Arnaud Bascuñana on SoundBetter

Hi, I'm Arnaud Bascunana, a recording engineer and producer from Paris with more than 50 considerably successful albums under my belt in France and Europe (Gipsy Kings, Khaled, M, Deportivo..). I'm versatile but specialized in Alternative Rock.

What can I say, I'm just a guy with a huge passion for music. I fell into it young enough to be unable to get out of it now.
I picked my first guitar up at 6 and have never let it down. I was lulled by Guns N Roses, Metallica and Led Zep early which opened an endless quench for any type of rock music till this day, my motto being curiosity, passion and hard work. I need to be involved and in the middle of this artistic manoeuver, this has become vital.
I have 15 years of training and experience with my first album ever as a producer, engineer and mixer hitting the gold record in 2004 in France with the band Deportivo which marked a turning point in my career.
I have worked on over 60 records and singles worldwide, including indie and renown artists.
My favorite recording process : LIVE!!! the best way to get an immediate global overview of the song.
I love to track bands in the same room with very few isolation techniques. I have no problem dealing with bleed-over.
The only element I won't track near a drumkit are the lead vocals.

Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.

Credits

AllMusic verified credits for Arnaud Bascunana

Thulium
Thulium
Babylon Circus
Akim El Sikameya
Akim El Sikameya
Olivia Baum
Olivia Baum
Olivia Baum
No One Is Innocent
Rocé
Franck Monnet
Franck Monnet
Déportivo
Déportivo
Gipsy Kings
Mamani Keïta
Yvan Le Bolloc'h
-M-
Enzo Enzo
Richard Bona
Alexis HK
Daniel Lavoie
Daniel Lavoie
Khaled
Julie Delpy
Julie Delpy
Julie Delpy
Julie Delpy
-M-
Nâdiya
Calaska
Calaska
Axel Bauer
Three Sixes
Thulium
Thulium

4 Reviews

Endorse Arnaud Bascuñana

by Palem
Working with Arnaud was awesome. He both understands what you aim for and gives your music another dimension, always taking you further than expected. The experience of recording and being produced by him felt way too short. He has a lot to share and to suggest. This was pure and clever musical teamwork.
by LoLo
Arnaud produced the first EP of my previous band, and the result proved simply fantastic. He is extremely commited, always attentive to any request, very professional, entirely reliable, really competent, and I could not think of anyone else to produce any music I may want to record in the future. A real pleasure to work with, highly recommended!!
by Jordan
Arnaud is a very amazing Artist who shine at producing, mixing and engineering, always attentive to the music to do the best and to enhance all emotions.
I don't think someone else would have been better for our album.
by Maor Appelbaum Mastering
Arnaud is a very talented Musician / Producer / Mixer / Engineer who knows how to capture a great performance from the artists he is recording.
He has experience working on different music styles
I have done mastering for him on a lot of projects that he has worked on - it has always been a pleasure

Interview with Arnaud Bascuñana

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I might sound cheesy, but I'm proud of all the projects I've worked on. Those artists (labels / majors / indies) gave me money and trusted me to produce, record, mix and/or master their music (often from A to Z), so I gave the best of myself each and every time. But there is one project I'm really involved in that is starting to become a big part of my life: my girlfriend's band. She is a great singer, and I could not have a better chance to play guitar in her project and produce her music.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: A cool side project of a big French punk rock artist!! Last touch-ups.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I haven’t yet figured this out but I will definitely explore and recommend any professional whom, I feel, should be recommended.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I try to use the best of both worlds because each has its own, respective merits.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That I will always produce their own record, not mine!
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: I'm not a magician. Musicians need to come prepared and learned, as well as open-minded.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: To be prepared to record quickly, and obviously to have songs ready to record. Studio time is money, don't waste it!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: LOL... My GML, my 33609 and my Pro Tools rig with my UAD system... but also my fins and my mask to go fishing!!
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I started as a runner when I was 19. Then I became assistant in a big Parisian studio. But a British producer took me under his wings and made me work with him for 3 years till I turned 23. I produced my first major record in 2004 and have never stopped since then.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Obviously, I'd love to work with the bands who made me choose this job (Green Day, Foo Fighters, Slash), but also with a lot of other American artists, just because it's the musical culture that I love the most.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Too many rock productions nowadays overuse triggers for drum kits, which make everything sound pretty much the same... When using triggers, try to blend in a maximum of your room. Even a shitty booth will bring you more life and character than any trigger plug-ins on their own.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Most of my productions relate to rock music, but as a music lover, I'm always keen on working on various musical styles.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I was a Pro Tools operator for years on big major label productions, and I can say that I can do anything with this "toy".
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: For me, pushing a song the furthest means dissecting it meticulously. The tonality, the tempo and obviously the structure will be tested in order to improve the song and to bring it in the best direction possible.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Working with a band is always cool, but I favor live recordings, as they quickly give you a good overview of the song and still let you add overdubs and vocals. When recording live, I always want to have a dummy vocal track so I can keep the focus on the song itself.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My studio in Paris is very simple: a medium-sized live room with two booths (for amplifiers or singers), a comfortable control room with an SSL 4K E, cool mics such as the U47 and U67, and all I need to track live bands. I also use a lot of UAD plug-ins, as these emulations sound really good, which I can confidently confirm as I own some original hardware gear that UAD has replicated.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Rick Rubin and Steve Albini are my "Gods" production wise. My favorite mixers are Chris Lord Alge and Joe Baresi.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: My clients call me to record their music using the most accurate techniques. My goal is to provide them with the means to express their music the best they can.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love the opportunity of meeting different people on different projects. There's no routine.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I think that my style is authentic and classic. I'm not trying to bring new tones, but trying to use the best ones.