Session Guitarist, Producer

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I've been producing some songs for an Italian vocal quartet called the Super 4, runner up at X-Factor Romania in 2020.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both, although digital technology (especially guitar modelers) has taken giant steps forward, and it makes easier to keep the creative process fresh and quick.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The creative process

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

A: Some people believe that a good production can fix a weak song. It does to some extent, but it's always better if you have a great song to begin with!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What do you expect from my work? Are you sure this is the right direction for your song?

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

A: Talk, talk, talk. Don't be afraid to ask all the questions you have in advance to understand if you're on the same track and he's the right person to work on your music.

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

A: Tough one, let's see.. Fractal Audio Axe-FX3, Les Paul 59 reissue, Suhr Pete Thorn signature, my laptop and Adam S2A monitors.

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

A: I started playing piano when I was 7, then I switched to drums and guitars at age 12, and finally focused on guitar since I was 19. I graduated at Berklee College of Music in 2003, and since then I've been working with a few bands and solo artists both in studio and live, both in Italy and abroad.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: As a guitarist, I try to stay as neutral as possible. Usually it's the song and the production that inspire a particular direction.

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

A: U2, Coldplay and Muse. Growing up as a fan of theirs, I would love to see the creative process behind their music in person!

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Don't over produce to mask the weakness of a song, but rather to enhance its strength!

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

A: Pop rock would be my comfort zone, but I have experience in other genres, from EDM to funk to ambient.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I think I'm pretty good as providing the right guitar tone / part, especially in the pop-rock context.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: It ultimately depends on the song really. I try and bring what it demands, whether it's emotion, groove, feel, tone..

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: If I have to track guitars on an existing project, I usually talk to the producer to fully understand what he's looking for and I take it from there. If I'm the producer, I generally have the big picture somewhat in my head and I try and let it out as quickly as possible to keep ideas fresh.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Being primarily a session guitarist, I have loads of guitar gear, more than a dozen guitars, amps, processors, fx etc. As far as producing, I mostly work "in the box", using Logic Pro, an RME interface and loads of plug ins for fx and virtual instruments, but I usually record guitars through real gear or digital modelers, depending on the project I'm working on. I also have a decent collection of mic's (Neumann, Aston, Shure etc) in case I need to record vocals, acoustic guitars, percussions etc.

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

A: I like all kinds of music, from Led Zeppelin to Dua Lipa and everything in between. If I had to name a few, I'd pick Michael Landau and Jeff Beck as guitarists, Eno and Lanois and their work as producers with U2.

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

A: As a professional session guitarist and producer, my work ranges from tracking guitars on an existing project to creating a full arrangement / production from rough demo to final mix.