Interview with Jesús Florido

By: William Hawkins

Want more information about our CloseUp® System for guitar and bowed strings? Check out our Products page!

Jesús Florido

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Jesús Florido Talks About His Early Days

May 30th, 2021

I had the honor of interviewing Jesús Florido this month, and what fun it was!  He is full of laughter and smiles, and yet serious about his work and passion.  This is the first of what we hope will be a rich and extensive new series of featured artists in this blog!

“In this household you have a sport and you have an art. Pick your poison!”

Mrs. Florido

Before the interview, Jesús Florido was busy chasing his young son around the house; homework needed doing!  When Jesús was a child, his parents didn’t have the time to chase him around, except when it came to attending school, lessons, and sports practice. He remembers them placing his future in his hands at 6 years old: one sport and one art, what’s it going to be?  He chose piano (and tennis), but after several lessons with a tyrannical teacher he quit.  Of course, his mother asked him what new instrument he was going to replace it with!  

Jesús Florido’s Italian father fed him many styles of music throughout his youth – jazz, classical, latin – and, that day, bought front seat tickets to an orchestra concert.  “Choose an instrument.”  As the orchestra played Beethoven’s Fifth, the cellos struck Jesús with their gruff, intense athleticism.  He had discovered his new instrument. Meanwhile, his father found a local youth orchestra, called El Sistema, that was taking on new players and providing instruments for them.  This was around 1974, when the now famous youth orchestra of Venezuela, El Sistema, was organizing its first large-scale (roughly two-hundred strong!) youth orchestra.  Jesús visited their office to borrow a cello, but the only options for little kids were flute or violin!  And he wasn’t about to switch from his cello dream to a silly little flute, so he joined the orchestra, placed in the very back of the 2nd violins.  

“When you take a break from food, you can take a break from the violin,” Jesús explains matter of factly, with a smile.

After several rehearsals of struggling to see the conductor, playing in slight delay from the center, and generally feeling unimportant, Jesús wanted to quit.  But his Mom said, “Well, I guess if you want to be better, you better practice! Because that’s the only way to get to the front seat.”  Supplied with a plan, Jesús let his competitive nature take over, driving him to practice with more determination.  Well, with as much determination as a young kid gets; so, his Mother found a way to ignite the fire just a little more.  She didn’t force him to practice long hours, but handed him a simple rule: when you don’t practice, you don’t eat. 

“When you take a break from food, you can take a break from the violin,” Jesús explains matter of factly, with a smile.

All the while, he contended with a foreign violin teacher who taught in a mix of broken Italian, Spanish, and the occasional Polish!  If that wasn’t enough, his teacher only provided Jesús Russian manuscripts; lessons in the Cyrillic alphabet accompanied lessons in violin craft.  Luckily, Jesús was a natural linguist, and a year later he progressed to the front seat of the orchestra.

Jesús at the shores of the Danube, Vienna, 2005 (taken from jesusflorido.com/photos).

“This record is going to change your life.”

Mr. Florido

When asked what keeps him focused and buoyant throughout career hardships, Jesús tells me his father is to thank.  Mr. Florido passed on a love of music through tons of shared records and performances.  When Jesús won the local violin competition for 16-18 year olds – as an 11 year old – Mr. Florido gave him a record of Kind of Blue by Miles Davis.  The quiet energy and honesty of that music is still cherished by Jesús to this day, as a place of safety and love offering refuge. 

Originally, Mr. Florido believed that music had to be fun, not something to make money with.  Despite harboring reservations about Jesús’ career path, he wasn’t always discouraging. Once, Jesús stopped playing his beloved Mozart pieces after his teacher declared Mozart wrote the hardest music; Mr. Florido countered by encouraging him to continue, that he could play anything he set his mind on.  Carrying that flame, Jesús entered the professional music realm with his love of music intact.  Eventually satisfied, Mr. Florido embraced Jesús’ professional choice and became a proud father, always calling to find out what Jesús was up to next. 

Want to hear Jesús?

Follow this link to explore recent performances of all styles.

“You should do that!

Mark O’Connor, 1996

The famously prolific folk violinist, Mark O’Connor, saw Jesús Florido improvising for kicks with a Latin percussion player during a recording session, and said, “You should do that!”  Jesús wasn’t sure, but agreed to teach at O’Connor’s camp, and became convinced it was time to break out of Classical-only playing. O’Connor made him connections, set him up with other players.  He was the incubator for Jesús’ entrepreneurial beginnings, encouraging him to explore electric instruments.

