Mikey Freedom Hart has been a mainstay on Taylor Swift’s records since 2019’s Lover, and he recently played pedal steel on Sabrina Carpenter’s Slim Pickins. He’s a multi-instrumentalist – but it’s the guitar he loves most.
“I’ve always had the conviction that if I pick an instrument up, I’ll really spend time on it,” he says. “The reason someone sticks with the guitar is that there’s so much you can do with it; so many ways to say what you’re trying to say.”
Hart is also a member of Bleachers, where he shares guitar-related space with Jack Antonoff. The band have new music on the way, but meanwhile, Hart’s session career is booming.
“If you develop a voice on the instrument and communicate with musicians, that translates to being effective in the studio,” he says. “I’ve been working on that for a long time.”
Referring to his experiences with Swift and Carpenter, he says: “Both those artists are next-level in their knowledge and ability to do something new with a classic palette, and vice versa. They’re amazing recordings.”
You’re a multi-instrumentalist; but what led to guitar being your primary instrument?
“I took piano lessons as a kid, but I picked up the guitar because I saw a guy playing Eruption at church camp. It seemed cool, and it made more sense in a band than playing keys. And you could carry it around! Nowadays I’ve transitioned fully. I just love guitar.”
How did you get into session work?
“I’m from New Orleans; I started down there playing on the street and in bands. When I moved to New York I did a lot of playing in bands and on records. I looked up to the great session guitarists, like the blues, jazz and rock people.
“Being able to specialize goes a really long way. Being able to play things as described or with your voice is crucial in the studio. Sometimes you need to do something specific to fill a part – maybe someone wrote a riff with a MIDI plugin, and they want to hear it on a real guitar. You’ve got to imitate and speak with the voice you’ve developed.”
You’ve worked with Taylor Swift since her Lover record. What’s that been like?
“Taylor is incredible. And Jack Antonoff, too, who I work with closely. We’ve worked on enough music now that we’ve developed an understanding of the language among us. You can say a lot without saying too much.”
You notably played electric and nylon-stringed guitars on Taylor’s song Gold Rush.
“In the context of working with Taylor as a guitarist and musician, we’re maybe three or four albums deep, so Gold Rush was fun. There was a lot of, ‘Give us the kitchen sink – try this, try that!’ I was like, ‘Let me give them a tapestry of guitars that, when I mute the track, stands on its own as an arrangement.’”
Where do you take inspiration from in a situation like that?
“I’m inspired by the Beach Boys and classic ’60s recordings where they’d create a big, orchestral arrangement, but with guitars and pianos.”
Does Taylor have strong opinions about the guitar sounds on her records?
“She’s the best, man – she knows everything.”
Would she give feedback?
“I honestly feel that there’s a lot of freedom to say something meaningful on the instrument and take it from there. It’s surprisingly open. We know each other pretty well.”
What has your typical rig been like while working with Taylor?
“I have Big Mercy Sound, the studio I built for remote tracking, here in Brooklyn. It’s built from my taste and approach to tones; really simple stuff. I like a lot of direct guitar, though I love Fender amps, and I use the Chander TG2 Pre Amp/DI. I have a good collection of tonal colors here.
“I love Fender guitars, too. I’ve got a Strat and a trusty Tele. And I have an ES-335; it’s my main go-to for humbucker and semi-hollow body sounds. I keep pedals really simple – I like a direct line between my hands and what’s coming out of the speakers.”
You played pedal steel on Sabrina Carpenter’s Slim Pickins.
“As a guitarist, I wouldn’t say pedal steel is natural; you’ve got to study it because it’s a complex instrument. But guitar and pedal steel are emotionally and spiritually connected. I use a fancy volume pedal with a higher-value resistor because it won’t roll off the tone with the volume.
“You can do a whole lot with a little. Minimalism is important to me. Even if the result is meant to be maximalist, placing those boundaries allows you to have a clear set of options instead of searching them out. With pedal steel, it’s through a Strymon BlueSky, that volume pedal, into a Chandler TG2.”
How did you approach recording the track?
“Sabrina loves the sound of pedal steel. If you really dig deep into different tunings, you’ll get a lot of reward from that. With minimal types of parts, you can fill in the spots where the vocal isn’t there – but not every time – and you can pick a spot to give the artist something exciting on the instrument.
Huge pop records through the eras have guitars on them. I just think about the stuff that’s really spoken to me, and channel that
“Not every song needs that moment, but it’s there if they want it. It’s important to give people the option to have it sound like a classic record; something supportive that fits with the musical bed. That’s what fit the bill on Slim Pickens. Man, that’s a cool song.”
What’s the secret to layering guitars in pop music?
“Think timeless. There’s a certain strain that sounds almost 2010s; a very poppy kind of guitar that’s like a sample. If you’re doing that, just go ahead and get it really clean. But in general, think really timeless.
“Huge pop records through the eras have guitars on them. I just think about the stuff that’s really spoken to me, and channel that. Make sure to capture a really clean tone and a clear idea. So much pop music is made up of discrete, clear parts and not a lot of mushy stuff.”
What’s next for you?
“The new Bleachers record has a lot of cool guitar stuff. Jack and I are having fun. I try to stay involved with all the genres I like to listen to. I makes hip-hop beats but inject instrumentation and musicianship into the production process.”
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