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Cause aint nobody got time for Amateur's
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You're listening to locally produced programming created in KUNV Studios on public radio. KUNV 91.5. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 Jazz and More, the University of Nevada Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education. This is
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is Talking With The Pros. Like professionals. This is Talking With The Pros with me, Jess Speight. I speak to the professionals in the world of audio to gain an insight into what it takes to become a pro. Talking With The Pros. Noah Ward, he is a recording studio artist, film production, an audio engineer, and an artist all around. So Noah, welcome and thank you for taking the time to talk with me today.
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How are you?
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Yes, of course. Thank you so much for having me. I am doing great. Thank you for asking. And also, thank you for the tour of this awesome place that you guys have here. You said this was the basement?
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Yeah.
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All right.
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There are no windows here.
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There are no windows.
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So I consider it the basement.
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All right, all right.
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And I love it because it's like a cool environment and quiet. Right. So I love that. Especially in the summertime, which is currently summer, so I'm definitely enjoying being indoors. But also the facility is great. We have the state-of-the-art equipment here at KUNV. I just love learning and being taught and getting to access and use these. Yeah, definitely. I've been seeing all the equipment. It definitely has a nice vibe to it. I mean, that alone was what drove me here. I was like, seeing the boards, and I was like, oh, I want an opportunity to learn on these. I want to try all the things. So I love being behind the driver's seat when it comes to the equipment. And so you have a love of audio. Is that safe to say?
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Yeah, of course. Of course. For me, it was, it started off with a love of music and just falling in love with music and then learning that I can make it myself. At a young age, you know, just the whole world of audio, you know, it just goes hand in hand. Growing up, learning to become an artist as that developed, you know, it just, the whole world of audio becoming an audio engineer myself Really start that process started when I got tired of paying other people to do the engineering for me Mm-hmm paying other people for studio time when I realized I could just do it myself
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And you have a home studio too, right?
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Right, so that was really the biggest inspiration for me to make that investment was you know You know, I'm paying other people to just record and why can't I just buy the equipment myself? Set it up myself learn the skill myself because if somebody else can learn it somebody else can do it then I can do it Myself and then also be in a position where I have complete creative control over You know my art my music exactly
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I think that's so important when you're an artist and you want to express yourself and have like you said the control but it's really just like part of crafting and being creative and the Process just being involved as much as possible because at the end of the day, it's your product. It's your name Mm-hmm. I back this and this is me. Right? Definitely you talked about being an artist and being involved in music
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Tell me a little bit. Yeah for sure. So as an artist I made hip-hop music still do what really got me into that at a young age I Learned as you know, we're learning things like poetry in school and language arts and and things like that I I recognized when I'm writing poems in elementary school. I recognized that this is actually coming to me naturally and I just found out I had a gift, a way of words, if you will. And as time progressed and I got older, that started developing into more of a passion. So I've always loved music, I've always just been drawn to it because for me, it was always just something that I can use to really sit back and get into a place of just reflection and just really be alone with my thoughts and step outside of the box and get away from the world a little bit, and just music for me has always just, I wouldn't necessarily say a way of escape, but a way for me to really just be centered and be balanced and become more in tune with myself. So when I was, you know, growing up being exposed to hip hop, and having this gift with poetry that I was developing, I saw what what hip hop really was, it was really just poetry on on beats. So taking my love for for the art, and the music and blending it together, I recognized like this is actually something that I can do in my early teenage years. just developing that becoming more of an artist becoming more of a rapper. It was it was an experience for me and where I was at in my life in Cleveland. There wasn't many other rappers besides just you know, freestyling at the lunch tables in school and things like that. But nobody really taking it seriously. Nobody saying like, this is what we're doing. But that's always what I wanted to do. So, when I was growing up in Cleveland, I had a plan. I wanted to go to school for film production. So I could move to California, because in the Midwest, everybody wants to move to California and Have a job out there so that I would be able to get my foot in