Meet Tuo Jiang | Producer/Lighting Designer/LiveSound Engineer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tuo Jiang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tuo, how do you think about risk?
Whenever I think about a risk, it is about the way you manage it. In my own opinion, a risk is something that a person perceives it with fear of failure. The longer you hold on to the fear, the risk is likely to keep building up. So you either analyze the risk and come up with solutions to face the risk or you just walk away from the risk completely
For example, I was doing lighting for some big shows in my work place. Before shows I would usually only have an hour to program all the cues and playbacks for the whole show, which is a very limited time frame. This makes me always run into dilemmas: should I play it safe just to make sure the lighting for the whole show goes smooth or should I try to challenge myself because of my creative ideas and wanting to make the show phenomenal?
In this situation, I would list all the cues I need to do for the whole shows and analyze them. If there are a lot of cues I need to do and I still wanna make the show creative, I would set up basic cues for every track on stage as soon as possible and that makes me have more time to focus on the creative lighting I want on stage. It also fulfills the basic requirements from the artists and the lighting still works for every song. If I figured I do not have enough time to finish my creative ideas I would play safe and just double check the cues I already have to make sure the basics are right.
Risk management definitely helped me become more mature on decision making and it has pushes me to become a better artist in my career.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Staying proud of my Asian identity is what sets me apart from others because that origin is what provides me with rich cultural heritage a unique point of view to express as an artist.

As Chinese whose studying in America and absorbing American music culture, my production in one of my projects took influence from American Hiphop culture from the north to the south, helping myself break from the expected rules in eastern asian society and expresses his artistry in a confident and unapologetic way.

It was not easy to get where I am right now. My parents was not supportive of me studying music because their friends’ children earn a relatively low income compared to other occupations like doctors and lawyers. I persuade them by giving them an official presentation on why I should go into music industry. I analyze how big the US music market is, the potential of global growth of music industry and job opportunities I could get such as sound designer, scoring, live sound engineering and etc.. Also, I showed them the process of the first song I finished producing and mixing in a month. In this way, I show them that I have a deep understanding and thought thoroughly about this decision. They also see my passion and my dedication in music. My actions has earned their trust and they finally agree to pay for my tuition to go to Berklee.

I learn that finishing and turning in things on time is better than delaying and pursuing perfectionism. One time I was focusing on detail too much about my work and I turned in my project late for a concert. My late submission had made me left with almost no time to sound check my piece and there were flaws in my piece’s final presentation. I realized that if I was not trying to perfect my craft at the last minute I would at least make sure what I have in my piece presents smoothly for the audience.

As a producer, I love to listen to billboard top 100 chart. Opening the chart and see which song reaches a new peak and which song dropped is a way for me to understand how music talks to people. At first my ear was intrigued by the intricate instrumentals of songs like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga…… I try to imitate the production and was proud of my work as I incorporated tons of rhythm changes, unexpected chord changes, unconventional rhythm and glamorous instrumental arrangement into my production. I thought these are what catches the audiences’ attention for the first listen. I used to scold on songs that hit top ranks in the chart that sounds too simple or too tacky towards me. I could not understand the audience at all. As I continued my music journey in Berklee, I was impressed by other amazing artists work that includes more complex techniques than what I have. I was thrilled to show these work to my family, my friends that are not in Berklee or people who were not educated musically at all and expected same appreciation from them. Shockingly, most of the time they were impressed but they forgot about the artist or they did not show any deeper interests. As a non-Jazz writer, I started to understand these people slowly as my work was considered simple in CWP or Jazz composition’s students’ eyes. Sometimes I just want to let the music flow and immersed the emotion instead of showing off and break the organic feeling. I start to appreciate simple writing/production and realize they are not as simple as it look. I learn to use simpleness and minimalism to achieve more intense emotional response. I do not put all of my techniques on the table in one time and focus more on magical moment and resonance among audience. This is what makes me special as a producer as I have enough knowledge about producing while also know when to keep simple.

At the end of the day, we are just humans trying to appreciate music. The thought of judging music has been eradicated out of my mind gradually. Be respectful and learn from every artist and genre is what I believe in as a producer.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am currently studying in Boston so I can recommend places in Boston. Boston is very culturally diverse so there are a lot of different places to choose from.

South End is a must visit place if you like Italian food a lot. You can go to the famous Carmelina’s for lunch and order their Frutti di Mare. The fresh tomato sauce taste mixed with the seafood scent is a double pleasure for taste buds. After Carmelina’s you can definitely go to Mike’s Pastry to pick up some delicious cannolis as you walk around South End and appreciating the ancient architectures. At dinner, you can either try Forcella for a romantic dating vibe or Neptune Oyster for a light but refreshing dinner. Their oysters’ quality is one of the best in Boston.

If you decide to go to a bar and you feel hungry after the dancing and drinking, you should go to Chinatown’s Jade Garden. Serving one of the most authentic Cantonese food in Boston, Jade Garden is the late night fuel station for people because they close at 3a.m. in the morning while providing quality food like Scallion Lobsters.

Dorchester is an area you have to go if you like Vietnamese food. The fresh pho beef soup at PhoLe in the morning will definitely help you get over the hangover last night and start your day with a sober mind. BaLe is a place you should drop by and pick up Vietnamese snacks like beef jerky and Banh Mi.

A fun place to go shopping would be the Prudential Center. It is a inner shopping mall so you can enjoy the A/C at hot summer days. The Newbury street outside of Prudential Center gives you an immaculate outdoor vibes as you walk between Boston neighborhood and buildings.

If you are just looking to connect with nature and enjoy the sunbathing, you should go to Boston common. The trees and pond would make you feel like you entered a small central park.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout to my mom Amy. As an asian grew up in countryside and left her hometown pursuing her career in big city, she developed a vision to sent me to study abroad and support me on my dream while most of the people are questioning her why she invest so much money in my education. It is her consistency and effort makes me become the first person to study abroad and paves way for my sister to study in US as well.

Website: https://www.ammonjiang.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fvkyeahj?igsh=bG14a2JpdWl0bWpq&utm_source=qr

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuo-jiang-990243221/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MmoFate

Image Credits
Yangduoduo
Elia Ma