Once introduced to the 5-string electric violin, Jesús was hooked.  In the late nineties, upon gaining his confidence with the new instrument, he transitioned to a career in music outside the Classical realm. Shortly after, in 1998, he bought his first 7-string electric (and hasn’t looked back).  Since playing the 5-string, the limited range of four strings just doesn’t have the same lure.  As a viola player, I completely understand the need for that C string!  Now Jesús only uses his 4-string acoustic for Classical performances.  In every other style, he uses the extended range of variably tuned 5, 6, and 7 string violins.

For those not familiar with playing violin, switching between different tunings and string-numbers is very difficult and quickly becomes confusing.  How does he manage to interchange them? Apparently, Jesús relies on one simple trick.  He learned from his college teacher, Davis Brooks, to treat every different tuning or number of strings as a separate instrument even though the general techniques overlap. 

Much like a band player who comfortably switches between members of the clarinet and saxophone families (and more), Jesús seamlessly switches between his instruments.  However, adopting a new setup isn’t immediate.  Eager to take advantage of every element the unprecedented range provided, Jesús spent a year getting comfortable with the 7-string electric violin before he played it in public.  Now he is in the same transition with a 6-string Glassar acoustic violin, with debut recordings planned for this June.

Mark O’Connor, Jesús, Enion Pelta, Dr. Manjunath Mysore, Mark Wood @ MOC String Conference in San Diego 2008 (taken from jesusflorido.com/photos).

“The sound that I’m able to get because of this system is everything to me.”

Jesús Florido

Jesús plays in different styles the same way a cook grows their cultural repertoire or a bored linguist takes a new language under their belt.  His obsession with sound may have something to do with it.  He told me no matter how little he knows of a language, he will only speak with an impeccable accent (to his own embarrassment when people assume he knows more!).  Over time, he applied this same determination to the music of India, Latin America, American Folk, and more.  Now, he takes great joy in eclectic navigation through these “languages” of music. 

But does he portray a different facet of himself in each cultural style, or present a united identity? He answers with another language analogy: just as someone’s personality conveys itself effectively in different languages, his unique vocal identity find expression in each musical style.  And his approach is very vocal.  Jesús sings through his instrument, inspired by his youthful hours listening to radio Met broadcasts with his grandfather. And he cherishes the single most important aspect of a unique voice: sound.  That’s where the YourHeaven CloseUp System delivers! 

“What the CloseUp® System has done is, it grabbed a sound that I’ve had in my head for years, and made it real.  And made it real.”

When Jesús Florido first encountered our system at our NAMM festival booth several years ago, he got it immediately.  Setting him up twenty feet from the drum section, it was horribly noisy. Yet even there, Jesús could hear the difference.  He remembers gleefully calling his wife that day to spread the good news: his 20 year search for uncompromising sound had ended!  When he came back asking for a custom wireless setup, we were more than happy to help.  (Due to high costs of wireless systems worth using, we generally don’t sell a wireless version).  He gave us confidence that we were on to something, that we had a product worth investing in.  

Jesús has many examples on tour where the sound he gets out of the CloseUp System created unique musical moments.  Within intimate Indian music concerts, Jesús’ electric violin shines thanks to our system. Afterwards, people come up and rave about the special tone and expressivity Jesús Florido gets out of his instrument.  He’s particularly happy with our EzQ feature. “[The closeup system is great] if you are looking for the ability to mold your sound, because you can really shape it to what you need, or what you want, what you hear.” He’s tried every mic out there and none has this ability.  He has two settings on his CloseUp box for his five-string violin: one setting for a plane acoustic sound, and one for effects.  The software allows him to shape the EQ, the reverb, and more.

Jesús is determined to have the same features and capabilities with his new Glassar 6-string acoustic violin.  So, we are hard at work tinkering with our proprietary software to adjust to the huge range of all 6 strings at once!  Jesús says matter of factly:

“Well, I’m expanding your company.  I’m expanding your horizons and your technical capabilities!  [More Glassar 6-strings are on their way,] so people are going to need this, if they want to sound great.”

Check out our Your Heaven Audio CloseUp System on the Products page.

