His fingerprints are on so many of the chassidish and heimishe releases over the past decade

He started out arranging music for producer Naftali Schnitzler, but today SHLOME WECHTER has moved on into his own niche as a mixing engineer. Shlome also sings in Shira Choir and records music in his own studio, and his fingerprints are on so many of the chassidish and heimishe releases over the past decade.

HOW I GOT STARTED

We were a big family, and, like most frum families, at some point, we got a keyboard. I think I was about eight years old then. A month later, no one else was looking at that keyboard anymore, but I never stopped playing.

MY MUSICAL MENTOR

At the very beginning, when I first started to work in music as a parnassah, I worked for Naftali Schnitzler for six years. I learned an unbelievable amount from being with him, and I’ll always be grateful.

WHAT I NEVER MISS SINGING ON FRIDAY NIGHT

I always sing the four zemiros that my father sang at his table: “Kol Mekadesh,” “Mah Yedidus,” “Menuchah Vesimchah,” and “Tzur Mishelo.” If the kids are in the mood, we sing some Yiddish songs, too. But usually, they’d rather play a game than sing.

A SONG THAT TOUCHED ME THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT

The song “Miracles,” written by Yossi Green for RCCS in 2010, and more recently performed live by Meilech Braunstein and Shira Choir at an RCCS event last year  (“Hoping for a miracle, protect me from the storm, the clouds, the dark, a world of unknown….”). It was arranged by Shea Kaller and I did the mix. It really moved me, and I was almost crying when I worked on it.

A CLOSE CALL

I had a Thursday evening job in L.A. with Shira Choir, singing at a major Chabad siyum. We flew out of New York in the morning, and were supposed to fly back at 11 p.m. We were already at the gate when we heard an announcement that the flight was cancelled, as the pilot hadn’t shown up. It was rescheduled for 7 a.m. Friday morning, which meant it would arrive in New York after Shabbos came in. After a bit of drama, we managed to get on another flight and arrived home two hours before Shabbos. I didn’t even have my tallis and tefillin with me, because I had planned to be back home for Shacharis.

A SONG I NEVER GET BORED OF SINGING

Avrum Mordche Schwartz has a single called “Ezkeru,” which is something special. I once drove at night from Yerushalayim to Meron, around three dark hours, and I had this song on repeat the entire time. I don’t think the song is that popular, but there is definitely something himmelish and holy about it. A SONG I NEVER GET BORED OF SINGING

Avrum Mordche Schwartz has a single called “Ezkeru,” which is something special. I once drove at night from Yerushalayim to Meron, around three dark hours, and I had this song on repeat the entire time. I don’t think the song is that popular, but there is definitely something himmelish and holy about it.

MY MOST SPECIAL FEEDBACK

Arranger Hershy Ginsberg from London was in the studio with me a few weeks ago. He told me, “The reason I like when you mix is because you respect the music.” It was a compliment that meant a lot to me, because respecting the music is challenging but so important.

MUSIC THAT HELPS ME RELAX

Honestly, I don’t really listen to music much on the outside, because I’m constantly working on new music projects. I’m in the studio from nine a.m. to 5:30, and when I leave, I’ve had enough. I don’t want to listen to any music — I’d rather hear a shiur or a podcast. Sometimes I need to listen to the mix I’m working on in a different environment, to hear it outside the studio, but that’s still part of my work.

WHAT I SING ON  MOTZAEI SHABBOS

Although I sing in Shira Choir, I don’t perform on Shabbos or Motzaei Shabbos. But for myself, there’s a really nice “A Gita Voch” on Ahrele Samet’s first album, with some of the words from the tefillah G-tt fun Avraham.

A SONG THAT BRINGS ALL KINDS OF YIDDEN TOGETHER

The Meron music is very powerful. You can sing it at any wedding — it’s always appealing and speaks to everyone.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1098)