Techno - Mix, Mastering, Ghost

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

A: Believing that a mediocre product can magically become an international hit after Mastering. Everything is possible, but every situation requires targeted approaches. In some cases, clients think that recommending an upstream work such as a Mix rather than a Master, or a rearrangement of the song, or even the replacement of key elements, is only a ploy we adopt to make us pay more. My policy is to offer the maximum possible result that my studio can offer. Obviously, in some situations, the budget is tight, and the customer must accept the limitations that can arise from less than optimal work.

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

A: I'm born in 1978, i started playing with music when i was only a child. There wasn't Youtube, Forums and socials: making my first step into music wasn't easy at all, but as counterpart, was really fun and engaging, because everything felt like a new discover, and experimentation was the only way to go; this is probably why present generation isn't so inspired, and everything sound the same. In the beginning, there was OctaMED, a 4 channels Tracker for AMIGA, that later took me on FastTracker2. Finally, in 1997 i started my musical career with my first vinyl print, a full project made in FastTracker2 with my 120hz DX2 CPU. After many years, i decided to increase my technical knowledge: i started follow sessions, classrooms and seminars, followed by online schools like DubSpot, Berklee, PointBlank and Mastering Academy, to increase my mixing and mastering skills, not to mention all the minor session by other services, online and not. Now im running a professional studio, with analog high-end gears and synths, for mixing, mastering and production tasks.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Of course my trained and reliable ears. This come from thousands of hours sitting in front of a desk, drinking coffee (and not only), and spending a lot of money to improve the quality of my sound. I guarantee that every project is treated as my own project, with the same attention to details, and the same passion that has brought me to where I am now. After all, we are passionate producers, true music lovers, that want something more, something different and unique.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: The target of my studio, is to take an audio mix and prepare it for distribution with the most advanced techniques and the best analog outboards available. Adding warmth, punch, depth, tridimensionality, color, excitement, power, brightness and clarity, has never been so close and possible for you. Mastering it's not only about limiting and pushing levels to the max, it's critical listening with the best possible acoustic conditions and high end audio equipment.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: The first step is getting in touch with the artist, analyse the track and get rid of potential problems and weaknesses. This is why I want to constantly be in contact with the artist, and work as a team, to bring at his/her attention what's wrong from my perspective, and bring on the table the solution. Improving a production does not only mean taking care of the technical aspect, the thing that really matter, is the artistic part. A careful choice of the elements, can avoid certain situation where something is missing, or the final message is not strong enought. If the sound selection don't fit the genre, or sound instruments are not coming together in the right way, the final mix will sound incomplete, and as a result, the final impact of your track will be limited.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I'm offering a modern Mastering approach, working with an hybrid system, giving you the "best of both worlds": digital clarity, analog warmth. AUDIO EDITING Wavelab Pro 11 Spectral Layers Pro 8 ANALOG OUTBOARDS Limiters Bettermaker DarthLimiter Dynamics Dangerous Music Compressor Empirical Labs Distressor EL8x (Paired) Empirical Labs Fatso EL7x Manley Nu Mu Compressor Roger Foote FCS P3S ME Distortion Thermionic Culture Vulture (20th Anniversary Limited Edition) Equalizers Dangerous Music Bax EQ GML 8200 Daking Mic-Pre MKII SUMMING MIXER, MASTERING CONSOLE Dangerous Music 2-Bus LT Crookwood M3-7AI Mastering Console Crookwood Mix-Master Optional Card Crookwood Trimmer Pack Optional Card AD/DA CONVERTERS, AUDIO INTERFACES Dangerous AD+ Dangerous Convert-2 Ferrofish A16 MK2 (x2) RME HDSPe MADI RME HDSPe AIO Pro LISTENING SYSTEMS, ANALYZERS PMC TwoTwo8 Loudspeakers Audioscope Model 2813-E With a large selection of hardware synthesizers, from classic analog vintage to modern digital units, the best professional analog outboard gears for processing and years of experience in production and sound design, my purpose is to stand out from the masses, close the gap from an unfinished song and a final professional product. SYNTHESIZERS LINE-UP Access Music Virus TI2 Desktop (Whiteout Limited Edition) AKAI S3000 XL Clavia Nordrack 1 (Expanded 12 Voices) Clavia Nordrack 3 Dave Smith Instruments MoPho E-MU Planet Phatt E-MU Orbit 9090 V2 E-MU Ultra Proteus E-MU Planet Earth Future Retro 777 Korg MS2000R Korg Wavestation A/D Novation Supernova Roland JP-8080 Roland Super JD 990 Roland TB-303 Roland V-Synth XT Waldorf Blofeld Waldorf MicroQ Waldorf Microwave XT (Shadow Edition, Expanded 30 Voices) Waldorf Pulse 2 Yamaha FS1R Yamaha TX81Z Yamaha TX802

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

A: There are many legends in my dream's book, but the very first artist that inspired me was ATB. In the nineties, when I was at the very beginning of my journey, he was my reference, speaking of sound quality and creativity. Why he's my choice? He has remained true to himself, I admire and respect him like no other.

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

A: My first vinyl print in 1997: it opened to me a whole world, it was my biggest conquer, at a time, a real dream that has come true. A full project made by 32 mono channels, a lot of different patterns and delay made manually (volume fades, because there wasn't any plugin available at the time), everything played by FastTracker2 vertically and using hexadecimal parameters (a true nightmare: how could I do it!?) with my faithful Soundblaster AWE32 audio card. In that precise moment I understood what my vocation was.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: This Interview.

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

A: Sincerely, I'm not aware of someone I know.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Why not both!? As said, digital can offer precision and clarity, total control over automations and quick use. Analog can offer vibrant, lively sound, depth and warmth, richness. It may seem obvious but, the difference between analog and digital is minimal when taken individually, but overall, it is audible, and still makes a difference.

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

A: A pleasant experience, a relaxed atmosphere, a friendly approach, and last but not least, an high quality result.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Is this really a question!? "If you do what you love in life, you won't work a day" - Confucio

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

A: Sounds like a meme but, it's a true story: - Client: I know studios that do this for less. - Me: We know client that pay more for better results. Usually people ask for better prices and discounts, but you always get for what you paid. Obviously loyal customers are treated with special attention, discounts and free consultations are offered, it is a relationship that is created over time, and I'm the first to appreciate and value it.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Their goal.

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

A: If you are going to send us Stems for mixing a project, be organised, name every track carefully, add text files with everything can be of use (BPM, Scales, references, etc.). Send only 48khz@32Bit Floating Point files. Always try to be professional, it's an excellent business card: nobody likes to work in chaos.

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

A: I'll take with me my first ever toy: my beloved Roland TB-303 Bassline. it was the first brick on which I built my career, I could never do without it.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Emotionally sad and melancholy, with a touch of madness.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: I see hundreds of "mentors" giving production tips & tricks everywhere, I think by now everything has been said, even if mostly in the wrong way. But no one talk about the one that really matter: motivation. Your journey is full of ups and downs, and i can't remember how many times i said to myself " I'm going to sell everything, f*ck music production!". Stay true to yourself, don't waste time being jealous of other peoples conquers, this will distract you from reaching your own goals. Focus on your growth, time and devotion will speak for you one day or another.

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

A: Techno and all its sub-generes.

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

A: Artists: Tale Of Us, Ben Bohmer, Enrico Sangiuliano, Fideles, Mind Against, Camelphat, D. Ramirez. Technicians: Luca Pretolesi, Friedemann Tischmeyer.

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

A: Mixing, Mastering, Production & Ghost Production, Co-Production, Finalising Projects, Arrangement & Structure, Mentoring.