Francesco Accurso

Mixing and Guitar Sessions

starstarstarstarstar
13 Reviews (1 Verified)
Francesco Accurso on SoundBetter

As a mixing engineer and session guitarist, I offer a dedicated service to artists in need of professional service. My work involves improving the sound of the original recordings and mixing the material at an industry level. I also offer Guitar Sessions, both in person and remotely, and I deliver a product of the highest standard in most genres

I am a guitarist, engineer and producer with 20+years of experience in live and studio work. I work freelance, offering guitar sessions and mixing work from my studio in West London.
Word of mouth seems to be how I get most of my work, and I'd like to think that the quality of my work is deserving of such recommendations.

I like to run material through analogue high-end outboard to improve sound and dynamics, but I also like to integrate analogue and digital to get the best of both worlds.
When requested, I can also improve recordings by editing and aligning badly recorded tracks and processing files for clicks, hiss and other noises, improving the quality of the material by generating much cleaner and polished audio files.

When it comes to guitar sessions, I have a great selection of amps, guitars and pedals, plus dedicated outboard, mics and converter which I use to record and premix my takes in order to deliver a finish product to my clients. Being a producer greatly facilitates my work, giving me an insight on what a track may need, both when I do a session or mix a track.

I uploaded a track that is quite dynamic and punchy, but I also get commissioned a lot of jazz recordings which require a more neutral and realistic sound

Send me a note through the contact button above.

13 Reviews

Endorse Francesco Accurso
  1. Review by Andres Mayo
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified (Client)

    Another excellent experience working with Francesco! Thanks very much for your continued trust in my work, it is a great pleasure to work with you, you are extremely kind and easy to work with!

  2. Review by Autumn L.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    I wish I could give Francesco six stars. He went above and beyond in providing his expertise to make our song better. He was very patient and receptive and had quick turnaround every step of the way. I'm also very thankful for his mastering connection. Francesco and Andres make an amazing team. I didn't know how much mixing and mastering could *really* help a song until now.

  3. Review by Andres Mayo
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified (Client)

    Always happy to work with Francesco ! :)

  4. Review by Andres Mayo
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified (Client)

    Another fantastic project with Francesco! I'm very glad we have the chance to keep on collaborating together.

  5. Review by Andres Mayo
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified (Client)

    Francesco is a great producer and a great person to work with. I have enjoyed very much mastering his project, because we have been able to work together to achieve the best possible result. I really look forward to working with him again soon!

  6. Review by Andres Mayo
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified (Client)

    Working with Francesco was a fantastic experience. We both understood how to proceed and make the mix reach its best point. The mastering ended up being great; I hope we get to keep on collaborating together in the future.

  7. Review by Andres Mayo
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified (Client)

    Working with Francesco was a wonderful experience! His mixes were great and we had a fluent communication which allowed us to achieve a great end result! Looking forward to working with him again.

  8. Review by Joe Lambert Mastering
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified (Client)

    Francesco is a true professional and someone we hope to work with again in the future!

  9. Review by mud morganfield
    starstarstarstarstar
    by mud morganfield

    I Have Had The Honors Of Playing and Production with Francesco Accurso. He Has never seem to Amaze Me with his playing and Knowledge of Music in General. They is No Place in Music He Wouldn't Sit Perfect in. I am the Eldest Son Of Muddy Waters, and I would go anywhere in the world with him playing. Thank you. Mud Morganfield

  10. Review by Kathleen P.
    starstarstarstarstar

    Francesco Accurso is my go-to producer, mixing engineer and guitarist,
    He delivers a product of the highest standards.
    I’ve worked with Francesco on the road and in the studio for many years.
    His talent as a guitarist and impeccable attention to detail in the recording studio never failed to impress.
    I strongly recommend him.

  11. Review by Yasmin Kadi
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Yasmin Kadi

    Francesco is an extremely talented and professional musician and engineer.
    I worked with him for several years and it was a huge advantage having a guitarist at his level who is also a mixing engineer. I get commissioned by the BBC to write music and I’ve worked with world renowned musicians, producers and sound engineers who have worked for the likes of Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Emeli Sande etc - and Francesco’s passion, dedication and energy is next to non. He will be an invaluable asset to anyone’s team.

    Yasmin Kadi
    Singer Actress

  12. Review by James Connelly
    starstarstarstarstar
    by James Connelly

    I used the whole range of Francesco ‘s
    services and was very happy with the outcome , during the process he was very professional and welcoming.Realising my creative vision early on through his own vast experience and keen ear - Francesco really produced a record I’ll be eternally grateful for.

