Derek Ali

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Derek Ali

| image = Derek Ali.jpg

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|11|01}}

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| origin = Los Angeles, California, U.S.

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| occupation = Mixing engineer

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| years_active = 2010s–present

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| website = {{URL|https://www.engineears.com/}}

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Derek Ali (born November 1, 1989{{cite web|date=|title=18 Questions With 30 Under 30 Audio Engineer MixedByAli|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2016/01/04/18-questions-with-30-under-30-audio-engineer-mixedbyali/#31b577491522|work=Forbes|accessdate=April 6, 2019}}), 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/derek-ali-the-man-behind-kendricks-sound/67742 |title=DEREK ALI, THE MAN BEHIND KENDRICK'S SOUND |publisher=OZY |date=February 10, 2016 |accessdate=April 6, 2019 |archive-date=April 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406163012/https://www.ozy.com/rising-stars/derek-ali-the-man-behind-kendricks-sound/67742 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/people/inside-track-kendrick-lamars-pimp-butterfly |title=Inside Track: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly |publisher=Sound on Sound |date= |accessdate=April 8, 2019}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ogdenpayne/2018/10/04/how-top-dawg-entertainments-mixedbyali-is-transitioning-from-audio-engineer-to-entrepreneur/#79ff2fce65ac |title=How Top Dawg Entertainment's MixedByAli Is Transitioning From Audio Engineer To Entrepreneur|work=Forbes |date= |accessdate=April 8, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2019/articles/mixedbyali-interview |title=Audio Engineering Pro Tips with Derek 'MixedByAli' Ali |publisher=NAMM |date= |accessdate=April 6, 2019 |archive-date=April 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406163022/https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2019/articles/mixedbyali-interview |url-status=dead }}

Technique

Ali 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."{{Citation|title=Mixing Vocals – MixedByAli| date=October 10, 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycWpHpregLs|language=en|access-date=October 12, 2019}}

About 80% of his time spent mixing is in mono, which is a method he learned from Dr. Dre.{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/people/inside-track-kendrick-lamars-pimp-butterfly|title=Inside Track: Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly|website=www.soundonsound.com|access-date=October 12, 2019}}

Awards

Ali has been nominated for the Grammy Awards 6 times and has won twice.{{cite web|title=Past Winners Search|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/derek-ali|work=Grammy.com|publisher=The Recording Academy|accessdate=April 6, 2019}}

= Nominations =

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 =

2015: Best Rap Album – To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
2018: Record of the Year – “This Is America” by Childish Gambino

Discography

2021: Brockhampton – Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/179669699/credits |title=Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine/ BROCKHAMPTON|website=Tidal|accessdate=October 11, 2022}}
2020: Spillage Village – Spilligion{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/156085145/credits |title=Spilligion / Spillage Village|website=Tidal|accessdate=September 25, 2020}}
2020: Glass Animals – "Space Ghost Coast to Coast"{{cite AV media notes |title=Dreamland |others=Glass Animals |publisher=Wolf Tone |year=2020 |type=liner notes |id=0883364}}
2018: Bas – Milky Way{{cite web |author1=Bas |author-link=Bas (rapper) |title=Milky Way full credits |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm2QSejBGh_/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/bas/1852739935204042879_1852734474263979782 |archive-date=December 26, 2021 |url-access=registration|website=Instagram |accessdate=August 25, 2018 |date=August 24, 2018}}{{cbignore}}
2018: Jay Rock – Redemption{{cite web|url=http://dl.uppp.biz/Hs/Album/Jay%20Rock/2018%20-%20Redemption/Digital%20Booklet%20-%20Redemption.pdf|title=Digital Booklet – Redemption|accessdate=June 15, 2018|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615043718/http://dl.uppp.biz/Hs/Album/Jay%20Rock/2018%20-%20Redemption/Digital%20Booklet%20-%20Redemption.pdf|archivedate=June 15, 2018}}
2018: Childish Gambino – "This Is America"{{Cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/88432758|title=This Is America / Childish Gambino|website=Tidal|accessdate=May 7, 2018}}
2018: Cardi B – "She Bad"*{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/86900549|title=Invasion of Privacy / Cardi B TIDAL|publisher=Tidal|accessdate=December 28, 2018}}
{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/97013368|title=Money / Cardi B TIDAL|publisher=Tidal|accessdate=December 30, 2018}}
2018: Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap{{cite web|last=Z. Yeung|first=Neil|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/victory-lap-mw0003133282|title=Victory Lap – Nipsey Hussle|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=March 13, 2018}}
2018: Kendrick Lamar – "Redemption" and "Big Shot"
2018: Arin Ray – Platinum Fire
2017: SZA – Ctrl{{cite AV media notes|others=SZA|title=Ctrl|year=2017|publisher=RCA}}
2017: Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.{{cite web|title=DAMN. digital booklet }}
2015: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly{{cite AV media notes |title=To Pimp a Butterfly |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/to-pimp-a-butterfly-mw0002835159/credits |publisher=Interscope Records}}
2012: Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d city{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/good-kid-maad-city-mw0002421248/credits|title=Good Kid, M.A.A.D City – Kendrick Lamar|publisher=AllMusic|at=Credits|accessdate=October 21, 2012|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027012956/http://www.allmusic.com/album/good-kid-maad-city-mw0002421248/credits|archivedate=October 27, 2012}}
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

Though 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

External links

[https://www.discogs.com/artist/3408621-MixedByAli] on Discogs
[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/derek-mixedbyali-ali-mn0002673098] on AllMusic

Category:1989 births

Category:American audio engineers

Category:Living people

Category:Musicians from Los Angeles

Category:Engineers from California

Category:Grammy Award winners