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CloseUp®Drum System Premieres with Musician PJ Roduta

CloseUp®Drum System Premieres with Musician PJ Roduta

By: Allie Trionfetti

Listen to PJ Roduta

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Bandcamp

May 30th, 2021

Want more information about our CloseUp® System for guitar and bowed strings? Check out our Products page!

We teamed up with PJ Roduta, a Pittsburgh-based percussionist, composer, and educator to see if our first-of-its-kind drum microphone system could stand up to a one-of-a-kind drummer possesing years of study & collaboration with such greats as drum legend Milford Graves and Jim Donovan of Rusted Root fame.

A top drummer, an engineer, & a CloseUp® breakthrough walk into a studio . . . 

Impressing someone with PJ’s background was a tall order. His resume is exceptional. Well-seasoned in West African drumming traditions, he has also done stints as a sound engineer, and scoring percussion for live dance.  Beyond his training exists a more inherent, familial instinct for rhythm: PJ is part of a rich line of Filipino-American rhythmic musicians, including a father who played rhythm guitar and a grandfather who was an upright bass player in Hawaii.  The reverence and excitement PJ has for tradition was mirrored throughout his experience using the CloseUp® Drum System:

“What you guys are doing is so exciting. I say that knowing a lot about… the slog of dealing with [live] music.” 

We need to step back to paint a rather grim picture of the current state of mic-ing drums.

Mic’ing Drums: go old school, or go CloseUp®

Mic-ing drum kits has long been known as one of the most time-intensive, gear-laden components of live sound, requiring the coordinated efforts of a well-trained audio engineer and patient drummer as well as an array of heavy, tangle-prone cables, mics, and stands. Either that, or sacrificing real-time sound for a handful of pre-recorded trigger-activated samples (or as some call it digital drum death). 

Even if you look past the physical tedium of the set up, the tech limitations, and acoustic challenges, current technology greatly limits the repeatability and reliability of the amplified sound you’ve just spent eons setting up to capture. Drum amplification is so notoriously finicky and intensive, it’s a wonder better solutions for so common an instrument haven’t appeared, until now.

With The CloseUp® Drum System, what was only possible in a sound-proofed recording studio is now available in a user-friendly platform, in any environment.  As PJ puts it: “If you can get a clean sound right away, any engineer will tell you: that’s the goal.” 

I only have to hit each drum once and stand up and EQ. I could be completely autonomous, no one else would need to be in the studio. That kind of thing is revolutionary…in live settings, a drummer could go talk to fans or grab a drink…it’s incredible how much time could be saved, how much energy…There’s this new possibility for seamless performance. You could have such a short window of time between sets! It’s the drummer’s world to have to get to a venue super early to figure out levels. And then the next drummer has to do the same thing, all over again. It’s exhausting! The ease this gear provides is just not a reality right now; it would be so amazing to have this possibility! 

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Turn Up. Tune In. Get CloseUp®. Don’t Trigger.

Each drum kit is a canvas of different microtones and sounds. Because tuning and amplifying drums is so sensitive, some sound engineers use triggers to play pre-recorded samples when different drums are played. The number of samples available is more limited than what can actually come out of a drum kit. There is so much personal identity and style embedded in a drummer’s playing that gets immediately lost when you switch to samples. PJ on digital ‘solutions’ for live drums: “I’ve tried it and I can’t do it—I’ve had drum pads and drum triggers. I play the acoustic instrument; I want those nuances.”  Because the CloseUp® isn’t sample based, he can get them. He was happily shocked by just how transparent the CloseUp® digital interface is: 

It sounds really good. And it doesn’t kill the feeling . . . I was trying to trick it to see if it could detect something super soft after a huge cymbal crash—and it did! It does! 

Where other technology can sound sterile or robotic, he noted the CloseUp® Drum System had a “rich and warm” tone that reflected his drum kit and his playing. 

How does the CloseUp® Drum System do it?

The answer lies in our user-friendly tuning process.

It walks the drummer through recording short samples of their drumming while connected to a computer. These samples are only used to train the CloseUp® system. After which, microphones and live EQ are used to generate sound. Once the samples are recorded, the drummer can EQ these samples using simple, guided software.

These samples are then processed by the patented EzQ® software and used to create a custom algorithm that EQs your personal drum system live through our microphones.

Once it’s done, you’re ready to perform again and again, in different environments.

