Rob Chiarelli (born January 13, 1963) is an American record producer, mix engineer, musician, published author and multiple Grammy Award winner. Widely recognized as a music producer for Will Smith and Men in Black II (2002), Chiarelli's work appears on numerous gold and platinum albums and motion picture soundtracks, including twenty Grammy winners.
Early life Chiarelli was born in Newton, Massachusetts, and raised in Waltham, Massachusetts. He started playing the drums when he was ten years old. By junior high school, he was performing in school bands and participating in the Massachusetts All-State Jazz Ensemble and the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. By age 17, he had received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award (twice) and numerous awards from the International Association of Jazz Educators (formerly the National Association for Jazz Education, NAJE). Chiarelli graduated from Waltham High School in 1981 and attended the University of Miami School of Music on a scholarship, where he studied under the direction of Don Coffman, Fred Wickstrom and Vince Maggio. He formed his own band Inferno which recorded with producer Gary Vandy and included members Tim Mitchell (guitar), Dag Kolsrud (keyboards), Rick Margitza (sax), Mike Mangini (drums), Ed Calle (sax), Mike Lambert (trumpet) and Jeff Miller (keyboards)
Career After moving to Los Angeles, California in 1989, Chiarelli joined Paramount Recording Studios as an assistant engineer and quickly worked his way up to a first chair recording and mix engineer. His professional breakthrough came with legendary producer Jay King while working with the Grammy-winning R&B group Club Nouveau. Impressed with Chiarelli's work, King asked him to mix the entire Nouveau album, which reached #12 on the Billboard R&B Charts. While working on Club Nouveau at Aire LA Studios in Glendale, California, Chiarelli met mix engineer/mentor Craig Burbidge and worked on numerous hit records from artists such as Calloway, Chuckii Booker and Teddy Pendergrass.
In 1991 Chiarelli founded Final Mix, Inc., a music production company specializing in contemporary music and artist development. Chiarelli was also CEO of Metro Beat Records, a joint venture with Semaphore Records from 1993 until 1996. In 1997, Chiarelli formed 3.6 Records, a joint venture record label distributed by BMG/Red Ant and located in West Hollywood, CA.
In 2008, Chiarelli co-founded Gauge Precision Instruments, Inc. (originally Gauge, Inc.), a manufacturer of audio electronics and accessories for professional and consumer markets. In 2013, Final Mix, Inc. expanded to include music software development.
Mixing and production As a mix engineer and record producer, Chiarelli has worked with such well known artists as Will Smith, Christina Aguilera, LeAnn Rimes, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Janet Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Keiko Matsui, Coolio, Ray Charles, American Idol, Pink, Johnny Mathis, Paula Abdul, Diana Ross, En Vogue, Ice Cube, The Four Tops, Yolanda Adams, The Temptations, 3LW, K-Ci & JoJo, Madonna, Aaliyah, Hilary Duff, Jesse McCartney, Ricky Martin, The Corrs, Luther Vandross, Erin Boheme and Charlie Wilson.
His recordings have been nominated numerous times for Grammy Awards including Christina Aguilera, Will Smith, Mary Mary and Yolanda Adams.
As a musician Chiarelli is a classically trained musician; his principal instruments include both the electric bass and orchestral percussion. As a musician his work can be heard on the recordings of Keiko Matsui, Will Smith, Hilary Duff, Waldemar Bastos, Jesse McCartney, Tatayana Ali, Teddy Pendergrass, Ray Charles, Jennifer Paige and The Corrs.
As a songwriter his work has appeared on Erin Boheme (Concord Records), Sunz of Man (BMG/SONY) and on the motion picture soundtrack of Love Stinks, a 1999 comedy starring French Stewart, Bridgette Wilson, Bill Bellamy and Tyra Banks.
Publishing In 2009, Chiarelli's first book The Electric Bass Bible: Volume 1 Dexterity Exercises was published by Cherry Lane Music Publishing Company, Inc., a division of Hal Leonard.
Clinician and speaker Chiarelli has been a featured speaker & clinician at Berklee College of Music, University of Illinois, NAMM, TAXI, ASCAP, The Grammy Museum, FSU (Florida State University), MEIEA (Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association), NXNE (North by Northeast Music Convention), Los Angeles Recording School, The International Digital Rights Foundation, Hank Shocklee's Remix Hotel, California Lawyers for the Arts, The Trebas Institute & The Sacramento Music Conference.
