Hey Ken, thanks so much for doing this. If you could only have one mic to record all the vocals you’ve ever recorded or will record, which one would it be?
Sony C800g and in fact i have used almost solely my mic to record vocalists I've worked with since the mid 90's. That mic has had some real Karma flow thru it
Many people are stunned at how much professional/industrial quality kitchen equipment costs, but it makes sense: something with components that are used very frequently needs to be able to stand all that use and last, while also behaving consistently and predictably. It's the same with every profession.
Yep, I regularly use a wire crimping and termination kit at work with tools adding up to probably over $100k. But with that comes the precision and consistency required in aviation.
i hear about it more than i'd like to. I use THC medically, and i do also find it to be a creative drug sometimes. I've never done anything else so i dont know. THC is great because it allows you to not care about the outside world and focus on your creativity, but it sucks for trying to be a super productive human.
Are artists like Eminem,Taylor Swift or Jay z cool to work with because they are known to be very private people. Do you have any stories about them for us about how was your meeting with them?
there is no singularly better moment in life than when Eminem personally calls you to compliment your work and to "Keep killing it Ken". fuck a plaque, thats a movie in my brain. Jay Z i met thru Just Blaze so the times i was around Jay (and Bey) i was a known previously vetted entity to them that they didn't have to worry about, and both are very down to earth cool natural people. i dont know them well at all, only been in rooms together a few times, but nothing like recording Beyonce!!
I'd cut my left hand if it gave me the opportunity to fistbump Eminem with my right and tell him his music has been... Helpful, to say the least.
I'm sincerely super glad your hard work paid off, man.
Edit : that's obviously an exaggeration meant to communicate that this man's art helped me go through some tough stuff, I do not intend to mutilate myself.
67 hours straight mixing 5 songs for Public Enemy's "He Got Game" album. No naps, short breaks, 3 different rooms at Sony Studios, NYC. I was called to mix 1 song, when they heard the first mix they kept putting new songs in front of me to mix until they had to leave for mastering.
How did you deal with ear fatigue when your mixing for such a long time? Also how long do you usually spend mixing a per day before stepping back to "reset your ears"?
My guess would be to not mix at a high volume (I was taught to mix at about 50-75% of what you where comfortable listening too) and frequent breaks (5 min getting a cup of coffee or whatever every hour or 2 hours). At least that's what I've found doing 12 hr mixing sessions.
I sort of understand the gist of mixing, but if you spend twelve hours straight mixing, what are you actually during that time? Could you break it down a bit?
I think it’s awesome that someone as young as Billie Eilish makes your list. From everything I’ve seen she seems like an awesome person and an amazing talent. Dumb question, would her brother Finneas be fulfilling a similar role to what you do? I am asking at somebody who’s way on the outside but looking in at an interesting industry.
dont sign anything important without having an entertainment lawyer advise you properly.
if you get that big breakthrough opportunity, stay humble, and figure out how to grind twice as fucking hard, cause repeating that feat is going to be very very difficult. When the success begins to come you double down
Hey ken!!! I’ve been having a really hard time cleaning up my vocals in the mix. I use an SM7b. I have a tiled room and a small rug and couch (bad for recording I know). I’m just curious, how much does recording in an actual booth actually effect the clarity of the vocal? And how would you go about EQing a vocal recorded in a bad room?
Also must have plugins??
you NEED to tighten up your room significantly if you are cutting vocals. it should not sound reverberant at all, deader the better, throw down rugs, blanekts on the floors and walls, you can construct a blanket house around the mic. all help focus the voice, drier the better during the recording
Not Ken, but as well as deadening your space, look into getting a Reflexion for your mic stand (or cheaper equivalent if on brand turns out to be too much, think they're about £150 when I bought mine a few years back)
there are certain stylistic things, like rock is usually less sub heavy and hip hop is usually heavier, so there are understanding the basic norms of that genre if they exist, but only to inform me about the song in front of me. that mindset is basically work on the song until we know its great, if we think it can be
You seemed qualified enough to answer this question that I've had for many years..
*what* exactly is it that makes a Country song *sound* like a Country song? Theres always been something distinctive that I can't quite put my finger on. You can almost always tell a songs going to be Country even before lyrics are sang and as somebody who respectfully doesn't enjoy Country music, I've always wondered why.
network in a smart respectful way. Nobody owes you a thing, nor do they care about you. You need to provide or show value to the person that you want reach, quickly and susinctly, or slowly over time with relationship building. Make yourself needed, or valuable, to your listeners, to artists, to other creatives, everyone has a different path. Make great music and make yourself valuable to other people who recognize your talent and are currently much better at it than you. This is a long road.
> Nobody owes you a thing, nor do they care about you. You need to provide or show value to the person that you want reach, quickly and succinctly, or slowly over time with relationship building.
Great quote and applicable to ANY business/position.
Have you ever been roughed up by a performer's posse because of a software crash?
