Andy has produced, engineered and toured with the likes of Status Quo, Bonnie Tyler, Ginger Wildheart, Uriah Heep, Francis Rossi, Mel Gaynor (Simple Minds), Greg Jackman, Del-Amitri, Travis, Tiger Lillie's as well as Universal, Sony & WMG. He is also involved in film and tv, location and media post production and is a registered member of PRS, PPL, MU and the MPG.

Andy studied acoustic composition and composition with electronics at the University of Hertfordshire, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Electronic Music in 2001. Whilst professionally active he gained an advanced C&G in Music Technology with distinction at the City of Westminster College and an MA in Audio Production from the University of Westminster.

RECORDING
* Intermediate & advanced microphone techniques - configuration, placement and outboard processing.
* Recording session set-up - Isolation, proximity, line-of-sight, physiological needs & cue mixes.
* Instrumental preparation -Drum tuning, guitar set-ups, vocal warm-ups.
* 4 guys in a room - Exploring the differences between ‘Live’ recordings and building a record track by track, sound on sound.
* Session planning and execution - Key areas to acknowledge during preparation but also being able to deal with the unforeseen.

PRODUCTION
* Character vs perfection - Learning how to focus on the strengths of the artist and being having the tools to adapting your approach to get the best performance from them. We look at some dos and don’ts of helping the artist achieve self-actualisation.
* Learning to be consciously empathetic - People in the studio do not always possess the relevant vocabulary to explain their ideas or concerns in artistic and/or technical terms. Sometimes we need to decode artist speak and realise the importance of reading between the lines to be able to explain and execute their ideas.
* Reading the room - In any one project there can be a number of characters involved and although the end goal is unified in the completion of the project we need to be aware of the politics involved and personal subjectivity.
* Fielding communication - There are often situations where ideas cannot be effectively communicated between various personnel in the studio or indeed even between members of the same band. Here we highlight the importance of acting as a conduit and enabling effective communication.
* Prior learning - In order to effectively innovate we require a working knowledge of what has come before combined with new ideas. We examine key technical developments and works that have helped shape popular music production and those that will continue to do so.

MIXING
* Managing expectations - how to understand the clients needs and explain the possibilities available . Assessing the quality of the work provided and the exploring the range of outcomes.
* Pre-considerations - we look at the importance of housekeeping/labelling, subgrouping, creating templates, assessing references.
* Sitting in the mix - We look at remedial moves with (EQ/Comp etc.) as well as creative endeavours. When to execute bold movements vs subtle nuances. We look at how to create excitement, identify areas to improve upon and how to create a fully, sonically realise a mix.
* Revisions - How to deal with edits and requests (big and small!), the importance of version control, knowing when to persevere and when to draw a line under it.
* The finish line - Looking at considerations for mastering inc. headroom, stereo width , master-bus compression, creating stems, archiving and providing reference mixes for the client.

CAREER
* Portfolio career - finding and building additional streams of income relative to your core artistic or technical vocation.
* Effective Networking - “Getting over yourself” - understanding your own worth and creating opportunities to exploit your value to others and vice versa.
* Professional conduct in and out of the studio - The importance of being humble, honest and authentic. How you can be the best advert for yourself in this business.
* The eternal student - keeping up with technological trends and the importance of continuing professional development.
* Stand up and be counted - Building and maintaining a good reputation. Knowing when to go out on a limb with the ‘elevator pitch’ and when to reel it in.