I’m an audio engineer based in Northern Portugal, and my relationship with sound started long before it ever became a profession. Music had always a special place in my life, but it all started with recording and mixing my own music — and after years of exploring this craft, I realized this was exactly where I wanted to be.
That realization brought me to ESMAE (Porto’s School of Music and Performing Arts), where I studied Music Production and Technologies. Those years opened up a much wider world than I’d anticipated — from Mixing and Recording into Post-Production, Sound Design, and Audio Restoration, each area pulling me in deeper. While studying, I started freelancing on Upwork, working mostly in audio restoration, podcast post-production, and sonic branding. It was a great way to grow quickly — every project came with new challenges, new clients, and a lot of lessons learned about delivering quality work under pressure. Around the same time, I started mastering music for Estúdio Cedofeita, a music studio in Porto.
From January to September 2022, I had the opportunity to work as a Technical Production Intern at Casa da Música, one of Portugal’s most iconic live venues. During that time I was involved in recording, mixing, and mastering for their digital archive and streaming events, quality control of audio and video content, and the technical production of live performances — working alongside artists and production teams and getting a real feel for the demands of live sound.
It’s been a journey driven by genuine curiosity, and one I’m very much still on.
These days, my work spans a few different areas:
- Mastering Engineer at Estúdio Cedofeita — working remotely, collaborating closely with artists and producers to make sure every release sounds exactly the way it should.
- Post-Production Engineer — taking on projects for both local and international clients, editing, mixing, and enhancing audio for everything from voiceovers to podcasts, always with an ear for what the final audience will actually experience.
- Live Sound Engineer — working regularly at Casa da Música and other venues, where no two shows are ever quite the same, and that’s exactly what keeps it interesting.
You can find me on social media below.
Besides my work as an audio engineer, in late 2020 I released my debut album under the moniker Emil Zapffe, drifting through the captivating world of ambient/drone music, to explore the profound connection between sound and philosophy. In this deeply personal project, I dive into the textural worlds of atmospheric electronics, building intricate long-form compositions that invite listeners on a journey through expansive soundscapes. My approach focuses heavily on layered sound design and temporal distension, creating rich auditory experiences that evoke a sense of wandering, contemplation, and exploration. Each track serves as a canvas, painted with nuances of tone and rhythm, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in a meditative state while reflecting on the complexities of existence and the beauty that can be found within the quiet and deep spaces of sound.
You can listen below on various digital platforms
João Guimarães 