the door in the whole entertainment industry Have a way to provide for myself and also Have an opportunity to go out there and really pursue this dream of mine That didn't happen. I ended up moving to Chicago. And that's when things really started to change because I went from nobody making music, nobody being a rapper, nobody pursuing it to now everybody I know is doing it. So I move out there and everybody's making music. So that was my first time really getting into the studios and being around other people that were making it seem like it was more possible. Because where I'm from, everyone was kind of laughing at the idea because first off, nobody was doing it. Nobody thought it was possible. In Cleveland, just that whole region, only a handful of people have actually made it become famous for that. And here I am saying that this is what I want to do. So people seeing that it wasn't possible, they didn't think it was possible, there was nothing there that really promoted the growth. And then I moved to Chicago and now everyone's doing it. Everyone's pursuing it. It's inspiring me. It's motivating me to do it. And that's when I recognized like, hey, this is actually possible. And I also had people around me that were teaching me how to do it too. So instead of just having my understanding and my knowledge, which was very limited on how to make music, I was already kind of making music prior to that. But I had people that were able to sit down with me and show me like this is how it's done. This is how you make a song. This is how you record. Whether that was in home studios, which is where I started, and then also just, you know, meeting people and having connections. I went with my cousin and we put out a song in the studio that we were in, you know, that our engineer, who my cousin grew up with, is a multi-platinum recording engineer, Grammy-nominated recording engineer. So not only am I recording with people that really know what they're doing, and I'm seeing the highest level of equipment, but I'm also seeing and working with the people that are working with the celebrities that everyone was telling me it was impossible to become and now I'm in the same room,
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experience, exactly, right?
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So for me, that's what really kept me driving and wanting to pursue it is that not only was I being handed all the tools to make it happen, but I was also seeing how possible it was.
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With the professionals.
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With the professionals, with the people that were really doing it. I ended up moving out here to Las Vegas, my dad lives out here. So just life circumstances brought me out here started taking care of him, he's getting older. And then once things started reopening, that's when I started getting back involved, finding studios out here in Las Vegas to start recording in, starting to be connected, and really just continuing to pursue that. That's really where I'm at with it now. I'm kind of taking a break from the whole creative side of the music, now focusing more on the engineering side of it, just what I'm doing for work right now. For me, just the whole process of becoming that artist has been a journey.
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Right, it sounds like you were on a track there and doors were opening and experiences and opportunities were being had. So tell me about those behind the scenes looks like being in a studio with the professionals or doing it and recording.
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Well it was surreal and here I am a teenager 18, 19 years old and you know you grow up and you hear about these names of these people and then you you look around everyone around you you know celebrities social media and everyone's you know just praising these people and now you're in the places where that music that everybody loves was made and you know it's it's a surreal experience and it definitely makes you wonder like you know what's gonna happen for me if i'm doing this and i'm seeing this and it just seems like these doors are just opening and um it definitely was a surreal experience and looking back it still is. Where it ended up leading me, where I am today is, you know, it really helped me to understand a lot more grounded and it helped me to take a few steps back to like do I really want to be the big famous rapper that's on the stage or do I want to make this because I love making it it really helped me understand what my goals were and also a lot of just more or less the possibilities that could be if I continue to pursuing it as well.
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Right. And I'm sure you learned so many skills for being a part and being around those people. Those skills in audio, specifically for the music. Tell me about what you learned. What was your biggest takeaway in terms of producing side?
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You know, I'm thankful that I was able to learn a lot, the whole recording process. I almost went to school for it. I almost, like I said, back in Cleveland, I almost went to school for the film production. But when I was in Chicago, I almost went to school for the audio production side. I didn't have that opportunity. So a lot of what I've learned was just being around and just watching. So I would record, so people were teaching me how to record on my end. And then I would watch the mixing, I would be over the shoulder of the engineer watching them just click around. And by this point, they're wizards at what they're doing. So they're over here clicking, and I'm just sitting there wondering, watching the whole creative process, wondering how did you just make that sound like that? How did that just go from whatever I just did? Because when I was doing it, it didn't sound like that. Now you're over here, it sounds amazing. So what just happened? That being the whole creative process and...
