PALA Sound Studio on SoundBetter

Award-winning Producer + Vocalist + Songwriter with 5+ years of industry experience offering radio-quality services, award-winning songwriter/producer based in LA - specializing in pop music.

Based in Los Angeles, California, PALA is an award-winning producer, songwriter, and musician with a passion for telling stories through music. He creates story-driven pop music with an electronic edge, controlling the emotion of the sound with every element he uses. Lyrically, he pairs unique rhythmic cadences with meaningful messages to create the backbone of his songwriting.

His work has been awarded the Grand Prize in the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

Growing up outside of Chicago, IL, he began studying classical piano at a very early age. After learning to play several other instruments in his early years, he turned to songwriting as his main form of creative expression. Although his tools have evolved from a simple 4-track tape recorder to a studio complex, his passion for creating music that resonates with people has remained steady.

In addition to releasing his own music, PALA works as a songwriter, producer and audio engineer. This gives him the opportunity to work on projects outside of his main genre, including R&B, Jazz, Classical, Hip-hop, and Acoustic Singer/Songwriter. He approaches production in much the same way as he approaches his own art - with the goal of making people feel deeper.

Would love to hear from you. Click the contact button above to get in touch.

Credits

7 Reviews

Endorse PALA Sound Studio

by Blake C.
Verified
Dean is very easy to work with, experienced and adaptable to directions. I took a mostly finished song to him that had a couple of opportunities and he turned it around in 10 days with most of it resolved. A few follow up emails and and one in person session and we had the final mix. I will definitely be adding him to my team for future projects.
by Naomi L.
Verified
Dean made my trip to LA an incredible experience. He is extremely professional and easy going , a true pleasure to work with!

Dean just GOT IT he is a true producer and musician and made my songs come to life in the best way!

I highly recommend Dean! And can’t wait to work with him again.
by Nathan
When I met Dean Palya, it was clear I was interacting with another level of producer. A multi-instrumentalist who blew the doors off with his ability to write, produce and mix nearly any genre...he set the bar above any other young producer I had ever encountered. Over the years producing dozens of projects, my first impressions were repeatedly confirmed. If you need an amazing track, Dean is it.
by Heather Andrews
I have had the pleasure of working with PALA for 4 years and hope to do so for many more. This is who I always turn to when I need the best quality and a quick turnaround. He has created music in a variety of genres and never disappoints. He has always been extremely professional working with our shared clients. The communication, follow-through and top quality production is unmatched.
by Dan Bauer
Last year, PALA took a dream EP I had in my head and mixed and mastered it into fruition. Throughout the process, he was prompt, focused, and attentive to my needs, and truly made my vision a reality. The scope of his knowledge and expertise was impressive and clear, as he could navigate any number of concerns I had as an artist. This project aside, PALA is humble, driven, and a real class act. A+
by Rob Sell
Worked with PALA producing the first SLKY EP. On the project PALA was asked to add various levels of production to the arrangements, mix and master the tracks. He did all this to a radio-ready standard and on time. I have since worked with him on a follow up single and his work has been equally excellent.
by Thomas Kay
I had the pleasure of working with this guy in the autumn for a writing session and he wrote, mixed & mastered on an EP for me remotely. This guy is a magician with sound and a fantastic writer. I would highly recommend him for writing or production of any kind. Not only that he is a good guy to work with and has a great vibe and attitude, positive but always focused on making something great!

Interview with PALA Sound Studio

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I have been doing this professionally for 10+ years. I started out producing demos and doing mixes for anyone and everyone who needed it. Over the course of working on literally thousands of songs, I figured out how to actually do it well. :)
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: Both! Analog sounds amazing, and digital allows you to do incredible things that analog does not. Why choose just one?
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: My promise to clients is this: I will do anything it takes for your project until you're perfectly satisfied.
Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?
A: I like to ask what exactly a client is looking for out of the project. I also like to ask what other songs / artists they are listening to right now that they really like, as well as anything they don't care for that much. These types of questions help me understand exactly what is going to make the clients project better and what I can bring to it.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: Easy. iMac Pro + Ableton Live + Push 2 + Manley Ref C + Apollo 8.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: My style is very polished, radio-ready sounds. I am really good at making things sound big.
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: I would love to work with Kehlani. She has such a great sense of emotion in her songwriting and vocal performance, and I love her music.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: Hmm...don't over mix it. Not every track needs compression or EQ. Keep it simple, it WILL sound better that way.
Q: What type of music do you usually work on?
A: I usually work on pop, R&B, and electronic music. These are my favorite types of music and I love working on them.
Q: What's your strongest skill?
A: My strongest skill is sonics. I feel like I know how to choose the right sounds, arrangement, etc. to make something fit and make people go "oh, that sounds like it should be on the radio."
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: It depends slightly on what part of the process I am brought in on. But no matter where I start, I bring a polished sound to the song and always keep working on it until it is radio ready. I also focus on drawing out the emotion of the song in the best way possible.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: When producing, I use Ableton Live with my Push 2 and Native Instruments Kontrol S49 mk2. These tools make it easy for me to be creative and in the moment with the music. I sometimes use my Native Instruments Maschine, depending on my mood ;) When I'm recording vocals, I have lots of options on gear to fit the emotion of the song. My favorite mic is my Manley Reference Cardioid Tube Mic - it has a smooth sound with a perfect high end for pop vocals. I have a Universal Audio Apollo 8 QUAD for my main interface / converter. I usually run my vocals through a Universal Audio 6176 (610B Tube Preamp + 1176 Compressor), but sometimes run through my LA-610 mkII (610B Tube Preamp + LA-2A Compressor) if I want a warmer sound. My monitoring chain includes a Dangerous SOURCE out to a pair of JBL 708p monitors (mains) and a pair of Genelec 8030C monitors (secondary). I have all of the Universal Audio plug-ins, Auto-Tune, Melodyne, all of the Native Instruments plug-ins, Waves Gold + Renaissance, plus a bunch of additional software instruments + plugins. As far as instruments go, my favorite guitars are my Fender American Telecaster and my Martin DCX-1E. I also have several other electric / acoustic guitars, a ukulele, a bunch of harmonicas, electronic drums, a violin, an alto sax, a clarinet, an a weird Egyptian stick with a couple strings on it lol. As far as the space itself, I really wanted it to be super comfortable with adjustable lighting and a comfy couch. I also have treated the room acoustically with bass traps, treatment, and a cloud to give it a great sound a flat response.

Invincible by PALA

I was the Producer/Songwriter/Vocalist/Mix Engineer in this production

ProducerAverage price - $3000 per song
Mixing EngineerAverage price - $1500 per song
Singer - MaleAverage price - $400 per song
Songwriter - LyricContact for pricing
Songwriter - MusicContact for pricing
RemixingAverage price - $3000 per song
Recording StudioContact for pricing

I am flexible on turnaround time - once we set a date, I guarantee that you will have the deliverables or your money back. I offer unlimited revisions - I want your project to be perfect.