Drummers can rest assured knowing that each kick hit and snare roll will be amplified in real time, not replaced with a pre-recorded sound. We give drummers this solid, authentic base, and from there they can amplify or alter the sound however they please.

Check out our Your Heaven Audio CloseUp System on the Products page.

PJ speaks to using the CloseUp® interface:  Anybody who works in sound engineering or audio editing knows… it can be hard to understand, [even for great musicians.] But a total beginner using Your Heaven[’s CloseUp®] will start to understand EQ-ing experientially; it’s bottom up versus top down.

Next Steps for CloseUp® 

This is changing the whole game. It’s exciting and it also feels like: ‘Can it be true?! Is there actually this much convenience at our fingertips?’ To have this convenience in this compact package…it’s almost unreal, like: ‘How is this possible?! …It has so many advantages that I have not seen on the market. 

PJ’s enthusiasm is what makes our work at Your Heaven® deeply satisfying. As fellow musicians, we want to enhance each musician’s unique relationship to their instrument. We’ve dedicated decades to researching and painstakingly testing our algorithms and gear. PJ thinks our formula and commitment are working: 

I look forward to it being sold! I will happily tell people: ‘You’ve got to try this. I did it; I used it; I see how easy it is, even if you’re not great at this [EQing / tech].’ …to have all that research already done for you, that’s the magic of this…the sound quality and the ease and convenience. 

We are currently in exciting talks with different audio companies regarding our innovative technology and how to bring it to a wider audience of musicians and sound artists. 

If you are interested in our system, don’t be a stranger! You can reach us at support@yourheaven.netWe also encourage you to check out our website which features more information about our CloseUp® Systems: microphone + EzQ® amplification systems for a range of acoustic string instruments. 

Thank You PJ!

Thanks go to PJ Roduta for his contributions to the music and dance communities in Pittsburgh and beyond and for taking the time to try our CloseUp® Drum System and talk all things drumming and sound. It was a pleasure working with him and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with musicians and audio techs the world over, to spread our message of accessible, achievable, authentic, acoustic sound.

We’ll leave you with a final nod from PJ and our promise to remain committed to bringing high fidelity sound to acoustic players—because plugging in should amplify your sound, not compromise it. 

Your company has a lot to be excited for; this sounds fantastic! I was in the studio recently —it’s got a lot of new fangled equipment…and what you’re doing—it’s exactly what [the studio engineer] was trying to do: get true, authentic sound. Simple. Clean. Clear. And without getting rid of the warmth, the je ne sais quoi, that really beautiful atmosphere.

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Come Find Us at PVDFest!

Come Find Us at PVDFest!

Come Visit us at PVDfest 2019!

By: Allie Trionfetti

May 30th, 2021

Want more information about our CloseUp® System for guitar and bowed strings? Check out our Products page!

I had the honor of interviewing Jesús Florido this past week, and what fun it was!  He is full of laughter and smiles, and yet serious about his work and passion.  This is the first of what we hope will be a rich and extensive new series of featured artists in this blog!

Saturday June 8th, 12pm–6pm

Sunday June 9th, 12pm–4pm

Come meet Steve, CEO of Your Heaven® Audio, as he demos our CloseUp® System on guitar and violin. Equipped with both headphones and an amplifier, you’ll get the chance to see how our amplification and recording system isolates the true sound of your acoustic instrument.

The CloseUp® System uses proprietary algorithms developed over years of acoustic research with hundreds of instruments played by dozens of performers to customize itself to the unique sound of your instrument. Our simple, step-by-step process allows you to tailor your CloseUp® System to your instrument so it sounds real, natural, and acoustic every time. And for additional customization, you can use the EQ module and tone controls to tweak your sound for artistic effect.

 

Come and see for yourself!

 

What is Maker Faire?

Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these “makers” to show hobbies, experiments, projects.

We call it the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth – a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness.

Glimpse the future and get inspired!

Check out our Your Heaven Audio CloseUp System on the Products page.

…more about PVDFEST

PVDFest welcomes its fifth edition with countless opportunities to dance in the streets and experience Providence with thousands of your closest friends! With stunning spectacles curated by FirstWorks and artists from around the corner and across the globe, you won’t want to miss it– for more information visit: www.PVDFest.com

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

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Juan Falú at The Music Mansion

Juan Falú at The Music Mansion

Juan Falú Performs at The Music Mansion

By: Allie Trionfetti

May 30th, 2021

Want more information about our CloseUp® System for guitar and bowed strings? Check out our Products page!

