ABOUT
Andre Tonelli is a guitarist, composer, producer and music educator. Ever since first picking up a guitar at 14, courtesy of his loving parents, his life has been dedicated to the endless pursuit of music in all its facets, from composing and producing chart topping, critically acclaimed instrumental albums, to collaborating with some of the most prestigious music brands, to opening and directing the famed music academy Guitar Studio in his adoptive Spain.
Since becoming a professional musician at the tender age of 16 with his band Jar on some of the biggest (and some of dingiest, too) stages in his native Milan, Andre simply never stopped. A few years later, he moved to California, where he devoted himself to unlocking the secrets of the guitar, playing in excess of 10 hours a day, every day. All this while graduating in Psychology and working several jobs, most taken from the classic "aspiring musician's jobs" list: waiter, instrument salesman, and of course, guitar teacher.
Along with the command of the instrument, the esoteric art of recording and producing was also exerting an irresistible attraction. The prospect of transforming inspiration into reality, limited only by his own imagination, proved too hard to resist, and a lot of hard-earned money was spent on a 4-track cassette PortaStudio. Primitive and limited by today's standards, the Tascam 414 became Andre's tireless ally in his first steps as music producer.
All this, and a few bad experiences in commercial studios, led to Andre building several "home-studios", from the small bedroom where he recored his debut LP Power World Fantastic, to his Planet 9 studio in Barcelona, where Andre engineered, produced and mixed some his most acclaimed work, including 3 full-length instrumental albums, fan-favorite Fill The Sky, the chart-topping Lights and Shadows (#1 in the Spanish iTunes charts), and his latest, critically acclaimed opus, Mystic Electric. As of this writing, Andre is designing and building his next, state-of-the-art studio in Madrid, Spain.
Andre's obsession for music making has always gone hand in hand with his vocation as a teacher and music communicator. From his humble beginnings (back in 1997, you could get a 1-hour lesson with him for $5!) to becoming one of the most sought-after teachers by students all over the world, Andre has always been extremely passionate about sharing everything he learned with others. This led to the opening, in 2011, of his own music school, Guitar Studio, in is adoptive Barcelona, which has quickly become a staple of the city's music scene. In 2021, Andre has expanded operations to Madrid, where he teaches a limited number of students from all continents, both in person and online.
In 2014, Andre released the Guitar Encyclopedia, a free learning course designed for all those who are not able to afford proper music education for economic, geographical, or social reasons. With over 8 hours of professionally shot video, this course has enabled thousands of people around the world begin or move forward in their musical journey. Andre has recently become very active on his YouTube channel, sharing his passion for music and the guitar with people from dozens of countries.
Through the years, Andre has built relationships with some of the world's most prestigious brands. He is an official artist for Parker Guitars artist, Palmer Musical Instruments, InTune GP, and loves collaborating in the design, promotion and demonstration of gear in clinics and seminars.
TO BE CONTINUED...