Ítalo Sales on SoundBetter

Guitars

Hi! I'm Ítalo, a guitar player based in Recife, in the state of Pernambuco, Brasil. I was on cruise ships from 2019 to 2023 in many production shows, where I played as sideman for artists from all over the world. Before that, I was working at home since 2008 with many artists, from local traditional musical genres to mainstream pop and rock cover bands. Right now I'm in the band of a well-known brazilian pop artist - Almério. I could say that I'm very comfortable recording latin, pop, rock and funk, both on electric and steel-string acoustic guitars (you can see my gear list on the right side of this profile page). Feel free to send me your ideas at anytime. I've created this profile on Soundbetter so I could expand my studio hours and collaborate with composers and producers worldwide, with the deserved respect, dedication and attention to your musical projects.

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Credits

1 Reviews

Endorse Ítalo Sales

by Danillo S.
I Have Worked with Italo for many years, sharing the stage and Studio Session, recently I have requested his services to track Guitars (Both Acoustic and Electric) and I can say that I’m very satisfied and impressed by his performance and professionalism into delivery the product, he is not only very fast into finishing the tracks also he goes above and beyond to be very accurate with each style and Sound resulting into a Great Job.

Interview with Ítalo Sales

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I was the guitar player for Elza Soares in 2015 for a couple of shows. She was a force, one of the best brazilian singers ever. On records, I am proud of an album called "Feliz Pra Danar", by Maria Lafaette. I was also the guitar player on that album for most of the tracks.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: I am recording an online course for music students trying to pass the solfeggio exam required in conservatoires and universities entries.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Yes. Danillo Silva (bassist / producer).
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: For me, digital. Because it is now (2024) very reliable and delivers high quality results. Guitar playing is still analog, anyway.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: Deliver the best guitar playing I can do for their songs.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The eternal need of a different creative path for each project (and yet we still sound like ourselves).
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: If I can mic the acoustic. I still can not do that, unfortunatelly. My usual example is: I use direct line out from my Taylor combined with room simulations and stereo/overdubbed panning.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: I don't work with loud/real amps in a room. Only great simulations (and that's a good misconception. Means it's working).
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: 1 - Type of release (single, album, tv add...) 2 - Musical references 3 - Is there a deadline? I work fast, but I like to check it.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Reading the recommendations is probably the best way to encourage yourself to contact a pro. After that step, try chating a little bit about what you want. To me, felling confortable in this conversation is the key to a nice recording process later.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Acoustic guitar, havaianas, hammock, frying pan, nice trunks.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I play the guitar since 2001. Academically speaking, I went to my state's Music Conservatoire years later, in 2007, then got my graduation (2012) and Master's degree (2018) in Music at the Federal University of Pernambuco. Between 2008 and 2018, I played weddings for six years, released an instrumental album that received a prize on a "new talents of jazz" contest, and also worked as sideman for many local and national artists. Between 2019 and 2023 I was working on cruise ships all over the world, as a showband musician. Now I am back in Brasil (I live in Recife, a big city in the northeast region), and I am now the electric guitar teacher at the same State Conservatoire I went to, when I was a teenager, besides still playing as sideman for multiple artists.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: I would say I am a rock/funk guitarist who grew up listening very carefully to other musical genres.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Lee Sklar. I just love every bass line he's created.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Playing lightly is the rule #1 for studio work with guitars.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Rock, latin (brazilian, cuban), funk and jazz.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: I can say I am a good improviser/soloist on a funk/rock environment, and rythmically strong on groovy guitar parts.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I try to come out with guitar lines that, first, fit and season the groove. I am fan of funk, pop, motown and rock guitar, but I love to play and learn multiple genres, paying attention and respecting each one's idiosyncrasies.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I ask for reference songs before I start building the tones for each part/track. I usually double everything except for distorted solos, and record both direct and main out signals coming from my multiFX device (practical in reamping situations, if desired).
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: It's a very simple home recording studio, with a pair of monitors, nice headphones, a macbook pro, and an audio interface with good pre amps. I am not able to record mic'ed amps here, since I don't have an isolated environment (yet). I have been achieving great results with my PodGo (Line6) combined with multiple plugins and cabinets IR's.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Steve Lukather, Leland Sklar, Ella Feingold, Freddie Washington, Carol Kaye, among others.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: Numer one on this list would be playing live (I can say I'm a busy sideman. I love it), then number two is teaching guitar, and three is recording.