Producer, mixing & mastering

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

A: Well, there's a Fátima Pinto and Mike Joseph song called "Feel Something" that reached over 4.7 million streams on Spotify. I mixed it and mastered it in 2016, so it might sound just a bit dated now, but it's still pretty good, in my opinion. I also produced, mixed and mastered a song called "dosextraños" by Jeudy García. It was his very first single ever, and now it hast more than 1 million streams on Spotify with no ad boost, so that was cool. I've also worked on several music-based social campaigns with We Could Be Music, and I really enjoy doing that type of work.

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

A: That I'm super young, usually in my early 20s. I'm actually 37.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: It depends on the process. If we're talking about fully producing a track, we always need to start with a full pre-production session to set the goals and the vision for the song. If we're talking about mixing and mastering, I just need the stems and a few references/indications to understand what the artist and the producer want. And from there I do everything in my power to elevate the track to its full potential and just make it sound amazing.

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

A: 15 years, professionally. I started as a guitar player and singer when I was 15, but then I tried to produce my own band cause I had no money to pay a "real producer" and started learning lots of stuff about music production. Then I worked as an intern in a few studios until I finally decided I was good enough to actually offer my services as a producer and work directly with artists.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Maybe the fact that I can fix almost anything when mixing and mastering, and also the fact that I can do a lot with very little. I mean, it's always best to have impeccable sounding recordings and all of that, but that's not always possible for many reasons. In those cases, I can make everything sound "expensive", even if it isn't. Many of the songs I've worked on have been recorded from home, in some cases even using an iPhone to record vocals and other instruments, especially during the pandemic. That's always a challenge, but hey, I'm up for it. Another strong skill, I would say, is that I can fully produce almost any type of track from beginning to end, including beat making, recording, editing, mixing and mastering.

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

A: Mixing and mastering, mostly. I also produce and make beats often, though.

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

A: Make sure you compare the sound of that provider with any other option you may have. That's key, and it's the only way to really know whose work you think fits your tracks best.

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

A: Well, you know, I don't think they have electricity on desert islands. But maybe a laptop with infinite battery, a pair of headphones, and basically any mic to sample every sound on the island and make some crazy beats...?

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Extremely diverse

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

A: You mean any artist in the world? Well, Billie Eilish and Finneas cause they're really innovative and crazy talented.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: No, I will never share my secrets!!!! Mwahahah. Nah, just kidding. Sure... Uhm... I guess my biggest tip is to always work on your skills. Forget about the equipment. If you're good, I really believe you can potentially make a great record just using a laptop and a pair of headphones.

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

A: I've actually worked on anything from reggaeton and trap to indie pop, folk, and hard rock.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: That's a hard one. What I think I bring is my experience, my passion for making music sound beautiful and my clear focus on making the artist sound stellar. That's always my absolute goal.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: It's always the ear. The studio setup is not as important. I have a Lynx Aurora 16 converter, an ISA Two preamp and the Eris E8 studio monitors, though.

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

A: Serban Ghenea, Jaycen Joshua, Manny Marroquin, Josh Gudwin

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working on many songs at the time. Right this second I have a reggae mastering session open that I'll go back to right after I finish answering the next question.

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

A: This is my first day here. Maybe I'll let you know in a few months.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. It's cheaper and more transparent. And it's just way more practical. I get that analog gear can add some nice color and warmth, but nowadays that can be easily achieved using plugins, if you really want to go for that type of sound.

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

A: That I will always do everything I can to make the best music possible with them.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Being creative and helping artists achieve their goals.

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

A: "How much do you charge?" Haha.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What their goal is, sound-wise, mainly. But also what their vision and goal as musicians/artists is. I think it's very important to really understand the artist and the audience they're trying to appeal to.