Ben Shirken on SoundBetter

Ben Shirken aka Beshken is an artist, producer, and mixer living in Brooklyn, New York. He has produced and mixed for an eclectic range of electronic, indie/jazz, and r&b artists such as The Dare, Spencer., Gus Dapperton, Mizu & Deli Girls. He attended NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music where he received a BFA in Recorded Music.

Ben Shirken a.k.a. Beshken is an artist, founder of New York based sound performance series 29 Speedway, studio 5950.exp founder, member and producer of Nu Jazz (a free-jazz ensemble with Deli Girls), sound artist, dj and producer living in Brooklyn, NY. Graduating from the NYU Clive Davis Institute of Record Music in 2019, he is often found playing live modular synths, recording local bands, mixing & sound designing various projects whilst finding time to compose electronic music. Working with artists in the d.i.y. scene and beyond, Ben is interested in the fringes between styles, working across multiple genres including but not limited to experimental, jazz, indie, and pop. His solo work has brought him to tour nationally and in Europe, and additionally he has established himself as a DJ, playing often in Brooklyn and online at The Lot Radio and NTS.

After attending NYU's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music where he studied music production, recording, and mixing, Ben has gone on to mix music for artists on labels such as NNA Tapes, 4AD, RCA, SONY and projects with MTV and Red Bull. He started studio 5950.exp in 2020, where he works on various mixing and commercial work. His solo music has garnered millions of plays online, and he has mixed records with NNA Tapes and released with Incienso.

Offering mixing, mastering, production, and sound design.

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Credits

Discogs verified credits for Ben Shirken

Beshken
MIZU (11)
MURDERPACT
Beshken
Beshken
Ex Wiish
MIZU (11)
Sycco
Nu Jazz
Various
MURDERPACT
Dekalb Works
Nu Jazz

6 Reviews

Endorse Ben Shirken

by Wilfredo
Verified
I’ve respected Ben as an artist for over five years. His work—both for himself & others—is incredible. Ben is a true professional who listens carefully & collaborates to bring your vision to life. He addresses uncertainties quickly, respects your ideas, & takes them even further. If he feels something might not work, he’ll let you know respectfully. Be honest with him & you’ll get outstanding results. I’m thrilled with the outcome & will definitely reach out to him for future projects.
by Connor Burnett
Verified
Really got the synths pumping a lot better. Thanks ben
by Vanessa N.
Verified
Ben was efficient, kind, and super easy to communicate with! Would 100% work with him again the future.
by Sabrina S.
Verified
Ben is one of the most professional, prompt and considerate people I've ever worked with. He mixed and mastered two of my songs well within the deadline we discussed, and truly understood what I was going for both sonically and emotionally. He responded quickly to my notes on each mix/mastering pass, and we communicated and sent files back and forth seamlessly. I couldn't be happier with the finished versions and look forward to working with Ben again in the future. Highly, highly recommend.
by Justin S.
Verified
Ben is great at mixing and cares about making sure the songs sound great. Really good communication too and put in the extra time to make for a quality mix for each of the songs. Definitely will reach out again for my next songs 👏
by Shlee M.
Ben was awesome to work with. Super flexible and helpful throughout every stage of the process. His taste and skill really brought our EP to the next level. We're really happy with the mixes and grateful for the extra time and energy he put into it.

Interview with Ben Shirken

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?
A: I was the recording engineer, producer, and mixer on "Tony" by Thoom. I was heavily involved in both the creative and engineering aspects of creating this song, and the final track turned out to be pristine! Loved working on the song from various angles and perspectives.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: Electronic, R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: Mixing
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I have been making music under the name Beshken for the past 5 years. I think I bring a creativity to a mix that is uncommon with most mixing engineers because I produce and mix my own music almost full time. I think outside of the box when necessary but can also keep it simple depending on what I think the track needs.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I am a producer, instrumentalist, and mixing engineer for the most part. In terms of production, I can start a song from scratch or work from a fleshed out idea. We will then come up with ideas together and it is mostly a collaborative experience. I have produced music for artists on the labels Beggars, 4AD, RCA, SONY, and AWAL. I am pretty versatile when it comes to mixing and have worked with artists spanning all genres. Recently I have been mixing live drums and strings, but I am adept at mixing most instruments. Electronic Music and Hip-hop comes naturally to me.
Q: What are you working on at the moment?
A: A new album and mixing a few projects for some clients.
Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?
A: Benny Berger. Devon Baran.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I use both.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: I will work until the track sounds perfect and I promise it will sound professional.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: As long as you bounce the stems individually, I can serve you a great mix.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I have been making music for 10 years, 6 years as my solo project Beshken, and studied music production and recording at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: versastyle.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: I have a loft studio in Ridgewood, Brooklyn where I do most of my work. We have a bunch of synths, some modular gear, a rhodes, upright piano, drum set, percussion, guitars, bass, various dynamic and condenser microphones and a few pedals. I have access to the studio 24/7, and we also rent it out as a professional recording space to local artists.