
Professional recording of Horn Section, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophones, harmonica and recorder. Worldmusic, Pop, LoFi Beats, Klezmer, Rock, Classic, Jazz, Latin. Composer, Arranger and Music Producer.
I play soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, harmonica and recorder. Also, I work with very professional trumpets and thrombonists, and I record Horn sections.
Throughout my career I have played many different genres, and I have a very versatile style, always looking for the needs of music and clients.
I can record scores that you send me, as well as record improvisations, rerecordings for cover license, or make arrangements with many instruments.
I like to deliver more than you ask me, because having more options at the studio it's always better.
If you need more than one instrument, the second one is 50% off.
Albums in which I have participated as an interpreter, composer and arranger in the following link:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0YhbTlPWmxSLxSfmbAOW4I?si=0575908d99584bb1
On the audio Ex. you can hear some music played, arranged and recorded by myself:
- LoFi Beat Tenor Sax
- Horn Section on "All the Way Down"
- Horn Section on 24K
- Harmonica improvisation
- Recreation of "Cantina" from Star Wars
- Alto Sax and harmonica solo in "Fly me to the moon".
- Brazilian frevo arrengment and clarinet solo.
- Klezmer Clarinet
- LoFi Beat Tenor Sax and composition.
- "Free as a Bird" (The Beatles) Woodwinds & drums version.
- LoFi Beat Baritone Sax
- Horn section on EDM medley.
Click the 'Contact' above to get in touch. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Credits
15 Reviews - 2 Repeat Clients
Endorse Manuel Rodríguez Riva- check_circleVerified
Manuel was excellent For Horns & Harmonica On My Remake Of "Do It Fluid" by The Blackbyrds! Thank you!
- check_circleVerified
It was a pleasure working with Manuel, his performance on my track was excellent, and he delivered all files prior to my deadline and included different takes. He does fantastic work, I would recommend him to anyone!
- check_circleVerified
Manuel completed truly lovely recordings on tenor and alto saxophone, even graciously re-recording takes required due to my own directional mistake. So it is with great honor that I recommend Manuel as a woodwind instrumentalist. He plays with strong technique, artistic flair, and a genuine passion for music altogether.
- check_circleVerified
As a clarinetist, Manuel recorded a part with exceptional pitch stability and an artful sense of expressiveness. I could not have asked for a better interpretation of the music. Highly recommended!
- check_circleVerified
Wow! Once again Manuel was excellent on Horns For My Remake Of "Funkin' For Jamaica" by Tom Browne! Bravo!
- check_circleVerified
Manuel Rodriguez Riva did a great job on Horns On My Remake Of "Slipping Into Darkness" by War! Bravo!
- check_circleVerified
Manuel Rodríguez Riva was EXCELLENT on Horns For My Remake Of "School Boy Crush" by Average White Band!
- check_circleVerified
Excellent once again! Manuel was wonderful on my remake of James Brown’s “Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose”. Bravo! 👍🏾
- check_circleVerified
Excellent!
- check_circleVerified
Manuel Rodriguez Riva is my guy, and he proves it again on my remake of Bernard Wright's "Haboglabotribin". He did an excellent job! Since I am usually doing my remakes from MIDI files, I am now having him replace ALL of the horn tracks!! Love Manuel and his friends, and what they bring to my projects! Bravo!
- check_circleVerified
Another excellent job by my go to guy!
- check_circleVerified
Manuel Rodriguez Riva has become my regular goto guy for sax, horn arrangements, and harmonica. Very professional with great attention to detail. He is an amazing talent and an amazing value.
- check_circleVerified
Manuel did an amazing job! He delivered great quality & was very fast. Can definitely recommend!
- check_circleVerified
An amazing job, an amazing person! Such a pleasure, and he did a video for me too! I would recommend him wholeheartedly!
- check_circleVerified
Excellent work. Precise, super fast, and a pleasure to communicate with. Will use him again!!
Interview with Manuel Rodríguez Riva
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Yes, I would recommend several friends and colleagues. Agustin Lumerman, Andrés Ollari, Pedro Alvide, Patricio Botcher for example.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I had a group for 13 years called "Assembly Chopher Rope". It was a space of training and musical experimentation, with friends that I consider brothers, with whom we recorded 4 albums, we traveled through different parts of the world, and we won some prizes. In that group, it was an interpreter, composer and arranger. We all participate in all parts of the musical process.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: At this moment I am making Horn arrangements, sheet music, and recordings for a New York producer.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Usually I use digital by custom.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That I will not finish the work until they are satisfied.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The happiness of having participated in a project of someone from anywhere in the world, and the happiness of the client.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: How long will it take to do the work. Generally I answer as soon as possible, and if something prevents me from doing it very quickly, I am honest and I respond with realistic times.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That I can understand what you need to sound without you telling me.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: As I said, what influences and what references they represent you better for what you need in this music.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: The more clear the order and the references you have to offer me, the better result we will achieve together.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: I would take instruments: clarinet, Bass Clarinet, saxophone and harmonica. Anyway, I could not record on a desert island without light xD
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I make music since I am a child. In my family there are many musicians, and I began to study when I was 5 years old. I began the study of the woodwinds when i was 14 years old, and from that moment I have had a lot of musical experiences of all kinds: recordings, live music, travel, etc. Various years ago I do full Time work with my Home Studio.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: It is an expressive personal, delicate but expressive.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would like to work with people committed to what it does. I do not care if they are famous or recognized, but I as value honesty and commitment to music.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: I like to record everything, let a while spend, and listen again with another audio playback system, with a fresh ear. If the job is fine, I will be happy, and if not, I will find what changes I need to make it.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: The music that I most do is no gender music, which is usually called "World Music". But I work with all kinds of styles really.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Expressiveness when playing melodies.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I try to contribute freshness, a living and expressive sound. I never play a melody without adding some ornament or something that makes it more human.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: First I ask very well everything I need to understand the profile of the client, if you want the music to be delicate, or aggressive, very expressive or perhaps more "cold". I ask for references and I try to understand what sound you are looking for. Once I understood that, I start working and I try to deliver as soon as possible, and whenever I can send extra tracks, since I have verified that sometimes that shoots other creative ideas to the customer who had not previously thought. Finally, I do not end up the job until the client does not tell me he is pleased. If necessary, I will re-record whatever is needed.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have an AT2020 and a pBM microphone, like the U87. I also have some other specific microphones for the instruments, but that's what the best result gives me. I have a Focusrite Scarlet 18i8, and an unsettled room.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: My inspirations are very diverse. While it is a bit trite saying, the greatest inspirations are my co-workers when it comes to making music. At the time of musical creation, one by one is where you learn the most. However, great artists who inspire me very much are: Egberto Gismonti, Brad Mehldau, Snarky Puppy, Louis Cole, Gabrielle Mirabassi, Giora Feidman, Caetano Veloso, Cannonball Adderley, Morphine, Charly Garcia, The Beatles, Marcelo Moguilevsky, just for say a few.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I record multi-instrument tracks, making an arrangement, with harmonized parts, and some improvised sections.