Today we’d like to introduce you to Andres Melo.
Andres, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started producing music in Ojeda City, Venezuela. I first began experimenting with a software called Cool Edit Pro recording with my first band, at that time, I was around 15 years old. When I turned 18, I moved to a bigger city called Maracaibo, in hopes to find more opportunities. I started playing with other bands and I had the opportunity to assist in the recording process in a studio. Being able watch and assist in this process really called to my attention. A few years later, I opened my first recording studio called “Flamante Studio” where I had the chance to record a lot of bands and learn more about this process and industry. Years after, I became associated with Leonardo Partipilo, a very recognized person in the city who won a Latin Grammy in 2010; we made a great team and he was able to teach me a lot of things which soon led me to work with many professional musicians. Not only that, he mentored me enough that he improved my recording skills immensely which provoked me to become a better recording engineer.
Sadly, in 2014, I had to leave Venezuela because of the difficult situation it was facing. I settled in Austin, Texas to look for better opportunities. Not long after I moved to Austin, I started working with music again. I worked with SXSW for the last 3 years. A year ago, I began a new project called “The Little Box Studio” to show how itinerant I am. I can record music in any place and create excellent and professional sounds as a result. The first band I recorded was “La Real Academia” lead by Carlos de Lima, a friend of mine from Venezuela. Currently, my studio continues to grow and I have a lot more projects on the way, hoping to one day have my own recording studio which will allow me to continue producing more music and grow as an even better recording engineer.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been an easy process, mostly because I took the chance and immigrated to a completely new country, I had started all over again. At first, I could not prioritize recording music because I had to work on settling down and adapt to a whole new environment; but this didn’t stop me from working on music completely, at any chance I got, I participated and volunteered in helping other musicians record.
Please tell us about The Little Box Studio.
“The Little Box Studio” is a very itinerant recording studio, it can adjust to whatever place or area the musician chooses to record. The purpose of this project is for the artist to feel comfortable in the area they are recording in, thus resulting in a very authentic sound. It is often believed that in order to make an artist’s music sound professional the artist needs to record in an expensive studio. I created “The Little Box Studio” in order to prove that if the artist feels more comfortable recording in his/her own home or any other place they choose as an alternative to a studio, I can still make their music sound as if they recorded in an actual music studio.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from my childhood was the first time I had ever picked up an electric guitar that was plugged into an amp with effects and hearing the weird sounds it made.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1215 W. Slaughter Ln Aiston, TX 78748
- Website: www.thelittleboxstudio.com – www.andresmelo.com
- Phone: 713-447-5135
- Email: info@thelittleboxstudio.commn – info@andresmelo.com
- Instagram: meloandres – thelittlaboxstudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andres.meloa
Image Credit:
Carlos De Lima
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