I specialize in creating atmospheric productions for a variety of cinematic projects, including films, commercials, and songs for other artists. I enjoy working with indie, pop, folk, and rock projects, as well as singer-songwriters who can record their basic tracks independently and are seeking assistance with arrangements and overall production.
With over 15 years of experience as a film composer and music producer, I have crafted soundscapes for the music, advertising, and film industries. I earned my music production degree from Nimbus in Vancouver, Canada, which laid the groundwork for my creative journey. Throughout my career, I’ve collaborated with prestigious brands such as Netflix, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Tag Heuer, Levi's, and Rolex. As a singer-songwriter, I’ve released three albums and composed original soundtracks for numerous films and commercials. My work has garnered nominations and is frequently featured on TV, radio, podcasts, and cinema worldwide, whether as a sound designer, music producer, or vocalist.
I have partnered with a diverse range of artists, including Chino y Nacho, Rawayana, Hanggai (China), Ozuna (Puerto Rico), Stephanie Ratcliff (Canada), Anakena, El Otro Polo, and others. My music production education was enriched by industry legends like Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd) and Garth Richardson (Red Hot Chili Peppers).
My services include:
- Creating your track from scratch based on your vision.
- Building instrumental tracks around your lyrics, even if they're just rough ideas.
- Remaking or remixing songs to elevate their production.
- Mixing and mastering, including vocal production.
- Offering coaching and one-on-one virtual consultations for personalized guidance.
Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.
Credits
31 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client
Endorse Rafael Rico
check_circleVerified (Client)Rafael was a pleasure to work with! His direction and vision were super clear. He was great at communicating with me along the way to get the project where it needed to be, and he was always friendly and professional. He's a very talented producer as well; loved hearing the final product. I definitely recommend!
check_circleVerifiedRafael is an incredible producer and composer. He was a voice of encouragement and wisdom while I created my song, and helped me explore the sounds and textures that worked with my song and the world I was trying to build.
You can't ask for a better collaborator, he's professional, brilliant, patient, meticulous, kind and supportive.
check_circleVerifiedAMAZING! 10/10 Brilliant producer. Great communicator and made as many amends as I wanted. Definitely would work with Rafael again!
check_circleVerified (Client)It was a pleasure working with Rafael as he is not only a nice person but also very clear in communicating the musical direction/vision. Looking forward to working on more projects to come.
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Rafael was great to work with! So patient and accommodating. He really listens to the feedback and is unafraid to try different things. It was a pleasure collaborating with him :)
check_circleVerifiedRafael was great to work with. He has a great ear for creating rich soundscapes while maintaining the core energy of track. He is responsive with quick turnaround times and provides appropriate direction and advice when needed. I look forward to having him apply his magic touch to more of my songs.
check_circleVerifiedRafael is a fantastic soul to work with. He is very well spoken and brings great ideas to a record. He's flexible and open to suggestions. He put in the work until everything was perfect. Will be working with him again soon!
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MASSIVE PRAISE and WHOLEHEARTED RECOMMENDATION for Raf. I am both delighted and saddened to have just completed my project with him. He helped me with the entire album (check out Feralman). Raf is an outstanding musician, composer and producer. He his highly emotionally intelligent and it is evident in how sensitively and carefully he goes about his work. I wanted to bring elements of soundscape and cinema to my music while retaining the feel and intimacy in my songs. Raf nailed it, seriously.
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I've just finished working on a song with Raf and I'm extremely happy, so happy in fact that I've entrusted him with the entire production of my forthcoming album, an additional 9 songs.
It's obviously important to find the right connection with your producer and Raf and I are definitely on the same page. He has treated his/my work with care and emotion and has dug deep into the feeling and soul and vibe of this song and my sound overall. He has taken his time and truly delivered. 
check_circleVerifiedI loved every step of the way in collaborating with Rafael! He was open and heard me out, even when it was outside of the box! He is super talented and wonderful to communicate with...he did an amazing job. I am very happy with what we created and I look forward to the next!
check_circleVerifiedOutstanding result for a great price.
I'll certainly be coming to Rafael for future projects.The project had delays at both ends but he showed passion in the project, politely took on board edit requests/feedback and was a pleasure to work with :)
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From the first contact Rafael, I felt very comfortable. I entrusted him with the arrangement of my first song, which thanks to his professionalism, know-how and a good dose of passion has become a great piece. I'm glad to go back to work with him and I recommend him highly.
