Stereo & 5.1 Mix & mastering

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both, depending on the material, the piece of gear, and the moment. For live performances for example: for a single concert in a venue I prefer an analog board (a good one!). For a whole tour or for a performance within a festival, I choose a digital one. For monitor mixing, a digital board is more practical. In studio, DAW as digital audio information support, and an analog console as mixing board, armed with a good rack of good outboards.

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

A: Mics: 2 x Neumann KM184 Monitors: Yamaha NS10 (with a Crown 1200 amp) FX Processors: Lexicon 480 Laptop computer armed with Protools This is probably my weirdest preference: Mackie DL32R mixer with an Ipad and a hard drive. It is very usefull.!!!

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

A: During 30 years I have worked with artists I ever dreamed to work with when I started my career, like Luciano Pavarotti, Marcos Valle, Pablo Milanes, Juan de Marcos and Afrocuban All Stars, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Horacio El Negro" Hernandez, Chucho Valdes, Omara Portuondo, John Williams, Michelle Legrand, and many others. I have worked at more than 300 venues allover the world. I have recorded more than 200 albums, and a lot of singles and music for audiovisuals. On top of this I teached at the University , and I was the main engineer of the Auditorium Amadeo Roldan during 10 years.

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

A: Don't doubt it! I will please you for sure; satisfaction guaranteed.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: To develop very accurated, trasparent, dynamic and detailed mixes in short working times.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: I try to be part of the production team from the first moment, or at least to be present during the rehearsal and recording sessions and get involved in the decision making process ; same for live performances. For mixing jobs, I prefer to start by myself , and once I am happy with my first approach to the mix, I send it to the client for evaluation before our next mixing session together.

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

A: Al Schmitt, Tommy Li Puma, Humberto Gatica, Bruce Sweeden, Diana Krall, Fourplay, Yellow Jackets.

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

A: Pablo Milanes. "MI Habana". Universal Music (FOH, mix and mastering engineer) Marcos Valle and Moscow Symphony. "Viva Bossa Nova". Elephant Records (Russia) (FOH, mix and mastering engineer).

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Mixing of three albums: -Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez' trio -Tony Avila with symphony (live concert) -Javier Gutierrez (Caramelo) with Javier Colina and Michael Olivera and Ariel Bringuez (studio album) and Pablo Milanes' tour " Esencia" (monitor engineer)

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

A: I will try to do exactly what you expect for.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The creation

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

A: -"We will fix it during mixing". This is a huge mistake, only surpassed by "we will fix it in mastering"

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is your idea about how your music should sound?

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Very accurate and flexible.

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

A: Diana Krall.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: -The mix starts during composing. When the music is good, it sounds well even if you whistle it.

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

A: Jazz, Classical, Salsa

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I am a musician and a producer as well; my mixes sound very musical, and very dynamic and with rich planes.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Acousticaly well trated control room with surround capabilities. Hybrid equipement.

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

A: Studio and live recording of the most diverses formations. Stereo and surround mix and mastering for music industry, audiovisuals and cinema. Live FOH and mixing engineer. Sound designer.