Impactful solos, subtle lines, punchy hooks- professional saxophone player with years of recording experience. Performed & recorded internationally (NYC, Nashville, LA, Berlin, London, Edinburgh, Melbourne) with a wide variety of acts- e.g. Icehouse, Andrew Farriss (INXS), Riley Pearce. Hundreds of clients, millions of streams, major labels.
My services can be as simple as playing sax over a dance track for you to chop up as you wish, producing funky horn arrangements for an R&B tune, subtle folky ambience or the classic wailing Pop/Rock Sax solo that makes you shiver inside.
“A passionate saxophonist and innovative musician” -Andrew Farriss (INXS)
“phenomenal…reminded everyone that there’s just not enough saxophone in today's Pop/Rock"- Adelaide Festival
I take utmost pride in my work and won't be satisfied until you are! I have extensive recording experience through years of session work as well as producing my own records. Trained in both Jazz (ANU/UIUC) and Classical (AMusA), my music draws from a myriad of influences: Funk, Blues, and Jazz through to Pop, Rock, House and Hip Hop.
I am extremely versed in the nuances of online session work and conveying creative ideas remotely:
If you know just what you want I can help you realize that dream, taking criticism without egos getting in the way until you are satisfied. And if you don't know what you're after, I'm more than happy to create the parts myself.
I also play guitar, bass, EWI, synth, percussion, electric cello, recorders/flutes and can do production & film/game score.
Please get in touch to discuss. Prices are in USD. Looking forward to working together!
Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.
Credits
390 Reviews - 72 Repeat Clients
Endorse Hugo Lee- check_circleVerified
Fast turn out. And aother talented artist here in Soundbetter!
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Hugo is the perfect professional and understood the scope of the project straight away! His saxophone skills are amazing and I would 100% recommend Hugo to anyone in need of a saxophone player.
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Hugo always delivers! He's an amazing saxophonist who infuses the track with creative flourishes to punch-up the song!
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WOW, what a great job Hugo did, not to mention he did it so fast.
His Sax tone is sooo Cool, if you need Sax he's the Man.
He was also totally tuned in to what I was hoping for, and he nailed it.
It was a great experience all around. - check_circleVerified
Came back for more amazing sax work from Hugo. I needed help with ideas and Hugo delivered different takes to find the right vibe. Highly recommend.
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I needed sax on a project I am working on - Hugo was quick, professional and his output is quality. If you need sax on your record Hugo is your guy!
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I'm a little shocked how great Hugo is. I sent him a 4 and half minute Springsteen type song and in one day he sent me back 9 tracks of great elements to use including several amazing solos. The cost was really inexpensive compared to LA musicians and I think the quality was as good as if not better than anyone I've used in Nashville. Highly recommend.
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Hugo is one of the best musician on this platform!
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Great sound, skills and very good contact. Hugo gave me multiple takes to choose from, which is not common. Highly recommended!
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If you need a quick excellent quality saxophone piece for your track, Hugo is your guy! You can hear the joy he has resonating from his recordings as he plays his piece to your track. Hugo is my definite go to when it comes to Saxophone, exclusively!
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Hugo was very fast with the results which was a surprise, excellent to communicate and satisfied with the product.
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It was a pleasure working with Hugo! He nailed the exact vibe we were looking for and is a very talent sax player! Highly recommend working with him!
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Hugo is a fantastic saxophone player! He provided me with several different takes in variety of styles to choose from. Will definitely work with him again.
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He is a pleasure to work with, very approachable and supportive, great sounding ideas and tracks!!! Anytime again!!!
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Recently engaged Hugo to provide some sax parts on an original rock song. Hugo was responsive, friendly, professional - oh and he provided some amazing sax parts including some additional ideas which will greatly add to my project. Highly recommend!!!
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Hugo was so easy to work with. He communicated right away, gave me several proposals for varying depth of work, and gave me so much to work with! The sax was gorgeous, and the recording was crystal clear and well balanced. I hope to work with Hugo again.
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Hugo is an amazing musician to work with. Not only are his chops incredible, he is also great to work with. He always goes the extra mile, contributing multiple takes and interesting ideas. Thanks a million Hugo! A pleasure working with you.
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Hugo did a really great job by providing sax solo improvisations for my track. He is a truly versatile sax player and his professional approach to the client's needs is a top notch! Strongly recommended!
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Extraordinary musician. Very talented and with the ability to identify the styles and influences of a song and approach it with different proposals and very creative approaches and with an excellent level of execution.
Communication was always open, cordial and the work was carried out quite quickly and with a high level of professionalism.
100% recommend working with Hugo. - check_circleVerified
Hugo did an amazing job tracking saxophone for me, he went above and beyond just as his tracks are...I'll be calling upon him again on future projects!
Interview with Hugo Lee
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: To give their track the attention to detail it deserves, and provide my full commitment to deliver my best on every take! Client satisfaction is my number one priority :-)
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Over many years working as a remote session saxophonist, my clients have provided me with tracks ranging through Pop, Hip Hop, Rock, EDM, Funk, Jazz, Electronic, Lofi, Metal, Folk, Classical, Ambient, Blues and much more. I'm comfortable in all different genres and am always excited to work on new sounds!
