JP Ruggieri

Session Guitarist/Pedal Steel

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21 Reviews (17 Verified)
JP Ruggieri on SoundBetter

Performed and/or recorded with: Charlie Hunter, Oliver Wood and Jano Rix of The Wood Brothers, Viktor Krauss, producer James Brown (Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails), Penny and Sparrow, Rainee Blake. Pit musician for NYC's Broadway production of "Oklahoma!".

I am a guitarist, pedal steel guitarist, and mix engineer currently living in Nashville, TN. I have toured extensively in the US and Europe and have played on numerous albums as a session musician. My goal as a musician is to always play tastefully, and listen to what the song is asking for.

I have an extensive collection of vintage and modern gear (listed here: https://jpruggieri.com/studio) allowing me to dial in sounds that you and/or I may be hearing in an authentic way to give your music the best sound possible.

For mixing:
You can hear some records that I've mixed here:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ov5x60Wz5wv7u2h2xGupj?si=_31OdmIQTmOQXiX0O5g-XQ&nd=1

Tone, tastefulness, and good communication are what I'm all about. Check out some of my clips, ask me any questions that you may have, and lets make some music together!

Send me a note through the contact button above.

21 Reviews - 3 Repeat Clients

Endorse JP Ruggieri
  1. Review by Ezra V.
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    JP was a pleasure to work with. He has a good intuition and melodic and sonic sensibility that is always a pleasure to find. He gave me some great parts to work with and I look forward to working with him again.

  2. Review by Steve B.
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    Great creative musician that was very easy to work with.
    Handled feedback very well and swift!
    Thanks JP!

  3. Review by Steve B.
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    Solid player, cool guy and ear-o-holic.
    Thanks!

  4. Review by Chris M.
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    Many thanks JP. 3 excellent PS tracks completed, it was super easy, quick response and professional to work with JP, great results

  5. Review by Andrew D.
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    Great experience! JP knew the sound I was going for and nailed it right away. Easy communication, quick turnaround, and great sound. Would 10/10 recommend and hope to work together again!

  6. Review by Daniel N.
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    J.P.'s guitar and pedal steel tracks are simply astonishing! His virtuosic playing and heartfelt performances bring a magical touch to every song. The way he seamlessly weaves melodies and textures is a testament to his incredible musicality. Listening to his tracks is a captivating journey, and it's evident that he pours his soul into every note. J.P.'s talent shines through, making his music an absolute delight to experience. A true master of his craft!

    -Daniel Nickels

  7. Review by Patrick M.
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    JP is a bona fide professional with a wide range of skills. JP created a slide guitar solo that injected a ton of heart and texture into a track that needed some love. His sensibilities and generous attitude made it worth every penny and then some. I'd highly recommend JP.

  8. Review by Ryan S.
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    JP did a fantastic job with communication during the process and the recording itself sounds fantastic. He captured exactly what I was envisioning. Looking forward to working with him again in the future.

  9. Review by William H.
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    Total professional and did anything asked to be sure I was happy with the final product. Thank you!

  10. Review by Audiowell
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    JP always delivers high quality guitars

  11. Review by Audiowell
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    JP always deliver quality guitar.. world class musician.

  12. Review by Hudomir
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    JP did an amazing job! I really recommend working with him. He really does his best to bring the project to an amazing destination!

  13. Review by Audiowell
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    JP is a fantastic musician! Always delivers quality

  14. Review by Audiowell
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    World class guitar player! Very easy to work with.

  15. Review by Audiowell
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    The best!

  16. Review by Audiowell
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    JP is a fantastic musician and very easy to work with.

  17. Review by Audiowell
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    JP is a true Pro and an amazing musician. Very structured and committed to the job.

  18. Review by Jarrod Dickenson
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    by Jarrod Dickenson

    JP Ruggieri is a special player. I've been fortunate to work with many incredibly talented musicians throughout the years, but JP is in a league of his own. His ear is different than anyone else I've played with. He never goes for the cliche lick or sound - instead he's always searching for that thing that makes a song stand out, and lifts it to another level. Not only is he a virtuoso on both guitar and pedal steel, but he's a phenomenal songwriter as well, so he's always approaching his role as a sideman with a "song-first" mentality. On top of everything else, he's the best hang around!

  19. Review by Seth Walker
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    by Seth Walker

    JP is music. He breathes soul into all he plays...and all for the sake of the song and the vibe. If it's got strings on it, JP is your man. He played telecaster and pedal steel on my most recent album and laid down just the right feel, groove and touch. A natural pro in the studio to boot. Hire this cat if you want your music to sound like music!