Societies and guilds NARAS Audio Engineering Society AFM Local 47 Musicians Union Guitar Center Pro Advisory Board Commissioner (2010-2011 Westlake Pony Baseball) Board of Director for The Great Leap Foundation Pierce College Commercial Music - CTE Advisory Committee
Selected discography 1989: No Borders by Keiko Matsui - Engineer 1990: Wake Up by Shalamar - Mixing 1991: Night Waltz by Keiko Matsui - Engineer 1992: Cherry Blossom by Keiko Matsui - Engineer, Mixing, Programming, Drum Programming 1993: A Little More Magic by Teddy Pendergrass - Drum Programming, Engineer 1993: My World by Ray Charles - Drum Programming, Mixing, Drums 1993: Runaway Love (EP) by En Vogue - Mixing, Engineer 1993: Lethal Injection by Ice Cube - Mixing 1993: Doll by Keiko Matsui - Drum Programming, Programming 1994: The Lead and How to Swing It by Tom Jones - Mixing 1994: Mind, Body & Song by Jade - Engineer, Mixing, Remixing 1995: Do You Wanna Ride? by Adina Howard - Mixing 1995: For Lovers Only by The Temptations - Mixing 1996: 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New) by Coolio - Mixing 1996: Dream Walk by Keiko Matsui - Drum Programming 1996: Most Requested Songs by Benny Mardones - Mixing, Drum Programming 1996: I'm Movin' On by CeCe Peniston - Mixing 1997: Waterbed Hev by Heavy D - Engineer, Mixing 1997: Greatest Hits by Ambrosia - Mixing 1997: Love Always by K-Ci & JoJo - Mixing 1997: Much Love by Shola Ama - Mixing 1997: Forever by Bobby Brown - Mixing 1997: "Men in Black" by Will Smith - writing/arrangement 1997: Big Willie Style by Will Smith - Mixing, Drum Programming 1998: Talk on Corners by The Corrs - Mixing 1998: The Last Shall Be First" [Clean] by Sunz of Man - Engineer, Producer, Mixing 1998: Jennifer Paige by Jennifer Paige - Drum Programming, Remixing 1998: Kiss the Sky by Tatyana Ali - Programming, Keyboards, Mixing 1998: Naked Without You by Taylor Dayne - Mixing 1998: Mi Respuesta by Laura Pausini - Mixing 1998: They Never Saw Me Coming''' by TQ - Mixing 1999: Willennium by Will Smith - Engineer, Mixing 1999: Christina Aguilera by Christina Aguilera 1999: "Ricky Martin" by Ricky Martin - Engineer 1999: Ghetto Hymns by Dave Hollister - Mixing, Engineer 1999: "It's Real" by K-Ci & JoJo - Mixing 1999: "Wild Wild West" [US CD Single]" by Will Smith - Mixing, Engineer 2000: "Aijuswanaseing" by Musiq Soulchild - Mixing 2000: "Love & Freedom" by BeBe Winans - Mixing 2000: "Remix Plus" by Christina Aguilera - Mixing 2000: "Sooner or Later" by BBMak - Mixing 2001: "Best of the Corrs" by The Corrs - Mixing, Remixing 2001: "Take You Out" by Luther Vandross - Mixing 2002: "Black Suits/Nod Ya Head" by Will Smith - Producer, Remix Producer, Mixing, Engineer 2002: "Born to Reign" by Will Smith - Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Guitar, Bass 2002: "Emotional" by K-Ci & JoJo - Mixing 2002: "From the Inside" by Laura Pausini - Mixing 2002: "Greatest Hits" by Will Smith - Producer, Remix Producer, Engineer, Mixing 2002: "Twisted Angel" by LeAnn Rimes - Mixing, Engineer 2003: "American Idol Season 2: All-Time Classic American Love Songs" by Various Artists - Mixing 2003: "Best of the Corrs/Unplugged" by The Corrs - Remixing, Mixing 2003: "Metamorphosis" by Hilary Duff - Mixing 2003: "Soulful" by Ruben Studdard - Mixing 2003: Cherry Blossom by Keiko Matsui - writing/arranging 2004: "American Idol Season 3: Greatest Soul Classics" by Various Artists - Mixing 2004: "Come Clean" by Hilary Duff - Mixing 2004: "Little Voice" by Hilary Duff - Mixing, Remixing 2004: "You Made Me" by Josh Todd - Mixing 2005: "20th Century Masters - The Christmas Collection" by The Four Tops - Engineer 2005: "Any Other Girl" by Temmora - Mixing 2005: "Live: Beautiful