I had the honor of interviewing Jesús Florido this past week, and what fun it was!  He is full of laughter and smiles, and yet serious about his work and passion.  This is the first of what we hope will be a rich and extensive new series of featured artists in this blog!

Saturday April 20th 7pm – 9pm

Music Mansion 88 Meeting Street Providence, RI 02906

We’re excited. This Saturday, composer and guitarist Juan Falú plays at the long cherished Music Mansion. As an interpreter, Juan has an unrivaled command of improvisation on his classical guitar. Classical guitarist Eduardo Fernandez has called him “a real time composer.” He received the National Music Award (2000), the ClarinPrize (2001and 2008) and the Gardel Prize (2008). He has offered concerts in prestigious halls in more than thirty countries. His recordings include 24 albums as soloist, and more than 50 as guest of other artists.

 

 

Arrive early to catch classical guitarist Adam Levin, praised for his “visceral and imaginative performances” by the Washington Post. A top prize winning classical guitarist and recording artist Adam Levin has performed on four continents across the globe.

More about the Music Mansion . . . 

Check out our Your Heaven Audio CloseUp System on the Products page.
The mission of the Mary K. Hail Music Mansion is to enrich the cultural life of Rhode Island by providing a unique and distinguished concert hall and reception facility in a beautiful, Neo-Georgian manor home, for musical events and other gatherings with a musical component.

For almost a century, the hall has been filled with the sounds of beautiful music, from children playing in their first piano recital, to professional musicians delighting a Sunday afternoon crowd with masterpieces by Mozart or Bach.

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Your Heaven® Audio at URI Guitar Festival 2019

Your Heaven® Audio at URI Guitar Festival 2019

Your Heaven® Audio at URI Guitar Festival 2019
By: Kia Davis

March 29th, 2019

TICKETS AND REGISTRATION

Tickets are $8–$15 for concerts and can be purchased at the time of the event, while Registration offers a variety of audits and perks.

Your Heaven® Audio celebrates spring by sponsoring The Great Necks. PLUS! We’ll be tabling at the world-class URI Guitar Festival chock-a-block full of lectures, masterclasses, workshops, and concerts. See what’s in store for you this April 5th–7th!

FULL SCHEDULE

If you Rhode Islanders wanted to see our CloseUp® System up close, now’s your chance! This weekend, we’ll be tabling at the URI Guitar festival.

The festival boasts a variety of enriching events, including masterclasses with the likes of Gaelle Solal and Grisha Goryachev, ensemble coaching workshops, and lectures on maximizing performance. Of course, you can also attend the concerts ($8 – $15)  at the URI Fine Arts Center and The Pump House Music Works.

 Gaelle Solal; French Classical 

Grisha Goryachev; Flamenco

On Friday the 5th, come talk to us at the Pump House. You’ll also find us at the Fine Arts Center on Saturday and Sunday.

Kick off the festival season with us and browse other fabulous music gear from Alhambra Guitars, Joe Burros-dealer in Kenny Hill Guitars, and Wakefield Music Co.

On Sunday April 7th, The Great Necks Guitar Trio will be doing our CloseUp® System proud during the GALA CONCERT from 6:00pm–8:00pm at the URI Fine Arts Center

By sponsoring nationally touring guitar trio  The Great Necks, we’re thrilled to promote and support Rhode Island’s vibrant music scene–particularly our acoustic brethren who will be stepping outdoors to play as surely as the first spring blossoms.

“I’m looking forward to having my trio have a clear, crisp and articulate amplified sound and perhaps a long-term partnership with Your Heaven Audio. The system provides the most accurate representation of my guitar’s sound that I’ve heard so far,” says The Great Necks member and festival organizer Adam Levin

Check out our Your Heaven Audio CloseUp System on the Products page.
The Great Necks Guitar Trio has enchanted audiences across the US with its whimsical, interactive, and daring performances. Founded by guitarists Scott Borg, Adam Levin, and Matthew Rohde, the trio, through its original madcap arrangements, stretches at the conventions—and at times, the physical limits—of the guitar. “These guys aren’t afraid to shake things up and take chances,” writes Classical Guitar Magazine.

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