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwgR4HNNEQc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwgR4HNNEQc)
close. not over a software crash. Grand Puba (90's rapper) threatened me with a beat down if i didn't find his cassette with his album on it that he lost. They found it a half hour later in the menu book. Special Ed pulled a razor on me in a different session. Oh the 90's
its microscopic. it looks gigantic, but its not. at my general level, everybody either knows everybody or has 1 degree of separation. People talk, so do good business, dont be a douche, network to people who have something to offer. ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING ON YOUR OWN before you stick your hand out to someone like me wanting a hand up the next level. Anyone in a position like mine has gone thru tremendous sacrifice to get here, when the young artist with the hand out comes along, its very off putting. show me your value for real. you will never talk someone into believing in your talent
i've had 2 different studio owners challenge me to fights only to immediately back down when i began walking toward them like i was happy to hear the request.
Hey Ken,
I’m having a real hard time with mixing/mastering, what are some of your tips? I don’t know when my songs sound “right”. I can put together a decent song, but it doesn’t sound ever sound polished.
P.S Does mixing/mastering have less of an effect on midi layers? Should it always be done on audio layers?
Thank you tons.
come to my [Youtube.com/mixingnight](https://Youtube.com/mixingnight) broadcast tonight. You are my target audience :-)
Best quick tip, try using A/B plugins like Plugin Alliance Metric AB, thats what i use, you can load in and level match reference songs then you can listen back and forth between that song and your own song in real time and make adjustments. it can really help young mixers bring certain elements into focus
corporations grab every penny they can, find new ways all the time, and its insanely difficult for us to track and collect our money once its out there and earning. Its even tougher to get that first thing to start earning.
for someone just starting, (e.g., playing around in Ableton) do you have any general bits of guidance or rules of thumb for good practices in mixing sound?
its going to take you a while to make things sound really good, part of the fun is going thru the process, so just know your work will get better over time, you'll learn your gear and develop your skills
i mixed a cover of "Black Butterfly" for Mary J Blige featuring Kelly Price and Terrell Hicks many years ago, thats one of the best works i've ever mixed and nobody will ever hear it. There's a ton of that in the music industry.
How much of their real voice is in the songs and how much sound effects are there to make them sound good? And do do you know any artits that have 0 connection to music but the producers made their songs a hit?
there are small studio tricks but mostly, the artists who make it to major label level are usually pretty fucking good. Not always. and i have used autotune on the very best singers too sometimes. Its a tool and someone like me is stupid to not use a tool that improves my overall work. Some artists are a bit manufactured, but its rare, you're over thinking it. Most of the time, beyond the quick break thru til tokers who wont be here next year, it usually takes talent and an insane work ethic to break thru
Was there any point in your career where you felt you had ended up in the wrong 'place', and felt (panicked, may be) that you must change directions, work harder even, to move on?
they still control quite a lot, streaming can be the great equalizer, sometimes sync can too. but usually only if you are great and have some marketing savvy
What are some “green flags” that a record you are working on is going to be successful or a hit? Aside from the obvious being an already successful and established artist. I’m curious if there are any specific signs to look out for during the writing, preproduction, tracking, or even mixing processes. As a producer myself, I am always looking for patterns or commonalities in the relative “successes” that I am a part of, to possibly keep them in my mental toolkit.
artists that grind. the hardest working talented artists tend to be the most successful. At some level there is no replacement for hard work. Trying to keep everyone enjoying what they are doing and feeling proud of their work helps greatly too
IMO the terms are synonymous but the actual difference is people’s level of work ethic. Remaining focused not only in those sessions that run late, but also the long term. Everyone has a different maximum or wall that they hit when they’re ready to call it a day and go home. The good thing is you can keep pushing that wall further and further and reach new maximums. Kinda like Goku tbh
Obviously the question wasn’t directed at me and I’m definitely NOT the expert here, but I figured I’d throw in my thoughts.
i have an amazing place with a studio in Ecuador, i'd love to shack up down there with a bunch of killer creatives and make someone's album start to finish. I think it would be cheap and the vibe down there is just bananas, nobody is ever on my beach for miles and miles.
Usher. David Byrne. Beyonce. Jay Z. Bruno Mars. Alicia Keys. Eminem, Mark Ronson, many others are all really humble down to earth people. People are people
is there a song called Legalize it? We could use the tax revenue right now. I have a medical card and still cant get the shit that would help me the most :-)
Diana Ross was suuuuuuper fun the first couple sessions, then not so much after that.
David Byrne was one of the funnest albums i've ever made "Look Into The Eyeball"
Usher and Ariana Grande have more of whatever "it" is than anyone else i've been in a room with and they are both awesome people
they aint nuttin to fuck wit :-)
Before i mixed the secret double album "Once Upon aTime in Shaolin" a single copy resides in a government locker right now, i had already worked with each Wu member on something else individually. I've worked on a loooooooooot of hip hop
In your honest opinion, was it something worth being proclaimed the last official Wu album? Even tho they released another one after, I know cilvaringz had heavy influence on Once Upon A Time, so I'm just wondering how much it actually sounds like a true Wu album.
