Rafa Payan

Session Guitarist & Producer

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2 Reviews (1 Verified)
Rafa Payan on SoundBetter

Hi! my name is Rafa Payan, I'm a Grammy nominee guitar player and multi-instrumentalist. I've been working in music for 25 years now!! I'm also a music producer for various latin artists.

Rafa Payan is a record producer, grammy nominee guitar player, and multi-instrumentalist who has worked with some of the best latin artist from DR (Juan Luis Guerra & 440, Pavel Nuñez, etc) for over 25 years now. Currently I'm doing session work remotely from my studio in Troy, NY, also producing songs for a wide variety of artists and styles (from bachata to pop rock) and touring the USA states with a Grammy winner band "Los Temerarios".

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

Credits

AllMusic verified credits for Rafael Payan
  • Paulino Monroy
  • Paulino Monroy
  • Maite Perroni
  • Maite Perroni
  • Maite Perroni
  • Issa Gadala
  • Suzanna Lubrano
  • Suzanna Lubrano
  • Suzanna Lubrano
  • Suzanna Lubrano
  • La Posta
  • La Posta
  • El Consorcio
  • El Consorcio
  • Daniel Santacruz
  • Daniel Santacruz
  • Daniel Santacruz
  • Rene Lorente
  • Alejandra Tejada
  • Alejandra Tejada
  • Negros
  • Negros
  • Alvaro Torres
  • Alvaro Torres
  • Olga Tañón
  • Enrique Chia
  • Enrique Chia
  • Enrique Chia
  • Pavel Nuñez
  • Pavel Nuñez
  • Pavel Nuñez
  • Enrique Chia
  • Enrique Chia
  • Ciudad de Angeles
  • Ciudad de Angeles
  • Chichi Peralta
  • Opalo
  • Menudo
  • Daniel Santacruz
  • Frank Ceara
  • Frank Ceara
  • Jandy Feliz
  • Jandy Feliz
  • Ciudad Nueva
  • José Peña Suazo
  • Pavel
  • Pavel
  • Pavel
  • Pavel
  • Pavel
  • Pavel
  • Pavel
  • Olga Tañón
  • Olga Tañón
  • Miriam Y Las Chicas Cruz
  • Olga Tañón
  • Juan Luis Guerra y 440
  • Juan Luis Guerra y 440
  • Azucarado
  • Marco Hernández
  • Pochy Familia
  • Raulín Rodríguez
  • Allendi
  • Diveana
  • Dulce María
  • Frank Ceara
  • Plácido Domingo, Jr.

2 Reviews

Endorse Rafa Payan
  1. Review by Lael L.
    starstarstarstarstar
    check_circleVerified

    Rafa was quick to respond, delivered exactly what I wanted on guitar & very helpful when I ran into some technical difficulties.

  2. Review by Rodolfo L.
    starstarstarstarstar

    Great musicians! Committed and honest! Thank you, Rafael.

Interview with Rafa Payan

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

  2. A: I'm gonna give a 200% of me... I'll go for the WAO every time I'm doing something... I promise a good and clean/ profesional job.

  3. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  4. A: Analog and digital... because everything's just a tool... the real stuff comes from the heart!!

  5. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  6. A: Everything!

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

  8. A: Q: Are you good? A: I don't know... you tell me!!

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

  10. A: The fact that I'm a latin musician usually makes people believe that I can't play other styles... that's of course till they listen to my work...

  11. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  12. A: Basically tecnical stuff

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

  14. A: To come well prepared and open for new ideas.

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

  16. A: Guitar, harmonica, solar panel, iPhone and headphones

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

  18. A: I started to learn to play guitar at the age of nine, I've started the gigs thing at 14, I started traveling to Europe at the age of 18. Currently I'm 41 so basically It's has been like 27 years now.... Oh my!

  19. Q: How would you describe your style?

  20. A: Universal.

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

  22. A: If my 7 years old son doesn't sing it by the end of the session... then there's something wrong!!!

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

  24. A: Pop music, latin music.

  25. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  26. A: Musicality.

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

  28. A: I try to bring textures for added depth, but depending on the style, I always try to emphasize the direction of the song towards certain mood or feeling.

  29. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  30. A: I'm running Pro Tools 10 thru an Universal Audio-Apollo Twin Interface, a pair of Tannoy monitors, a Suhr Custom Classic guitar (Strat), a Les Paul guitar... a Suhr Corso Amp Head with a Quilter Vintage 1X12 Cabinet mic'ed with a Shure SM57 for the electric setup... a AKG 414 for a Taylor steel str guitar and a Lori Vintage bass.

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

  32. A: Michael Landau, Michael Thompson, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Pat Metheny, etc.

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

  34. A: Session guitarist, bassist, keyboards, music production, arrangements, Beat Detective/ quantize live drums & percussion tracks, vocal comp/ tuning, etc.

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