Sound Engineer Music Producer

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

A: I'm now 34 and I started playing classical piano when I was 5, graduated in both classical and jazz piano studying in Milan, Amsterdam and Philadelphia. Since I was about 12 I started getting passionated about using the computer to make music so I cultivated the technological side of music graduating first in Computer since and then in Acoustic Engineering in Milan. At this point I own 2 master degrees and I have been working professionally as a musician and sound engineer from 15 years. During my career I collaborated with international artists such as Akua Naru, Martha High, Baba Sissoko, Pete Molinari and more and contributed to more than 40 records.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I have perfect pitch since childhood so I would say that my strongest skills is to refine others people music and fix any note issues if they there is any. Moreover I'm a very meticulous person and especially when it comes to mixing I like to always know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it which results in a strong workflow and in a consistent sound.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: For what cconcerns mixing and mastering I first learn the song and figure out what it needs to maximize its emotional impact. Then I start to massage each track in order to unmask it from the others and to create a bigger mix. Once every track is cleaned up I start applying my gain staging template and I work on the master. When I'm satisfied with what I got I send it to the client so that he can give me feedbacks and we can fix every little detail. For what concerns producing I first I have a longer conversation with the client and I try to understand his musical world and vision. I check his previous works and we discuss about the sound we want to achieve. Then I start working on the song both on my own and in session with the client. Usually I complete a production in 3 or 4 sessions of about 4/5 hours. Once the instrumental is almost finished I ask the client to record his vocals, for which I can assist remotely, and then I comp the vocals, refine all the details and finalize the multitrack of the production.

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

A: The most common type of work I do is mixing and mastering tracks. Sometimes that include editing the instrumentation and the vocal, tuning the vocal and fixing micro timing issues. Since for most of the clients I do both mixing and mastering I like to do them in the same session so that I can improve loudness and the client can give me mixing feedbacks while hearing already the mastered sound.

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

A: I recently worked as mixing and mastering engineer on an hip hop album from a rappers crew in Rome which will be out soon. I particularly enjoyed working on this record because it reminded me of some itallian rap I was hearing when I was a kid.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm producing two records at the moment for two young ladies in Milan and I'm almost constantly mixing and mastering music.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I love analog sounding music and analog instruments. I love both the sound they have and how nice instruments feel under the fingers when you play them. While producing I always try to use my hardware instruments and effects first. I think that's a nice and inspiring limitation when it comes to create something. When I'm mixing I always try to give some kind of analog flavour to my tracks even though I almost completely work in the box for recall and flexibility.

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

A: My promise is to make your tracks sound huge and banging from every audio system. You'll probably hear sounds that you weren't even able to hear at all in the rough mix.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: I just love music in all its forms.

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

A: Most of the time I get asked about specific things regarding the song I'm working on. I always try to follow the client vision and if I don't agree with it on some small details I try to give clear motivations.

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

A: If it takes five minutes you pay me for five minutes. If I'm able to complete a task quickly is because i spent many many years doing that and because I bought all the gear needed to do that. What you are paying for is the whole thing, not just the five minutes.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: I ask them about their musical vision, their favorite artists and what the would like to achieve with their music.

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

A: I advice to select someone that resonates with your artistic vision and that you feel could take you at least slightly ahead from where you are now in your career and knowledge of the music game.

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

A: 1. A powerful laptop computer with nice headphones 2. A nice midi keyboard 3. My Apollo interface 4. Fender stratocaster 5. Fender jazz bass

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: My style is oriented to make the music groove. I like sophisticated harmonies supported by banging drums and cool bass lines. As a mixer my style is analog sound oriented.

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

A: I really would love to work with H.E.R. The reason is that i simply love her music and I think it features all the things I love in music which are groove, great melodies and great rap, nice chords and harmonies, killing and ultra detailed productions which sound modern and yet organic and played by live musicians.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Use few devices but know them deeply

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

A: I usually work on hip-hop, r'nb, rap, jazz and any groove oriented type of music.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I can bring many things to a song. I can clear up and fix musical and harmonic issues, create parts and melodies and fix rhythmic issues so that the track grooves more. When it comes to mix and mastering I like to make loud and clear masters where the vocals are upfront and the drums are banging.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: My studio is based around my powerful digital workstation equipped with Intel i9 10 CORE, 64BG of RAM, 8GB of GPU. My I/O system is based on my two Universal Audio Apollos which are linked to a Focusrite Clarett 8 for a total of 18 analog inputs e 6 cores of UAD processing power connected to a classic pair of ADAM A77X. Since I'm a soul music lover I own a collection of vintage keys and effects like my beautiful Wurli 200A, Korg Ms20, Yamaha DX7, Roland D50, Pioneer SR 202 spring verb, lafayette spring verb and more nice objects. My studio is also equipped with an acoustic drum kit, Fender Twin amp, various guitars, electric bass and some nice microphones for recording and production such as TLM 103, KM184, C214, MD441, SM57,SM58 and more.

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

A: My favorite mixing engineers are Jaycen Joshua, Michael Brauer, Andrew Sheps and Tchad Blake. My favorite musicians are Herbie Hancock, J Dilla, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and more.