that we did Volume 2, which is one of my most classic mix tapes. Our The three most important lessons he’s relationship is strong because of good learned as an–artist-producer are: – ROBBEENHAM PUTNAM ANDREA business and [standing by your] word and follow-through. • Pay your taxes. Everything is [about] “Famous or not famous, it’s about business savvy. Business can mess up making good music,” he asserts. “It’s your creative process. about pulling out the artist’s story; it’s like a therapeutic process where I ask • Copyright your music. A lot of producers them questions such as where they’re send me beats that aren’t copyrighted. from or where they’re based. I either get Anyone could run off with them; you’re them in the zone cater tounder the zone uggling threeorrecords his or label, induction into the Songwriters not protected. emotional state I want and Rock & that Roll they’re Hall ofin. Fame, into addition toa his latest 26-track • Hire publicist. Many people drop good go into detail about whyStewart they feel a cer- life as “a bit mad compilation, Dave describes at the music, but no one knows about it. Run tain way and then express it. The music moment.” Inspired by his father’s Rogers & Hammerstein as a commercials on yourcollection local radio station has to match the artist’s emotion.” young boy—as as with an unexpected in his dad’s workshop— Drumma Boywell writes virtually discovery or get them to play your record. Publichis career shifting back to where it all began. every artistiswith whom he works. ity isn’t just tweeting about your record While he dreamed of a professional soccer career, a knee injury left Indeed, he views it as an essential or posting it on Instagram. Stewart to play. wasn't sure part of aunable producer’s job.“I“People wantwhat I was going to do,” he admits. “I was nosing around my dad's workshop and there was a little package lyrics, not beats,” heinsays. “You could muteathe music or Memphis the beat atona it, party and people would singofthe with stamp from unopened.” Inside wasstill a pair albums words. came to understand important lyrics are. and he That’s put onehow on. I“It sounded alien, but how something in it ahitsong’s me really As a producer, I can make get placements. But when you start strong,” says Stewart. “Thisbeats voice and sounding like voodoo. I was like, what writing, have Itthe power of the pen. It becomes more important that the fuck you is that?!” was Robert Johnson. ikeinmany audio pros,the Grammy-winning mastering you’re the when record is made. There’s alsoengineer atuned betteritEvren payout.” Starting onroom one string of his brother’s guitar, a neighbor to a Göknar L.A. with aassets guitartoinany hand and success in Fame andtouched talent aredown both in undeniable producer. But neichord. Shares Stewart, “I'm 14. The Rolling Stones, the Beatles, The Kinks ther mind. unlocks secret passage to success. learned as Heaattended Musicians Institute“The for amain timething and I’ve performed loare coming out of the radio and kindhe’d of playing blues music.” to a producer important ownership is and the that you have,” cally beforeis it how occurred to him that amplify hispower value as Learning an engineer listening to Mississippi John Hurt,ofStewart realized all he the observes. “We areflipped the bottom thelatest barrel when itMusic comes to iffingerpick heproducer had studio access. So, he open the issue ofthat Conwanted was to play guitar day. He left school atan16.internship getting paid, but the topfound ofall it when it comes to creative. Now I distribute nection magazine and a small studio with opportuniCollaborating with powerful throughout his career (including and market my own music andwomen hire my own PR people. When an artist ty. Later he moved on to Paramount, engineered there for five years and Aretha Franklin, Stevie Nicks, gets dropped from a label, they don’t know to do.the Butnext I’ve always then graduated to Capitol Mastering, wherewhat he spent quarter understood the importance of having each essential piece done in-house.” and others), his empathy century. He has since worked with artists including Kiss, Nick Jonas and Recently he’s expanded his popular repertoire to include filmVoice. scores, such as developed from watching his 2Pac. He also masters for the NBC show The Trap City. latest record, Drumma Boy and Friends, is planned for a summum, whoHis was “bursting with In 2020, Göknar published his book Major Label Mastering. It was mer release willknow include contributions from artists such as Wiz Khalifa, creativity, butand didn’t what inspired primarily by his teaching experiences andKeeper desirewas to share the Gucci Mane and Ty Dolla $ign. 2019’s My Brother’s his first to do with it.” It also grew from knowledge he’sand amassed. “We worked from shooting one of thedeath known books on solo rap album was inspired by the 2018 of his brother his years with Lennox. “I Ihad mastering for the class taught at Cal PolyI Pomona and it was with good,” Ferrell Wayne Miles. “When that