20 Questions

In addition to being a GRAMMY award-winning guitarist and the oldest son of the legendary Frank Zappa, Dweezil Zappa is also a phenomenally creative songwriter, engineer, and producer. Perhaps best known for his work with Zappa On Zappa, where he pays tribute to his father's musical legacy alongside other world-class musicians, Dweezil has also worked with a number of artists...

Photo by Lissyelle Laricchia The current music industry landscape finds many artists handling every aspect of their creative output. They are the performer, engineer, mixer, and promotor all wrapped up in one package. For some, it's a system that kind of works, and for others, not so much. But then there is Sarah Tudzin, someone operating on all fronts at an elite level and having a lot of fun doing it. Continue reading →

Marc Daniel Nelson boasts an impressive 20-year music career in music, as evidenced by his Grammy nomination and an exhaustive list of music and film credits, which range from Fleetwood Mac and Jason Mraz to Blade Runner, The Vietnam War, and Mulan. The highly sought-after mixing engineer, music producer and creative director studied under Bill Schnee and Ken Caillat and is known for his innovative approach to sound-sculpting. We caught up with Nelson while he was driving around his home in Los Angeles for our 20 Questions series for an engaging interview on his gear, process, influences, and future plans.  Continue reading →

Marcella “Ms. Lago” Araica is a world-class producer and audio engineer credited for mixing more than 100 chart-topping hits. Throughout her 20-year career, she’s worked with superstars such as ​​Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Usher, Missy Elliot and many more. We recently had the pleasure of chatting with Ms. Lago for our 20 Questions series, where we discussed her journey in the music industry, from studying at Full Sail and landing her first job at The Hit Factory to opening her own studio and founding N.A.R.S. Records. Read on to learn about what gear she’s been using lately, her go-to vocal chain and her advice for up-and-coming engineers. Continue reading →

To say that Gena Johnson has had one hell of a 2021 is the understatement of the year. The Nashville-based engineer and producer garnered a nomination from the Academy of Country Music Awards for Engineer of the Year, in addition to seeing several records she worked on grab 2022 Grammy nominations. Oh, and did we mention she got married?! Prior to tying the knot, Vintage King sat down with Gena to give her the 20 Questions treatment. Read on to discover how she got started in the world of recording, learn about some of her favorite gear and find out the one artist that she's been dreaming of working with. Continue reading →

Erin Tonkon broke into the world of engineering at a young age and started learning under the best at NYU's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. During her studies, the budding engineer began working with production legend Tony Visconti. Over the course of six years, Erin would work side-by-side with Tony, including handling the engineering duties for David Bowie's final record, Blackstar, in addition to releases from Esperanza Spalding and The Damned. In recent years, Erin has continued to amass an incredible discography of work, including mixing albums for Sad13, Richard Hell, Rosie Tucker, Lady Lamb and more. She is also the co-founder of a new company that is trying to revive the New York City music scene post-pandemic by bringing together musicians, producers, multiple studios and a new live venue. Continue reading →

Kim Rosen is a mastering engineer based out of Ringwood, New Jersey, where she owns and operates her own studio, Knack Mastering. Over the course of the past decade and some change, Kim has put together an impressive resume of records, including Grammy®-nominated releases from Bettye LaVette, Bonnie Raitt, and The Milk Carton Kids, in addition to a win for Aimee Mann's Mental Illness. We had the pleasure of talking with Kim as a part of our ongoing 20 Questions series in which we interview top engineers and producers about their careers and day-to-day lives. Continue below to learn more about how Kim got started in the industry, find out what song defines her mastering work, and get details on the tube amplifier she created with her husband. Continue reading →

Gloria Kaba is a Ghanaian-American engineer, producer, mixer, and writer with over 14 years of experience in the studio. She's best known for her work with A Tribe Called Quest and Solange, but has built an impressive list of credits that include Madonna, Beyoncé, André 3000, Kanye West, Anderson Paak, Dirty Projectors, Frank Ocean, and more. We recently spoke with Gloria for our ongoing 20 Questions series. The conversation started with a bit about her background in the industry before turning to her favorite microphones, why she prefers working in-the-box, and her secret weapon for capturing reverb at the Power Station. Continue reading →

For over 20 years, Justin Meldal-Johnsen has been performing as a bassist for artists like Beck, Air, and Nine Inch Nails both on the road and in the studio. But around 2005, Justin began to assume the role of producer. Since then, Justin has produced highly-acclaimed albums from a wide range of artists such as M83, Wolf Alice, Paramore, Young the Giant, Metric and more. When we recently caught up with Justin for our Five Sounds With... series, we continued chatting afterward and ended up with a 20 Questions interview on our hands. Read on to learn more about Justin’s go-to vocal chain, his love of pedals during all stages of recording, and his advice for aspiring producers and engineers. Continue reading →

Miles Walker is a Grammy Award-winning engineer with countless hits and multi-platinum records sold worldwide. Best known for his work in hip-hop and pop, Walker has racked up credits with Top 40 heavyweights like Beyonce, Rhianna, Katy Perry, Usher, Lupe Fiasco, David Banner and many more. We recently had the pleasure of chatting with Miles for our 20 Questions series. Read on to learn about the incredible story of how Miles moved to Atlanta with nothing but the clothes on his back, in order to follow his dreams of working in the music industry. He also breaks down his favorite plug-ins and outboard gear, serves up some of his best mixing tips, and dishes out some powerful advice for aspiring engineers. Continue reading →