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Also your curiosity.
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Yeah, of course. And the whole fact is I'm paying you to do this. I'm paying you to do this. So how did you learn and what are you doing so I don't have to pay you to do that anymore? You know what I mean? So for me, I had, you know, just microphones growing up, I wouldn't say growing up, but when I was an artist, I would have like a microphone and I would try to, you know, do something on just cheap programs, cheap, cheap software. And it wasn't really getting there. So that's why I was still paying people. But when I decided to actually make the investment in myself and say, okay, I'm actually going to buy the right equipment. I'm not gonna buy a little hundred dollar microphone and $50 software that came with a microphone. You know, I'm going to buy the best equipment that I can, the studio quality equipment to make professional quality music. When I made that investment and I actually sat down and I started learning, a lot of what I learned wasn't necessarily from watching other people do it, but was my own research, watching videos, taking the time, really trial and error a lot too. So spending my own time with my own music, spending that time really mastering the craft and I'm still mastering the craft. I'm still not the Multi-platinum best engineer in the whole world but slowly but surely I'm becoming better and I Feel like the thing that allowed me to do that the most Was buying my own equipment because now I have the time to really sit down and in the world of production, audio production, any type of production, that's really where you're going to learn. It's taking the time, sitting with the craft, allowing that process of just becoming more in tune
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with the nuances of everything that it entails. Exactly what you said, being in tune. So that requires an ear. So not only having the skills, having the equipment, and then going forth and like you said, like researching how to do something, but then now you're putting in the time, but you're also, you have an ear. And so when you're looking for the right sound, it's all like almost intuitive in an artist's perspective. How did you find that to be? So.
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Just spending time. Like when I was first learning the whole mixing side of it, I didn't know how to EQ. What's a mid? What's a low? What's a high? I don't know. And what does it sound like? You're sitting here telling them EQ. These words. I'm like, okay, I can tell it doesn't sound right, but how, okay, so how do I EQ? And what is the spectrum? What frequency, what does each frequency sound like? That is learned by spending time, and you can't just say, hey, what does that sound like, and then I tell you, and then you know. That is through the process of training your ears to pick up on the frequencies. And also compression. What does a compressor do? Why am I trying to compress my vocal? What is it? I feel like a lot of that is learned just going through it, spending time with the sound, training your ears, having the right equipment to be able to hear the frequencies as well. Because I can sit here and try to EQ on my phone speakers and say, oh, that's, yeah, or I can use my studio monitors and my and my headphones and really have the equipment, the right equipment that allows me to hear the range of the spectrum. And the more time that you spend with that just it becomes more natural. I feel like just the more saturated that you get in the space, the more second nature it becomes to where like now you're just picking up on it instantly and not really having to think about it as much, right? Like, oh, definitely need to raise this or definitely need to bring this down. You know, that's always a process. And I feel like the more time that you spend with it, the sharper you become.
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And now you've gotten not only the skills and the opportunity to like sit with it, but now you can put names to exactly what you're looking for.
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Yeah, thank God. I mean, I was waiting for that when I first started, you know, so it's cool to see that whole process of learning. I've always loved learning, going from not understanding something to, oh, I get it. And in terms of engineering, not necessarily having that teacher, thankfully I do now, I have people that are, you know, making me better at it. A lot of it was just me trying to teach myself. So it's really cool to go from not understanding to understanding. And, you know, just seeing the fruit of your labor.
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Right. You're talking a lot about audio engineering stuff. Would you say that those same key terms are what you see in the studio side of music?
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Mm-hmm.
