Mixing, Mastering & Production

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

A: Callejón Gonzalez stands out — I worked as sound engineer on a record that was tracked live in about 8 to 10 days, which meant making real-time sound decisions on the fly, a way of working I genuinely enjoy. More recently, the project I'm wrapping up with Rocky Savaglio has also been a highlight, where I was involved across production, recording, and mixing from start to finish.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A mix of productions and mixes, covering everything from pre-production to final mix, across urban, rock, acoustic, and pop projects.

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

A: Yes — LS Estudio and Nacho de la Riega.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: In an ideal world, analog. In practice, I love working in a hybrid setup — it gives me the best of both.

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

A: We don't call the work finished until you're happy with it.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Figuring out the sound of a song — finding the path it's meant to take — and then helping the artist actually convey what they're going for through the audio.

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

A: People often ask what plugin chain I use on vocals. My answer is always the same: it depends on the song. I build the chain around what that specific track needs rather than applying a fixed formula.

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

A: The idea that "it'll get fixed in the mix." Mixing can do a lot, but it's not a substitute for getting the fundamentals right earlier in the process.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What do you want the song to convey? What references have you used, or think could help get it across the finish line? And before we start, is there room to try some different things, or would you rather we stick closely to the idea as it stands?

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

A: Talk it through before you start. Coming in with a clear idea of what you want — and communicating it up front — makes all the difference, rather than leaving things to chance once the work is already underway.

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

A: My Universal Audio Apollo, my Dynaudio BM5 MKII monitors, my Petrúngaro tube condenser mic, my Ovie 2254C compressor, and my API Lunchbox.

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

A: I knew I wanted to work in music but wasn't sure exactly where I fit in — until the day I sat in on a recording session and realized that was it. I studied music before finding my way into a music production degree, and I've been doing this professionally for 13 years. I started out recording from a bedroom in my house, then converted that same room into a proper tracking space. From there I moved into a purpose-built studio, and I've since remodeled that space into what Barboza Estudio is today: two recording rooms, an iso booth, and a spacious control room. It's a journey I couldn't have pictured 10 years ago.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Close, attentive, and careful, always with a genuine drive to make things work better and see them through.

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

A: John Mayer. As a producer he has a complete musical vision — not just technical skill, but a broader sense of where a song should go — and an exceptional ear.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Sometimes less is more.

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

A: Rock, pop, indie pop, folk, acoustic, and urban.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Critical judgment — an ear sharpened by years of hands-on work across recording and mixing. That, plus the flexibility to adapt my process to each artist rather than forcing every project through the same formula.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: A fresh set of ears. I don't come in looking to reinvent what's already there — my goal is to enhance it, bring out what's already working, and wrap the whole thing in a professional finish.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: It starts with understanding the song and what the artist — or whoever is hiring me — actually needs. From there, if recording is involved, we track the material and send it over so the client can check it against what was agreed, making any corrections along the way. Once we move into mixing, I ask for a reference mix or a few reference songs to get a clear sense of where we're headed, and the process becomes a back-and-forth with the client until we land exactly where they want to be.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: Barboza Estudio is built around a hybrid analog/digital signal chain. On the front end I've got a strong preamp selection — API Lunchbox, Neve 511s, API 512c, Martin Donato MD-498, and Universal Audio Apollo units — feeding a mic locker that covers everything from classic dynamics (Shure SM57, Sennheiser MD421) to characterful large-diaphragms and ribbons (AEA R84, Coles 4038, a Petrúngaro tube condenser, PBM U87). For outboard processing I rely on the Ovie 2254C compressor and Martin Donato MD-192/MD-4000 for EQ and dynamics, converted through an Apogee Rosetta AD. Monitoring runs through Dynaudio BM5 MKIIs, and the room has a small backline (acoustic and electric guitars, bass, upright and digital piano, and a Tama Silverstar drum kit) so bands can track live when a project calls for it. Happy to send over the full technical rider if it's useful.

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

A: I draw from a mix of local and international references. On the Argentine side, Nico Cotton and Edu Bergallo; internationally, John Mayer and Coldplay. As for specific records, I keep coming back to Fito Páez's El amor después del amor and Charly García's Clics Modernos, along with Queen's A Night at the Opera and John Mayer's Born and Raised — records that still hold up as references for songwriting, arrangement, and sound.

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

A: The three services clients come to me for most often are production, recording, and mixing. Depending on the project I might join for just one of those stages, or guide a song through the whole journey — from a rough idea in pre-production all the way to a finished, polished mix.