by Irma Mutuc
We take creative license referring to the speed of sound, but Loudbox Studios’ popularity with clients and award-giving bodies has empirical evidence in terms of spreadsheets and metal hardware. A quick and dirty poll will also prove that its founders may indeed have their own fandom. Let’s start with Allan Feliciano (a.k.a. The Gifted Child) who could possibly be the most prolific composer/arranger in the advertising industry in the last 15 years, having created 5,500 jingles and musical scores, and still counting. Manuel Legarda is a guitarist and founder of Manila’s longest-running hard rock band, Wolfgang. Sach Castillo is also a composer and guitarist for Sound, an alternative music cult group. Edsel Tolentino, who, unknown to most of his colleagues is trained in classical guitar and was a student in the U.P. College of Music before he metamorphosed into an award-winning advertising creative director. And of course, enduring rock star Rico Blanco of Rivermaya. Loudbox claims music is their DNA. Who can argue?
Lift your head. Baby, don’t be scared of the things that could go wrong along the way. You’ll get by with a smile. You can’t win at everything but you can try. Too doo doo doo. Too doo doo wooooh.
The studio wasn’t so lucky in their first year. It was 2010, they had nine people and barely an inch over 200 square meters of studio and office space and they operated at a loss. Instead of hanging their heads in shame, they brushed their disappointments aside and worked hard to turn the business around in their second year. Partners Edsel and Manuel admit, “We’ve gone through growing pains. We did have our differences but we managed to get over it and align.” Both of them also credit Allan for truly being gifted, as Manuel admits, “He is really the brains and driving force behind the vision of Loudbox. He has a way of seeing things beyond the horizon. I think that’s a big factor for our success.” Edsel chimes in, “He’s a force. I can’t give him enough credit for what he’s done to steer this business. Producers naturally gravitated to Allan because like what we said, he’s a ‘gifted child’.”
Like yin and yang, day and night, fish and water, we can’t be without each other. Air and life, man and wife, foot and step, near and far, where I am, you are.
Edsel however, also credits the team’s ability to collaborate as a huge factor in their success, “There’s a level of trust that we try to foster in our culture so that it helps the people who work here. So we don’t work in silence. We’re very free to pick each other’s brains. Musicians, engineers, it’s that kind of culture. Also related to that, we try to manage each other’s egos…because if you need to collaborate you have to be ego-less about it.”
Manuel points out that they take care of their people, “We try to give them the right tools to work with. We try to get the latest software, the latest samples. We’re pretty up to date with the technology and that gives everyone all the tools that they could possibly need. The only thing that would limit them was the utility. So sky is the limit. I think we’re at the forefront of what’s available technologically and everybody’s constantly learning how to use tools. I won’t name any names. I think there are places that are still a little behind.”
Edsel is quick to add that they also believe that it’s the musicians and engineers behind the computers that matter, “We seek, attract and hire the most accomplished talents.” Allan agrees, “We try to invite people who are more talented than us but couldn’t get their break in the industry.” In addition, the partners are also proud of the support of their GM, Neneng Arceo, and their staff’s exceptional service including Ate Rose, whom they claim, “serves the best brewed coffee this side of Manila’s audio row.”
To learn best-in-class technical courses on Pro Tools and Logic, Loudbox engineers and musicians take tuition from no less than New York University. Engineers even get supplemental tuition for audio production from Oxford’s School of Audio Engineering to stay updated.
Thank you for the break of day, my favorite song, for lighting my way, the world I belong. But most of all, thank you for the gift of today. I’ve got a brand new day. And to that I say, hooray for today.
Six years in operation, and Loudbox Studios’ roster has grown to 38 employees, almost 500 square meters of studio and office space, with seven post-production rooms. They have seven composers, seven arrangers and seven audio engineers. They have gone from zero to the top three list of advertising agencies’ most-favored audio production studios. Their client list includes the country’s top agencies with very discriminating and competitive creative audiophiles. Their metal list includes Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, Philippine Ad Congress, Creative Guild, and Kidlat Awards where this year, they were the most awarded audio production house. That’s not counting the recognition that Loudbox’s composers get from the PhilPop, the annual nationwide songwriting contest where they almost always are finalists or big winners.
We go together like lamalama a ding i da ding a dang. Together forever like shuwap shuwariwari ippity boom je boom, sheng sheng shengini sheng sheba. That’s the way it should beeeeeeeh.
Edsel offers a clue to their success, “The team is young and driven and true to Loudbox’s music DNA, we all strive to work in harmony. Invariably, clients comment that apart from the value we add and the superior end-to-end customer experience, they love the fun atmosphere that permeates our studios.” The partners sum up their secret in two words, “Magaling kami (we’re good).”
Amen, amen, amen.
This article was first published in the July-August 2015 issue of adobo magazine.
