Today we met with Vincent deLeon aka Vinny D, 9-time GRAMMY-nominated mix engineer, record producer, 175-time platinum audio engineer, owner of Mr Mix & Master recording studio, and SAE Institute Miami graduate. Vinny is best known for his work with superstars like Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Maluma, and Daddy Yankee, amongst others.
Why did you choose SAE to learn more about audio engineering?
When I was younger I always made music in my bedroom but I wanted to find a way to achieve that major label sound, the crispiness of the vocals, and understand the nuances of audio engineering—beyond what I learned on YouTube. I really wanted to perfect the sound and that’s why I chose SAE Institute, and I’m grateful I did.
do you Do you feel COVID impacted your career?
Covid actually benefited my career. Artists couldn’t tour and had more time to spend in the studio, which led to a lot of mixing and mastering in my studio. I was lucky to work with Daddy Yankee on his latest release, Problema, and other major talents like Farruko and Sech. It’s been a blessing and a challenge.
In your opinion, are recording studios still relevant?
They are as relevant as ever before. Even though a lot can be done in a home studio, higher-level clients choose recording studios for the professional work environment, and producers choose to record there and make the kind of beats that are hard to achieve through headphones and with small monitors.
Any tips for aspiring audio engineers?
There’s a lot of talent in the music industry. The ones that get ahead are the ones who understand the business and work hard. I learned a lot and am still learning every day but if you reinvent yourself and keep on learning you are on the right track.
Vinny D studied audio at SAE Institute Miami and graduated with an Audio Technology Diploma in 2009.
Vinny’s journey towards audio began with the dream of being a recording artist when he was only 12. Over the past 20 years, he has made the journey from recording in his closet to audio engineering, mixing and mastering, and owning a state-of-the-art recording studio in Miami, FL. Vinny has worked with some of today’s most important artists in both the English and Latin music markets across numerous musical genres and has won numerous awards for his work.