Meet the Producer: Harry
Our Meet the Producer series continues, and this time we’re joined by producer Harry Comer.
In this series, we’re going behind the scenes with our in-house production team to get to know the people behind the music. From unique production styles and creative approaches to a diverse range of musical influences, our producers bring a wealth of skills, experience and knowledge across a variety of genres.
In each edition of Meet the Producer, we’ll chat to a different member of our production team about their role, their journey in music, life as an Ameritz producer, their creative process and the influences that inspire them.
For the second edition of the series, we’re joined by Harry Comer, who shares more about his journey, education and experience as a music producer, his approach to music production and what life is like behind the music.
First things first, tell us a little about yourself. What’s your name, what do you do at Ameritz, and how long have you been part of the team?
Hi my name is Harry and I’m a Sound and Composition Designer at Ameritz, which means I write and record songs from the initial ideas all the way through to the finished production. I’ve been with Ameritz since April 2021.
How did you first get into music and what inspired you to become a music producer?
I first got into music when my older brother Liam started to learn the drums, and I desperately wanted to copy him!
I became aware of and started using music software when I was around 15, and from there I became really interested in how songs were made. I spent a lot of my free time recreating songs and sounds, trying to work out how different producers had achieved certain things. That curiosity eventually led me to study music production at college and university, and it became something I wanted to pursue professionally.
What does a typical day look like for you as a producer at Ameritz?
Every day can be a little different, but a typical day involves working on new music. Starting with ideas, inspirations and then arrangements, recording, editing and mastering!
What do you enjoy most about your role as a producer?
I really like taking an idea and figuring out how to make it a fully fleshed out song, whether that's making sure your sound choices are working or getting the arrangements of parts really locking in. Every song feels as if there is a puzzle to solve with it.
What’s your approach when starting a new track or project? Where do you usually find inspiration to start a new track?
The hardest part is coming up with the first idea for me. I’ll normally play around or experiment on an instrument until something feels right and build from that. Listening to lots of music can help with coming up with an idea, for example hearing a pattern I might want to experiment with or figuring out how I could fit in the fun chord I just heard.
Are there any particular genres, sounds or styles that you especially enjoy working with?
I’m particularly drawn to indie-pop and folk-influenced music. I love warm, traditional acoustic sounds, but I also enjoy combining those with more modern production techniques and electronic elements. I’m a big fan of interesting guitar sounds, synths, and unusual textures. I like productions that seem simple and make you feel as if you’re inside the song.
What’s your favourite part of the production process, coming up with ideas, recording, arranging, mixing, mastering or something else?
I love the recording and arranging process. Being able to go back and overdub another part or instrument myself, building a song is still as amazing to me as when I started to understand recording.
What piece of studio equipment, instrument or plugin could you not work without?
I use my Cordoba C-10 nylon guitar almost every time I need to put guitar in a track.
Is there a project or track you’ve worked on at Ameritz that you’re particularly proud of or enjoyed creating?
I created a lot of ambient music using my Rubber Bridge guitar. It took me a while to figure out how to make it work best, but now it’s one of my favourite sounds to use
Finally, if you could have any artist walk into your studio to work with you, who would it be?
Paul McCartney!
