Hugo Lee

Powerful Sax solos/hooks/lines

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326 Reviews (323 Verified)
Hugo Lee on SoundBetter

Powerful solos, subtle lines, punchy hooks - professional saxophone player with years of recording experience. Performed & recorded internationally (NYC, Nashvile, LA, Berlin, London, Edinburgh, Melbourne) with a wide variety of acts- e.g. Icehouse, Andrew Farriss (INXS), Riley Pearce. Hundreds of clients, millions of streams, major labels.

My services can be as simple as playing sax over a dance track for you to chop up as you wish, producing funky horn arrangements for an R&B tune, subtle folky ambience or the classic wailing Pop/Rock Sax solo that makes you shiver inside.

“A passionate saxophonist and innovative musician” - Andrew Farriss (INXS)

“phenomenal…reminded everyone that there’s just not enough saxophone in today's Pop/Rock"- Adelaide Festival

I take utmost pride in my work and won't be satisfied until you are! I have extensive recording experience through years of session work as well as producing my own records. Trained in both Jazz (ANU/UIUC) and Classical (AMusA), my music draws from a myriad of influences: Funk, Blues, and Jazz through to Pop, Rock, House and Hip Hop. Inspired by this, I constantly explore new musical avenues to discover original sounds and styles.

I am extremely versed in the nuances of online session work and conveying creative ideas remotely:
If you know exactly what you want I can help you realize that dream, taking criticism (without egos getting in the way!) until you are satisfied. And if you don't know what you're after, I am more than happy to create the parts myself.
I also play guitar, bass, EWI, synth, percussion, electric cello, recorders/flutes and can do production & film/game score.
Please get in touch to discuss. Looking forward to working together!

I'd love to hear about your project. Click the 'Contact' button above to get in touch.

326 Reviews - 59 Repeat Clients

Endorse Hugo Lee
  1. Review by Eder S.
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    I gave him 4 stars because that the higher option available. He deserves more . Very professional and talented. God bless you Hugo. I will be back to work with you.

  2. Review by Burkay D.
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    Amazing from Hugo work again!!! Exactly what this song needed. Hugo brought so much creativity and masterful execution to my songs.

  3. Review by Burkay D.
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    Pure magic from Hugo again!! Thank you so much for bringing my song to life and adding so much vibe and complexity. Amazing work as usual!!

  4. Review by Gavin W.
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    Hugo is an exceptional musician and an absolute pleasure to work with. The files he delivered were expertly played and well recorded. He provided several takes which came in handy in the mixing process. A true pro. Thanks so much Hugo!

  5. Review by Jim Hewitt
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    Well, Hugo comes through again with just the right feel and groove for the song. Soulful, musical, and lots of takes for mixing in just the right sound. He is my go to for sax solos and fills. Oh and he gets the work done quickly. Highly recommended.

  6. Review by Fernando C.
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    I called on Hugo because I needed a saxophone part for a song I’m producing and wanted somebody to bring some nice smooth R&B style saxophone to the song. He was prompt to deliver some great saxophone parts to the songs and left me with a lot of great parts that I could incorporate into the mix.
    It was great working with Hugo and I would call upon him again.

  7. Review by Burkay D.
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    Hugo's work was AMAZING and real magic!!!! It was beyond what I imagined it could be!

  8. Review by michael s.
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    Fantastic work, fast and professional. Highly recommended!

  9. Review by Erik Steen (ERIICE)
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    Super talanted, easy to work with and fast!!

  10. Review by musicislife
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    First and foremost, Hugo is a tremendous musician, but also a very good communicator. Prompt and professional in all respects. He delivered the goods. 5 stars

  11. Review by ibiza l.
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    great musician a multi-talent always very satisfied thank you Hugo

  12. Review by Lee V.
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    by Lee V.
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    Hugo is truly awesome. Easy to work with and a very talented musician. I love the saxophone sounds he provided for two of my songs and I highly recommend hiring Hugo. Quick, flexible and awesome improvisations. I am a fan and will surely use Hugo again. Thanks Hugo..!

  13. Review by Lyu
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    Very professional ,very talented,gave me a lot of options to choose from,Highly Recommended!!!

  14. Review by Pistol
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    Fantastic! Very talented!

  15. Review by Pistol
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    Great performer and easy to work with!

  16. Review by Jon Miller
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    Hugo was amazing to work with. Not only is he a brilliant musician, but the communication, service and delivery were fantastic as well.

    He provided me with exactly what I was looking for and some improv takes too, which added more variety to my song.

    I know who to ask again when I need some saxophone!

  17. Review by Seth R.
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    Amazing sax player and fantastic person to deal with. Can't wait to work with Hugo again!

  18. Review by Christopher L.
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    Brilliant communications and attention to detail.
    Highly recommended.

  19. Review by Bobby J.
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    This guy does awesome work!

  20. Review by Waldek J.
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    Another quick and very fruitful collab with Hugo, resulting in a powerful sax melody performance. That was a pleasure to work again - recommended!

Interview with Hugo Lee

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

  2. A: Over many years working as a remote session saxophonist, my clients have provided me with tracks ranging through Pop, Hip Hop, Rock, EDM, Funk, Jazz, Electronic, Lofi, Metal, Folk, Classical, Ambient, Blues and much more. I'm comfortable in all different genres and am always excited to work on new sounds!

