Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Daniel Romero Chavez. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Initially hailing from Mexico, two brothers; Alejandro and Carlos opened up their studio (Soundcartel Studios) on a whim after working various odd jobs to pursue their passion for Musical Production. They self fundraised close to 7,000 dollars in order to put down the initial investment for rent and base equipment, and since then they have not looked back. They have become a creative Hub for the young talent rising out of Vancouver and a musical force to be reckoned with, often working alongside frequent Chainsmoker collaborator NXSTY and Promising artists such as Cotis Loverboy Eazy and Bryan Ghee. Today, most of their time is spent working on personal projects and building the studio brand from a small cult following to what could be one of the Leaders in sound in Western Canada.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t always been a smooth ride. Before even being introduced to music Carlos and Alex dealt with family hardships for years but when the Covid-19 pandemic started, it opened a door of opportunity, and they got to work. They taught themselves how to produce, mix, master as music school was out of their budget at the moment. That was only the start as they had to build a name for themselves in a very competitive city. After realizing that monetizing the studio is essential they got to work, and the name “SoundCartel” became known with local upcoming artists. We are still 100% self-funded and operated but are looking to add a second location soon.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As producers Alex and Carlos have the monikers Arc.Wav and Tapatiomuzik. We are also involved in a current side project called Calavera with Previously stated artist NXSTY. We often blend multiple genres in our production, with Hip Hop / RnB and House music being our main focus. Carlos is a mostly self-taught guitar player, after having one year of lessons as a kid then pursuing it on his own time and that has been more noticeable in recent work. Our ability to blend genres and also include Spanish-inspired samples such as old Salsa, Cumbia and Bossa Nova records brings forth a very distinct sound. We also are audio engineers often recording, producing, mixing and mastering all of our own records.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I think some of the most valuable things we’ve learnt is to be kind and courteous to everyone. One of the main reasons we have returning clients is that they immediately feel welcome and appreciated when they come and record in our studio. Another thing we’ve learnt is to not to withhold information with other creatives/producers/engineers because that’s the only way for everyone to grow. We had friends that taught us the way and we want to pay that forward. And lastly, I think another important lesson we learnt is to be patient because success isn’t an overnight thing, it’s a result of consistent hard work for years and you genuinely have to love what you do.
Pricing:
- Recording with an engineer is $50/H
- Beat leases start at $150
- Exclusive beats are by offer only
- We offer photography services for $150/H
- To rent out the space with no engineer it is $40/H
Contact Info:
- Email: Soundcartelstudio@gmail.com
- Website: Soundcartel.online
- Instagram: @soundcartelstudio
- Facebook: Soundcartelstudio
Image Credits
@arc.wav
