Mariachi and Regional Mexicano

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

A: I played vihuela for a middle east protest song. I love that style of music, and being able to help in a production like that and know that my vihuela playing just broke geographic boundaries, really blew my mind.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm working on a 5 song contract with a client in Ohio, recording requinto, bass, tuba (vst) Sinaloa style and armonía, so they can mix it with the singer tracks later. Also Im producing a Julio Iglesias cover for a recurrent client from Arizona.

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

A: I'm new. Sorry.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both. Because of my context, I have to use only digital plugins to mix, but if I can use a guitar instead of a digital piano, or an electric bass instead of a quantized programmed one, I'll go with those instruments I know will sound more human. Also, analog equipment brings warmth and life to the final work, but we have to be realistic and accept that is more expensive and contra intuitive sometimes.

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

A: Commitment, responsibility, style and cleanness

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Creating and letting something from my inspiration for the time it last. Knowing that if I die, my musical work can live on.

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

A: How much would It cost for me to produce a whole song? R: well, for a 4 track song (guitar, bass, percussion and a lead instruments), it would cost 2000 dollars and up. That happened me just yesterday and the potential client just said "wow thanks for taking the time to answer, good bye"

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

A: That because I'm Mexican, the work I do will be cheaper or with lower quality.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: Are you in a hurry for the tracks you're looking for? Do you have clear what are you looking for your sound or style?

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

A: Pay for quality and/or uniqueness. Don't be afraid of mixing styles so your songs can exert different vibes. Experiment with new sounds.

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

A: A nylon string guitar, a clarinet, a shaker, a tuner and extra strings and reeds

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

A: I started working as a musician/guitarrist since 2013, and as a complete amateur "sesión musician" thru Fiverr amidst the COVID pandemic, since then I've been perfecting both my equipment, abilities and sensitivity for arranging and producing.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Natural, really human, and very versatile.

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

A: Belinda. I've been a fan since always and I feel I can do an excellent work even on a stage.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Be creative and practical. Don't have a drum set? Get a guitar hero drum set and use it as a controller (that's what I've done in the past). Don't have an accoustic treated home studio? Try and find that sweet spot that will make your sound natural and even with a bit of a natural reverb and harmonics.

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

A: I usually work with regional mexicano because, I'm sinaloense, we have some kind of sensitivity for that kind of music. But I've played for people from all over the world. One of my last works was to add "requinto" to a urban style Chinese rap called "musica taco". It was hilarious.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: I feel confident about my listening skills, both with people and with songs. I put them to work so I can bound with others ideas and create sinergy along the production process. Also, I know about almost every genre there is because of a former job as a bands guitarrist, where I played from cumbia, regetón, to rock ballads and big band.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: First of all, I like to put natural sounding passages to the song, I also have a lot of videogame music inspiration and that is because this genre has to be easy listening for it loops throughout the whole stage/game. Then, I get very passionate about the work I'm doing because of its creative nature.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: If the client wants something from scratch, I ask for at least three songs as reference and 3 keywords about the things they want to project thru their music. I listen to the reference tracks, the. I pick my guitar to start creating melodies or harmonies. When I think I came about with an idea for verse or the hook, then I start bouncing ideas with the client.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Daw: PreSonus studio one Interface: PreSonus firestudio Mics: shure beta57a for instruments; blue spark condenser for vocals

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

A: I respect what Mexican music producers had been doing recently, because I know the artist alone can't make the changes this genres needed to skyrocket to worldwide success. I don't know their names, but the artists they're working with like peso pluma or Natanael cano are making history. From there, I'm all about Jose Jose and his crew back then, Metallica, the beetles, Luis Miguel.

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

A: People often seek me if they want some vihuela played to add "Mexican" sound to their songs. And because Mexican music has gained a lot of popularity recently, I also have some clients wanting me to play some corridos style guitars, thru my 12 string guitar.