Oscar and GRAMMY Award-Winning Musician Relies on Brand’s Pro Audio Solutions for Recording and Mixing Applications
MIAMI ― Before the world knew him for singing about Bruno, singer, actor, trombonist, and musical producer Mauro Castillo was crafting award-winning music inspired by his home country of Colombia. Growing up, Castillo immersed himself in his culture, singing, playing salsa, and learning the folkloric hand-drum-based music of Colombia. After obtaining an art degree from the Universidad de Valle, Castillo went on to lead GRAMMY® Award-winning salsa band Grupo Niche, along with releasing his own GRAMMY- and Latin GRAMMY-nominated music as a solo artist. It is with his solo career that Castillo first entrusted his craft to KRK, most recently calling on the brand’s ROKIT 10-3 Three-Way Studio Monitors, S8.4 and S10.4 Subwoofers, V-Series 4 Studio Monitors, and KNS 6402 Headphones.
Mauro Castillo with his KRK V-Series Monitors
First introduced to the brand by engineer Carlos “El Loco” Bedoya, Castillo recognized the iconic yellow cones of KRK’s Exposé line from his time in recording studios throughout Miami. When it came time to work on his second studio album, “La Receta,” Castillo got his hands on KRK’s ROKIT 10-3 Studio Monitors. “KRK has been a reference ally for me for a long time, since at least 2016,” he says. “For my second album, I wanted a three-way speaker that could help me hear how my sounds would be distributed through bigger systems. The ROKIT 10-3 was a great option for my budget when I was working on that album; they were exactly what I was looking for.”
Today, Castillo relies on his KRK S8.4 Subwoofer for consistent and accurate audio in his home studio. “It’s amazing because it allows you to have an accurate reference of how it will sound in a car or in a nightclub,” he explains. “It’s lightweight and easy to use, and a great option if you’re trying to pursue your dreams. It just complements my studio very well. I also borrowed a KRK S12.4 subwoofer from a friend, for my recent single ‘ChaCha Me.’ It worked great for catching the low frequencies of that song, which has a nightclub vibe.”
Perhaps one of the most notable ways Castillo uses his KRKs is with his non-profit, La Puerta Music, a program designed to teach low-income students the ins and outs of the music industry from professionals around the world. For the organization, Castillo records tutorials and shares music business information from his studio in Bogotá. “I wanted a little more from my amplifiers, so I purchased the KRK S10.4 Subwoofer,” he explains. “It does all the low frequency management for me. It really allows my amplifiers to just do their thing.”
Beyond offering Castillo’s experiences, La Puerta Music also holds a wealth of knowledge from all corners of the musical world. “I found that there are a lot of people with the energy and motivation to learn music, but they are without the services or tools to learn,” he adds. “I made an open call to singers, trombonists, producers, writers, and instrumentalists to be a part of this community. Now, I have a large group of professionals working alongside me, including producers who have worked with Missy Elliot and Beyoncé, helping teach the popular music concepts, and how to play both traditional and salsa music. We also provide databases that allow working artists to record and share their performances for students to view.”
Moving forward, Castillo will put his newest gear from KRK―the V-Series 4 Studio Monitors and KNS 6402 Headphones, through the paces. “They’re very cool for recording voices,” he says about the headphones. “They cut well, and I like the medium register on them. I’ve only used them for recording so far, but I’m excited to try them out with mixing as well.” He finishes saying; “I know there are a lot of pricier options, but I trust KRK for referencing because I know my mixes will be accurate to what the listener experiences in the outside world.”