  20. Review by Sarah VanArsdal
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    by Sarah VanArsdal

    JP is the triple threat—incredible musician, responsible professional, and a genuinely kind guy who is a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend!

Interview with JP Ruggieri

  1. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  2. A: I have complete isolation in my control room from my live room which allows me to really dial in my sound. My mic cabinet has everything I need to get great guitar sounds: Flea U48, Royer 121, Coles 4038, Neumann KM84's, SM57's, SM7B, Capi VP28 pre's. I have a ton of outboard gear including Manley Vari Mu compressor, Smart Research C1, Chandler RS124's, AML 52F50's, Audioscape: Opto, 1176 Rev A, Stereo Pultecs, Lexicon PCM70, Roland Space Echo RE 201, my DAW is Pro Tools. As far as gear, my list is extensive and mostly comprised of vintage equipment. Some of what I have is: Guitars: 1967 Fender Telecaster 1977 Fender Coodercaster 1967 Guild T100D 1961 Silvertone H44 1964 Silvertone H603L Acoustic 1965 Gibson Barney Kessel Gibson 335 Waterloo Acoustic Bluesman Vintage Telecaster Amps: 1950's Filmosound Film Projector Amp 1967 Fender Deluxe Reverb 1961 Gretsch 6161 1950's Kay 703 Peavy Nashville 112

  3. Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

  4. A: That you'll be satisfied, and I really mean that. I'm not going to settle for a subpar track, it's just not in my nature. I'm going to work as hard as I can to make your music come to life the way that you want it to.

  5. Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

  6. A: I'd love to be in a Bon Iver session and be a part of their work process. I'm fascinated by the production on their albums.

  7. Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

  8. A: A range of styles: singer/songwriter, americana, folk, jazz, blues, funk, soul, rock, country, bluegrass

  9. Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

  10. A: I like to think of what I do as adding flavors to the musical bed. Usually I get a track that needs something more. If I'm playing pedal steel, I like to use it to glue all the pieces together. Guitar is such a versatile instrument that I can be adding rhythm, colors, slide guitar, solos, or sometimes all of those elements to a track. That's what I love so much about what I do, it's always different!

  11. Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

  12. A: I started playing guitar, singing, and writing songs at the same time. I was nine years old and was completely obsessed with Nirvana. I wanted to be like Kurt Cobain. As time went on I got more and more obsessed with guitar, writing, and music in general. That led me to Berklee College of Music where I studied for 4 years. After graduating I moved to NYC where I was an active member of the music scene for 5 years. Two years ago I moved down to Nashville, TN and I've been really loving it here.

  13. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  14. A: Don't forget about recording the sound of the room!

  15. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  16. A: Listening! I don't touch my instrument for the first few listens when I'm recording in my studio, I just listen and take notes.

  17. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  18. A: I always try and bring tastefulness to a song and never ego. I want to play the song and give it what it's asking for. My goal is to fill the gaps that need to be filled and never anything more.

  19. Q: What's your typical work process?

  20. A: I listen to the song and get to know it before touching my Instrument. I do this because I want to know what the song is asking for before my muscle memory kicks in and my hands take off. I get the sound in my ear and then I start chasing it. I want to bring the best possible sound to the music that I can, because that's why I play music! I chase sounds and parts until they feel totally right to me.

  21. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  22. A: So many! Some big ones for me are, Ray Charlies, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Bill Frisell, Ry Cooder, Blake Mills, Adam Levy, Rich Hinman, Julian Lage, The Mills Brothers, Greg Leisz, T Bone Burnett, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan.

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Jason Myles Goss - Younger Man

I was the Guitarist in this production


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    Jason Myles Goss - Younger Man
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    Brigette DeMeyer - All The Blue
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    JP Ruggieri - Kill A Smile
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    Jarrod Dickenson - Long Hard Look
Terms Of Service

Up to 2 revisions. Typical turn-around time is usually 2-3 days, unless I'm incredibly swamped or out of town for the week in which case I will let you know.

GenresSounds Like
  • Blake Mills
  • Bill Frisell
  • Greg Leisz
Gear Highlights
  • 1967 Fender Telecaster
  • 1977 Fender Coodercaster
  • 1961 Fender Jazzmaster
  • 1931 Martin 00018
  • 1960's Silvertone
  • 1962 Harmony Acoustic
  • Gibson 335
  • Waterloo Acoustic
  • 1949 Fender Princeton
  • 1967 Fender Deluxe Reverb
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