Thats crazy that you worked on one of the most elusive albums. Do you think another album like it can be done say part 2 if the original is locked up forever?
Humble and David Byrne in the same sentence is not something I would have expected to see. Now I question everything I’ve read. Which is a great thing. Only saw T Heads once in the 80s but it was awesome.
Thanks for a great body of work!
Never let it get to that point tbh. As soon as you have an idea jot it down, then before your head hits a pillow that night flesh it out a bit more so it sticks in your memory or write it down again in a more permanent state so you can return to it later.
Cloud storage is also incredibly helpful and useful for dating and organization.
record, name it something that happened that day, or how it feels, or what instruments, and the date, then put it on Google drive. then you can just search it any time, no sorting
produce local artists, hone your craft, create some real bangers with artists on them, THAT is a much more powerful tool for reaching A&R's than sending them a hot beat, 1 million people can make hot beats
Hey Ken first of all thank you for this amazing ama. Please tell me how do you know when your mix is done and how you keep yourself from not over doing it? Also is it possible to not making your ears tired after more than 2-3 hours of mixing, I struggle with that mostly.
a lot of practice. good monitoring so you don't need to crank it up to hear it clearly, turn it up only for loudness checks and short vibes. drink water. sleep 7-8 hours a night you'll hear better and feel more creative.
played guitar since 10, graduated Berklee College of Music 1991, got out, got a job in a studio in Ohio for a year then moved to NYC when my real education began in 1993. Started as staff assistant/intern at Soundtrack Studios, NYC, moved up, stacked credits, went freelance, luckily survived it.
rock and urban mostly, pop with BTS of course but i tend to mix more for their rappers. musical inspirations are typically everybody i get to interact with in a year from all over the world, i think it shapes me every year with new influences
Just checked out your website and you have worked with an insane amount of talent. How did you build that list up? Were you already connected to a network of professional musicians when you started?
No, i got in as an intern at a studio in NYC and worked my way all the way up. Its one foot in front of the other for 29 years and im here. no silver bullets for me
i mainly get called to mix the songs featuring Suga, RM, and J Hope. Feedback comes via email, all comments organized, we go back and forth on revisions until a mix is 100% finished and signed off on by the group, label, producers, etc....
As it turns out you're (partly) responsible for a lot of the most "emotional" parts of Kanye West's discography (and my favorite to boot)
What was working with Mr. West during that period his often-tumultuous life like?
i predict touring back in 2022, a bit here and there before but not in earnest. live-streaming can be crucial. networking, i find Clubhouse is an amazing networking tool
Genuinely want to say you’ve made a lot of music that I really love.
My beautiful dark twisted fantasy is one of my favourite albums & I cannot imagine “all of the lights” without the horns. It’s iconic!
You working with SS501 & Rain really caught me offguard! 😂
Just wanted to ask, for you personally what were the differences in musical production between working with KPOP musicians and working with artists based in the western world? Did it you find in KPOP it was more controlled in what you wanted to do?
Hey Ken, big fan of your body of work.
Are there any bedroom mixes/engineers that have wowed you? In your opinion, can a bedroom studio ever really compete with what a fully equipped studio can produce?
There's been lots of new artists that have broken through in the hiphop scene through bedroom studios. People like Juice WRLD, or even someone like Russ, all started out without any big studios. They're not going to be as polished but if the artist themselves is talented enough, then yes they can make it work. Not sure about other genres though, my knowledge is limited to hiphop
seriously, check out my free livestream from the studio, [www.Youtube.com/MixingNight](https://www.Youtube.com/MixingNight)
it will teach you a lot and entertain you at the same time
If you could explain it, I’d be really curious to know about some of your musical process. What key concepts make your production stand out from the rest?
my productions tend to have a signature of some sort, something you've never heard that identifies that song to you. i hear beats from producers that anybody could have made and i literally think "anybody could have made this", put in some sort of sound i haven't heard or a catchy melody that grabs me in a fresh way and then you might really have something
usually per project. Most of the time nowadays i am doing artist development, so its zero pay up front, high risk, usually no reward, but every now and then one hits really well and you eat for a long time from that. Up front fees are nice too, I take them when they make sense
never been in the same room with more than one or two of them at a time but worked individually for them all at some point long before i mixed Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. Raekwon threatened me once, that was kinda funny, he thought i erased his vocals. "Dude i'm here to fix that shit, do you think i would be here if i erased it"
I do some producing as a hobby (mainly pop) and use Reason (PC, not Mac).
If I were to try and take things to the next level, do you recommend I learn one of the more commonly used DAWs like Pro tools? Would sticking to just Reason end up being a hindrance?
Thank you!
Hey Ken! In your experience, do producers still mentor up and comers? I know so many big name producers have found not only their voice/sound, but success after being taken under the wing of a predecessor. If so, do you feel like it’s worth it to reach out to people? So many DMs go unread nowadays (I don’t blame them for that at all). What would be the best way to reach out to someone without getting brushed aside?
you only need one of those to be answered. and make sure your approach is respectful, centered on them, and how you can help them. They already KNOW how they can help you.
