OUR RECORDING ENGINEERS
Matthew
Nelson
Producer, Engineer, Owner
A multi-instrumentalist of more than 20 years with a natural knack for song-writing, Matt is making waves in today’s commercial market. His career in production started in his hometown of Chicago, after spending time in several major studios recording his own music. He fell in love with the process and rapidly developed his own production skill set. Due to growing demand for his services as an engineer/producer, Matt moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and founded Foreword Productions, and in 2014 he partnered with Tim Hilliard to build the Culver City, CA studio facility.
Matt’s commercial achievements have been rapidly gaining visibility. His work has been featured on networks such as Apple TV, Fox, HBO, MTV, Netflix, NBC, and more. His songs have been licensed to TV shows such as "Legacies" (The CW), "The Young and the Restless" (CBS) and "Cougar Town" (TBS). His scores and sound design have served as backing for the CES tradeshow, Stanford University, and the San Francisco 49ers football stadium. His work has appeared in Rockstar Games - GTA Online, Rockband 2 for Xbox 360, and APB, an online game created by Realtime Worlds, Ltd. and Electronic Arts.
As an engineer, Matt has worked with Ceelo Green, Snoop Dogg, Goapele, and Dam Funk to name a few. He is currently co-writing and producing for and with successful performers such as, Kyd The Band, Krigare, I Am Omni, and Torii Wolf among others. As an artist, Matt is now a member of electronic pop trio HU:MAN which is made up of established writers/performers, Kiyanu Kim (Miley Cyrus, Gwen Stefani) and Torii Wolf (DJ Premier, Macklemore). The group is preparing to release their debut album in 2022.
Matt’s creative flexibility and tireless work ethic has earned him a devoted client base. An adept guitarist and vocalist, he pulls double duty on trumpet, piano, bass, percussion, and is a proficient virtual instrument programmer. He has a deep love for all music and a ruthless work ethic which has given rise to strong and lasting relationships with many artists and clients alike. These characteristics paired with his need to always be inventive make Matt capable of producing fresh, rich, and professional arrangements.
tim
HILLIARD
Producer, Engineer
With a wide skill set, over two decades of experience in the industry, and an unfailing ear for vibe, Tim has quickly established himself as one of LA’s go-to producers for many genres of music. Originally from North Carolina, Tim got his start with music at home on the east coast. His father's love of Motown 60's (which was always on the radio) and Tim's education in music through jr. high school, and college prepared him for his journey into songwriting, engineering, and production. The sound engineering side of Tim's career began in the early 2000's with front of house and live sound. Discovering an intuitive knack for mixing, a NC based studio owner Jeff Creed, gave Tim a shot working for him at his Studio. It was there that he 'cut his teeth' and dove deeper into the science of sound. Over the next few years Tim worked on dozens of records at Jeff's studio and they quickly made waves as a great studio in Raleigh. To continue his career and work with larger clients, Tim relocated to Los Angeles in late 2007. After years of working in LA, Tim eventually meets Matthew Nelson, and in 2014 the pair decided to open up FWDPRO's Culver City facility.
Tim is a sought after mix engineer and accomplished vocal producer for Hip Hop, RnB, Alt, and Electronic music. He has a vast knowledge of recording science and techniques and he's known for his passion and his ability to get the most out of every client. This is evident in the work put forward by Tim and his artists. He's created stunning vocal productions, breathtaking mixes, and dreamy soundscapes that have been heard by millions. From artists like Ceelo Green, Hoobastank, Afroman to TV/Film placements on 'Scrubs' and 'Suits' Tim is a proven industry professional.
At FWDPRO Tim has taken this knowledge and approach to create productions for hundreds of clients with which he has lasting relationships and continued growth. His intuitive ingenuity and tireless devotion to the details make him an invaluable asset to any production.
OUR clients
Music
Ceelo Green
Andre 3000
Squeak Ru
Common Kings
Illenium
Dam Funk
Goapele
I Am Omni ft Tricky
Will Jay
Lowwki
Monday Justice w/ Snoop Dogg
The Great Dayne
Vanchi Ferrari
Rascoe
Kbobby
The Order
Red Velvet Ray Gun
Yvette Nii
Wiltay
Z333R0
AJ McLean (Backstreet Boys)
Kiyanu Kim (Miley Cirus)
Jeff Friedl (Perfect Circle)
Magic Bronson
Galactic Tiger
Torii Wolf
Ashes of Luna
Handsome Karnivore
Sherman Oaks
Bear Squared
Hotwork
Lea Love
Andrew Kzirian (Viza)
Serj Tankian (System of a Down)
Jordan Carroll
Evan Gamble
The Alius
Smoking Sons
Echo V
Dan Capellaro/Chasing Trains
The Other Words
Tara Macri
Kara Mack
Television, Film, and Online content
Mattel
TBS
CBS
Sony
Viacom
NPR
NFL Network
Spotify
Audible
Realm
Bruce Lee podcast
Rich 20 Something podcast
Off The Record podcast
Sound Design/ADR/VO
Penguin Random House
Macmillan
Bentlight Digital
Inkstories
Polaroid
Dots TV
Stanford Medical
Damian Wagner
Kickstand
Strivr
Funny or Die
Rockband Network
Dynamic Language Solutions