
Though his musical career began with tabla playing, Nitish Kulkarni M.M. '16 has expanded his skill set to keyboards, arranging, production, and engineering. In addition to his day job as a music technology consultant and sales engineer at instrument and music gear retailer Sweetwater, he continues to produce and perform on recordings with other artists. We spoke with Kulkarni about his background in music performance and production, his time in the Music Production, Technology, and Innovation (MPTI) program at Berklee Valencia, and his current projects.
How did you become interested in the work you do now? I was always interested in music production. Like most of us, I started by recording myself on basic audio recorders with whatever software was available on my familys computer when I was growing up. Later on, I got more involved with DAWs [digital audio workstations] like Logic and Pro Tools throughout college. As for performance, I was involved with music performance in the Indian music scene in the United States from a young age. I began performing on the Indian tabla drums professionally around age 13 or 14, if memory serves me correctly. Over the years, Ive also played the role of keyboardist, music arranger, and director/producer for several shows.
Something I had missed when pursuing my undergraduate degree was being around other people who were pursuing music with the same passion and intensity as I wanted to, and I found that community at Berklee.
-Nitish Kulkarni M.M. 16
What was your experience at Berklee Valencia like? Berklee Valencia was a dream come true. I finally had the chance to do everything I had always wanted to do, but had been distracted from by prior schooling or other commitments. Something I had missed when pursuing my undergraduate degree was being around other people who were pursuing music with the same passion and intensity as I wanted to, and I found that community at Berklee. Having the chance to collaborate with truly world-class musicians was all I had wanted, so I was in heaven at Berklee.
Tell us a bit about the work you do now at Sweetwater. Im a sales engineer at Sweetwater, which means I work one-on-one with my database of clients and help them with purchasing the products they need for their music rigs. This means acting as a consultant and salesperson. I work with a variety of clients, from individual and hobbyist musicians to professional studios, touring companies, and even celebrities. Its a very dynamic job that requires keeping up with the latest trends in the music industry and the newest technologies that are emerging in the marketplace.
How did your time at Berklee Valencia prepare you for your current job? I wasnt necessarily preparing for a career as a music technology consultant and sales engineer at a place like Sweetwater, but Berklee thoroughly prepared me for it. A critical aspect of being an effective consultant and salesperson is having a thorough and deep knowledge of essential music technology concepts, such as studio signal flow and microphone techniques. Whether it is designing a MIDI-based composer setup or setting a tracking facility with all the gear theyll need, having been hands-on with all the gear at Berklee certainly helps me at Sweetwater.
Learn What It Takes to Innovate
The MPTI program helps you develop skills for a career as an artist, technologist, producer, DJ, software/hardware designer, and more.
What projects are you most proud of? Last year, I had the opportunity to finally make my dream project come true. I traveled all around the U.S. and recorded Indian vocalists that I had accompanied or run live sound for during my tours, eventually creating a composite music video for a cover song of a very popular song in my mother tongue, Marathi. The video was released last July and went viral in India, making its way around Facebook and WhatsApp. It currently has more than 500,000 views [across multiple platforms]. Definitely something I am proud of!
What are you working on now, outside of your day job? Outside my work at Sweetwater, I have continued building out my own personal project studio. I'm frequently involved with mixing projects for friends around the world who are busy with their own recording projects. I also tour frequently around the country as a live sound engineer, and work on my solo material in my spare time.
Related categories:
News
Related Reading
30 under 30 To celebrate Berklee Todays 30th anniversary, we are highlighting a selection of alumni who were born after that inaugural issue was printed.
Its Time for Women to Play a Bigger Role in Music Tech She Knows Tech works to close the music technology gender gap through mentorships and events that empower women in the industry.
Can You Land a Successful Career with a Performing Arts Degree? In an economy that rewards improvisation and entrepreneurship, well-trained artists and musicians are equipped to thrive.
More from Berklee Now
Most Popular
Mikhail Baryshnikov, Andr De Shields, Sheila E., John Legend, Cassandra Wilson to Receive Honorary Doctorates This years honorees will be recognized by Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee in virtual commencement ceremonies on May 9.