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Very professional and easy to work with. Super happy with the end product
I had the immense joy and privilege of collaborating with Rafa on my feature film, a project fraught with budget constraints and remote work challenges. Our creative journey was a testament to perseverance, discipline, and original vision. Rafa transformed into a black bird of artistic expression, elevating my story to a realm of unbridled imagination. The culmination of our efforts was a superb sound design and a lasting artistic partnership, earning Rafa a place as a true brother in my cinematic family. I look forward to our future collaborations with sounding meaningful adventures.
Rafael is amazing to work with. I am incredibly grateful for the amazing sound for my short film. He worked very fast and gave really good results. A good sound design really elevates a film, so can highly recommend working with Rafael!
Raf was awesome every step of the way. I’ve worked with him on 2 projects now and will certainly be working with him in the future. Constantly professional, reliable, and extremely talented! 10/10!
Just had the most delightful and creative time working with RAF on TOMORROW the short film from the prestigious LEE STRASBERG THEATRE AND FILM INSTITUTE. RAF did truly great and innovative work on the film and brought a resource of talent and professionalism to the process. The final mix has truly elevated the film. Can’t wait to work with him again. Thank you RAF.
Rafael is a very talented person with great communication skills. Working with him was overall a 10/10 experience. I highly recommend.
Rafael is a very talented person with great communication skills. Working with him was overall a 10/10 experience. I highly recommend.
Rafael helped me score a short film that I wrote and directed and I was very impressed by his ability to take direction, add artistic input, and work in a timely manner. His communication was always prompt and professional and he did a fantastic job of understanding what the story needed and heeding feedback with deliberation and authenticity - I appreciate his work and would absolutely recommend him and look forward to working with him in the future.
Interview with Rafael Rico
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Indie Folk/Rock, Alternative, Country, Blues, Soundtrack, Cinematic, Ambience, Orchestral, Electronica, etc.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Deadline, references and goals.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I work in my home studio in a mountain in the outsides of Caracas. It's cozy and inspiring, I sit right next to a chimney and I'm surrounded by nature. I have a small but efficient setup with top-notch equipment which allow me to be creative and offer the best quality at the same time.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I had the opportunity to work on the original soundtrack for a feature documentary called "Unbounded". It narrates the story of 4 young travelers hiking for 4 months in the wild Patagonia. I'm constantly inspired by nature and being part of such an adventurous project, presented as an ode to wilderness and its preservation, is an honor for me. To find the right sound and tone for this film, I dug deep into the music of Gustavo Santaolalla, Simón Díaz, Olafur Arnalds, Eddie Vedder's solo albums, along with other inspiring artists. The director's intention was clear, he was looking for acoustic and organic ambiences slightly focused on the South American cultural aspects. As a latin american singer songwriter, I couldn't find this opportunity more fittable for me. You can find this soundtrack in all the digital platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Deezer, etc.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Depending on the project. Usually, the production should start with a meeting, defining the objectives and the characteristics of the project. This is where all the ideas are thrown at the table. Once we have a direction, we define what is that we need to make it happen. If it's an audiovisual piece, a spotting session is needed to spot the parts of the piece that need to be scored and/or sound designed.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: As a film composer, I'm inclined into melancholic, introspective and modern sounds. Some kind of electronic soundscapes with organic and classical textures. As a singer/songwriter, indie folk rock is what prevails, but I'm always trying to experiment with new things around that.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Olafur Arnalds Christian Henson Bruce Springsteen Glen Hansard Gustavo Santaolalla
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Digital. Nowadays, you can barely tell the difference and it saves you tons of time (and money). Though analog helps you discover new places in your imagination.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: When a customer gives me freedom with my work. Deeply appreciated.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Be as specific as possible, show references and stick to the locked picture.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: My guitar, a notebook, a pen, a capo and a cup of coffee.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started writing songs at the age of 13.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Organization is key.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Creativity and good taste!
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: It's my job to nail the intention of the scene and support the visuals with music to evoke emotions.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I do everything around the post-audio production of your pieces, specially writing music and sound designing.
I was the producer, guitarist and arranger in this production
- Water Made With You by Benjamin Fruit (Indie Folk)
- Reel 2024 by Rafa Rico (Ads & Films)
- Our Place In Time by Mike Wolf (Orchestral)
- Where Were You Before by Feralman (Indie Folk)
- Film ComposerContact for pricing
- Pop-Rock ArrangerContact for pricing
- ProducerContact for pricing
- Mixing EngineerContact for pricing
- Top line writer (vocal melody)Contact for pricing
- Songwriter - MusicContact for pricing
- Sound DesignContact for pricing
You get 2 revisions (3 takes total). Let's fully discuss expectations and share references prior to tracking to nail what your project needs. Commercial projects budgets vary depending on license type
- The National
- The War On Drugs
- Gustavo Santaolalla
10% bulk discount, 15% customer loyalty discount
