JULY/AUGUST 2012 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM JULY/AUGUST 2012 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM producer How do you decide who to work with? still incredibly useful, but now it’s great If I feel a connection to an artist, an artist’s to be able to hear the arrangement come material, that’s what I’m looking for. If I can together as you work on it. see something in them, then it’s my job to help bring that out so other people see it, How is working with Rob Thomas solo too. It’s all about connection, whether you different from Matchbox Twenty? know an artist and their work or if they’re The solo projects have been an expression someone you happen to see in a club. and exploration of other things that influence Rob. We’ve gone further afield and don’t Have you ever chosen to work with an play by any rules. With Matchbox Twenty, act after seeing them live? it’s still a pop-rock band, so there are certain I found Matchbox Twenty when some of the things that we tend to do. I just finished the guys were in a band called Tabitha’s Secret, Rob Thomas band’s new record, and what’s been cool playing in Winter Park, Fla. I experienced is all of the experimentation Rob did has a connection with Rob’s voice, and we’re and I had to write this 60-something piece been brought back into the band. At the still working together. Gloriana was the orchestration for Monday morning because same time, the guys have all progressed same sort of thing. When you hear that the record had to be turned in that night. into fantastic musicians and songwriters. chemistry and vocal harmony, and if they It was a Herculean effort. I think we burned So a great deal of newness was brought to can do it on the fly, that’s really exciting. I was through a couple of assistant engineers this album—but there’s still this longstanding excited to sign them and start working with on that! They weren’t used to staying up bond as a band. They grew up with each them a few years ago. for three days straight. other and just embraced the chance to create together. The guys wrote more than Was the orchestration a challenge? they ever did on the first three albums, so Celine Dion I studied big-band writing and all kinds of it’s been a completely different process. It’s orchestration, and it’s a love of mine. I think been collaborative in a way that’s similar to of making records as modern arranging to when Rob and I work on a solo record—he some degree. Now I use computers, but and I using fantastic musicians and going in back on that project, I sat there scribbling all sorts of directions. by candlelight because my eyes were so

c apitol Studios swollen trying to stay up. The copyist would How do you approach producing a come in at 3 a.m. to take a page back—and Carlos Santana guitar solo? I just kept writing out the second oboe A lot of times, it’s just encouragement. When

Jeff Fasano part, or whatever came next. That project Carlos and I first worked on “Smooth” he was old school in that way. threw a bunch of stuff at me and we did a few passes. We worked on it, and I went What notation software do you use? back and comped it much like I do for a Matt Serletic How was it working with Aerosmith? We use Sibelius. What a luxury! When I vocalist. We worked together again last year, creating big hits takes talent, toil and the ability to thrive under pressure A lot of fun—even though working on “I Don’t was coming up, I was taught you had to and in the years between then and now, Want to Miss a Thing” was a real clutch hear the parts of an arrangement in your he’s become even more laser focused. He’s By Michael Gallant moment. The band had just finished an album head so when you picked up the pencil, your found his voice more à la John Coltrane, and was in the middle of a tour. We were ideas would turn into a saxophone line, or where every utterance is magical. It’s cool to When Grammy-WinninG producer matt Serletic While earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music performance on a tight deadline because the song was whatever it was supposed to be. That’s see a guy like that still finding a higher level steps into the studio to record with the likes of rob thomas, carlos at the university of miami, he helped pay the bills as a trombonist for the film Armageddon. We literally had Santana, aerosmith or Joe cocker, he brings lots more than a knack in salsa and merengue bands. “i spent years getting to know those one weekend. I met them in L.A., we sat at for piecing together catchy tunes. thanks to exceptional talents as grooves, and when they were right, they felt fantastic,” he remembers. a piano and played through the song. “OK, a musician, songwriter, arranger and music business executive, Fast-forward to 1999, and Serletic found just the spot for those we’re going to do it like this. See you in New Serletic has helmed records that not only sound timeless, but also grooves when he produced rob thomas and carlos Santana’s latin- York!” Few days later, we met up at the Hit find their ways into the ears and hearts of millions. tinged mega-smash “Smooth.” “i tried to channel my experiences Factory and had to make it happen. They were Serletic started early, accepting an invitation to join the then- playing with those bands into that record.” worn out from the road, but it didn’t matter. unknown band collective Soul as a keyboardist at age 13. ten years Serletic has since helmed albums by a wide range of acts later, Serletic helped the band record their breakout multiplatinum from david cook and courtney love to Gloriana, celine dion and What was the band dynamic? album, Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, lending his chops matchbox twenty. But Serletic’s accomplishments stretch beyond They’re great musicians and pros. Steven as a producer, string arranger, mixer and even mastering engineer the recording studio. in the early 2000s, he served as chairman and and Joe in particular were great to watch— to the project. “that was a huge experience,” he says. “Being in a ceo of Virgin records, and he currently heads his own emblem there’s a reason they’re famous and known rock band, finally getting a record deal, and seeing it take off,” he music Group. as co-founder of Zya, he’s also developing a new video as two sides of the same coin. They work says. “it was life-changing.” game and music-creation software program. Serletic discussed with really well together. Joe pushes Steven, and Serletic’s musical upbringing wasn’t all rock ’n’ roll, though. us his creative process behind the glass with today’s biggest stars. Steven certainly pushes everybody.

How did you deal with the massive ‘Find some way to make yourself unique and string parts in that song? We cut the record on Friday and Saturday, then be really good at it.’ Aerosmith

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