Lu Diaz (Jay-Z, DJ Khaled) Reveals Mixing Mindset, Vocal Tips, & EPIC Industry Stories

Jan 08, 2026 | 15,027 Views

In this video, Grammy®-winning producer and engineer Lu Diaz answers 14 questions from the Waves Audio community, sharing real stories, career lessons, and practical mixing insight. From high-pressure sessions with major artists to the mindset shifts that helped him develop his sound, Lu breaks down how he approaches creativity and technical decision-making in the studio.

0:10 - What's the weirdest request you've received from an artist?
01:49 - What’s the longest album project you’ve ever worked on?
02:30 - What challenges did you face in this project?
03:22 - What’s your best memory from that time?
04:26 - What’s your go to move when you’re stuck in a mix?
05:31 - How do you reboot creativity?
06:02 - Have you ever worked on a song you didn’t believe in that became a big success?
08:14 - Do you use any mix tricks that would surprise experienced mix engineers?
08:44 - What moment reshaped the way you think about sound?
10:10 - Ever had a mix mistake turn into the best part of a song?
11:46 - What separates a good vocal mix from a great one?
12:38 - What’s the hardest conversation you’ve had with an artist?
13:56 - If you only had 3 plugins to mix with, what would they be?
14:58 - What should people new to mixing learn first?

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