Derek Ali

Derek Ali (born November 1, 1989 ), known professionally as MixedByAli, is an American mixing engineer. His career started in Los Angeles in the late-2000s, where he began recording and mixing for artists under Top Dawg Entertainment. He initially started collaborating with other artists from the Top Dawg Entertainment roster, including Schoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, and SZA. Over time, he broadened his portfolio by working with other prominent artists such as Bas, Nipsey Hussle, Snoop Dogg, and many more.

In 2018, he invented an online mixing program and community for mixing engineers called EngineEars which is aimed at teaching upcoming engineers techniques that will improve the quality of mixes they create and provide a world class mixing access to artists remotely.

Technique Ali mixes "in the box" (without the use of analog gear) when working with certain audio effects, such as vocals. However, he credits a mixing console for his "crispiness". About using hardware, Ali says: "If you have the gear, I suggest you use it. How I look at this way of mixing is I feel like you're inside the computer."

About 80% of his time spent mixing is in mono, which is a method he learned from Dr. Dre.

Awards Ali has been nominated for the Grammy Awards 6 times and has won three times.

Nominations

2012: Album of the Year – Good Kid, M.A.A.D City by Kendrick Lamar 2015: Album of the Year – To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar 2017: Album of the Year – Damn by Kendrick Lamar 2017: Record of the Year – :Humble" by Kendrick Lamar

Wins

2015: Best Rap Album – To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar 2017: Best Rap Album – Damn by Kendrick Lamar 2018: Record of the Year – This Is America by Childish Gambino

Discography 2021: Brockhampton – Roadrunner: New Light, New Machine 2020: Spillage Village – Spilligion 2020: Glass Animals – "Space Ghost Coast to Coast" 2018: Bas – Milky Way 2018: Jay Rock – Redemption 2018: Childish Gambino – "This Is America" 2018: Cardi B – "She Bad" 2018: Nipsey Hussle – Victory Lap 2018: Kendrick Lamar – "Redemption" and "Big Shot" 2018: Arin Ray – Platinum Fire 2017: SZA – Ctrl 2017: Kendrick Lamar – Damn 2015: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly 2012: Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D City 2012: ScHoolboy Q – Habits & Contradictions 2012: Ab-Soul – Control System 2011: ScHoolboy Q – Setbacks 2011: Ab-Soul – Longterm Mentality 2011: Kendrick Lamar – Section.80 2011: Jay Rock – Follow Me Home 2010: Kendrick Lamar – Overly Dedicated

Mentors Though Ali was introduced to mixing DAWs like Pro Tools by Punch and Dave Free, his most notable professional teacher is Dr. Dre whom he served under as an intern.