Producer Embodies Nashville’s Diverse Music Scene with Brand’s V-Series 8 Studio Monitors and KNS 8402 Headphones
NASHVILLE ― Powered by passion and inspired by diversity, Artist and Producer Tyler Cain has been taking the Nashville music scene by storm. After growing up in Virginia and honing his guitar skills performing in local bars, Cain moved to “Music City, USA,” looking to turn his hobby into a career. What he found was a group of mentors, friends, and inspiration that moved him to embrace and explore the industry as a producer. Today, Cain continues to produce and program new music from his home studio, with credits on multiple GRAMMY®-nominated Albums of the Year and a diverse portfolio of artists to show for it. For his production work, Cain needs to trust his gear to handle the variety of genres he works with, which is why he chose to deck out his home studio with KRK V-Series 8 Studio Monitors and KNS 8402 Headphones.
After getting his first taste of KRK in studios throughout Nashville, Cain remembers being instantly impressed. “The monitors always sounded so good in any circumstance, no matter the scenario we put them in, whether on the road and throwing a pair up in a hotel room or using them in a fancy studio,” he says. “Right out of the gate, they sound and feel good. I love the low-end on the V8s, it’s really tight and warm, and I’ve found a lot of success using them on an eclectic range of projects. I also have five pairs of the KNS headphones that I use personally, and for any musician who comes into the studio. They’re fully incorporated into my entire workflow, so I’m super comfortable with them. I’ve probably written hundreds of songs using them.”
Cain has kept his new KRK gear busy with a variety of new projects this past year. Most recently, he produced The Covers, a collaboration with Americana artists Ashley Monroe, Ruston Kelly, and Britney Spencer, and did some songwriting and programming work on Gramps Morgan’s GRAMMY-nominated reggae album, Positive Vibration. He also collaborated with his country-pop star wife Meghan Linsey on her newest single “If You Need Me, Don’t,” and is currently finishing up his own personal album to be released later this year.
Cain thrives in collaborative environments, often sharing ideas with hip-hop star and close friend, Chingy. “He has definitely inspired the hip-hop style in my productions,” Cain explains. “The KRKs are great for that style; I don’t miss a thing with the amazing low-end. I’ve also been using the V8s and KNS 8402 Headphones for live streams with Colbie Caillat. No matter the genre or scenario, KRK can really handle the music well.”
Priding himself on the diversity of genres he’s been able to work with, Cain credits his move to Nashville for exposing him to these opportunities. “There is such an eclectic range of styles I work on,” he says, “and I attribute a lot of that to just being in this town, surrounded by so many different people and artists. Moving here really influenced my outlook on music as a career. Working with and being mentored by engineers like Justin Cortelyou, Charles Yingling, and Brett Meyer, people who I’m now able to call friends, helped open my eyes to the vastness of the music world. Doing those sessions in the studio with the pros morphed my creativity, and I’m now able to have my own identity and put my own music out.”
To perfect his personal style, Cain completes all his production work from his home studio in Nashville; a free-standing facility located in his backyard. Built during the COVID-19 pandemic, he relied on music engineering friends and the KRK Audio Tools app to get the perfect layout for his new studio. “The app was super helpful with aligning my V8s in the new studio,” explains Cain. “I used that to fine-tune them because I know how great they can sound, and I really love to lean on the monitors for that when I’m creating with somebody. They keep a positive momentum during the session and get everyone excited about what you’re working on.”
Cain also loves the way his monitors keep the energy alive during the creative process. “I think collaborations are super important to the creative process,” he notes. “I want to know what I’m going to get when I play music for my clients. When I bounce my mix down, the V8s transition to other speakers better than any other monitor. I want my clients to be excited and feel the positive energy of hearing their song for the first time, and there’s something about the KRKs that make that happen.”