Louis Ochoa on SoundBetter

Electric Bass Player with 20+ years experience, my work has been focused on anime and video game soundtracks (Final Fantasy XIII & XV, Kingdom Hearts, Rise of the Shield Hero, Dr. Stone) so I've developed a sound that's heavy on the groove and can be aggressive but tasteful. That doesn't mean i can't play pocket grooves though :)

Busy gigging in Boston but I have had the good fortune to have been able to record for a number of anime and videogame soundtracks over the years (Final Fantasy XIII & XV, Kingdom Hearts, Rise of the Shield Hero, Dr. Stone). I do remote recording primarily, with an RME audio interface, and using Reaper as my DAW. Most of the work that I've done have been in Metal, Rock, and Pop genres but I'm equally capable of doing R&B and funk.

I've been playing bass for 30+ years now, have been playing for the past 12+ years with the Video Game Orchestra and was the bass player and vocalist for the Sonic (the Hedgehog) Symphony. I'm still finding ways to improve, to adopt to more modern sounds and styles, and I apply all the experience I have performing live into any studio project that I do. Even though I mostly do "remote" recording nowadays, I like to work closely with clients to make sure I properly support the vision of their music.

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English
Filipino

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Interview with Louis Ochoa

Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I usually request the song demo and the BPM or click track (and double check the sample rate & bit depth). A chart is sometimes provided, either chords, tabs, or notation, but I would write my own if needed. Sometimes, id meet with client remotely to talk through the song, we'd listen to the track or to other reference songs. After, I'd start by laying down a few rough takes, listening back and making small changes until the part sounds cohesive enough. Id either send the rough to the client or start with recording the final take based off the rough. After that, I'd do a couple more passes with some variations and usually end up with 2-3 takes to send to the client. The whole process can take a few hours to a whole day depending on the type and complexity of the song.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: My main bass is a 5-string NS Design Radius, it's very present but sits well in the mix and sounds great through DI or amp/amp-sim. I record into an RME Audio Interface (great mic-pre) and I use Reaper as my DAW. It's simple and straightforward and I can REAMP with my Radial JCR-1 with the various pedals I have. Or apply plugins if the song needs it.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: I started off playing rock and metal so bands like Metallica, Soundgarden, RHCP, and Incubus are a huge influence on my playing but as far as bass players go, pocket players like Pino Palladino, Nathan East, and Marcus Miller really inspire me to keep the focus of the bass part on the song. It's still a challenge sometimes and people have different tastes so there's always something new to be learned when working on a tune.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: As bass player, I work closely with clients to make sure the parts that I perform for their song are directly in line with their vision. I offer some creative input but never in a way that'll distract from what the song is. I usually send 1-3 different versions, either different feels or playing styles, so the client can comp the bass to however they like. Or it could be as straightforward as reading through a chart and then it'll come down to feel and dynamics, And even then, there are a variety of ways to play the song.