A Mixed Basket of Talents with Hendrick Valera (Braxton Cook, Equiknoxx, Karma Rivera)
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton (Scoobert Doobert)
Guest: Hendrick Valera
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Host note
Hendrick Valera is a producer and mixer who started in Venezuela, then worked in Argentina, the U.S., and now Colombia, and that path is the spine of this conversation. He talks about the obstacles to studying music in Venezuela, and how he found his way to production after starting out as a saxophonist.
We get into what it took to keep going through rejection, including getting fired from a cruise ship gig and what that taught him, and how each small win in the studio built toward the next one. Hendrick compares the music scenes in Argentina and Colombia, and talks about why networking and real relationships matter as much as the work itself.
He closes on staying true to his own values through all of it, and on wanting to keep making music that's actually his.
Selected moments
- Introduction to Hendrick's journey 3:00 Hendrick talks about his excitement for discussing his music journey and experiences in different countries.
- Challenges of pursuing music education 4:16 Hendrick describes the obstacles he faced while trying to pursue music education in Venezuela.
- Discovering production over performance 6:50 He explains how he transitioned from being a saxophonist to a music producer.
- Handling rejection in music 8:22 Hendrick shares his experiences with rejection and how he persevered.
- Lessons from cruise ship gigs 10:58 He recounts getting fired from a cruise gig and what he learned from that experience.
- Finding joy in production 12:26 Hendrick discusses how he has found satisfaction in music production.
- Advice for maintaining confidence 15:10 He explains the importance of following through and not losing touch with opportunities.
- Cultural differences in music scenes 27:27 Hendrick compares the cultural attitudes towards music in Argentina and Colombia.
- Networking in the music industry 22:03 He shares insights on the importance of networking and making meaningful connections.
- The push towards personal music projects 39:54 Hendrick discusses his desire to continue creating music that he is passionate about.
Selected excerpts
Music has taken me to places that I don't think anything in life will take me to, both physically and spiritually.
If you keep pushing, you're going to get these wins that sometimes just feel all wins. You know what I mean?
I think that a big part of it was staying true to what I believe in, you know, and my values.
You need to think back of the times where music was like something that was available for royalty.
It's just like, from each of them that little wins help me to grow with the next one because like I mix the music for some artists...
FAQ
Who is Hendrick Valera?
Hendrick Valera is a producer and mixer originally from Venezuela who has worked in various countries including Argentina and Colombia.
What challenges did Hendrick face in his music career?
Hendrick faced challenges including governmental restrictions on pursuing education abroad, rejections from music schools, and difficulties in navigating the music industry.
How does Hendrick view collaboration in music production?
Hendrick believes collaboration is essential and emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships within the music community.
These pages are host notes, not a full transcript. The episode itself is on the listen links above.