Ricky Alvarez on SoundBetter

Song mixing is beautiful and challenging process, both technical and artistic, that is critical to the delivery of that message. I'm here to help you get that message and its associated emotion across. That's my promise to you.

Hey I'm Ricky! Songwriter at heart and with an ever growing passion for music production I've inevitably been led to develop stronger mixing skills for the last few years in order to deliver the message of each song. As stated earlier, song mixing is beautiful and challenging process that is critical to the delivery of that message. It can make or break a song, and I'm here to help you make it and get your message across.

I can communicate in both English and Spanish.

The track in the player to the right shows a before mix (static mix) and after mix results of the last minute of a great song from Briana Tyson (I'm not the official mix engineer of Briana's release, I just happened to participate in a mix contest and I believe it's a great sample of what my service can do for you). It starts with a 10 second section of the static mix (pre-balance of the channels) and then starts switching back and forth every 3-5 seconds between the mixed track and the static mix, ending with the mixed track.

I would love to hear your project and help you enhance it as you envision it!

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

Credits

José Chema/Un intento

12 Reviews

Endorse Ricky Alvarez

by Paul Kempf
Verified (Client)
Ricky is a great guy to work with. Great communication, and more important with great song.
He provided me all the files I needed, and more. A true professional!
by Ziv Shalev
Verified (Client)
It was wonderful collaborating with Ricky after all this time
Incredible music producer!

Looking forward till next time
by Andres Mayo
Verified (Client)
Thanks Ricky for trusting me your music once again, it has been a real pleasure to work with you. You couldn't be nicer. Cheers!
by Ruben M.
Verified
Very responsive and attentive to feedback. My client was really pleased.
by Andres Mayo
Verified (Client)
Ricky delivered very good mixes and was very attentive and communicative throughout the entire process. I'm glad we had the chance to work together again!
by Ziv Shalev
Verified (Client)
Great experience as always with Ricardo! Looking forward to work together again. A+++
by Ziv Shalev
Verified (Client)
I had a terrific time working with Ricardo on this beautiful track. Great work flow and communication. highly recommended! Looking forward to the next opportunity!
by Mark Corradetti
Verified (Client)
Great producer and musician. Wnderful music and knows exactly how he wants things. A joy to work with !
by Andres Mayo
Verified (Client)
Collaborating with Ricky was wonderful; we communicated often and were able to work swiftly. He delivered a great mix and I thank him for trusting me with it.
by Chad Martin
Verified (Client)
Ricardo is so great to work with! He is creative and knows exactly what he is looking for in his music. He shares his vision well. I would be happy to work with him anytime!
by Simmy Singh
Verified (Client)
Ricardo was an absolute pleasure to work with. He was really clear in what he wanted and provided really clear materials to work with (chord chart, guide track etc). He also gave me freedom to be as creative as I wanted which was a real treat. Would highly recommend working with him and hope to do so again in the future!
by Josué P.
A pleasure to work with Ricardo! Great producer, professional workflow and super clear communication!

Interview with Ricky Alvarez

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I've been building a hybrid setup with a couple of key hardware components such as the SSL Fusion processing unit, a marvelous SSL stereo compressor replica, and an amazing 33609 stereo/dual mono compressor replica coming soon. I integrate these within my Studio One workflow along with plugins from many of the best developers out there: Fabfilter, Softube (including a Console 1 setup), Plugin Alliance, Slate Digital, Waves, and Izotope. I monitor through a pair of Mackie HR824 speakers, a pair of Presonus Eris 5 speakers, and my faithful HD600 Senheisser headphones.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both...because, they're both great! Why limit yourself, these are the best times for the people that enjoy working with audio...you can have both! Look, every artist needs a palette of sound possibilities to play with...analog gear and digital plugins both provide this. Some comparisons may say that one "sounds" better than the other...for me it's all about context so you can really do great things with either and/or with both. Now, digital plugins provide some benefits such as recall capacity and mobility...but hardware does provide the joy of touching knobs and many times reaching the sound you're going for faster...I just love both!
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: With the song mix I'll convey your message and emotion to the best of my abilities.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I always like to know the kind of music they listen to, the artists they follow...this is to build a framework from which to start working, their musical perspective and influences...it definitely makes a difference.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Focus on having a good song...production and mixing will make it sound great, but will not substitute having a good song to start with.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I'm usually working mixes around the pop, rock, and R&B styles...but I always love a new challenge.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: One of the most important things is having good communication and I would say that's one of my strongest skills. I place a lot of emphasis in that communication since the beginning of the process in order to understand what the customer wants and to adjust as needed during the process. I would also say a strong sense of balance.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I bring clarity, energy, emotion, excitement (if it calls for it), and most important...balance. Everything is about balance, you want a smooth experience from the beginning until the last second of the song.