Pro Sax & EWI Player

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

A: Yes, his name is Matias Menarguez, professional drummer, New Jersey, USA.

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

A: Last year I did the horn arrangements and recorded the saxophones for a rock group in Argentina called "El globo infernal", I really liked how the arrangements of that production turned out.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I am currently presenting the music from my second solo album, I am composing new music, I am also recording sessions for Los Gardelitos (Rock) and recording tracks for a producer in the USA.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. Cheaper and easier to transport. Today the quality of digital is very very high. Now if we all record at Abby Road, ok, analog!

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

A: I will give everything to achieve what you are looking for.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: What I like the most about my job is that I never know exactly what tomorrow awaits me, at any moment my cell phone can ring for a new recording, for a new concert or a new tour.

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

A: Could you record this track for me? I always answer, YES!

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

A: It often happens that some producers with little experience imagine that a track is developed and recorded in only 10 minutes. No matter how experienced you are, recording a track takes much more than 10 minutes because it requires your attentive ear, your musical criteria and your instrumental technique (which takes many years to develop).

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What saxophone do they want or imagine for the track, how much time do we have to make the recording, what references can they give me to understand what he wants from my track.

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

A: Let him ask all that is necessary until he achieves exactly what he is looking for.

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

A: an audio interface, a microphone, headphones, macbook and my tenor sax.

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

A: As a session musician I have been playing with different groups from Argentina for 15 years, such as Los Pericos (Rock and Regge), Truf (Rock), Los Totora (Latin music), Los Gardelitos (Rock), Anto Cirillo (Pop), Livin' Soul Project (Soul and Funk), Clara Cantore (Flok Music), Artistry Big Band (Jazz) and the Bahía Blanca Symphony Orchestra (classical music) just to mention a few groups. I have been playing the saxophone for 25 years and in my solo career I have two albums as a bandleader and composer, you can find my albums on all digital platforms (Juan Torres Fernández, my first album "Tráfico" and the second "Cambios").

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is usually frontal (sound with presence and personality) and flexible (I can easily adapt to different musical styles).

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

A: I would like to work with Luis Miguel for the quality of sound, for the category of arrangements and for the intuitive precision that is needed to be part of his band.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Always listen carefully to everything that is happening in the song. The rhythm and melody usually have all the information we need to add to the development of the music.

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

A: I often loose work with styles like Jazz, Rock, Pop and Latin music.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I consider myself a great soloist and an excellent saxophonist. I have developed technically with my instrument to solve all kinds of musical situations, I have also prepared myself harmonically and rhythmically to understand and listen clearly to what the different genres and musical styles require.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: In principle I try to provide exactly what the music producer asks of me and from my interpretation I seek to add a clean, clear and precise execution. From the musical point of view, I open and put my ears on alert to feel what the song is asking for, dynamics, ornaments, vibratos, articulations, everything available to be used in its proper measure and thus also add musically.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: First I receive the audio material from the client, download it to my machine and listen carefully. After the listening process, I corroborate the indications of the productro and if there are doubts, I consult to clear them up. Once the producer and I agree, I begin the recording process, taking as much time as necessary to achieve what the music needs. Then I send the tracks to be reviewed and if necessary, corrections are made that the client needs. The tracks are delivered in WAV format and clean, without any audio process, so that the mixing engineer can work on them at ease.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: In my studio I have a Universal Auido interface, Apollo Twin X model, with dynamic microphones such as Electro Voice RE-20 and Shuere Beta 98, a Neumann TLM 103 condenser, Yamaha HS5 monitors and Bayerdinamic DT770 Pro headphones. I use Logic Pro X on MacBook Pro. The instruments that help me find the sound I have in mind are: Yamaha 82Z Custom Soprano Saxophone, Yamaha 62 Alto Saxophone and Selmer Super Balanced Tenor Saxophone. I also have the possibility of recording MIDI with the AKAI EWI 5000 controller.

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

A: Musicians like Dan Higgins, Ted Nash, Ed Calle, Bob Mintzer, Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Donald Fagen, Vinnie Colaiuta, The Hornheads, Kirk Whalum, Pat Metheny, Paul McCartney, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power, and many others. others that are inspiration to go for a deep search of sound quality, execution and professionalism when putting REC in my studio.

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

A: The work that I often do for my clients is the recording of saxophone tracks, they are usually soprano, alto and/or tenor sax.