MixedByAli Gives Unfiltered Feedback and Real-World Mixing Gems in Venice Music Webinar

MixedByAli—Grammy-winning engineer for everyone from Kendrick Lamar to Roddy Ricch, Nipsey Hussle to Summer Walker—recently joined Venice Music for an exclusive feedback webinar that offered artists direct insight into what it takes to make a record truly connect.

Streaming live from NoName Studios in Tarzana—a building with serious history, once home to Death Row Records where All Eyez on Me was recorded—Ali shared honest critiques and practical advice with emerging artists across genres. The room featured classic rap, R&B, pop, and even stripped-down piano tracks, showcasing the diversity of the Venice Music community.

And if you know Ali, you know he doesn’t sugarcoat. His motto? “Sometimes your music sounds like shit.” But behind the bluntness is real intention: to help artists grow.

The session kicked off with Kritta’s I Love You, where Ali leaned into technical advice—focusing on the track’s texture and final product polish. As the records rolled in, he highlighted not just what worked, but how to elevate each song’s emotional and sonic impact.

On Maria Carla’s Don’t Need You, Ali emphasized the power of stacked vocals and harmonies, especially in R&B. “My thing about music is I don’t just want people to listen to it. I want people to experience it,” he said. That philosophy underscored much of his feedback—an encouragement to move beyond surface-level execution and build immersive soundscapes.

A standout moment came with Paywall by Vicious Technique, where Ali noted the importance of vocal tone variation. With listeners’ attention spans shrinking, artists need to shift their vocal delivery—especially in hooks—to keep ears engaged. “Make sure your cadences and hooks have tone changes,” he advised. “You’ve got to give people a reason to stay with you.”

When Murray Wade’s Breathe played, comparisons to Sampha surfaced—and Ali co-signed the vibe. “I can feel that inspiration,” he said, acknowledging the emotional depth that made the track stand out.

Ali also challenged some of the content themes he sees too often. “As a listener, you start realizing a lot of songs are about money, women, and cars. People talk about all this stuff that isn’t really relatable,” he said. Instead, he pushed for deeper storytelling through self-reflection: “You get further when you’re the most vulnerable.”

Technically, Ali pulled back the curtain on his process too. Still working with analog consoles, he likened mixing to building a house—starting with the drums as the foundation, then layering instruments and vocals to coexist without clashing. “Make sure your sounds and vocals are living together,” he said. “Not fighting each other.”

Ali even teased a follow-up: a live mixing session where he’d work on a few of the submitted tracks in real time. He also put artists on to his own platform, Engineers—a mobile app designed to connect creatives with studios, engineers, and educational tools.

From sharp critiques to layered guidance, the session was a reminder that great music isn’t just about vibes—it’s about craft. And when someone who’s helped shape the sound of a generation takes the time to break it down, you pay attention.