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Okay. Yeah, definitely. I mean, when it comes to audio engineering, right now I do live audio engineering at the church. So when it comes to the worship team, it's really a lot of the same things, but in more of a studio setting with me, I'm the only one I have to worry about. In a live setting, now you have the whole band to worry about, and it's different trying to produce a live sound versus a digital sound. You know what I mean? So there's a lot of similarities, but it's still there's still a lot of differences between studio and live and then also audio engineering in general, because audio engineering doesn't have to necessarily be music, either. It could just be what what this is right now just talking, you know, producing a good sound with that as well. And you have to know how to do that too.
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Now, being an artist at your core, you're also a rapper, would you say? But you also sang in choir. So you know these things from a perspective of a musician. So when you step into the shoes of being an audio engineer and now looking to you to take care of them, if you will, a trust to get them to sound good. So what's that like being an artist and then sitting on the other side of things?
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It definitely broadens the horizons. It widens the perspective on it because, like I said, just being an artist, I was paying somebody else to do the engineering side of it. I was never the one sitting in that chair. I was always the one being trusted, you know, it definitely changes a lot because, like I said, widening the perspective, it allows me to see things from a different side and really get more of an appreciation for the engineering side of it, allowing me to really understand just the fullness of what goes on in the realm of music. Also just teaches me to become a better artist as well. I don't think you ever stop being an artist. The guy who's the sound guy is just as much as part of the band as the people playing the instruments as well. You can call the soundboard an instrument and you have to also be a musician throughout the whole process of you know the song, the performance. For me, I just think it helps me to get a more full understanding of the whole creative process, the whole performance, and all around it just makes me a better artist, I feel like, more of a musician.
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I love what you said about you love to learn and you're curious. If you don't know how to do something, you're like, okay, I know I'm teachable. I love to learn and be a part of every aspect so that you can go in deeper with being an artist. What does the future look like for you? You started off being a rapper and doing that on your own, writing poetry, and then getting into the world of music, also wanting to do film and where that journey took you, and now today being an audio engineer, still have a love of music and you have your own studio at home, what are some things that you're seeing for yourself?
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That's a good question because that's what I'm trying to figure out myself as well. In the world of music, I don't think I can ever stop being an artist. You know, that's just a part of who I am. I've spent so long doing it. I've spent a lot of time harnessing and developing the skills and it's not something that I just want to just put on the shelf. I spent a lot of money on my studio so I don't want to just sit there and count and collect.
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Oh yeah, equipment is not cheap.
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And I got good equipment so it's like for me I don't want it and it's in my bedroom so it's like I'm sitting here looking at it all day.
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Easy access.
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Yes, and it's not going anywhere.
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Yeah.
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For me the future just, I'm at a point in my own personal life where I'm just trying to take it one day at a time. What I would like to do from a faith-based standpoint, from where I'm at with my faith, is just do whatever the Lord wants me to do. And that is a process that is learned one step, one day at a time. And I also don't want to waste anything that I believe I've been given. just continuing to just do as much as I can one day at a time. I've taken a break from making my own music a lot this year, just to really figure out what direction I want to move in. Because I spent a lot of time, you know, making music just to be known and to have other people recognize me and to really get out there and just become that next famous rapper. My desire for that changed when you just get more of an understanding of yourself, more of an understanding of the industry and where you fit into everything. I've recently started that creative process again where now I'm making music again.
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That's awesome.
