Professional recording of Horn Section, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophones, harmonica and recorder. Worldmusic, Pop, LoFi Beats, Klezmer, Rock, Classic, Jazz, Latin. Composer, Arranger and Music Producer.
I play soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, harmonica and recorder.
For years I have been working with professional quality recordings from my home studio.
I play all saxophones, clarinet and bass clarinet, as well as harmonica and recorder.
I work with first class brass players who also have excellent recording quality.
Here you will find some examples of works I have done in the past.
I have played and recorded a wide variety of styles, so whatever you need me to record, just ask and I will do it.
I like to keep the conversation flowing and make sure I'm taking the right approach before I record.
I like to deliver more than you ask me, because having more options at the studio it's always better.
If you need more than one instrument, the second one is 50% off.
Albums in which I have participated as an interpreter, composer and arranger in the following link:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0YhbTlPWmxSLxSfmbAOW4I?si=0575908d99584bb1
On the audio Ex. you will hear:
Gipsy Clarinet
Soprano Sax solo
Alto Sax reggae solo
Klezmer Clarinet
Tenor Sax Rock
Bari Sax Rock
Sweet Bass clarinet
Harmonica Latin solo
Sopranino Recorder
Clarinet Rock and latin
Brass sections (from 3:06)
Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.
Credits
45 Reviews - 7 Repeat Clients
check_circleVerifiedManuel is a brilliant and soulful musician.
A blessing for a songwriter.
Thank you, Manuel!
Above and beyond ;)- check_circleVerified
Beautiful and soulful playing. Both of what I had asked for and of an improvised part. Thank you, Manuel!
check_circleVerifiedManuel is an exceptional artist. His playing is beautiful, yes, but working with him as a collaborator is such a privilege. His diversity in instruments, promptness, precision, and creativity with writing and arrangement have made him my go-to for adding that final layer of depth, complexity, and color in my songs. Thank you Manuel, looking forward to many more!
check_circleVerifiedBrought exactly the color I was hoping for - subtle, tasteful, musical, and right on point. Great to work with!
check_circleVerifiedManuel is awesome. Quality playing and recording of course, but more importantly he's incredibly communicative & goes the extra mile to pull the very best out of the song. Couldn't recommend more!
check_circleVerifiedManuel is gonna give you the highest quality brass!!! Definitely ur go to for that!!!! Plus he’s super nice 😊 and easy to work with and reasonably priced.
check_circleVerifiedExcellent work, very quick response. Very happy with the results
check_circleVerifiedManuel was excellent on Harmonica On My Remake Of "Dindi" by Lou Rawls! Thank you!
check_circleVerifiedManuel was a pleasure to work with. He's a gentleman and is an excellent clarinet player!
check_circleVerifiedThis was my first time working with Manuel and the first time I've used clarinet on my piano pieces. It was a very nice experience! It's always hard working remotely and with musicians you haven't worked with before but this went very well. He listened to what I hoped to to accomplish and with one minor revision, it was done. Thank you!
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This is the second song I’ve asked Manuel to help me with, and I’m so so happy. Not only is he a skilled musician- he is also a talented composer and arranger, and took the seed of my idea and created something beautiful. Thank you Manuel!
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Manuel was excellent On Horns For My Remake Of "Bra" by Cymande! Thank you!
check_circleVerifiedManuel did amazing work and worked with me to get it just right!
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Working with Manuel again was fantastic- very grateful for his professionalism, skill, and receptiveness. Looking forward to the next time!
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Second time working with Manuel, fantastic again, and looking forward to more!
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Manuel Rodríguez Riva & Friends was EXCELLENT On Horns For My Remake Of "Little Sunflower" by Freddie Hubbard!
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Manuel was incredible to work with. Top tier performances and great communication. A great blend of working with my ideas and contributing his own, and ended up changing my initial conception of the clarinet arrangement for the better. Excited to work with him on the next one!
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Manuel Rodríguez Riva was excellent On Horns For My Remake Of "Life Is A Song Worth Singing" by Johnny Mathis!
check_circleVerifiedExcellent playing, excellent recording quality. Will definitely work with him again. Highly recommended!
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Working with Manuel was a joy. He is both an excellent musician who wrote a creative, fun score for my song that added another dimension to it, and an extremely nice guy who is extremely easy to communicate and collaborate with. I highly recommend that you contact him!
Interview with Manuel Rodríguez Riva
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Yes, I would recommend several friends and colleagues. Agustin Lumerman, Andrés Ollari, Pedro Alvide, Patricio Botcher for example.
Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I had a group for 13 years called "Assembly Chopher Rope". It was a space of training and musical experimentation, with friends that I consider brothers, with whom we recorded 4 albums, we traveled through different parts of the world, and we won some prizes. In that group, it was an interpreter, composer and arranger. We all participate in all parts of the musical process.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: At this moment I am making Horn arrangements, sheet music, and recordings for a New York producer.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Usually I use digital by custom.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: That I will not finish the work until they are satisfied.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: The happiness of having participated in a project of someone from anywhere in the world, and the happiness of the client.
Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A: How long will it take to do the work. Generally I answer as soon as possible, and if something prevents me from doing it very quickly, I am honest and I respond with realistic times.
Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?
A: That I can understand what you need to sound without you telling me.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: As I said, what influences and what references they represent you better for what you need in this music.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: The more clear the order and the references you have to offer me, the better result we will achieve together.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: I would take instruments: clarinet, Bass Clarinet, saxophone and harmonica. Anyway, I could not record on a desert island without light xD
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I make music since I am a child. In my family there are many musicians, and I began to study when I was 5 years old. I began the study of the woodwinds when i was 14 years old, and from that moment I have had a lot of musical experiences of all kinds: recordings, live music, travel, etc. Various years ago I do full Time work with my Home Studio.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: It is an expressive personal, delicate but expressive.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would like to work with people committed to what it does. I do not care if they are famous or recognized, but I as value honesty and commitment to music.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: I like to record everything, let a while spend, and listen again with another audio playback system, with a fresh ear. If the job is fine, I will be happy, and if not, I will find what changes I need to make it.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: The music that I most do is no gender music, which is usually called "World Music". But I work with all kinds of styles really.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Expressiveness when playing melodies.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I try to contribute freshness, a living and expressive sound. I never play a melody without adding some ornament or something that makes it more human.
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: First I ask very well everything I need to understand the profile of the client, if you want the music to be delicate, or aggressive, very expressive or perhaps more "cold". I ask for references and I try to understand what sound you are looking for. Once I understood that, I start working and I try to deliver as soon as possible, and whenever I can send extra tracks, since I have verified that sometimes that shoots other creative ideas to the customer who had not previously thought. Finally, I do not end up the job until the client does not tell me he is pleased. If necessary, I will re-record whatever is needed.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have an AT2020 and a pBM microphone, like the U87. I also have some other specific microphones for the instruments, but that's what the best result gives me. I have a Focusrite Scarlet 18i8, and an unsettled room.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: My inspirations are very diverse. While it is a bit trite saying, the greatest inspirations are my co-workers when it comes to making music. At the time of musical creation, one by one is where you learn the most. However, great artists who inspire me very much are: Egberto Gismonti, Brad Mehldau, Snarky Puppy, Louis Cole, Gabrielle Mirabassi, Giora Feidman, Caetano Veloso, Cannonball Adderley, Morphine, Charly Garcia, The Beatles, Marcelo Moguilevsky, just for say a few.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I record multi-instrument tracks, making an arrangement, with harmonized parts, and some improvised sections.