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: My main originals project is a duo called Daley Road - ambient/folk/electronic music which I produce and write for, as well as playing saxophone, guitar, keys and more :-)
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a professional-grade recording setup using ProTools/Logic and a variety of microphone combinations (Rode, AKG, Shure etc) through a Focusrite Clarett 4Pre interface into a Macbook Pro. The walls are acoustically treated, and I have tertiary qualifications in audio engineering/production, delivering crisp, clean recordings that are ready for your mix.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Some of my favourite saxophonists include David Sanborn, Candy Dulfer, Dick Parry (Pink Floyd), Kenny Garrett, Clarence Clemons (Springsteen), Bobby Keys (The Rolling Stones), Cannonball Adderley, Maceo Parker (James Brown), Paul Desmond and John Helliwell (Supertramp).
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Q: What is your turnaround time? A: Usually under 24 hours, but please let me know if you have any deadline restrictions Q: Can you come up with the parts yourself or do I need to write them out? A: Written parts are fine, but I'm more than happy to create them myself too :-) Q: Do you do full horn sections? A: I can write/arrange full horn sections and record the saxes. I also play EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) emulations of brass - however if you want live trumpets/trombones I can sort out players for you.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I'll often be given 8-16 bars to have a solo over a pre-existing track, with instructions to "fill out" some of the other sections with licks, noodling etc. Some clients request a wailing solo at a climatic point of their song, others are looking for punchy horn stabs, some are looking for smoother, subtler phrases to complement a vocal melody. Whatever the task, I put my heart and soul into the job and can adapt to any musical scenario to deliver the most stylistically appropriate result.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've been playing the Sax since 2004. After completing the grades, I achieved an associate diploma in the Sax at age 17, and went on to study a Bachelor of Music (Contemporary/Jazz Performance) & Bachelor of Physics (Acoustics) at the Australian National University and the University of Illinois. Other instruments I perform/record on include the guitar, keys/synth, EWI (electronic wind instrument, with brass emulations), electric cello, bass, recorder, percussion, harmonica and vocals. I've played at a wide range of festivals, weddings, clubs, bars, functions and parties and really enjoy the live aspect of my career. Recording is a joy unto itself, and I take it very seriously- paying utmost attention whenever I'm booked for a studio session as to what the producer, engineer and other musicians are doing and how we all fit together. I've been recording as long as I've been performing and have released numerous albums, singles, EPs etc. Working as an online session saxophonist is an amazing way to hone my skills whilst discovering new styles and connecting with people from all over the world.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm constantly working on many remote recording jobs, as well as composing/producing from my home studio for various projects and screen/videogame soundtracks. It's always a real pleasure working for all of my SoundBetter clients and helping them to realise their musical goals!
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Any specific sections to play over (min:sec) or across the whole track? Any reference tracks? These are always great, but by no means necessary
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: ...that the client needs to know what they're looking for in a saxophone recording. It's fine if they do, but it's absolutely no problem at all for me to work out how the sax will best complement a track.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Delve into the demo material, read the reviews and description and work out who would be best for your track.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Less is more.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: In any musical scenario, I strive to bring out the best of the music by complementing the artist's ideas. Sometimes it's just a soft, sustained note. Sometimes it's a crazy wailing solo. I use my ears to determine what will improve the overall aesthetic of the track.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Listening to what the music needs.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I'll listen carefully to the song to get an idea of where it goes and how I could contribute to it. I make sure that I'm not just playing for the sake of playing! Then I'll do a variety of different takes, so the client has different ideas to work with (loud vs soft, long notes vs faster passages etc). If I have specific instructions, I'll make sure that there are takes where I do exactly as asked...then I'll also delve into my own interpretations to provide an extra perspective, should it be needed. Sometimes, the client leaves me to take the reins in which case I use my many years of online recording experience to create the best and most appropriate sound for their track.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: Being able to play music all the time, meeting and working with amazing people (whether face-to-face or online) and being part of the creative process. The feeling of having a finished product that was once just a few notes drifting around your head late at night is a hard one to beat.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I strive to be as versatile as possible, for the benefit of both myself and others. I'm originally classically trained and I've studied jazz at university too. But throughout my whole life, I've also loved the pop/rock idiom and all of its offshoots. These influences are all present in my playing. You'll have to get in touch to find out more!
I was the Saxophonist in this production
- Hugo Lee Sax Reel
- Funky Chill Sax Jam
- Brooding Sax
- Four-part Sax harmony
- SaxophoneAverage price - $100 per song
- Electric GuitarContact for pricing
- Keyboards - SynthContact for pricing
- Full instrumental productionContact for pricing
- Game AudioContact for pricing
- Film ComposerContact for pricing
- Sound DesignContact for pricing
I'll happily revise where needed- please send all notated parts at job start. Extra fees for change of mind eg different instrument/parts. No refunds. Please credit me & send over a link once finished
- Yanagisawa Alto & Tenor
- Rode/AKG/Shure mics
- Fender Tele & Jazz Bass
- Akai EWI5000 Electronic Wind Instrument
- Pro Tools/Logic
- Focusrite Clarett
- Macbook Pro
- Yamaha HS8 monitors
- Sennheiser Headphones. Reel backings 0:25/2:27/4:42 by fantommuzik
Discounts available for multiple tracks - please get in touch to discuss!