161 - Diana Chow

Diana Chow is a music producer and artist based in Los Angeles. Prior to her music career, she was a Software Engineer at Twitter.

She is also part of the 3-letter Twitter handle club. You can give her a follow to keep up with all of her recent music here.

She recently released a new single called “u got me”! You can check it out below.

Apple Music → https://music.apple.com/us/album/u-got-me-single/1613559215

Items and tools:

• iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014)
• Universal Audio Apollo Twin MKII SOLO Thunderbolt Audio Interface
• Yamaha HS7 6.5 inch Powered Studio Monitors - White
• Shure SM7B Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone
• Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter CL-1 1-channel Mic Activator
• Samson G-Track USB Condenser Microphone
• Korg minilogue 4-voice Analog Synthesizer
• Akai Professional APC Key 25
• DJ TechTools Midi Fighter 64 in White
• Vox MV50 Clean 50-watt Hybrid Tube Head
• Korg D1 88-key Stage Piano / Controller (Black)
• Harman Kardon SoundSticks III
• Fender Vintera '50s Precision Bass in Vintage Blonde
• Martin 000-15M Acoustic Guitar
• Fender American Performer Stratocaster HSS Electric Guitar, Maple Fingerboard
• Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Closed-back Studio Monitoring Headphones
• Proline MS112 Desktop Boom Mic Stand
• Korg GT-3 Guitar Tuner
• Apple Magic Mouse
• Apple Magic Trackpad
• Apple Magic Keyboard
• Apple AirPods Pro
• Mogami Gold Studio Microphone Cables
• Mogami Gold Instrument Cables
• Rockwool and felt acoustic panels, built by my friend and talented producer Habitaat (https://www.instagram.com/habitaatmusic/)
• Crate and Barrel Spotlight White X-Leg Desk 58"
• HÅG Capisco Puls Saddle Stool
• Innovation Splitback Easy Chairs
• Crate and Barrel Ditto Cubes in White

Q/A ☕️

What is your favorite item in your workspace?

That’s a hard one to answer! I choose two: my Yamaha HS7 monitors because I use them constantly while producing, mixing, or mastering music, or just listening to music recreationally. I almost always have music playing, and I love how they sound and look. To me, they also mark the transition I made to focusing on music production. Also my Fender 50’s Vintera P-bass because I lucked out with a deal on Craigslist for it and it’s a gorgeous instrument with a lovely, warm vintage tone. It’s my first bass guitar, and to me symbolizes getting through the pandemic lockdown with creativity and fun, as that’s when I picked it up and started learning to play.

How do you spark creativity?

I get into a receptive, playful, and exploratory mindset. Sounds around me in everyday life can inspire me, or I’ll fiddle with different sounds and instruments (digital or analog) until I find something that resonates and that I want to build upon. I also attend a monthly workshop called Hyperflow in LA (it’s fully remote and over Zoom now) that inspires me a lot with different creative prompts for making new songs.

How do you keep the work-life balance?

I schedule everything into my calendar! I’m a free spirit who lives and dies by my calendar, ha! Every Monday morning I slot in work and life activities for the week and at the week’s end I check in at a high level to see what that balance actually looked like. I’ll admit the past month or so has been especially busy and I’m still in the process of learning what the right balance is for me. I feel fortunate to have so many things I want to do and work on and I’m learning to prioritize, say no to things, and spread stuff out more. I believe perfect balance isn’t possible and certainly not all of the time, so I continue learning to manage the ebbs and flows of it with how I’m doing and feeling.