Ale Gaiotto: Crafting Hits with Sonnox Plug-ins

With a Latin Grammy win, multiple Grammy nominations, and four hits in Brazil’s current Top 10 charts, engineer and mixer Ale Gaiotto is a driving force in the Latin music scene. Known for his work with top artists like Djavan, Caetano Veloso, João Carlos Martins, and Maria Gadú, Gaiotto brings a unique skill set to every production. In a recent conversation from his home studio in São Paulo, he shared how Sonnox plug-ins have been instrumental in his success.

Early Beginnings in Audio

Gaiotto’s journey into audio began with a musical upbringing—his father was a pianist, and Gaiotto himself started playing drums at eleven. At seventeen, he moved to São Paulo to attend audio school, where he discovered a passion for mixing and production. “For several years I worked in studios, but then I decided to build my own room. Now I’m working with American country songs but in a Brazilian style, which is quite popular, and I work with the best artists in this genre,” he explains.

His efforts quickly paid off. In 2012, Gaiotto won a Latin Grammy for "Chitãozinho & Xororó - 40 Years - Symphonic" in the “Best Country Music Album” category and earned a nomination for "Best Engineered Album" with Regina Benedetti's "O Canto da Sereia." Reflecting on his journey, he notes, “Having my own room helped me develop my sound, and supported my evolution as an engineer. The more you mix, the more you learn, and you develop techniques that help make great sounding records.”

Current Success and DAW Preferences

With four songs in Brazil’s Top Ten and seven more in the Top 200, Gaiotto’s workflow is clearly working. “I’ve been fortunate to have multiple chart placements in the past, but four in the Top Ten is a special event,” he says. His primary DAW is Cubase, though he also uses Pro Tools.

Discovering Sonnox Plug-ins

Gaiotto was introduced to Sonnox while studying audio. “The teachers used Sonnox quite a bit—it was my first contact with Sonnox, and they are quite famous down here in Brazil,” he recalls. What stood out to him was the sound quality: “They have a special sound, where you can just listen and hear how good they are. Just turn off the monitor and use your ears!”

Go-To Sonnox Plug-ins in the Mix

Gaiotto’s mixing setup heavily features the Sonnox Oxford EQ. “It’s very fast, easy to use, and sounds great. With just a few clicks, I have the result I’m looking for,” he shares. He also frequently uses the Oxford Reverb, appreciating its versatility. “I love reverb on guitars with the early reflections, but the rooms sound great on drums. I can tune it by using the EQ inside the reverb itself.”

For dynamics control, the Oxford Limiter is a staple in his mixes. “I use the Limiter all the time, on most instruments—it’s top tier! It’s great because it never squashes the sound, and that’s important to me,” he notes. Gaiotto also relies on the Oxford Dynamics for its three types of compression and finds the Expander particularly useful on drums, especially for retaining ghost notes on snares.

Additional Sonnox Favorites

Gaiotto employs the SuprEsser to manage the 2 to 3 kHz range, which he calls the “radio frequency,” as well as top-end sibilance. The TransMod is another favorite, used on acoustic guitars, drums, vocals, and even bass. “It helps to give more definition and attack on the bass in the mix,” he says.

A particular standout is the Inflator, which Gaiotto uses often. “Once I had a producer tell me the acoustics on the left and right weren’t loud enough. All I did was put Inflator on the group, and he said, ‘Wow, what did you do?’ It was the Inflator—just a little click and it works. It’s just a little plug, but the sound works. It’s amazing.”

Sonnox Plug-ins: Efficiency and Quality

For Gaiotto, Sonnox plug-ins offer more than just a tool—they’re a means to efficient and high-quality production. “With the Sonnox plug-ins, you will not see beautiful pictures of vintage equipment; however, you listen to beautiful and powerful sound, which is what really matters,” he says. “You can get great results, fast, with Sonnox plug-ins. They are simple to use, sound great, and really help me with my mixes.”