  13. Review by Leon Atkins aka Lil Jimmy Reed
    starstarstarstarstar
    by Leon Atkins aka Lil Jimmy Reed

    To whom it may concern I Leon Atkins aka Lil Jimmy Reed highly Endorse Francesco Accurso he is a man of his word and I Love him and his family. Thank You. Lil Jimmy Reed

Interview with Francesco Accurso

  1. Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

  2. A: I produced and co-wrote two albums for a contemporary Blues act called Kat&Co. which, in my opinion, is the most interesting thing in Blues coming out of the UK at the moment. I also loved mixing Knoel Scott solo album (Sun Ra Arkestra)

  3. Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

  4. A: I have been working with Adres Mayo for a while anbd he's my go to engineer for mastering

  5. Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

  6. A: I can polish and greatly improve a bad recording, even fix a bad performance, but I can't turn a bad production into gold

  7. Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

  8. A: Make sure you know what you want and give me plenty of directions and references

  9. Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

  10. A: I wouldn't expect electricity on a desert island so I guess an acoustic guitar and something to brew coffee. Jokes aside, I could work with a good work station, my ATC monitoirs, great converters and a versatile Class A compressor

  11. Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

  12. A: I love Sting, great performer, great voice and great song writer but I also love artists in the Jazz and Blues scene, they tend to require a very transparent but focused approach

  13. Q: What's your typical work process?

  14. A: I tend to work in the box but, at one point or another, I usually run the material through my analogue gear to slightly colour the sound (if needed) and soften the transients. I find most of the recordings I receive too digital sounding and harsh in the top end, and by running the audio through valves and good quality outboards, I usually manage to thicken up the sound and make it more musical and easier to work with. I obviously check for phase issues and I am often asked to edit performances to tighten up groove and performances. After the files are in order, I mix in the box striving for clarity and separation between the parts, creating a soundscape for the voice to properly sit in it. In the final stage, to slightly glue everything in, I tend to run the mix through my Neve or Elysia bus compressors to achieve a couple of dbs of reduction using a gentle ratio (generally 1.5:1 ).

  15. Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

  16. A: Production work including mixing and guitar sessions

  17. Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

  18. A: I look after every project as if it is my own, offering insight and advises when needed and requested and always doing my absolute best. Plus I will only take payment if the client is satisfied with the results

  19. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  20. A: I have been a professional musician for more than 25 years and I know how to edit parts and reinforce a groove when it's a bit loose. I like musicians who play in the pocket and I can greatly improve a performance in post production, if needed. I also developed a deep understanding of frequencies and how to control them dynamically and the fact that I use mastering grade monitors (ATC 50) is of great help in my line of work.

  21. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  22. A: Tracking vocals correctly is essential because there is very little that can be done to fix it later. I always make sure I have a clear and possibly high end signal chain, from the mic to the converters, and I like to use an EQ to high pass what is not needed in the lower range and to soften harshness and loud resonance in the voice. After that I use a compressor with a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 to gently control dynamics and I always make sure not to run my gain stages too hot to avoid "burning" a take. If done correctly, the singer will easily ride the compressor and won't need top push too much, easing the pressure on the mic diaphragm and reducing the risk of adding harshness to the take.

  23. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  24. A: A traditional southern Blues album and a new production for a duo of young and extremely talented siblings

  25. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  26. A: Analog and Digital together because of what they can both offer

  27. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  28. A: I love a finished product and the chance to be part of the process

  29. Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

  30. A: "What desk do you use?", "how much will it cost?", "how long will it take?" to which I answer "I don't use a desk anymore", "it depends on the job" and "it depends on your deadline and how much you are satisfied with the result. I am happy to do many revisions if needed"

  31. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  32. A: If it's a guitar session, I usually discuss choice of guitar, amps and pedals (when needed) and it helps to know what sound the client is after and to have as many references as possible (Paul Jackson Jr and Nile Rodgers both play funk but each one in his own style). If it's a mix they are after, I enquire about the recording process and discuss what I can and cannot achieve on the basis of the audio quality provided (a badly recorded drums will affect the whole audio spectrum for example). Once I start mixing, it helps to have references to previous works and other songs to compare to.

  33. Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

  34. A: I started off by playing guitar and slowly got into songwriting, producing and engineering. I have now been working professionally for 25 years and I can cover many roles, being equally comfortable on stage or in the studio

  35. Q: How would you describe your style?

  36. A: Not sure how to answer this question

  37. Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

  38. A: Blues, Jazz and Indie-Rock

  39. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  40. A: Hopefully my sensitivity and expertise, and I am not afraid of turning down songs if I am not familiar with the style of music

  41. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  42. A: My studio is interfaced by a patchbay and the latest Antelope Audio Converters. That allows me to work in the box but also make use of my Neve Compressors, Drawmer Valve EQs and a selection of Preamps. I tend to use mastering grade plugins and I monitor my work through a pair of ATC scm 50

  43. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  44. A: I like artists who can conceive their work from start to finish, people who can write, arrange, play multiple instruments and ultimately produce their own work. Many obvious famous names come to mind, but in this day and age many people work independently and it's a pleasure for me to work with them on a daily basis. Their drive and clear vision often inspire me.

loading
play_arrowpause
skip_previous
skip_next
The 2nd Act

I was the Mixing Engineer and Producer in this production

Terms Of Service

Job will be deemed complete once the client is satisfied with the results and a finished and paid for product is delivered in High Res.
Additional work and costs have to be agreed by both parties.

Gear Highlights
  • ATC scm 50
  • Neumann nearfield monitors
  • Neve 33609
  • Drawmer 1961
  • Phoenix Audio Preamps
  • Chandler TG2
  • Antelope Audio converters
  • Amps by Matchless
  • Fender
  • Ulbrick
  • Divided by 13
  • Mesa Boogie
  • Brunetti and Ashdown
More Photos