Bachata songwriter-producer

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: The project that I'm mostly proud of working is definitely a track called 'Don Juan & Cupido' because I was able to write it, arrange it, produce it, and sing it with the person that made me fall in love with the genre I do, the strongest pillar of the traditional bachata, Anthony "el Mayimbe" Santos. To know that he honored and trusted me by letting me do almost everything (Except mixing and guiding his voice because of scheduling conflicts) I can proudly say is the highlight of my professional career.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm currently working on my 5th studio album, collaborating with the top Bachata artist of all time.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: I have a boatload of contacts that I could recommend to my clients. Writers, other producers, videographers, music distributors, and right now, as I do this interview, I've guided many of my contacts to join SoundBetter.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Even though I have the outmost respect for analog, because I come from that era, Digital has found its way to replace sounds with plugins almost identical to analog. The times have changed for producers and so have I.

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

A: The promise I can make to my clients is that I know bachata, and if bachata is what they're looking for, they can find it with me. Old school, new school or experimental. In the end, a Bachata track with the highest standards of quality that the industry require.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: What I like most about my job is that each project is a new canvas. I get excited about making lyrics and arrangements dance with each other. Also, I love seeing the faces of my fellow producers when they hear one of my final products.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: The most common question I get is "How soon do you think it'll be done?" My answer usually is while smiling (Besides the deadline I provide on the proposals) "You can't rush greatness". I focus on one song at a time, and spend all my energy on it until it feels 100% right. Another question I commonly get is "How do you make songs sound so different from each other?" My answer is "Because songs require different colors, like a painting,... and being able to use colors from the best guitarists in the business, is a true blessing".

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: The biggest misconception about what I do is that is "easy". Understanding the feelings of a song and the right arrangement to dress it up is no easy task. Music speaks to you in a silent language that you're only able to feel, and the best example I always use is that music is the equivalent of using the words "I Love You"... You'll know when it feels real.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: There are some perimeters that are usually present in Bachata as a genre. Knowing what artists do they listen to in Bachata, besides Aventura, Henry Santos & Romeo Santos, gives me some idea of their taste. Knowing if they have ever recorded professionally before and show me their songs, usually helps me skip many steps. If they have not recorded, things are usually easier. There are so many other intricate details and questions that go into creating a song, but those questions come after we have already started working.

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: I would advice customers looking to hire a provider like me to be open minded, patient and trust the knowledge that comes with the experience. Many young artists (and I include myself when I was younger) wanna reinvent the wheel, and the beauty of Music is that all music has already been played, sung and written... its just the way one puts it together with love, originality and any type of feeing one's great at, that is gonna make a difference. Be different, be original, but best of all, listen.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: V-Moda 200 headphones, Newman TLM 103, Apollo Twin Solo, Mac Pro, Solar Panel with Plugs (For power).

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

A: I started as a choir singer and altar boy at my church in the Dominican Republic around 1987. After moving to NYC at age 13, I continued to sing in the church choir until my cousin Anthony "Romeo" Santos and I, decided to create a band with songs we had written in 1996. Consequently we joined forces with Lenny & Max Santos (No relation) who had their own band and became Aventura. This group became the biggest Latin Act in history from 2001 until 2011 when the group dismantled and I started my solo career with Venemusic as a partner. In 2015 Venemusic went out of business and I took over my career with my own label HustleHard Entertainment LLC, and have been managing it ever since. Joining forces with great artists, composers, singers, arrangers, managers, label execs & distributors on every album & collaboration, my career has bloomed to heights I never imagined.

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

A: I admire many artists whom I'd like to work with, but the question is, am I the right person for the track? I consider music not to be about me, but about the song itself. One can create a beautiful song in one's head, but if the wrong producer tries to make it come to life and it's not the right producer, it'll be a waste of time. This is why I don't produce any other genre, but know and trust other producers to do their thing when needed!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: When producing a Bachata, make sure that it has its essence of bachata at the core and build it from there. It's not the same to grab an R&B track, add Bongos and Güira and call it a "Bachata".

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

A: Although I find most of my inspiration elsewhere, I work Bachata for the most part.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill I'll say is my persistence on seeking perfection.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Anywhere from the correct syntaxes on Spanish lyrics, to the right feel on the guitars, or the right percussion break, there are countless details that make a huge difference while creating a bachata track. I also nitpick on sound mistakes like tuning or grounds on instruments.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Because of my experience as a writer first, I'm able to foresee a pattern that makes sense lyrically, and then as a producer, I'm able to dress up the lyrics with the right arrangements.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: At home, I use a Neumann TLM 103, KRK ROKIT 10-3 G4 10 inch 3-way Powered Studio Monitors, Universal Audio Apollo Twin MKII DUO 10x6 Thunderbolt Audio Interface with UAD DSP. ProTools with countless plugins, and two separate professional studios for live percussions mixing & mastering located in NYC and the Dominican Republic.

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

A: Over the years I've created music with countless musicians and production professionals. Each one of them have inspired me in their own unique ways, because I'm able to create music & specifically designed tracks with their core talents. From Pop to Salsa, Merengue Típico to Urbano, I know people who inspire me from almost every genre!

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

A: The most common type of work I do for my clients is creating the right bachata arrangements for their songs, with the right mix and mastering required for our industry standards. With over 25 years of experience in the bachata industry, in the areas of writing, producing, vocal guidance, label executive, marketing and countless awards under my belt, I take pride on using my art and experience to help new and stablished artists create their ideal bachata track.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is keeping up with the times without ever losing the core essence.