Derek Ali (born November 1, 1989[1]), better known by his moniker MixedByAli, is an American mixing engineer. His career began in Los Angeles in the late 2000s recording and mixing for Top Dawg Entertainment artists – first with Schoolboy Q, then Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and SZA, then later on and more recently Bas, Nipsey Hussle, Snoop Dogg as well as many others.[2][3]
Derek Ali | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | November 1, 1989 |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Mixing engineer |
| Years active | 2010s–present |
| Website | www |
In 2018, he invented an online mixing program and community for mixing engineers called EngineEars which is aimed at teaching upcoming engineers techniques that will improve the quality of mixes they create and provide a world class mixing access to artists remotely.[4][5]
Technique
editAli mixes "in the box" (without the use of analog gear) when working with certain audio effects, such as vocals. However, he credits a mixing console for his "crispiness". About using hardware, Ali says: "If you have the gear, I suggest you use it. How I look at this way of mixing is I feel like you're inside the computer."[6]
About 80% of his time spent mixing is in mono, which is a method he learned from Dr. Dre.[7]
Awards
editAli has been nominated for the Grammy Awards 6 times and has won twice.[8]
Nominations
edit- 2012: Album of the Year – good kid, m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar
- 2015: Album of the Year – To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
- 2017: Album of the Year – DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar
- 2017: Record of the Year – “HUMBLE.” by Kendrick Lamar
Wins
edit- 2015: Best Rap Album – To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
- 2018: Record of the Year – “This Is America” by Childish Gambino
Discography
edit- 2021: Brockhampton – Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine[9]
- 2020: Spillage Village – Spilligion[10]
- 2020: Glass Animals – "Space Ghost Coast to Coast"[11]
- 2018: Bas – Milky Way[12]
- 2018: Jay Rock – Redemption[13]
- 2018: Childish Gambino – "This Is America"[14]
- 2018: Cardi B – "She Bad"[15]
- 2018: Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap[16]
- 2018: Kendrick Lamar – "Redemption" and "Big Shot"
- 2018: Arin Ray – Platinum Fire
- 2017: SZA – Ctrl[17]
- 2017: Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.[18]
- 2015: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly[19]
- 2012: Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city[20]
- 2012: ScHoolboy Q – Habits & Contradictions
- 2012: Ab-Soul – Control System
- 2011: ScHoolboy Q – Setbacks
- 2011: Ab-Soul – Longterm Mentality
- 2011: Kendrick Lamar – Section.80
- 2011: Jay Rock – Follow Me Home
- 2010: Kendrick Lamar – Overly Dedicated
Mentors
editThough Ali was introduced to mixing DAWs like Pro Tools by Punch and Dave Free, his most notable professional teacher is Dr. Dre whom he served under as an intern.
References
edit- ^ "18 Questions With 30 Under 30 Audio Engineer MixedByAli". Forbes. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ "DEREK ALI, THE MAN BEHIND KENDRICK'S SOUND". OZY. February 10, 2016. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ "Inside Track: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly". Sound on Sound. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
- ^ "How Top Dawg Entertainment's MixedByAli Is Transitioning From Audio Engineer To Entrepreneur". Forbes. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
- ^ "Audio Engineering Pro Tips with Derek 'MixedByAli' Ali". NAMM. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ Mixing Vocals – MixedByAli, October 10, 2017, retrieved October 12, 2019
- ^ "Inside Track: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ "Past Winners Search". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ "Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine/ BROCKHAMPTON". Tidal. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
- ^ "Spilligion / Spillage Village". Tidal. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
- ^ Dreamland (liner notes). Glass Animals. Wolf Tone. 2020. 0883364.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bas (August 24, 2018). "Milky Way full credits". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
- ^ "Digital Booklet – Redemption" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
- ^ "This Is America / Childish Gambino". Tidal. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ *"Invasion of Privacy / Cardi B TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
- "Money / Cardi B TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved December 30, 2018.
- ^ Z. Yeung, Neil. "Victory Lap – Nipsey Hussle". AllMusic. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ Ctrl (Media notes). SZA. RCA. 2017.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "DAMN. digital booklet".
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ To Pimp a Butterfly (Media notes). Interscope Records.
- ^ "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City – Kendrick Lamar". AllMusic. Credits. Archived from the original on October 27, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2012.