Gerardo Ortiz and his Corridos in Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio: A Sonic Adventure Beyond Genre

Corridos tell stories of heroes, villains, and everyday people. A popular and sometimes controversial form of Mexican folk music that has been around for over a century! These narrative ballads talk about love, loss, betrayal, the struggles and joys of everyday life, but also violence and revolution!

They often feature guitar and accordion accompaniment, sometimes extend into mariachi territory with adding brass and strings, and are known for their lively melodies and catchy rhythms.

Corridos have historically been used as a form of social commentary, with the artists expressing political and social views. They have also been used to commemorate historical events and honor important figures. While many Corridos are still traditional when it comes to instrumentation and arrangement, there are artists, like my faves Los Lobos, or Natanael Cano, and the late Selena, that have incorporated elements of rock, hip-hop, country, and other genres to create a unique fusion!

Despite their popularity, Corridos have also been somewhat controversial. Some have been criticized for glorifying drug trafficking and violence, and others have been praised for shedding light on important social issues.

Like Erika Vidrio’s **La Niña de la Montaña**—though not yet available in Atmos—based on Eufrosina Cruz’s work as a Zapotec activist who in 2010 “became the first indigenous woman in Oaxacan politics, and guaranteed indigenous women the right to exercise their vote.”

Some more notable artists that I would be remiss not to mention include Los Tigres Del Norte and Chalino Sanchez.

BUT, and here’s where it gets personal folks, a blog post about Corridos would not be complete without mentioning, as a fan on his Facebook page called him — El verdadero rey de los corridos — the true king of the Corridos — and Grammy-nominated artist Gerardo Ortiz.

It was such an honor and a pleasure to have been a part of his new record on BadSin-Sony Music Latin, No Tengo Rival.

I did the Atmos mastering on a couple of tracks, Destapando Botellitas and No Tengo Rival. Click on the songs to listen on Apple Music.

The Atmos versions really pass through to the listener the vibe of the storytelling without extra fanfare. Something that is true to the songs and the genre but also enhances the experience both in home and car sound systems as well as in headphones.

If you’d like to get onto the Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio bandwagon get in touch!

Nos vemos!