumpy articulation, to a clear transparent sound. From sounds that cut through a mix like a distorted guitar, to floating above the mix with lots of air.
For a more classical sound with a natural reverb, I utilize some local churches and studios that allow me record in their spaces. When choosing a space and sound for each project, my dual goals are to retain flexibility of sound and to minimize the amount of corrective EQ and compression needed in the mixing stage.
Gear Specifics:
The tools I use to record change on a regular basis; if you would like to know what I’m currently using, please contact me. When clients have very specific ideas in mind, I also rent specialty gear on occasion.
Here are some examples of my recording work:
Still Not Convinced?
I get it! Choosing musicians, especially ones you don’t know personally, is a big decision. Why don’t you contact me with your vision for your project? Even if we ultimately don’t work together, I’d love to hear about your work. I can also give some more specific insight for what incorporating cello into your recording project might look like. I will never give you the hard sell.