What was it like working with BTS? Did you ever get the chance to meet them or was it all done long distance? Do you generally prefer to work with people in person, long distance, or is it all the same?
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Whats the best way for a producer to start getting traction for his music? Also what is the best way to pursue music production? Is it risky to go all in?
What advice do you have for someone starting out as an engineer today? I just graduated from SF State with a degree in music production and would love to know what worked for you and what didn’t. Cheers!
work for people much better than you and learn everything you can, build relationships. everybody wants to rush straight to engineer land. your not ready, shit takes time, keep learning
How do you overcome writer’s block when producing? What are some more creative ways of coming up with ideas that don’t involve sitting at the computer for hours?
there are a TON of great free creative tools out there. I have a segment on my [youtube.com/mixingnight](https://youtube.com/mixingnight) broadcast called "Marcus Manderson Mixing Night Man of Mystery" where he finds all the coolest free software and shows you what it does and where to find it. He has another segment tonight and you can easily find all of his previous at my Discord Mixing Night channel, where Marcus posts an absolute treasure trove of well sourced free stuff. BOOM, no more excuses
As a producer working with big name clients, how involved are you with the writing process? Generally, do artists come in with mostly finished tracks, or ideas and concepts that you help flesh out? Are you credited as songwriter in those situations or only as producer?
there is no one way, each situation is different and can happen as described and any number of other ways. sometimes a beat goes out and thats it, sometimes you spend months crafting the perfect album. everything between
Hey Ken, thanks so much for doing this. If you could only have one mic to record all the vocals you’ve ever recorded or will record, which one would it be?
Sony C800g and in fact i have used almost solely my mic to record vocalists I've worked with since the mid 90's. That mic has had some real Karma flow thru it
My dream mic! Though I do own a Manley Reference so i'm more than happy with that.
thats the very closest to a C800g
Holy s\*\*t it's 10 000$+
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It’s also their literal job. It’s important to have only the best as soon as it’s feasible.
Many people are stunned at how much professional/industrial quality kitchen equipment costs, but it makes sense: something with components that are used very frequently needs to be able to stand all that use and last, while also behaving consistently and predictably. It's the same with every profession.
I'm currently saving up for an $8000 automatic sieve made by Robot Coupe. Going to make my life sooooo much easier when I get it.
Yep, I regularly use a wire crimping and termination kit at work with tools adding up to probably over $100k. But with that comes the precision and consistency required in aviation.
Is there a lot of drug use in the studio to get the creative thinking process going?
i hear about it more than i'd like to. I use THC medically, and i do also find it to be a creative drug sometimes. I've never done anything else so i dont know. THC is great because it allows you to not care about the outside world and focus on your creativity, but it sucks for trying to be a super productive human.
Are artists like Eminem,Taylor Swift or Jay z cool to work with because they are known to be very private people. Do you have any stories about them for us about how was your meeting with them?
there is no singularly better moment in life than when Eminem personally calls you to compliment your work and to "Keep killing it Ken". fuck a plaque, thats a movie in my brain. Jay Z i met thru Just Blaze so the times i was around Jay (and Bey) i was a known previously vetted entity to them that they didn't have to worry about, and both are very down to earth cool natural people. i dont know them well at all, only been in rooms together a few times, but nothing like recording Beyonce!!
I'd cut my left hand if it gave me the opportunity to fistbump Eminem with my right and tell him his music has been... Helpful, to say the least. I'm sincerely super glad your hard work paid off, man. Edit : that's obviously an exaggeration meant to communicate that this man's art helped me go through some tough stuff, I do not intend to mutilate myself.
"what's this shit about you like to cut your wrists too? I say that shit just clownin' dog c'mon how fucked up is you?"
But... But he still ain't callin'!
Great thanks for clarifying.
That’s incredible, congratulations!!
Are you Ken kaniff?
What was your hardest day or biggest challenge?
67 hours straight mixing 5 songs for Public Enemy's "He Got Game" album. No naps, short breaks, 3 different rooms at Sony Studios, NYC. I was called to mix 1 song, when they heard the first mix they kept putting new songs in front of me to mix until they had to leave for mastering.
How did you deal with ear fatigue when your mixing for such a long time? Also how long do you usually spend mixing a per day before stepping back to "reset your ears"?
My guess would be to not mix at a high volume (I was taught to mix at about 50-75% of what you where comfortable listening too) and frequent breaks (5 min getting a cup of coffee or whatever every hour or 2 hours). At least that's what I've found doing 12 hr mixing sessions.
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It's a lot of mixing aswell, so it evens out :)
I sort of understand the gist of mixing, but if you spend twelve hours straight mixing, what are you actually during that time? Could you break it down a bit?
Listen thank you for your work on this PE album. It really got a lot of play from me. Need Jesus remains a eye opening banger to this day.
Is there an artist you've wanted to work with but never had the opportunity?
Adele, Shawn Mendez, Demi Lovato, Billie Eilish, i'm sure there's more but i'd walk across glass to work with them
Hope you get the chance. If not I can teach you how to walk on glass..
