20 Years producing, recording and mixing albums for rock bands of all sorts in Mexico and LatinAmerica.
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Interview with Tonio Ruiz
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: As a producer/engineer/artist, I've been selected among the " top 10 latin albums of the year" twice with 2 different projects for the RollingStone Latin Magazine, we had so little money to do this records, ridiculously low 3rd world budgets and very little tools to make them, but the heart and spirit where there, I love those.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm finishing mixing a record for this rock band and producing a couple of projects as we speak... all independent Mexican Bands, rock 100% bands.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I'm sure there are tons and tons of talented people over here... I'd need to check the whole list first.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I might've said Analog cause I think there is nothing like analog gear, but Digital has come so far and there are so much nice toys that help us to get there and make our lives in the studio so much easier... that's why I go hybrid, specially when our studio is not a huge world class full of gear facility.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That we all will be proud of what we end up with when the record goes live...
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love how my mind goes out somewhere, like being in trance, and ideas and sounds starts pouring down from I don't know where...
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: How does my record is going to sound? answer: The best I bloddy can...
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: As for me, is that a Record Producer can guarantee success, we can only guarantee a job well done, the best version of the artist on a record... but we don't do marketing, we can't sell records just like that.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I own a Mix Room Studio with a Hybrid Setup using both OTB/ITB worlds, Pro Tools based, UA and Apogee converters, Outboard processing.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Andy Wallace, Randy Staub, CLA, Dave Pensado
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Music Producer and recording/mixing engineer.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Commitment, how serious they are with their project, which plans do they have for marketing their record, and I'm not going to lie, budget...
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Trust in people, not all of us have big names in the industry but that might be circumstantial, music is beautiful and not only the super comercial one. Talent is everywhere... give me a chance, I won't disappoint.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: my Mac, my ProTools, my Apollo Quad, my Dramastic Obsidian and a lunchbox full of eq's and compressors. Can I through my NS10s with those??
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I'm an artist myself, I play in two projects, rock bands, I sing and play guitar, and I became a "producer" not by accident but just by a natural way to take care of things with my bands, one day more bands came to me asking for help and assistance.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Intense and with a lot of heart.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Linkin Park... I dig that alternative heavier and melodic style... it just moves me.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Sure, always keep in mind that our job is to help the artist to blossom on their own way and path, is their record, not ours, is all about helping them to reach the highest point.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I'm all about rock and pop.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I'm great with harmonies, vocal and instruments, logical ideas which enhance the artist original ideas, leading them to the right path.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Ear candy, structure, character and feeling, personality.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I work with the bands I produce, help them to achieve the best results possible starting with their songs, performance and a nice and strong direction while recording.
