Q. How would you describe your approach to recording?

Traditional recording studios sometimes feel restrictive to me in the sense that they're business-y and designed to create separation between artist, and and engineer. I've always preferred spaces that promote a feeling of connection. It was a revelation to me when I saw pictures of Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios and Wild Sky Studios (built by Sarah McLauchlan's producer, Pierre Marchand) because everyone can sit in the same room as the gear, just a bunch of people making a record together. That's an approach I'd been doing for years, secretly wondering if I was crazy. To me, the traditional studio is masculine in concept, and I think of music as being energetically quite feminine; creative people are usually in touch with that side of themselves. I have a studio that really works for me- 1 Ton Studios - where I record groups and mix, but I'm just as happy taking my remote rig out to one of the islands and tracking in someone's cabin.

Q. What's the role of a producer?

I see a producer as being someone who's responsible for the sound of a record. That can mean miking everything up and and grabbing some cool sounding takes for tight acoustic or electric groups, or it might mean an active role as a player and mixer. I usually master my own projects, which gives me the chance to tweak the mixes in a way that mastering engineers obviously can't.

I tend to see every artist as a fresh start, so I sit back and ask myself 'what do they really need here?' The answer is different almost every time.

Q. What songwriting services do you offer?

Many singer songwriters come in with their music pretty well together, so I'll help narrow down song choices, then set up some mics and get into it. I enjoy co-writing, and also reviewing song material to see if there's anything that might come up a level: chord structure, lyrics, instrumentation, arrangement, and so on. My goal is to help an artist bring out the essence of their material.

Q. How long have you been working in the studio?

I got my start in the studio as an arranger, and moved on to commercial composition in 1993. I love all types of music and have had the good fortune to work with talented artists from a wide variety of styles and genres: singer-songwriters, power pop/rock, acoustic music, Celtic, (east) Indian blues, jump blues, Bollywood dance, Portuguese fado, hip hop, gypsy ska rock, etc.

On a typical project I'll do some combination of producing, mixing, arranging, writing, recording, and playing. Lately it seems as though I'm getting more and more mixing work, which I love doing. I've set up a mixing room at 1 Ton that I enjoy the sound of, it's been fantastic.

I view the recording process as an extension of creativity. The most important thing to me is that the artist has a positive, creative experience, and ends up with a kick-ass recording that represents their sound and vibe in a powerful way.

Q. What's your opinion of analog vs. digital recording?

I love the sound of transformers and tubes. They impart a much loved, time-tested warmth which modern digital converters have no problem capturing. It's all about getting as much size, clarity and punch out of the recording chain as possible, because a digital recording gives you back exactly what you put into it. Most recording engineers can't rely on tape compression to pump things up anymore, as a project will sometimes remain in the digital realm all the way through to mastering. Tape compression is a beautiful thing and I use it, especially for drums and bass, but the internet and mp3's have lowered the standards for what's heard as a viable recording.

Making a great record comes down to the song and the artist's performance, as always.

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Wynn's Secret Stash of light bulb jokes:

How many mothers-in-law does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Don’t worry about me, I’ll just sit here, alone in the dark.

How many Deadheads does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None. They wait for it to burn out, then drop some kind 'cid and follow it around.

How many Vancouver Islanders does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Six. One to turn the bulb, and five to relate to the experience.

How many union members does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Fifty, it's right there in the f*&^ing contract.

How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Only one, but the bulb has to really WANT to change.
A. None. The bulb will change itself--when it's ready.

How many software engineers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. It's a hardware problem.

How many Marxists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. The bulb contains the seeds of its own revolution.

How many politicians does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Five. One to change the bulb while the other four pull the ladder out from under him.

How many feminists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. That's not funny!!!!!

How many zen masters does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. A tree in a golden forest.
A. Two. One to change the bulb and one to not change it.

How many Carl Sagans does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Billions and billions.

How many bluegrass musicians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Two. One to change the bulb, and one to write a song about how much they miss the old one.
A. Two. One to change the bulb, and one to sing about how much better things were before the invention of electricity.

How many MCs does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Six. One to drop the bulb, and five to Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!

How many emo bands does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None, they'd rather cry in the dark.

Do you know how many jazz musicians it takes to change a light bulb?
A. No big daddy, but put some bread in my jar and I'll fake a few bars for you.

What’s the difference between a pregnant woman and a light bulb?
A. You can unscrew a bulb.

How many lawyers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. How many can you afford?

How many secret police does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. There never was any bulb.

How many pro-lifers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Three. Two to screw in the bulb, and one to testify that the bulb was lit from the moment the first two began screwing.

How many bureaucrats does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Two. One to assure you that everything possible is being done, while the other screws the bulb into the water faucet.

How many Vulcans does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Approximately 1.00000000000000000000000

How many anarchists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. All of them.

How many mystery writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Two. One to screw it almost all the way in, and the other to give it a surprising twist at the end.

How many pig-dog lackeys of the bourgeoisie does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Two. One to exploit the proletariat, while the other controls the means of production.

How many light bulbs does it take to change a light bulb?
A. One, if it knows its own Gödel number.

How many mathematicians does it take to screw in a light bulb?A. One. He gives it to six Californians, thereby reducing the problem to an earlier joke.

How many Mac users does it take to change a light bulb?
A. None. You have to replace the whole motherboard.

How many pessimists does it take to change a light bulb?
A. One, but it's probably screwed in too tight anyways.

How many stock brokers does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Two. One to drop the bulb, and the other to sell it before it crashes.

How many Englishmen does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. What do you mean change it? It's a perfectly good bloody bulb! We've had it for a thousand years and it's worked just *fine* thank you very much.

How many Canada Revenue Agency auditors does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Only one, but the bulb gets really screwed.

How many gorillas does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Only one gorilla, but it takes a lot of bulbs.

How many Californians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. Californians don’t screw in bulbs, they screw in hot tubs.

How many frat guys does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. None. Frat boys don't screw in bulbs, they screw in puddles of vomit.

How many kids with ADHD does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Want to go to the park?