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Yeah. So for me, just trying to understand, you know, what do I want to do with it? It's something that I'm learning more and more every single day. I'm still learning the live side of engineering too with working at the church. Every day, right now, I'm just focused on becoming better, growing, learning, making sure that I'm doing things the right way for the right reasons, and becoming just a better version of myself and a better artist and Really harnessing those skill sets and then where that will lead me tomorrow We'll find out when we get there. Yeah, I have ideas of what I want to do I would love to make music that just blesses people and it's inspiring to people and helps people Through whatever they're going through helps people get closer with the Lord develop a stronger relationship there And then also keep the process going. I don't want to just sit on my hands and not do anything either because I feel like if I have the ability to do it, why not do it? If I have the means to do it, why not do it? Like I said, for me, it's just making sure that I'm doing it for the right reasons, the right way. Every single day is just a process of making that happen. So the future, I don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow. Yeah, of course. So when we get to tomorrow, we'll see what tomorrow has for me
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Yeah, well, I'm so excited for you because we have so much skills here and equipment here and Knowledge here that I think you can apply now in the right way what you're basing your motivation on like I want to do This the right way. I want to do this for the right reasons. And with the extensive background that you have now under your belt, I think this is a great opportunity to be inspired, to do what you love. Like you said, you're an artist at heart. This is your gift. And just expressing that and being inspiring to others, blessing others with your sound and your skills in audio. It would just be amazing. What do you think about that?
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I think 100%. That's right. It's always a process, you know? And like I said, I don't want to waste this whole process. Like I spent all this time developing it just to, I'm not going to do that anymore. As a matter of fact, I'm going to go do something completely different. That would be wasted years for me, wasted talent. Making sure that I'm doing it like we both said for the right reasons the right way. I Have to keep doing it. I have to keep moving in that direction because I feel like there's that's the only option, right? There's other things that I want to do as well But the whole world of audio the whole world of music you know, I feel like I've had the opportunities I've had for a reason I've been exposed to the things I have for a reason. I've had the doors opened up for me for a reason to teach me the things that I needed to learn all for a reason. And then just watching the whole process unfold. It's like, oh, I get it. Like, I get it. I understand why this has happened and where I'm at now.
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and recording and engineering. With all the state of art equipment that you have and that you have access to at home, being that you've put an investment into yourself, maybe it's just going to all start with a paper and a pen. Yeah, you're absolutely right. Let's get back to the- And it's just, yep, absolutely. And that's really where a lot of my time is being spent,
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right? What is going to be on that paper and that pen. You know what I mean? Because I can just make a song about anything. I could just make a song, it rhymes, and it sounds cool, and it's funny, it makes you laugh, it's good. Or I could really try to make a positive difference and a positive impact. And that's always been my passion behind it. And as I've grown, my idea of what that means has changed. So when it comes to pulling out that paper and that pen and writing that song and doing it, that's really where my time is being spent now is becoming more of the person that I need to be to be the artist that I want to be. When that pen hits that paper, the words aren't going to be wasted and they're going to come from a place that I feel like is pure, is a place of good intention coming from just the right state of mind. And it took a long time to really develop what that means for me, doing it for the right reasons from the right state of mind with the right intentions, not doing it just for you to say how great I am, but doing it for me to take my experiences in life, take my understanding and try to make you a better person, trying to make you a good person rather than you recognizing how good of a better person that I am. And I feel like that's what a lot of hip hop is a lot of rap is is just talking about how great we are as artists and how cool we are and look what we got and what we can do. I've always had a different perspective and every day just I'm growing. I just recently started making music again. I just recorded I've been back in the studio this last week. Yeah. So you asking me to do this came at a perfect time because it's just Keeping that ball rolling for me
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Definitely, that's exactly it. You know, no stone rolling down that hill gathers. No moss, right with that old saying So that's so great. I mean you're inspiring to me and your growth is none. So keep keep growing, keep learning and applying all that to your craft and being creative in your process, being the artist that you want to be. Thank you Noah so much for coming today. My pleasure. Thank you for having me. We'll see you next time. Bye. I want to thank you so much for tuning in and if you missed any of today's episode you can find us anywhere podcasts are available like Spotify, Google and Apple podcasts. Thank you for listening to today's episode of Talking with the Pros with me, Jess B. I love you and I'll catch you in the next one. Jess B. I love you and I'll catch you in the next one.
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Bye.
Transcribed with Cockatoo