As two of the music trade’s most in-demand studio engineers, Serban Ghenea and his son Alex Ghenea are accustomed to being grilled about their signature methods, as if making successful file is about following some mysterious magic recipe.
The reality, says Serban, 54, is each easier and a bit extra difficult than that. “It at all times comes all the way down to what the artist is in search of, or the producer, and easy methods to get there. And meaning loads of various things for various artists.”
It’s cheap sufficient to suppose the Gheneas have some secret sauce. With a credit score checklist that spans the mightiest voices in pop previous and current — together with Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Adele, Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake — and a staggering 19 Grammy Awards, Serban is without doubt one of the most prolific engineers on this planet.
Alex, 28, has been a rising star ever since he remixed Adam Lambert’s “Higher Than I Know Myself” in 2012 at age 15; since then, he has amassed a résumé of blockbuster credit with the likes of Ariana Grande, Khalid, blackbear, P!nk, Katy Perry and Selena Gomez.
Lately, the Gheneas — who tackle initiatives independently, although they informally weigh in on one another’s work — each are based mostly at MixStar Studios, a personal facility in Virginia Seaside, Va., operated by Serban and Grammy-winning engineer John Hanes. Latest MixStar initiatives embrace The Rolling Stones’ “Indignant” (blended by Serban) and Halsey and Suga’s “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” (remixed by Alex).
At this 12 months’s Grammys, the 2 have eight nominations between them — together with competing nods (two for Serban, one for Alex) within the new finest pop dance recording class. That’s already trigger for celebration for the duo, who’re characteristically humble when contemplating the opportunity of each father and son taking house trophies. “We’ll determine that out if that occurs,” Serban says. “I don’t wish to jinx it.”
Alex, you grew up within the studio, watching your dad. Serban, what did you suppose when he began to specific an curiosity within the work?
Serban Ghenea: From method again within the day, I’d verify my mixes within the automotive, hearken to what I used to be engaged on the day earlier than. It’s a part of the method. He was in a automotive seat, and he’d be sitting there, listening, and asking, “What’s that sound?” And I’d be, “Oh, that’s a triangle.”
And he was fascinated with music. He performed drums; he began enjoying early. By the point he was 16, I bought him Logic and a Mac, simply to be taught to mess with it. I didn’t anticipate a lot, however subsequent factor I do know, I are available sooner or later and he’s engaged on one thing that sounded acquainted.
Alex Ghenea: A Demi Lovato tune.
Serban: Yeah, “Skyscraper.” He discovered an a cappella [recording] on-line and constructed a complete new observe round it, simply with Logic. I used to be like, “Holy sh-t, what are you doing?” He stated, “I’m simply enjoying round.” I stated, “Right here, pay attention to those songs and see should you can work out how they make them and attempt to re-create it.” And so, he did a remix. I by no means defined how to do this, and by no means anticipated it. We despatched it over to Disney —
Alex: It led to an Adam Lambert remix.
Serban: That opened the door for him doing a ton of remixes.
Alex: I feel I used to be about 15 years previous.
Did your dad have to clarify to you that this wasn’t the standard profession trajectory?
Alex: Once I was a child, I keep in mind particularly, he stated, “Overlook about music; it is best to go research enterprise or go be a lawyer,” and I really ended up going to enterprise faculty and finding out advertising and marketing and I married a lawyer. So, I form of took his recommendation.
Serban: He was on a path of doing remixes, and he was collaborating with a bunch of various individuals. Then, when COVID-19 occurred, he was dwelling in Los Angeles, and he got here again [to Virginia Beach] that March after which the lockdown occurred. He by no means went again to L.A. Lots of people that he was working with have been writers; he would do the demos and tough mixes. So, when he was right here, he simply began to do this work, and it was mixing. After which, subsequent factor you already know, he was doing… What was the primary massive one?
Alex: [Blackbear’s] “scorching lady bummer” with Andrew Goldstein, whom I’d met a few years prior, throughout a writing-producing part once I was dwelling out in L.A.