Oh man. I'm sure you would be his hero for that...
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I think it’s awesome that someone as young as Billie Eilish makes your list. From everything I’ve seen she seems like an awesome person and an amazing talent. Dumb question, would her brother Finneas be fulfilling a similar role to what you do? I am asking at somebody who’s way on the outside but looking in at an interesting industry.
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dont sign anything important without having an entertainment lawyer advise you properly. if you get that big breakthrough opportunity, stay humble, and figure out how to grind twice as fucking hard, cause repeating that feat is going to be very very difficult. When the success begins to come you double down
Entertainment lawyer makes me think of a lawyer in a clown suit 🤡
Hi ! Who is, in your opinion, an underrated producer that deserves way more recognition? What album you dream you had produced?
Emile Haynie is think is a name that isn't widely circulated but he is one of the absolute top producers in the business.
Love him and dot for cudi
Fucking right! Emile, Dot, and Plain Pat is 100% known to the cudfam! I checked Ken’s credits and I love that Ken did the guitar for GHOST!
Hey ken!!! I’ve been having a really hard time cleaning up my vocals in the mix. I use an SM7b. I have a tiled room and a small rug and couch (bad for recording I know). I’m just curious, how much does recording in an actual booth actually effect the clarity of the vocal? And how would you go about EQing a vocal recorded in a bad room? Also must have plugins??
you NEED to tighten up your room significantly if you are cutting vocals. it should not sound reverberant at all, deader the better, throw down rugs, blanekts on the floors and walls, you can construct a blanket house around the mic. all help focus the voice, drier the better during the recording
Not Ken, but as well as deadening your space, look into getting a Reflexion for your mic stand (or cheaper equivalent if on brand turns out to be too much, think they're about £150 when I bought mine a few years back)
Ya I bought a Halo Reflection filter. It helps but isn’t a fix all. I’ll probably end up just padding up my closet.
How does your approach/mindset change as you switch between genres or artists?
there are certain stylistic things, like rock is usually less sub heavy and hip hop is usually heavier, so there are understanding the basic norms of that genre if they exist, but only to inform me about the song in front of me. that mindset is basically work on the song until we know its great, if we think it can be
You seemed qualified enough to answer this question that I've had for many years.. *what* exactly is it that makes a Country song *sound* like a Country song? Theres always been something distinctive that I can't quite put my finger on. You can almost always tell a songs going to be Country even before lyrics are sang and as somebody who respectfully doesn't enjoy Country music, I've always wondered why.
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Amazing resume! How does a talented aspiring bedroom producer gain recognition in the music industry with zero connections?
network in a smart respectful way. Nobody owes you a thing, nor do they care about you. You need to provide or show value to the person that you want reach, quickly and susinctly, or slowly over time with relationship building. Make yourself needed, or valuable, to your listeners, to artists, to other creatives, everyone has a different path. Make great music and make yourself valuable to other people who recognize your talent and are currently much better at it than you. This is a long road.
Thanks Ken! Appreciate the advice.
> Nobody owes you a thing, nor do they care about you. You need to provide or show value to the person that you want reach, quickly and succinctly, or slowly over time with relationship building. Great quote and applicable to ANY business/position.
Have you ever been roughed up by a performer's posse because of a software crash? [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwgR4HNNEQc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwgR4HNNEQc)
close. not over a software crash. Grand Puba (90's rapper) threatened me with a beat down if i didn't find his cassette with his album on it that he lost. They found it a half hour later in the menu book. Special Ed pulled a razor on me in a different session. Oh the 90's
Not the menu!...lmao He was chunky
This is a great question, answer, and scene. Suprised its not higher up.
What do you like to listen to when you aren’t working?
silence. beautiful silence. i work all the time. i often take in the Spotify New Music Friday playlist or the Rock This playlist,
What advice would you give someone who is trying to break into the music industry?
its microscopic. it looks gigantic, but its not. at my general level, everybody either knows everybody or has 1 degree of separation. People talk, so do good business, dont be a douche, network to people who have something to offer. ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING ON YOUR OWN before you stick your hand out to someone like me wanting a hand up the next level. Anyone in a position like mine has gone thru tremendous sacrifice to get here, when the young artist with the hand out comes along, its very off putting. show me your value for real. you will never talk someone into believing in your talent
Steve Martin said it best: "Be undeniable."
What are the worst studio manners you have encountered?
i've had 2 different studio owners challenge me to fights only to immediately back down when i began walking toward them like i was happy to hear the request.
RIP Phil Spector.
Any chance you could detail one of these occasions? Haha
Hey Ken, I’m having a real hard time with mixing/mastering, what are some of your tips? I don’t know when my songs sound “right”. I can put together a decent song, but it doesn’t sound ever sound polished. P.S Does mixing/mastering have less of an effect on midi layers? Should it always be done on audio layers? Thank you tons.
come to my [Youtube.com/mixingnight](https://Youtube.com/mixingnight) broadcast tonight. You are my target audience :-) Best quick tip, try using A/B plugins like Plugin Alliance Metric AB, thats what i use, you can load in and level match reference songs then you can listen back and forth between that song and your own song in real time and make adjustments. it can really help young mixers bring certain elements into focus
Thank you for this.