Soul Tour" by Jesse McCartney - Mixing 2005: "Ultimate Aaliyah" by Aaliyah - Mixing 2006: "Christina Aguilera/Stripped" by Christina Aguilera - Mixing 2006: "What Love Is" by Erin Boheme - Composer 2007: "Collaborations" by Jill Scott - Mixing 2007: "Naked Brothers Band [Bonus Tracks]" by The Naked Brothers Band - Mixing 2007: The Best of Me by Yolanda Adams 2007: Moyo by Keiko Matsui 2008: The Sound by Mary Mary 2008: Bold Right Life by Kierra "Kiki” Sheard 2008: Best of Hilary Duff by Hilary Duff 2008: "In the Name of Love: Africa Celebrates U2" by Various Artists - Mixing 2009: "Skinny Jeanz and a Mic" by New Boyz - Mixing 2010: "Big Time Rush" by Big Time Rush - Vocal Engineer, Mixing 2010: "Charice" by Charice - Mixing 2010: "Just Charlie" by Charlie Wilson - Mixing 2010: Too Cool To Care by New Boyz 2010: The Road by Keiko Matsui 2010: Kinanda by Stella Mwangi 2011: Hello Fear by Kirk Franklin - Mixing 2011: HurtLoveBox by Mark Ballas - Producer, Engineer, Mixing 2011: "Stereo Typical" by Rizzle Kicks - Mixing 2011: Something Big by Mary Mary 2011: "American Idol: 10th Anniversary: The Hits, Vol. 1" by Various Artists - Mixing 2011: "Road..." by Keiko Matsui - Mixing, Engineer 2011: "Too Cool to Care" by New Boyz - Guitar (Bass), Pro-Tools, Mixing, Producer 2011: Stereo Typical by Rizzle Kicks - Mixing 2012: "Classics of My Soul" by Waldemar Bastos - Mixing 2012: "Created 4 This" by VaShawn Mitchell - Mixing 2012: "Go Get It" by Mary Mary - Mixing 2012: The Collection by Coolio - Mixing 2013: "Love, Charlie" by Charlie Wilson - Mixing 2013: "Roaring 20s" by Rizzle Kicks - Mixing 2013: "Roaring 20s" by Rizzle Kicks - Mixing 2014: "Jazz Funk & Soul by Lorber Loeb & Hart" - Mixing 2014: "Foreign Land by 3 Winans Brothers" Winans family - Mixing 2014: Unconditional Love by Ruben Studdard - Mixing 2014: Chicago Winds...The Saga Continues by Dave Hollister - Mixing, Engineer 2014: "Game Changer" by Johnny Gill - Mixing 2014: "Fast Forward" by The Walls Group - Mixing 2014: "Help" by Erica Campbell (musician) - Mixing 2015: Life Music: Stage Two by Jonathan McReynolds - Mixing 2015: Losing My Religion by Kirk Franklin - Mixing 2015: Help 2.0 by Erica Campbell (musician) - Mixing 2015: "Sunday Morning" by Jelly Roll - Mixing 2015: Any Given Sunday by Charles Jenkins/Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago - Mixing 2016: Merry Christmas From Andra Day by Andra Day - Mixing 2016: Think About These Things by Charles Jenkins - Mixing 2017: In It to Win It by Charlie Wilson - Composer, Mixing, Producer 2017: Introducing Stokley by Stokley - Mixing 2017: A Long Way From Sunday by Anthony Brown/Anthony Brown & group therAPy - Mixing 2017: "Not Lucky, I'm Loved" by Jonathan McReynolds - Mixing 2017: Koryn Hawthorne by Koryn Hawthorne - Mixing 2017: Well Done by Erica Campbell - Mixing 2017: The Other Side by The Walls Group - Mixing 2017: It's Still Personal by Tina Campbell - Mixing 2017: In It to Win It by Charlie Wilson - Mixing, Composer, Producer 2018: Hiding Place by Tori Kelly - Mixing 2018: Make Room by Jonathan McReynolds - Mixing 2018: Plays Well With Others by Phil Colins - Mixing, Mixing Engineer, Studio Personnel 2018: A Great Work by Brian Courtney Wilson - Mixing 2018: Help Us To Love by Tori Kelly Ft. The Hamiltones - Mixing 2019: Long Live Love by Kirk Franklin - Mixing 2021: Mother Nature by Angélique Kidjo - Mixing 2021: Finished by Tamela Mann - Mixing 2021: Live in LA by Jonny X Mali - Mixing 2022: New Day by Blanca feat. Jekalyn Carr - Mixing 2022: Kingdom Book One by Kirk Franklin and Maverick City Music - Mixing 2022: Kingdom Book One (Deluxe) by Kirk Franklin and Maverick City Music - Mixing 2022: Clarity by DOE - Mixing