I'm a jazz pianist and composer/arranger. I worked as a pianist and arranger with important musicians and international jazz music scene as Markus Stockhausen, Dave Liebman, Ralph Alessi, as well as some important Italian musicians. In my name I recorded six CDs with original compositions plus other important partnerships in other cd.
I offer my talent as an arranger who serve arrangements from duo to symphony orchestra; as keyboard player and pianist who serve piano or keyboards (including accordion) tracks for various quality pop songs, jazz, funky music. Usually, for the work of arrangement I provide both the audio file with a simulation made with plug-ins both score and detached parts (pdf or Finale files). To work as a pianist and keyboard player I provide the audio file and part (pdf or Finale file). Usually, for the work of arrangement I provide both the audio file with a simulation made with plug-ins both score and detached parts. To work as a pianist and keyboard player I provide the sound file and the score
Contact me through the green button above and let's get to work.
Interview with Oscar Del Barba
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I am particularly proud of my latest CD "Two suites for jazz orchestra" (DOT Time Records) with my arrangements and compositions. In addition to the orchestra that played very well, I was honored to have as a special guest Dave Liebman whose contribution has given the final result even more value.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I'm arranging the songs of Cole Porter for big band (if someone was interested to sing ....) and I'm composing tunes for trio piano-bass-drums, songs that I also have to study (often write things that I have to study hard hard to learn ...). I'm going to arrange some John Taylor's tunes for big band.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I just signed up and have not looked at the other members. As soon as I will I will indicate the names.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I like being able to achieve a goal analog with digital, although you can never completely. The analog world anyway will never disappear. It is in our DNA. The digital age has simplified much work but the results can not be compared to analog. In fact, many recording studios using analog mixers, tube compressors and other to heat the cold sound of digital.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: To do the best to achieve the goal.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I like to feel that an idea is developed and gradually the piece takes shape and takes an unexpected color or colors. Then I like the contact with the tool to work, pencil, paper, computer, piano, synth or more.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: Most of the questions that are often phrases that relate to the technical aspect. Some think they know certain things about the technical aspect of music but in reality they know nothing. I try to make them understand how things are
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: To believe that arrange or play a piece it's something that requires no effort or time to do things better. Many times some tell me: "do me a small arrangement. Both are two agreements, we put a little". To do things right it takes the right time
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I ask you to carefully describe the work to be done in order to spend less time as possible and to respect trade rules
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: I would advise him to seek a musician with features suitable for the type of music he wants to accomplish. If these characteristics he will find in me I will do the best I can to achieve an artistic product quality craft.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: A piano, a few sheets of music, a pencil, a book of the Goldberg Variations and a boxcutter Swiss :-)
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started playing at age 7.I graduated in classical piano, jazz, classical composition experimental. In parallel to the studies I have also played a concert activity that led me to play in different parts of the world. In Europe and much of South America. Now, in addition to concerts and arranger also teaching. Indeed I teach Piano Jazz at the Conservatory of Music in Milan.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I am an eclectic artist for "expressive need": this need not necessarily have led me to compose and play in different musical styles, from pop to jazz, from "classical" music to ethnic and folk music from different parts of the world (Cuban music, argentina, African), forming a personal style complex and popular at the same time
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I like to work with so many artists that I like for several different reasons. If I have to name names: Norma Winston, Joe Lovano and many others.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Jazz music, experimental, argentinian tango, world music.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: In the many years of study and concerts I have developed a strong ability both in the arrangement and playing the piano by improvising (jazz, latin, modern jazz, experimental, etc.), or playing a written
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: In a song or instrumental piece I care the harmonic aspect because I think is what gives the song the atmosphere and creates emotional impact. But also the
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: To start a work arrangement I ask me to have a recording that gives me the idea of work.It can only track a voice and guitar. If you can also ask a score but I can not help it. Then I ask for a description of the type of environment and style that the customer wants to get and maybe ask him to give me examples of bands or songs that consider the type of sound. At that point the beginning of the work that can last more or less depending on the number of instruments.Always send a pre arrangement to see if the direction is the right one. Then send the final work and give the possibility of three revisions. For tracks of piano / synth / accordion for a song I ask the score, or, if they ask me to improvise I do according to my taste. Also in this case grant 3 revisions.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My equipment: MacBook Pro 2.9 GHz intel core i7, sound card MOTU 828 mkII, Sequencing and recording program Logic 9 with various plug-in synths and orchestral sounds (Native Instruments, Spectrasonics, etc.). Writing program: Finale. Yamaha synth SY99, MOTIF 8, Roland D-50. Yamaha C3 acoustic piano, accordion Zerosette B-30. Microphones: AKG D-414b X2, AKG D-451. Speaker Yamaha SN-10M Studio.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I was inspired by several great musicians: for the arrangement to Ravel, Debussy, Stravinsky but also Ligeti and Stockhausen. For jazz Duke and Gil Evans. Today I really like Vince Mendoza, and Maria Carla Blay Schnider. For the piano, in addition to the greats of the past (D. Scarlatti, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Schubert, Liszt, Chopin, etc.) in the jazz Scott Joplin, Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Lennie Tristano, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, John Taylor, Brad Mehldau and others.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I'm often work on arrangements for various ensembles. For example: a world music ensemble guitar, bass, vocals, accordion, piano, percussion; arrangements for symphony orchestra; for voice and piano to big band or string orchestra. They ask me a piano track on a pop song or a track to a CD of modern jazz
I was the Arranger, conductor in this production
- Composer OrchestralAverage price - $250 per song
- PianoAverage price - $150 per song
- String ArrangerAverage price - $200 per song
- Keyboards - SynthAverage price - $150 per song
- AccordionAverage price - $150 per song
Delivery of the work depends on the size of the job. It will be more correct establish them from time to time. 3 revisions to the max. Each additional revision will cost 10 percent of the fees