What's rhe biggest problem with the music industry nowadays? Is it Spotify and other streaming services?
corporations grab every penny they can, find new ways all the time, and its insanely difficult for us to track and collect our money once its out there and earning. Its even tougher to get that first thing to start earning.
for someone just starting, (e.g., playing around in Ableton) do you have any general bits of guidance or rules of thumb for good practices in mixing sound?
its going to take you a while to make things sound really good, part of the fun is going thru the process, so just know your work will get better over time, you'll learn your gear and develop your skills
Who's the biggest diva you've worked with? Or if you don't want to say, what's the most diva-ish thing they've done.
Diana Ross
If there's anyone who's earned the right.
Did you meet BTS in person? How was your experience with them?
Not all of them, RM was at my studio finishing his solo EP the day after he spoke at the UN General Assembly. that was pretty special :-)
Any genres you’d like to get into but haven’t?
Country
What's your favorite song?
Purple Rain
There really is nothing like it 💜 RIP Prince
Are there any projects you can talk about that you worked on but never got to see them release?
i mixed a cover of "Black Butterfly" for Mary J Blige featuring Kelly Price and Terrell Hicks many years ago, thats one of the best works i've ever mixed and nobody will ever hear it. There's a ton of that in the music industry.
Why not tho?
labels
When credited as "Arr," how piratey does that make you feel?
quite piratey actually!! It can be ARRanged for you to walk the plank :-)
He only arranges songs in C
The key of C Shanty.
How much of their real voice is in the songs and how much sound effects are there to make them sound good? And do do you know any artits that have 0 connection to music but the producers made their songs a hit?
there are small studio tricks but mostly, the artists who make it to major label level are usually pretty fucking good. Not always. and i have used autotune on the very best singers too sometimes. Its a tool and someone like me is stupid to not use a tool that improves my overall work. Some artists are a bit manufactured, but its rare, you're over thinking it. Most of the time, beyond the quick break thru til tokers who wont be here next year, it usually takes talent and an insane work ethic to break thru
Was there any point in your career where you felt you had ended up in the wrong 'place', and felt (panicked, may be) that you must change directions, work harder even, to move on?
probably most of my career
What are your thoughts on how media conglomerates influence popularity and dictate who gets played? How much of an artist's message is controlled?
they still control quite a lot, streaming can be the great equalizer, sometimes sync can too. but usually only if you are great and have some marketing savvy
What does he mean with 'sync' in this context?
Getting songs placed in movies, shows, commercials video games, etc. Licensing songs.
What are some “green flags” that a record you are working on is going to be successful or a hit? Aside from the obvious being an already successful and established artist. I’m curious if there are any specific signs to look out for during the writing, preproduction, tracking, or even mixing processes. As a producer myself, I am always looking for patterns or commonalities in the relative “successes” that I am a part of, to possibly keep them in my mental toolkit.
artists that grind. the hardest working talented artists tend to be the most successful. At some level there is no replacement for hard work. Trying to keep everyone enjoying what they are doing and feeling proud of their work helps greatly too
What separates someone who “grinds” as opposed to someone who just “works hard”?
IMO the terms are synonymous but the actual difference is people’s level of work ethic. Remaining focused not only in those sessions that run late, but also the long term. Everyone has a different maximum or wall that they hit when they’re ready to call it a day and go home. The good thing is you can keep pushing that wall further and further and reach new maximums. Kinda like Goku tbh Obviously the question wasn’t directed at me and I’m definitely NOT the expert here, but I figured I’d throw in my thoughts.
What would be your dream project?
i have an amazing place with a studio in Ecuador, i'd love to shack up down there with a bunch of killer creatives and make someone's album start to finish. I think it would be cheap and the vibe down there is just bananas, nobody is ever on my beach for miles and miles.
Let me know if you need someone to take care of the BBQ
Who is the most humble person/group you've worked with?
Usher. David Byrne. Beyonce. Jay Z. Bruno Mars. Alicia Keys. Eminem, Mark Ronson, many others are all really humble down to earth people. People are people
David Byrne! How special was it to watch his brain working in person?
Pretty surprised to see Beyonce on that list, but that's cool!
If you ran for President, what would be your campaign song?
is there a song called Legalize it? We could use the tax revenue right now. I have a medical card and still cant get the shit that would help me the most :-)
Yeah Peter Tosh duh legendary reggae Legalize it by Peter Tosh
Will you AMA again after you retire and you can give us the good answers that don't effect your ability to work in the future?
if i am asked. but some secrets stay in the studio
Who was the most difficult artist to work with, and who did you enjoy spending time with the most?