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

  4. A: My main originals project is a duo called Daley Road - ambient/folk/electronic music which I produce and write for, as well as playing saxophone, guitar, keys and more :-)

  5. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  6. A: I have a professional-grade recording setup using ProTools/Logic and a variety of microphone combinations (Rode, AKG, Shure etc) through a Focusrite Clarett 4Pre interface into a Macbook Pro. The walls are acoustically treated, and I have tertiary qualifications in audio engineering/production, delivering crisp, clean recordings that are ready for your mix.

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

  8. A: Some of my favourite saxophonists include David Sanborn, Candy Dulfer, Dick Parry (Pink Floyd), Kenny Garrett, Clarence Clemons (Springsteen), Bobby Keys (The Rolling Stones), Cannonball Adderley, Maceo Parker (James Brown), Paul Desmond and John Helliwell (Supertramp).

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

  10. A: Q: What is your turnaround time? A: Usually under 24 hours, but please let me know if you have any deadline restrictions Q: Can you come up with the parts yourself or do I need to write them out? A: Written parts are fine, but I'm more than happy to create them myself too :-) Q: Do you do full horn sections? A: I can write/arrange full horn sections and record the saxes. I also play EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) emulations of brass - however if you want live trumpets/trombones I can sort out players for you.

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

  12. A: I'll often be given 8-16 bars to have a solo over a pre-existing track, with instructions to "fill out" some of the other sections with licks, noodling etc. Some clients request a wailing solo at a climatic point of their song, others are looking for punchy horn stabs, some are looking for smoother, subtler phrases to complement a vocal melody. Whatever the task, I put my heart and soul into the job and can adapt to any musical scenario to deliver the most stylistically appropriate result.

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

  14. A: I've been playing the Sax since 2004. After completing the grades, I achieved an associate diploma in the Sax at age 17, and went on to study a Bachelor of Music (Contemporary/Jazz Performance) & Bachelor of Physics (Acoustics) at the Australian National University and the University of Illinois. Other instruments I perform/record on include the guitar, keys/synth, EWI (electronic wind instrument, with brass emulations), electric cello, bass, recorder, percussion, harmonica and vocals. I've played at a wide range of festivals, weddings, clubs, bars, functions and parties and really enjoy the live aspect of my career. Recording is a joy unto itself, and I take it very seriously- paying utmost attention whenever I'm booked for a studio session as to what the producer, engineer and other musicians are doing and how we all fit together. I've been recording as long as I've been performing and have released numerous albums, singles, EPs etc. Working as an online session saxophonist is an amazing way to hone my skills whilst discovering new styles and connecting with people from all over the world.

  15. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  16. A: I'm constantly working on many remote recording jobs, as well as composing/producing from my home studio for various projects and screen/videogame soundtracks. It's always a real pleasure working for all of my SoundBetter clients and helping them to realise their musical goals!

  17. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  18. A: Any specific sections to play over (min:sec) or across the whole track? Any reference tracks? These are always great, but by no means necessary

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

  20. A: ...that the client needs to know what they're looking for in a saxophone recording. It's fine if they do, but it's absolutely no problem at all for me to work out how the sax will best complement a track.

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

  22. A: To give their track the attention to detail it deserves, and provide my full commitment to deliver my best on every take!

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

  24. A: Delve into the demo material, read the reviews and description and work out who would be best for your track.

  25. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  26. A: Less is more.

  27. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  28. A: In any musical scenario, I strive to bring out the best of the music by complementing the artist's ideas. Sometimes it's just a soft, sustained note. Sometimes it's a crazy wailing solo. I use my ears to determine what will improve the overall aesthetic of the track.

  29. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  30. A: Listening to what the music needs.

  31. Q: What's your typical work process?

  32. A: I'll listen carefully to the song to get an idea of where it goes and how I could contribute to it. I make sure that I'm not just playing for the sake of playing! Then I'll do a variety of different takes, so the client has different ideas to work with (loud vs soft, long notes vs faster passages etc). If I have specific instructions, I'll make sure that there are takes where I do exactly as asked...then I'll also delve into my own interpretations to provide an extra perspective, should it be needed. Sometimes, the client leaves me to take the reins in which case I use my many years of online recording experience to create the best and most appropriate sound for their track.

  33. Q: What do you like most about your job?

  34. A: Being able to play music all the time, meeting and working with amazing people (whether face-to-face or online) and being part of the creative process. The feeling of having a finished product that was once just a few notes drifting around your head late at night is a hard one to beat.

  35. Q: How would you describe your style?

  36. A: I strive to be as versatile as possible, for the benefit of both myself and others. I'm originally classically trained and I've studied jazz at university too. But throughout my whole life, I've also loved the pop/rock idiom and all of its offshoots. These influences are all present in my playing. You'll have to get in touch to find out more!

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Hugo Lee Sax Reel

I was the Saxophonist in this production


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    Hugo Lee Sax Reel
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    Funky Chill Sax Jam
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    Brooding Sax
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    Four-part Sax harmony
Terms Of Service

I am flexible and easy to work with and will happily revise where necessary! Please credit me in your track and send over a link once finished. Any external contracts to be provided before job starts.

GenresSounds Like
  • David Sanborn
  • Clarence Clemons
  • Bobby Keys
Gear Highlights
  • Yanagisawa Alto & Tenor
  • Rode/AKG/Shure mics
  • Fender Tele & Jazz Bass
  • Akai EWI5000 Electronic Wind Instrument
  • Pro Tools/Logic
  • Focusrite Clarett
  • Macbook Pro
  • Yamaha HS8 monitors
  • Sennheiser Headphones. Reel backings 0:25/2:27/4:42 by fantommuzik
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SoundBetter Deal

Discounts available for multiple tracks - please get in touch to discuss!