Miguel Simoes on SoundBetter

160 published songs by Sony, Universal & more. I write, record and mix acoustic guitars, been doing so professionally since 2013. Now I want to help you achieve the sound you want.

I mostly work with acoustic music - Folk, Latin, Acoustic Pop, Classical & Spanish Guitar, Bossa Nova - you name it! Whether you have a very strong idea of what you want, or prefer to give me a certain degree of creative freedom, I'm here to help you bring your musical vision to life.

Please follow these guidelines to get your files ready:

- Create separate audio files for the vocals, backing vocals and each instrument. Make sure you turn off the effects (no Reverb, no Delay, etc.) and that there’s no clipping. Please bounce all files as WAV or MP3 and from the same starting point (for example: all files start 1 bar before the actual song starts).
- If your song was recorded to a click track, note down the BPM.

Background:
I started playing guitar at age 12 and recording music at age 15. After finishing a Master's degree and working as an Architect, the music bug was still there and growing stronger. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to study Audio Technology & Guitar Performance at London Music School, where I received the following distinction: "Audio and Sound Engineering Student of the Year 2012". After doing some studio work and teaching guitar for London Music School and London Guitar Academy, I got my 1st co-written album published in 2014 by the label KPM, and it's been non stop ever since! I currently work from my own studio in Barcelona.

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

Credits

Over 160 songs published by Sony Universal and more.

3 Reviews

Endorse Miguel Simoes

by Travis Ference
Verified (Client)
Miguel was extremely easy to work with. Very professional and timely with communication. Not to mention he brought a great song to work with!
by Calvin
Miguel is a talented guitarist, composer, and producer. I've turned to him countless times for various projects, especially when it comes to capturing the essence of Spanish or Classical styles with his nylon-string acoustic playing. Not only is he highly skilled, but he's also just a great person to work with. I can't recommend him enough!
by Rea B
Miguel wrote and recorded some great guitar parts for one of my songs, plus he mixed them really well so at that point the song was pretty much ready for mastering! Totally recommended

Interview with Miguel Simoes

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: An album titled Nylectronica, co-written between me and the talented Gabriel Gould-Davies, with the following concept: Organic acoustic guitar, delicately placed over smooth, sophisticated electronica. We basically wanted to create an interesting fusion, I wrote the nylon string guitar arrangements, he took care of the electronica part and we decided to name it Nylectronica. We presented the idea to Sony and it was a success. I remember going to a meeting at the Sony ATV Music Publishing building in London and being told that we had invented a new style which did not exist in their music catalogue. I could not believe it!!!
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: Some people think I need a muse or a visual source of inspiration such as a beautiful landscape to write music. I know this for a fact because I've been asked, more than once. This might work for some but my source of inspiration simply consists of pursuing beautiful sounds, chords and melodies. It's a sonic inspiration, rather than visual.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Develop your song as much as you can and make it sound as good as you can before I come into play, because that is gonna be the starting point for me to keep on developing your work...Starting from a solid base will likely produce greater results!
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: That's an easy one for me, my computer (so I can use my DAW), monitors, interface, my Shure KSM 141 stereo mic pair and a solar panel charger! Hopefully it's very sunny out there on that desert island! That and my acoustic and classical guitar (that does not count as "gear", does it?), plus cables to connect everything (please!)
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I actually studied Architecture but wanted to be a musician ever since I can remember. I always had the feeling that it was a risky path, but I was not feeling fulfilled and decided to take a leap of faith and study Audio Technology and Guitar Performance at London Music School. This combination of subjects was perfect for me and it eventually led me to co-write my first production music album which got published by KPM in 2014. From that moment on I kept on writing music and signing contracts with publishers and I currently have more than 160 published tracks. Some of these are the result of solo work and many are the result of collaborations. I've now decided to use my expertise here at Soundbetter to help other artists elevate their tracks and reach the sound they want.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both, as long as the end result is great!
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: It's a minimal yet very effective setup for what I do, got a great RME babyface interface and over the years I've acquired some outstanding mics that work really well for guitar recordings. As for the electric guitars I've got a couple of sweet pedal boards that allow me to explore a vast array of sounds. Apart from that, I have many instruments, both percussive and melodic, plus a MIDI keyboard and some virtual instruments too. The walls of the room are soundproofed and have sound panels that are strategically placed to control the reverberation. I work with Pro Tools and use Citronic ST active studio monitors.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: Always working on my next album!
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: I've worked with the mixing engineer Travis Ference a few years ago and I was quite satisfied with the whole process and end results, everything was very easy.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I promise to put all my attention and focus on your music as if it were mine.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I enjoy the whole process, but when a song is finished and you hit play, that's a glorious moment!
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I ask for musical references! It's also important for me to know if the client has a very strong idea of what he wants, or if there's a certain degree of freedom for me to experiment. Every case is different!
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Aesthetic, detailed, pleasing.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: Jacob Collier because who wouldn't!
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: When working on a song I often just go for a walk and melodies start appearing in my head, so I just sing and record those melodies using my smartphone. Later on I try them on the guitar. Works for me at least!
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Acoustic & Folk however I've worked with other styles that I'm also comfortable with, such as bossa nova, latin music, flamenco, classical and jazz.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My guitar playing combined with years of experience recording and producing.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I'm always searching for interesting fingerpicking and/or strumming patterns that can elevate your song and make it more unique.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: I choose the guitar best suited for the brief and start with chord progressions. Once the structure is there then I start adding melodies and/or more colors and textures. I use Pro Tools and record quite a few takes and edit a lot, as I strive for perfection. I always ask clients to send over STEMS, whenever possible.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: So many...from artists such as Nick Drake and Elliott Smith to film composers such as Hans Zimmer, Thomas Newman and Gustavo Santaolalla to crazy supertalented Snarky Puppy and Jacob Collier! Also, if you haven't yet please check out MARO, she has such an amazing voice.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I mostly record and mix guitars, I can either create something from scratch or follow defined guidelines, that's up to each client!

Miguel Simoes - Mashup of Various Songs

I was the composer, performer, recording and mixing engineer of all the instruments in this production

Acoustic GuitarAverage price - $300 per song
Classical GuitarAverage price - $300 per song
Full instrumental productionContact for pricing

Turnaround time - approx. 5 to 10 working days. 1 minor revision included in price (mostly mix adjustments). For more complex revisions, such as re-recording guitars, there’s a $30/hour studio rate.