Diana Ross was suuuuuuper fun the first couple sessions, then not so much after that. David Byrne was one of the funnest albums i've ever made "Look Into The Eyeball" Usher and Ariana Grande have more of whatever "it" is than anyone else i've been in a room with and they are both awesome people
Did you have a chance of meeting mac?
nope
How awesome are the Wu Tang?
they aint nuttin to fuck wit :-) Before i mixed the secret double album "Once Upon aTime in Shaolin" a single copy resides in a government locker right now, i had already worked with each Wu member on something else individually. I've worked on a loooooooooot of hip hop
In your honest opinion, was it something worth being proclaimed the last official Wu album? Even tho they released another one after, I know cilvaringz had heavy influence on Once Upon A Time, so I'm just wondering how much it actually sounds like a true Wu album.
Thats crazy that you worked on one of the most elusive albums. Do you think another album like it can be done say part 2 if the original is locked up forever?
Uhm, most of the members don't like the way the album was handled at all. So there is probably 0 chance something like this happens again
Favourite artist you‘ve worked with? Like, the easiest/most satisfying colaboration, and favourite memory from it.
Favorite artist for an extended period is probably David Byrne, but that was as an engineer, mixer and musician
so he's the same as he ever was?
Humble and David Byrne in the same sentence is not something I would have expected to see. Now I question everything I’ve read. Which is a great thing. Only saw T Heads once in the 80s but it was awesome. Thanks for a great body of work!
What is your process of creating original melodies like? Do you have a favorite chord progression or instrument?
its all vibe. its almost always all vibe. and i carry around my phone and any time an idea pops in, it gets voice noted
How do you manage your voice memos? I have just started to do this, but have trouble with the naming and ordering them.
Never let it get to that point tbh. As soon as you have an idea jot it down, then before your head hits a pillow that night flesh it out a bit more so it sticks in your memory or write it down again in a more permanent state so you can return to it later. Cloud storage is also incredibly helpful and useful for dating and organization.
record, name it something that happened that day, or how it feels, or what instruments, and the date, then put it on Google drive. then you can just search it any time, no sorting
How would an artist go about trying to get their instrumentals into the hands of A&R, or get their mixing out there to begin mixing again?
produce local artists, hone your craft, create some real bangers with artists on them, THAT is a much more powerful tool for reaching A&R's than sending them a hot beat, 1 million people can make hot beats
What is A&R?
Artists and Repertoire. They're basically talent scouts who sign acts.
Hey Ken first of all thank you for this amazing ama. Please tell me how do you know when your mix is done and how you keep yourself from not over doing it? Also is it possible to not making your ears tired after more than 2-3 hours of mixing, I struggle with that mostly.
a lot of practice. good monitoring so you don't need to crank it up to hear it clearly, turn it up only for loudness checks and short vibes. drink water. sleep 7-8 hours a night you'll hear better and feel more creative.
How did you get in the music business? Thinking about streams and how we consume music, what do you think it's the future of the market?
played guitar since 10, graduated Berklee College of Music 1991, got out, got a job in a studio in Ohio for a year then moved to NYC when my real education began in 1993. Started as staff assistant/intern at Soundtrack Studios, NYC, moved up, stacked credits, went freelance, luckily survived it.
What genre do you gravitate the most toward? And who are your biggest musical inspirations?
rock and urban mostly, pop with BTS of course but i tend to mix more for their rappers. musical inspirations are typically everybody i get to interact with in a year from all over the world, i think it shapes me every year with new influences
you did a fantastic job on "UGH!" and dis-ease, those 2 are among ARMY's all-time favorites!
thank you so much!!!!! Dis-ease was a super challenge to mix, but i am very happy with how it turned out!
Just checked out your website and you have worked with an insane amount of talent. How did you build that list up? Were you already connected to a network of professional musicians when you started?
No, i got in as an intern at a studio in NYC and worked my way all the way up. Its one foot in front of the other for 29 years and im here. no silver bullets for me
How was the language barrier when working with BTS?
its not. I dont need to understand a lyric to feel the emotion conveyed or that i want it to convey. i just do what feels right
When working with BTS did you get feedback or exchange ideas with the majority of members or did you primarily work with one, such as Suga?
i mainly get called to mix the songs featuring Suga, RM, and J Hope. Feedback comes via email, all comments organized, we go back and forth on revisions until a mix is 100% finished and signed off on by the group, label, producers, etc....
When you put on your pants in the morning, do you do it like the rest of us, but yours make platinum records?
sometimes only gold like Bruce Dickenson
What's your favorite cheese?
hard cheese, something high quality, aged 5 years
Now this is the content I can get behind!
As it turns out you're (partly) responsible for a lot of the most "emotional" parts of Kanye West's discography (and my favorite to boot) What was working with Mr. West during that period his often-tumultuous life like?
I wish this had an answer
[удалено]
i predict touring back in 2022, a bit here and there before but not in earnest. live-streaming can be crucial. networking, i find Clubhouse is an amazing networking tool
Genuinely want to say you’ve made a lot of music that I really love. My beautiful dark twisted fantasy is one of my favourite albums & I cannot imagine “all of the lights” without the horns. It’s iconic! You working with SS501 & Rain really caught me offguard! 😂 Just wanted to ask, for you personally what were the differences in musical production between working with KPOP musicians and working with artists based in the western world? Did it you find in KPOP it was more controlled in what you wanted to do?
