ABOUT
A conversation with Jeet Suresh Paul about what it takes to be a working audio engineer and what’s important to remember.
The Mad Composer.
Ken Candelas is a busy professional musician and audio engineer who has worked with some of the most celebrated performers today including Wyclef Jean, Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Jason Mraz, Rascal Flatts, and Cardi B. He has been a member of the audio team for Good Morning America music presentations between 2017 to 2020. Ken is also the composer, author, drummer, vocalist, orchestrater, arranger, recording and mixing engineer for Homerik. In addition to Ken’s work in music and audio, he is a respected educator who participates in the AES Audio Educators Advisory Group in order to contribute to the discussion on audio technology pedagogy for renown companies such as Neumann, Empirical Labs, Oeksound, the Les Paul Foundation and many more.
In action! Photo by Gus Philippas.
As a boy, Ken Candelas grew up in an artistic home where creativity was encouraged. His mother, Abigail Vallé, was a noted fashion designer whose fashion line, Altacalidad, was all the rage in Puerto Rico throughout the 1980's while his father, Hector Candelas, was an in-demand session and touring musician as well as musical director for noted artists such as Lissette Álvarez, Ednita Nazario and Menudo among others. During his teenage years, Ken studied fine art at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, the prestigious institution made popular by the iconic movie, “Fame”. He received several noted awards for his artwork and designs including the Milton Glaser Award and First Place in the Directory of N.Y.C. Public High Schools Design Competition. Upon graduation, Ken decided to pursue his deep interest in rhythm and music production, following in his father's footsteps.
While recording Homerik's second studio album at Spin Recording Studios. Photo by Gus Philippas.
Ken graduated with honors from Queensborough Community College as a Music Production major and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Audio Technology at The Sonic Arts Center at The City College of New York. Ken operates in New York City and collaborates with clients on both the east and west coasts of the USA. Ken is extremely well-versed in capturing high-definition recordings and has incredible post-production ethics, in addition to having strong musical skill. His experience from interning at studios such as Masterdisk, Harvestworks, Spin Recording Studios, Big Yellow Duck, and Aura Sonic have played a very important role in shaping his career. He worked at Good Morning America and is a professor at three universities.
My Red Vette. Photo by Gus Philippas.
Ken as Shawn Pelton’s drum tech. Drummer of Saturday Night Live, performing live with The Cringe on Rachael Ray!
Ken is endorsed by Antelope Audio, Soundtheory, Audeze, Bettermaker, NUGEN Audio, Eventide and more. He is the co-founder of Metal Mastermind, the drummer for the melodic hard rock band Four Trips Ahead, and the creator behind the cinematic metal project Homerik. He is an avid contributor to the Web3 space as an investor, activist and an ambassador for Opulous.
Photo by Gus Philippas.
At the Cabin at LaGuardia, featuring a Dunlavy stereo system and a Miller & Kreisel 5.1.2 system, all powered by Bryston except for the sub, which is a Rythmik Audio EP15HP2, powered by Hypex.
Ken, The Mad Composer. Photo by Gus Philippas.
“Working with Ken was really fantastic. Our recording days moved efficiently and without drama - all despite a very packed schedule with many different musicians. The quality of sound that he got from a very diverse mix of instruments was really remarkable. Mixing was a similarly great experience: Ken has a fantastic ear and was able to deliver mixes that were balanced, clear and vivid. All deadlines were met easily and we’re thrilled with the final tracks. We can’t recommend Ken highly enough!”
Photo from the GMA’s Strahan Sara & Keke Christmas special, 2019.
“Ken is a very knowledgeable musician. He takes pride in all of the work that he does in the audio field and was very helpful when my band came in to record drums for our new EP. He knew the space very well and was able to assist us with mic placement, as well as choosing the right microphones and gear to use when recording. He has a great ear and is very good at working with people.”
Four Trips Ahead performing at Irving Plaza.
“Consistency. Not a word you hear often in relation to musicians. Yet possibly one of the most important aspects of a person’s character if they are going to be a great team player. Whether we’re talking about reliability, professionalism, or the most important thing with a drummer, timekeeping. Ken has got it. Once in a session, he is willing, and able, to work with the creative team to find and lay down that groove in a rock solid manner.”
Photo taken at the Newport Folk Festival 2017 by Steve Remote.
Ken works with state of the art equipment in his personal studio, “The Cabin at LaGuardia”. His signal chain includes hardware and software by the likes of Antelope, Bryston, Dunlavy, Miller & Kreisel, Manley, Neve, API, Chandler, Universal Audio, Yamaha, and more. Ken is certified by Avid, BlackMagicDesign, Audinate, Waves, Focusrite, Solid State Logic, DiGiCo, Yamaha, Eventide, and Empirical Labs.
Ken drum teching for Mario Duplantier of Gojira at Silvercord Studios.