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| ALESSANDRO RUARO |
01- Hello Marcelo, how are you doing? Thanks once more for the interview, since we previously did an interview for our second edition. First of all, the biggest new during this time we haven’t talked to each other is that now you are a member of Almah which is a band formed by Edu Falaschi, how did the invitation to be part of it come out?
Hello everyone. It’s a pleasure to be featured at Guitar Clinic again chating with the dudes. When I was first invited to join the band, it was formed by the Angra Members (without the guitar players,Kiko and Rafael) and Edu Ardanuy (guitar). I have known the members from Angra for some time due to the several concerts which we did together with my other band named Khallice and them; besides workshops and encounters at music trade shows, etc. Edu Ardanuy has always been a great friend of mine and when he decided to leave the band ,he indicated me to replace him. I think this fact added to the fact of having a good relationship with them resulted on the invitation accepted for me as soon as I got it, of course.
02- What was the writing process for the album like? Do you think a comparison with Angra is going to be unavoidable, since Almah features two musicians from the same band?
Almah has two members from São Paulo (Edu and Felipe), two from the south (Moreira and Paulo) and I live in Brasília. We started sending MP3 Files to each other with some ideas and parts we thought should be improved. After that, we set up some meetings to personally write and arrange the ideas previously introduce. We went to São Paulo to meet Edu and Felipe and they did the same and came to Brasilia. The interesting part is which was pretty quick. Edu is a great comoposer and he had a lot of stuff done, but we can say we finished the cd including writing, arrangement, pre-production, recording and master in less of six months. Everyone who had already the opportunity to record a CD, knows that this time is extremely little.
No doubt Angra’s fans are going to do this comparison, what I consider a pity despite of knowing that some of the musical elements are included in the both bands. The fact is that Almah’s cds is going to be out with personality and strength and after that only the time will ratify any opinion or providence done by our “clairvoyants”.
03 – What were the equipments used for recording the album?
We recorded Almah’s Cd in São Paulo and it was pretty good looking by the fact that we could gather the fruit of a nice studio’s structure besides the gifted sound engineers.On the other hand, I couldn’t use my whole equipment which I would have used if we had recorded the album in Brasilia. It was impossible to take my whole equipment to São Paulo, it would be impracticable. Paulo (the other guitar player, by the way an excellent one) and me, talked on the phone and we found a simpler setup, but pretty cool. We used basicly a preamp JMP-1 by Marshall and a Mesa Boogie amplificer, both 100% valved. Together with it I used tons of NIG Pedals, some Fulltone, my Tagima signature Guitar MB-1 with Elixir strings.
04- Do you usually compose your solos or you prefer to improvise when you are recording?
To be honest with you,I love improvising. To capture the vibe from the moment and to transmit there, real time , it is something magical and I have been studying this for some years. On the Cd, from the 11 songs we recorded, only two solos were build at home. The rest was created in the time of recording, playing sometimes over the harmony until get some interesting idea which I considered good enough to be recorded in the album.
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| Carlos Favalli |
05- What’s the response from the audience during the band’s concert so far and what response do you expect when the album is out?
The response has been really positive. I know the big responsibility and the charging for in some way to replace consecrated guitar players as Edu, Kiko or Rafael, but I think it is going to sum up for me as a huge experience. I believe the best part is about to come, after the album releasing we will play our songs, where I had the opportunit to help at writing and recording in my way. I am really happy and proud with the result and the expectation is huge. There are so many good things happening now, but we just can release after it’s done.I am sure this releasing is going to be a mark in the history of brazilian metal.
06- How are your other projects going at the moment? Please, get us uptaded.
I have too many activities at the same time and I have to priorize, depending on the time, one project or other. Almah is releasing this album and at moment we are planning the tour. This way, It’s difficult to do any other parallel plans until we have the dates booked. As the most of you know, I am the owner of GTR guitar Institute and to manage the school and to teach 20 lessons/week take me a lot of time. Obviously together with that I need to find a time to study and to recycle my musical knowledgement. Last month my online course Marcelo Barbosa/GTR started it’s activities and we are selling this material to all over Brazil followed by a huge response. The material is pretty much well done and the focus now is to increase the number avaliable lessons to be sold.
07- You definitely became an influence for several guitar players, how do you face that? How does a musician has to deal with the market?
It’s very rewarding to notice that and even more to knw that somehow you are helping people to make a dream to come true. Obviously, it is part of a rod, a road to be walked , a way which I consider infinite, because is through it which we grow as professionals as well as human beings. I think it is natural which we look for some inspiration and references from people who have been in this way for a longer time. Regardless if the person is a musician or not, the professional has always to be serious and dedicated. When I mean serious, I mean to take your job serious and look to offer the better from yourself in what you do. That’s what I base my work on.
08- What are your plans for the future?
At the moment I have thought about an international tour with Almah, when it happens it is going to be awesome, because I have never had an opportunity like this before. Besides that, I intend to release a solo álbum as soon as I can, what is an old project which I have never been able to finish. I have tos of projects and ideas at my head, but it all depends on what it is going to come next the releasing of Fragile Equality. And as it looks like, we are going to have a lot of work to do...
09- Thanks for the interview! Please, leave a message for the Guitar Clinic viewers.
Thank you also for the space and interest of reading these ordinary lines.
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As I’ve always loved to say: Look for what you believe and don’t give up of your dream.
Hugs.