happened, decided to respond written just about every kind he recalls. “But I felt that the Istudents a moreofstep-by-step music,” he recollects. “I think motivatedneeded a generation kids to respond of song to do with thethe strength book about the process. I’d also worked at Capitol for a long time and [to similar things] in same form.” and vulnerability of women.” saw that it was becoming rarer for people to come in as a runner or a Contact drummaboy.com, @drummaboyfresh Stewart hates polishing second engineer and learn [on theInstagram job] the way they used to.” music until “it's lost all of its Although he taught himself his craft through direct experience, he also edges,” admitting to frequently recognizes the value of a formal engineering education. “When I was using first toofbeapprenticecoming up,takes. it was“I alike sort raw,”system,” he says. he “If something is had to ship recollects. “You complex, I likeof topersonality make sure that made have the kind The three most important lessons people want toare interact with that what they playing to you. There he’s learned as a mastering are of of entrepreneurial hasaalot kind emptiness to interchangengineer are: 3/21/22 es withnot artists, producers, labels and so it and fill it up too much. forth. field can get very SongsThis aren't just words put technical • Have a vast pool of experience. You and lean with on things like electrical engitogether chords and have to understand various musical neering melody. and Eachelectronics. chord has aYou need to styles and genres. dig in andfeeling eitherand do some coursework different emotion • Be able to curate what your approach or read some attached to it.”books. Even if you do and signal path is and why to instill go The through a formal program, you still film Deep Blues: A confidence in your clients. have to show up and do the work.” Musical Pilgrimage to the Gear can almost seem like an engiand comment appropriately. Crossroads was released in 1991, ultimately• Listen leading Stewart to his latest neer’s fingerprint or a strandItofishis Sometimes I’ll address thenavigating references project, "Ebony McQueen." an or autobiography of his youth, her DNA.destiny, It helps love, to identify them and into that I hear in songs. loveand to know musical and his evolution manhood. Set People for film may evenstage illuminate aspects theirof McQueen that you understandRobert their music. It’s musical adaptation, theofrole embodies Johnson background. “I usesinger these Manley Pultechow you get andno repeat as a female blues following Stewart around asreferrals a ghost oneclients. sees. style mastering EQs,” Göknar says aboutbegan with music and lyrics Stewart's forays into musical theater one of his favorite pieces. don’tWest make them anymore they’re for Ghost The Musical for“They London’s End in 2011. “Thebut mixture of very musical and smooth-sounding, as far as analog equalizers go. As for storytelling and song arrangements always fascinated me,” reveals plugins, love the DMG Often when I use it, I’m amazed with Stewart.I “Musicals don’tEQuilibrium. have to be the way people think—that wall is what did. down It models old Book consoles quite effectively.” beingthey broken by The of Mormon , Spring Awakening, and After 25. [Musicals] years of mastering at Capitol, Göknar from EGM Hamilton really allow you a full palettenow andworks giant canvas, andEvren Göknar Mastering, his own mastering space. “I had it built from the that’s what I like about it.” ground up,” he explains. “It’s a room within a room with isolated electrical Proud of his family, relationships, songwriting with Lennox, and his four and ground. We use QuietRock, which is a sound-reducing drywall so children, Stewart also emphasizes pride in his sobriety. He doesn’t think he there’s no audio bleed in or out. During the pandemic I was able to tranwould have his family or music had he not given up drugs. “Thank God I sition to doing Capitol’s work here and then once they closed, a lot of my came out the otherwith endme.” of that,” confesses Stewart. “For anybody listening, old clients stayed it'sAs not to give upupcoming drugs. It just unleashes amazing power.” toboring his current and projects, recently Göknar began his 11th Stewart now holds 50 ASCAP and BMI Awards, Novello Awards, 4 season mastering for The Voice. He also works with4aIvor number of indepenBRIT Awards, a Golden Globe, Grammy, an MPG Outstanding Contribution dent songwriters and producers, many of which he finds by way of previto UK MusicDetermining Award, induction theinto UK the Music and and Grammy Hallcan of be ous clients. where into he fits market how he Fame, otherhas accolades. of help and to artists been one of his most vital formulas for success.
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Contact instagram.com/evrengoknar, Contact Mike Gowen@Milestone Publicity, mgowen@milestonepublicity.com amazon.com/gp/product/B086BMNJ6M Experience Dave Stewart at davestewartent.com.
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