“I had to learn everything. Making a vinyl involves a process like any other factory—electricity, plumbing, and… I’d never worked in a factory,” he adds.
Music has always been a part of Alberto López’s world. It began in his childhood, continued through his adolescence and early adulthood, and now, as the owner of Belú Music Press, a company that produces vinyl records, it remains a significant part of his life.
“Even though it may seem like an outdated tradition, it’s not. Musicians prefer to see their music in this format. It sounds better, and the presentation of their music feels like a work of art. Plus, the profit margins are higher. Vinyl has aesthetic value; it’s an artistic project,” says Alberto, who is of Colombian origin.
Alberto is not a businessman involved in the music industry; rather, he is a musician involved in the business world. His family line is full of famous musicians, arrangers, and composers who have worked with important artists like Frank Sinatra. His grandfather was the first to bring the Rolling Stones to California as a businessman. At the age of 5, while in Colombia, he asked his parents to buy him a piano.
“And it’s not like, back in those days in Colombia, you just say, ‘I’m going to buy a piano and… voilà!’ First, you have to find the piano. My parents, after much searching, found one on a banana plantation, brought it to our home in Medellín, restored it, and I became a piano apprentice,” says Alberto.
When he was 12, they migrated again, this time to San Diego, where they settled.
“Let’s say I already had music in my veins. I grew up hearing stories from my family, and I found myself immersed in the world of music,” he says.
For him, his story is very similar to a magical realism tale by Gabriel García Márquez.
“I tell you, it’s not magical realism, it’s reality,” he says.
Since childhood, he was drawn to classical music. He studied and researched it. While in San Diego, his talent led him, at the age of 15, to be selected to study at the New England Conservatory in Boston, which changed his life and confirmed that music was his destiny.
“It was a great discovery. Boston was full of concerts, culture—it marked me at that age. I felt that was my path,” he says. “There were excellent teachers.”
After a few years, he decided to switch instruments, moving from the piano to percussion.
“I think I played the piano because I was very shy. Playing the piano is a very solitary practice. On the other hand, percussion always requires accompaniment. I decided to make that change,” he adds.
From Boston, he moved to New York to attend none other than the prestigious Juilliard School of Music, one of the best, where it is not easy to be accepted. For Alberto, all of this feels natural, part of the path he was meant to follow.
He shares these facts as if they were everyday occurrences, like going to the supermarket or any common activity. Clearly, humility speaks for him.
“I am very fortunate. I got to know the best musicians of the time, interacted with them, and learned from them,” he says.
But Alberto is not someone who remains static, regardless of the success he has achieved. While at Juilliard, he set his sights on becoming a conductor.
“I was on a search. It wasn’t piano or percussion anymore; I now wanted to be a conductor,” he adds.
To pursue that, he began taking private lessons with prestigious teachers. He spent some time doing this, but an innate curiosity led him to abandon classical music.
“I wanted to keep exploring. I didn’t want to be a part of classical music anymore. I became a professional musician; I had the foundation to participate in any project. I started exploring other music genres—Afro-Cuban, jazz, Brazilian music, and others,” he says.
His long career, which began in childhood when he learned to play the piano, led him to work on arrangements, mixes in studios, sound, and more. He became a well-rounded musician.
Back in Los Angeles, he was surprised by how much time artists had to wait for their vinyl record orders. He has become a cult option for many of them.
“With the same intensity I studied music, I started researching the processes for manufacturing a vinyl record. Four years ago, I took my savings and made a deposit to buy the machines and set up my business. I did it on my own. As a team member, I work well, but as a leader of a project, it didn’t go as smoothly. I decided to do it alone,” he says.
“When clients receive the records and open them, they burst with joy.”
Alberto has an entrepreneurial spirit; he always wants to do things, stay active, and research.
“I had to learn everything. Making a vinyl involves a process like any other factory—electricity, plumbing, and… I’d never worked in a factory,” he adds.
He didn’t tell anyone about his project until it was completed. He had to rent a building for the machines to be delivered, and the first year of this venture was a headache.
“I had everything ready—space, workers—only the machines were missing. They didn’t arrive. I was placed at the end of the list and more powerful clients were given priority. This led to losses. But I don’t regret it; once I was in, there was no turning back,” he says.
The machines arrived, and he had to learn how to use them. It was different from just having a manual with instructions.
“It’s rewarding to see the creativity in day-to-day work. I grew up with vinyl, like many other artists. Vinyl is an artistic project,” he says. “When clients receive the records and open them, they burst with joy. We’re fulfilling a need. We’ve done work for the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Alfredo Molina, the excellent Cuban musician, and many others.”
For Alberto, it all boils down to one key idea.
“You have to believe in what you’re doing. Feel the vibe, because money doesn’t make me feel the vibe; it’s energy. In a business, you have to believe, love it, and feel the vibe. That’s the most important thing. Now, after a year and a half, we’re floating. Many people tell me, ‘If your business is floating, you’ve made it,’” he finishes by saying.
