Red Ralph on SoundBetter

I bring multi-genre fluency and creativity to guitar recording:; with genre-appropriate guitar arrangements and solos. I write and record super groovin' bass lines in every genre, as well as keyboard/synth parts if they are within my reach. I am also a singer. So I can deliver a full production.

Hi, my name is Rafael Collado! I'm a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer. First and foremost, I am primarily a guitarist because that is the thing I am the best at: I have a keen ear for guitar arrangements in every genre and I possess technical ability for days, being an enthusiast and student of virtuosos such as John Petrucci, Brad Paisley, B.B. King, Cory Wong, and many, many more. Having said that, my skillset is very broad. I can not only record bass, but I am also a prolific bass line writer, as well as keyboards/synth and drum-programming, for which I use Superior Drummer 3 and a ton of their libraries. I am also a singer and I'm well-versed in harmonies and backing vocals.

My genre palette is also very very broad, ranging through Blues, Funk, Country, Jazz, Soul, Reggae, and Heavy Metal, among others.

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

Credits

Languages

English
Spanish

2 Reviews

Endorse Red Ralph

by Jorge Mercado (JYE)
I've known Rafa for more than 10 years and I exclusively use his guitar services on all my solo work. He has exceptional attention to detail, tone and most of all creativity. The guitar solos on all my tracks are always catchy but most of all he has the ability to adapt to the style required on the tracks without compromising HIS own unique style. His skills are second to none and I highly recommend his services.
by Isaac Jacob
Great player, one of the best I've had the pleasure of sharing the stage with.

Interview with Red Ralph

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I recorded guitars for the soundtrack of a Mexican film which will open nationally and on Netflix in a couple of months. Incredibly excited about that.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: My own Prog Metal project.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Chris McQueen from Snarky Puppy!
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: It depends on the vibe you are looking for. Digital does "analog" well these days, but there are some pieces of analog gear that I will definitely invest in when the time comes.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I will work on your song until I love it. I never work dispassionately, otherwise I'd do something else.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The creative process.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: "How much do you charge?"
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: People still confuse production and engineering.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: Which artists are you influenced by? Do you have a producer?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Read the info carefully and don't be afraid to reach out with questions.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: My PRS and Strat guitars, my laptop, a MIDI keyboard, and my Antelope.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: About 14 years. I've been a live musician for a long time, but my heart has always been in the recording studio, so I have bought every book on production and session stories and advice I could get my hands on.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Versatile. I can be a purist and I can be a mad scientist. I can make Country funky, and I can make Funk twangy. Or I can stick to the tradition. I'm extremely flexible.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Sting. The songs, the textures, the elegance.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Song and lyric structure first! Find a metric that makes sense and feels good, even if it's an unusual one. Song structure is like a movie script. It's the foundation upon which everything is built. Give it shape or you'll end up with a shapeless piece of music.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: All kinds, really. I've had clients from every genre.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Playing the guitar, easily.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: Good taste. I've listened carefully to an absurd amount of music in my life, and I have studied the inner mechanics of most styles of popular music. So I have intimate knowledge of what makes a song exciting or interesting. And as a guitarist I bring elite level skill.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I listen to the song numerous times before I even grab an instrument. I then ask the clients to describe in detail the sound or aesthetic they are looking for. If they know exactly what they want sometimes they provide references from some other recordings. If they are not so sure, then we explore the options together as I describe what the track sounds like to me. The next thing I do is grab my instrument and play along. This could be 10 minutes or 2 hours, until invariably the moment comes when I find the riff, the hook, or the sound that cracks the song open. Then it's off to the races.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I use an Antelope Zen Tour interface, which has really really good converters. I also have the Warm Audio WA67 and WA84 microphones, as well as the Antelope Edge Solo, which cover most bases well in terms of vocals and acoustic guitars. For electric guitars I use a Kemper Amp Profiler with an arsenal of thousands of profiles and impulse responses, as well as some Neural DSP plugins like the Archetype Petrucci.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I draw inspiration and influence from many, many sources. As a guitarist I am very influenced by the likes of Steve Lukather, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Brad Paisley, Brent Mason, John Mayer, and John Petrucci. I am equally inspired by other instrumentalists like Dave Weckl, Vinnie Colaiuta, Abraham Laboriel, Stevie Wonder, James Jamerson, Lee Sklar, Greg Phillinganes, Anthony Jackson, The Porcaro Brothers, and countless more. As far as production, I admire Quincy Jones, Steely Dan, Tom Scholz, Daft Punk, and many others.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Recording and arranging of electric and/or acoustic guitars. This often leads to additional services such as writing and recording a bass line that works well with the guitar arrangement and the drums, which in turn can lead to the recording of keyboards, WHICH IN TURN can lead to a full production!