More than 30 years making records for all kind of music, mainstream and indie, from classical to heavy-metal, as a composer, guitarist, producer or sound engineer, sometimes combining some or all the jobs.
I´m used to work with experienced producers and musicians, covering a large spectrum of musical moods, on acoustic and electric instruments.
I'm a professional guitar player at almost 35 years on the business, as session and touring player, music composer, producer and arranger.
I'm also a sound engineer for 30 years, with credits on hundreds of works, in recording, mixing and mastering.
Contact me through the green button above and let's get to work.
Interview with Rui Fingers @Audiokore
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: There’s a lot of, but “Paulo Gonzo - By request” was specially fun. We’ve worked with great musicians, from Lisbon and New York and make a fine record!
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Finishing a song production for a major flying company
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: None, at the moment
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both!
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: Get your sound, the sound you like and wants in the timeline we’ve agreed
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: It’s my life! I love making records! It’s not a job, since it’s what I like to do
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: We can do, and in fact we’ve done it quite a lot, some “audio miracles ‘, saving lot’s of records who were at first glance “damaged or very bad recorded. But there’s no turn around on this: garbage in, garbage out...but , as I said before, we’ve made some miracles here
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Well, at what stage are the work on, what he/she will think my work can improve their own work, and take some references on the sound and vibe they ate looking for
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: See all the available options, and choose me!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: One guitar, my laptop, my C12 VR, one bass and one electric generator fueled by wood
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I’m on music industry ever since I can remember. I worked a lot as a session guitar player and writing songs and producing too. The mixing stuff came from the lack of engineers around who could put on the desk my vision, so I’ve start to mix myself. And I’m doung this for almost 35 years
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I could go from silk to iron!
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Well, I like John Mayer! His sound and vibe are amazing! I like Bruno Mars too. There’s a long list here, too long to write it here!
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: The lead vocal are the first thing people listens. Take time to work on that. Also the drums are crucial to any song, bad drum sound and bad playing will turn very hard to mix and sound good. Always take time with the drummer and on tunning the drums.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Well, everything, really!! Our main clients came from diferent areas of music styles, so I’ve learned to work on a lot of diferent music and instruments, exotic and “conventionals” aswell
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I think maybe, on mixing, I’m very experienced. I’m very confortable on arranging and producing too.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Well, I’ve worked on a lot of records, for lot’s of diferent artists, and I think that opened my vision a lot, but I’ll always keep focused on the song and on the artist vibe. That’s my main goal: Delivery the best of me on the song, both sonically and artistically
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: At recording stage I take special care on the tones to fit right to the song mood. Specially with drums and guitars, but also with all the instruments. For best results it’s very important. Then before mixing, everything got to be edited and tunned, to concentrate all energy on the mix itself.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a medium size facilitie, with 2 booths and 1 regie. Also have a preproduction room. I use an “hybrid” system, which can be used like taking the best of the digital and analog path or full digital (“in the box”), depending on the job or on the client preference. But most of the time we’re working hybrid, using outboard gear, plugin’s and the final mix stage on the Neve mixer.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Chris Lord Alge, Tony Maserati, Roger Nichols, Andy Vandette
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Music arranging and production, recording, editing, tune vox and instruments, mixing and mastering, session player
- Mixing EngineerAverage price - $200 per song
- EditingAverage price - $40 per track
- Mastering EngineerAverage price - $50 per song
- Vocal TuningAverage price - $30 per track
- Time alignment - QuantizingAverage price - $30 per track
- ProducerAverage price - $200 per song
For mixing,mastering and vocal tuning, 1 revision included.
Extra revisions for mixing from 50$ each.
- AMS Neve 1081 x2
- 1604
- 1608
- Summit Tla-100
- Summit ECS-410 x 2
- Ssl x-logic bus compressor
- GML EQ 8200
- AKG C12 VR
- Neumann U-87
- U-89
- DPA 4052 stereo matched pair
- lexicon PCM-96 surround