Serban, in what methods have you ever handed your craft on to Alex?
Serban: The technical a part of it he form of simply absorbed, being round and seeing it being completed. I’d let him choose aside periods and have a look at how issues have been put collectively. And I imply, anybody can be taught that. The exhausting half is the aesthetic and making an attempt to determine what it is best to do. What do you want? What do you suppose individuals like? What do you react to? You solely get that by means of expertise and thru listening.
Alex: A few of that early recommendation he gave me was, “Hearken to loads of music. Hearken to stuff you want, hearken to stuff you don’t like, hearken to new stuff, previous stuff.” It’s important to have a really extensive palette of issues to reference while you’re engaged on all types of songs and genres.
How a lot do you’re employed collectively within the studio?
Alex: We don’t particularly work collectively, however now we’re generally on the identical albums. Like with Tove Lo [Dirt Femme], I did a superb bit, and he did some. Troye Sivan [Something To Give Each Other], that was about half and half. So, we’re engaged on the identical initiatives, but it surely’s extra of, I’d say, a collaborative factor. If I’m engaged on one thing and I’m like, “I feel I’m at a superb stopping level,” or, “I don’t know the place to go subsequent,” it is likely to be cool to go play it for my dad.
Serban: We have now the identical supervisor, however Alex has his personal shoppers. I’ve my very own shoppers.
Alex: The most important collaboration might be determining what we’re consuming for lunch on the studio.
How do you steadiness serving somebody’s imaginative and prescient with stretching yourselves creatively?
Serban: It’s so completely different now than it was once I first began mixing on a console. Individuals are very connected by the point it’s authorized and prepared for us to combine; the route of the file is form of set. You’ll be able to’t go loopy and take it off the rails, so you should work out, like Alex stated, what must be improved. What do you not wish to mess with, since you don’t wish to break it?
Each tune’s bought its personal signature factor that makes it distinctive and enticing. Generally it’s a bit of riff; generally it’s the way in which the entire beat feels. Or there’s a melodic factor in there, or the sound of the vocal, or generally it’s the entire above. However, on the finish of the day, you’re simply making an attempt to facilitate and assist get it throughout the road relying on what [the artist is] trying to do.
Serban, you will have seven Grammy nominations this 12 months, and Alex, you’re nominated for the primary time. What does that imply to you?
Serban: Again within the day, I used to be a guitar participant. My perspective was at all times, “Wouldn’t it’s cool to do one thing as a musician and get a Grammy?” I by no means thought I’d be doing what I’m doing now. It’s the best degree of recognition. It by no means will get previous. It’s exhausting to explain, but it surely’s undoubtedly an thrilling and appreciative feeling, as a result of so many wonderful musicians don’t get the chance.
Alex: I keep in mind at age 16 or 17, having the ability to go together with my dad and see the entire thing and watch him win just a few. Being round all of the musicians and producers and seeing what that world is like, I keep in mind at all times desirous to be part of it, pondering, “Man, I hope sooner or later I get to be up on the stage, or at the very least have a shot at being nominated.” To really see that come to fruition is fairly humbling.
You’re up towards one another for finest pop dance recording — Serban for Bebe Rexha and David Guetta’s “One in a Million” and David Guetta, Anne-Marie and Coi Leray’s “Child Don’t Harm Me,” and Alex for Troye Sivan’s “Rush.” How does that really feel?
Serban: Properly, I hope he wins.
Alex: Simply to be up there with [nominees] Calvin Harris and Kylie Minogue and all that, that’s already a win.
Serban: Yeah, the Grammy itself will not be the tip aim. It’s a pleasant recognition and pat on the again and makes you understand that perhaps what you’re doing could also be on the fitting path, but it surely’s not the end-all.
Alex: It’s affirmation that what you’re doing is in the fitting route.
This story will seem within the Jan. 27, 2024, concern of Billboard.
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