Interview: Nashville Engineer & Mixer Ryan Hewitt (The Lumineers, Vance Joy)

Ryan Hewitt’s career began in New York and saw him assisting Michael Brauer and Phil Ramone. However, it was in LA that he made his name, gaining engineering credits with Rick Rubin and earning a Grammy for the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Stadium Arcadium. Now, working largely as a mix engineer, Ryan works out of House of Blues in Nashville with clients including The Lumineers, Third Eye Blind and Vance Joy.
We discuss his mixing approach, preparation for a session, his favourite hardware and plug-ins, and his advice for getting ahead in the music industry.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:48 - Working In Nashville - Live Tracking & Using Session Musicians
04:42 - Working In A Great Studio And Using Different Approaches
06:10 - How To Start A Studio Recording Session
07:22 - Ryan's Suitcase - Audio Tools & Effects Pedals
08:49 - Organising A Studio And Being Prepared
10:44 - Analogue Hardware Inserts In The Studio
13:40 - Digital Signal Processing And Favourite Plug-ins
15:54 - Mixing Strategy And Automation
18:37 - How To Be Successful In The Music Business
25:56 - Outro
Subscribe!
sosm.ag/subscribe
Visit www.soundonsound.com
Like Sound On Sound: / soundonsoundmag
Follow Sound On Sound: / soundonsoundmag
Follow Sound On Sound on Instagram: @soundonsoundmag
MUSIC CREDITS
'So Close (Instrumental)'
Written by Butterfly Boucher, Lindsay Jamieson and David Mead
Performed by Elle Macho
Published by BGGB Music / Da Wei Phonetic. Administered by BMI.
Used with permission.
www.ellemacho.com/
'Swim The River’
Written by Christian Lopez & Jordan Lawhead
Performed by Christian Lopez, Jerry Roe, Tony Lucido, Rob McNelley, Mike Rojas, Stuart Duncan & Marshall Altman
© 2017 Tunes of R and T Direct (SESAC) / Christian E Lopez Music (SESAC);
Administered by Razor & Tie Music Publishing c/o The Bicycle Music Company.
Used by permission. All rights reserved. / Origami Star (ASCAP)
christianlopezmusic.com/
BUY TRACK on iTunes: ow.ly/Cj2B30eD728
LISTEN on Spotify: ow.ly/4sNn30eD7eo
'Ophelia'
Written by Wesley Schultz & Jeremiah Fraites
Performed by The Lumineers
© 2016 The Lumineers.
Published by The Lumineers (BMI). Administered by Kobalt Music Publishing
thelumineers.com/

[@MartinHughesmidimarty]

Ryan is Awesome! Fantastic attitude! Great work ethic!!! Not only a world class engineer, but a great teacher, and motivational person!

[@atgred]

I met Ryan when he worked for a short time for SSL back in 2000s and he came down to the studio in Monterrey, Mexico, El Cielo, and taught me how to use the 9k, just listening to his stories with all those great engineers he worked for was the best experience. Cheers Ryan!!

[@stormymondays]

Fantastic! Ryan is one of our favorite engineers, and he keeps getting better and better!

[@LesonDeson]

Ryan is great. Just watching the interview made me smile.

[@fabsca1970]

This man is an artist before being an engineer and it shows the attitude and the work ethic is the key to art.

[@sassulusmagnus]

He has a great attitude. It must be a buzz to help an artist achieve better results than they ever thought they could.

[@gabrielblumm]

Beautiful interview. My first job was in a recording studio... Worked there for about six years, then life led me elsewhere... Still miss it 20 years later though, it was the greatest job in the world.

[@LivingstonGina]

Awesome interview, cute puppy & cool flight cases 🐶❤😊

[@crestiferj2689]

"have passion for your gig...or get the fuck out" THIS is why ryan is where he is. dude gets it. the music biz is not for the faint of heart or those not willing to actually put the time and effort in. he certainly has. while he seems like a bit of an overnight success...he clearly has been at it for most of his life.

[@patrickcarroll1754]

This guy is terrific.

[@louistotalcontrol]

The perfect amount of inspiration while I record my band's new record - many thanks, SOS!

[@Eduaro2U]

Brilliant words of insight and wisdom.

[@SonicologyRecords]

Terrific interview best hour all week.💕

[@paulandamyw]

Fantastic advice. The passion is palpable. Thanks, Ryan!!!

[@rolfebitsch]

Absolutely splendid interview. Thank you very much !

[@kmotynojodas]

Thanks for this interview! Really inspiring.

[@hyphen1982]

Inspiring! Thanks! Really love Ryan Hewitt's engineering work! He also taught some online courses and those are incredible, too!

[@donkeyfacekilla1]

Very infectious personality! What a legend!

[@IndustryInstrumentals]

this was a really enjoyable video and so relateable. im strivin to become great at mixing too its my passion. Everyday i learn something new and get closer to my goals. gonna look for more on this guy hes got the right mindset.

[@terenceriley1375]

Ryan must have at one sometime between gigs been a Boy Scout. Always be prepared, great work ethic. Extremely knowledgeable and right on the money, if you don't like what your doing, get the f out because there's 10 people with the skills necessary who would just about kill for the opportunity to sit in that chair. Keep Rocking Ryan, I'll see you when you get your Grammy!

[@waldemarvogel7657]

Great guy!

[@GamalielRios]

Please please please please more content like this...!!!

[@asherbeal8357]

So inspiring!

[@MartinHughesmidimarty]

Great Info! Great interview! Great engineer!

[@antoniofalanga5846]

truly inspiring.

[@ChuckSilva]

Wow..Ryan is on fire ...❤️🙏🏿🎶

[@newmanbeing3212]

really inspiring!

[@chetleonard169]

Great T-Shirt!!

[@nigolt.4345]

Breaking Brilliant, just brilliant!!!!!

[@siewierap]

here we go again

[@koreanfriedchildren]

I love this guy

[@Iamgavrilo]

Legend!

[@jesterscourtrecordin]

Yes Yes Yes!

[@SuperScooter126]

.Love drummers w/ great consistent tempos ,

[@HayesChad]

Never have I agreed with another engineer so much.

[@drazengara8314]

Cool !!!

[@EndOfEntertainment]

cool stuff :)

[@thejoedexter]

Im 100 percent certain he has the Splatoon themed pink and green Nintendo Switch controllers on his desk at 15:38 :D

[@darrylweller6143]

What do you use your bg2 on? Do you use the compressor or limiter side of the vari mu for acoustic guitar? Do you have the t-bar mod?

[@fertube182]

What song is it? 15:47 Sounds so good Great interview, great engineer

[@pipoca835]

Good mixer, better man.

[@v1o]

Anyone know what console he is using on this video?

[@diegooliveirabenjamin]

v1o Icon by Digidesign, is pretty much a Pro Tools controller.

[@v1o]

thanks

[@dnnysrock]

what s up with the hair? haha. cool video

[@dazboot2966]

'In terms of capturing soul on a record, you need to retain mistakes' Rubbish. Tell that to Prince

[@KingBlonde]

Prince was beyond that though, he was a perfectionist and was aware of his mistakes. What he's saying is that if a band/ artist has rhythmic/ melodic quirks that aren't academically correct, don't autotune and quantise the hell out of it.

[@davidwatkins204]

dude just keeps contradicting himself