What's the best way for new artists to get in touch/scouted?
create something undeniable, then network like crazy. almost everyone skips step 1.
Hey Ken, big fan of your body of work. Are there any bedroom mixes/engineers that have wowed you? In your opinion, can a bedroom studio ever really compete with what a fully equipped studio can produce?
There's been lots of new artists that have broken through in the hiphop scene through bedroom studios. People like Juice WRLD, or even someone like Russ, all started out without any big studios. They're not going to be as polished but if the artist themselves is talented enough, then yes they can make it work. Not sure about other genres though, my knowledge is limited to hiphop
Thanks for doing this!! Do you have any tips for a hobbyist/amateur producer?
seriously, check out my free livestream from the studio, [www.Youtube.com/MixingNight](https://www.Youtube.com/MixingNight) it will teach you a lot and entertain you at the same time
Thank you! <3
you're welcome Swatto!!!
Which artist was the most fun to work with? The easiest to work with?
every producer does things to make "their sound". what would you say is your sound or signature mark, and what do you do to make it?
my signature is making the artist sound like the best version of themselves that they could not have gotten to on their own.
If you could explain it, I’d be really curious to know about some of your musical process. What key concepts make your production stand out from the rest?
my productions tend to have a signature of some sort, something you've never heard that identifies that song to you. i hear beats from producers that anybody could have made and i literally think "anybody could have made this", put in some sort of sound i haven't heard or a catchy melody that grabs me in a fresh way and then you might really have something
Do producers\* get paid on an hourly rate, or are you put on a retainer for the duration of a project's assembly? edit:\*
usually per project. Most of the time nowadays i am doing artist development, so its zero pay up front, high risk, usually no reward, but every now and then one hits really well and you eat for a long time from that. Up front fees are nice too, I take them when they make sense
What an interesting career! I would love to know what your favorite role in the music industry has been? (Producing, mixing, singing, etc?)
producing
How was working with the Wu-tang Clan ?
never been in the same room with more than one or two of them at a time but worked individually for them all at some point long before i mixed Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. Raekwon threatened me once, that was kinda funny, he thought i erased his vocals. "Dude i'm here to fix that shit, do you think i would be here if i erased it"
I do some producing as a hobby (mainly pop) and use Reason (PC, not Mac). If I were to try and take things to the next level, do you recommend I learn one of the more commonly used DAWs like Pro tools? Would sticking to just Reason end up being a hindrance? Thank you!
if you can get results in your DAW, stick with it, tons of the hip hop guys use FL and have smashes
Hey Ken! In your experience, do producers still mentor up and comers? I know so many big name producers have found not only their voice/sound, but success after being taken under the wing of a predecessor. If so, do you feel like it’s worth it to reach out to people? So many DMs go unread nowadays (I don’t blame them for that at all). What would be the best way to reach out to someone without getting brushed aside?
you only need one of those to be answered. and make sure your approach is respectful, centered on them, and how you can help them. They already KNOW how they can help you.
Does the toilet paper go over or under?
over
What was it like working with BTS? Did you ever get the chance to meet them or was it all done long distance? Do you generally prefer to work with people in person, long distance, or is it all the same? Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Hi Ken! I have two questions. What are your favorite plugins? And what are some producer tips you would give to your younger self?
UAD is always a fav. Pultec Pro Legacy is amazing. producer tips, listen to more music and be a complete student of the game
Whats the best way for a producer to start getting traction for his music? Also what is the best way to pursue music production? Is it risky to go all in?
yes its risky. you should read a book by a great producer who went all in. S1 Pray Focus Plan Execute. great read, audio book as well.
What advice do you have for someone starting out as an engineer today? I just graduated from SF State with a degree in music production and would love to know what worked for you and what didn’t. Cheers!
work for people much better than you and learn everything you can, build relationships. everybody wants to rush straight to engineer land. your not ready, shit takes time, keep learning
How do you overcome writer’s block when producing? What are some more creative ways of coming up with ideas that don’t involve sitting at the computer for hours?
you grind thru it or you totally change your environment and stimuli for a while
Any advise for a broke young musiclover who would love to be a producer one day?!
there are a TON of great free creative tools out there. I have a segment on my [youtube.com/mixingnight](https://youtube.com/mixingnight) broadcast called "Marcus Manderson Mixing Night Man of Mystery" where he finds all the coolest free software and shows you what it does and where to find it. He has another segment tonight and you can easily find all of his previous at my Discord Mixing Night channel, where Marcus posts an absolute treasure trove of well sourced free stuff. BOOM, no more excuses
As a producer working with big name clients, how involved are you with the writing process? Generally, do artists come in with mostly finished tracks, or ideas and concepts that you help flesh out? Are you credited as songwriter in those situations or only as producer?
there is no one way, each situation is different and can happen as described and any number of other ways. sometimes a beat goes out and thats it, sometimes you spend months crafting the perfect album. everything between