Latest
BGJI Celebrates International Jazz Day with the Wayne Shorter Quartet Reunion Danilo P rez will unite the Wayne Shorter Quartet for a virtual reunion on International Jazz Day.
Amid Coronavirus Challenges, Courtney Powers Finds New Ways to Inspire Students The alumna and high school music director recently earned a 2021 Music Educator Award nomination.
From Tabla to Tech: Nitish Kulkarni The tabla player and producer shares how his time at Berklee Valencia prepared him for his work as a music technology consultant and sales engineer.
Read All
Subscribe The latest sounds, stories
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
As sports media organization continue to seek out new ways to streamline their p...
01/04/2026
The SVG GFX Forum hit New York City earlier this month for a day packed with sessions focused on the creative strategy and technology behind today's cutting...
01/04/2026
This year, Spotify celebrates the five-year anniversary of EQUAL, our global pro...
01/04/2026
Analogue-style tape splicing in the digital domain
In this era of digital recording and multiple layers of Undo, it seems that the fading art of tape splici...
01/04/2026
Latest release introduces new Orbita Engine
Zero G's latest release marks the start of a new series of libraries, as well as introducing an all-new engi...
01/04/2026
Until now, one format has largely been left behind
Warm Audio's extensive product range includes modern-day recreations of all manner of sought-after s...
01/04/2026
A piano with glass vessels for strings!
The Crow Hill Company's recently released Gong Piano offered a refreshing new take on piano libraries, harnessin...
01/04/2026
Remote Streaming Studio Condenser
Aim Audio have just revealed their latest creation, the ESSENCE RS Remote Streaming Studio Condenser, which becomes the wo...
01/04/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/04/2026
Bilbao, April 1st, 2026 - AgileTV, a leading provider of end-to-end TV technolog...
01/04/2026
Green Hippo is excited to announce the launch of its new Hippotizer Media Server training courses at Pixel Academy, a purpose built AV learning hub combining ha...
01/04/2026
TAG Video Systems, a global leader in IP-native broadcast monitoring, multiviewing, and quality control, today announced a collaboration with Oracle Cloud Infra...
01/04/2026
Professional Wireless Systems (PWS), a leading provider of wireless audio solutions and RF management, was on site at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, wher...
01/04/2026
AgileTV, a leading provider of end-to-end TV technology solutions, has deployed next , the new IPTV platform of the Austrian telco LIWEST, marking the first st...
01/04/2026
LTN, a leader in fully managed IP video transport, and Ateme, a global leader in video compression and delivery solutions, today announced a collaboration integ...
01/04/2026
Adobe Unveils Powerful New Innovations for Creative Pros in Adobe Illustrator
Deepa Subramaniam April 1, 2026
0 Comments
I'm excited to share that...
01/04/2026
Boland Communications Introduces QD4K315HDR10 QD-OLED Series Monitors for Live P...
01/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/04/2026
Mediagenix Showcases Semantic Intelligence-Powered Title Management, Schedule Op...
01/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/04/2026
Victoria Mon t Brings the Multi-Hyphenate Mindset to Career Jam 2026 The Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and producer shared how versatility and self-inves...
01/04/2026
UKTV today announces that Jonathan Newman has formally stepped into the role of ...
01/04/2026
A New Season of Expression: Save 30% On Ivory 3There are moments in music when everything changes-when new ideas break through and redefine what's possible....
01/04/2026
Wuppertal April 1, 2026
Binghamton University Strengthens Student Run Producti...
01/04/2026
Back to All News
A Demon Falls for a Human in Long Vacation: Netflix Greenlight...
01/04/2026
Back to All News
All WWE Is Now Live Only on Netflix in Italy
Entertainment
01 April 2026
GlobalItaly
Link copied to clipboard
ALL WWE IS NOW LIVE
ON NET...
01/04/2026
Harmonic's Media Processing Solutions Maximize Bandwidth Efficiency for Terrestrial Broadcast Delivery SAN JOSE, Calif. - April 1, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: ...
01/04/2026
Rugby fans won't miss a moment of the action this spring, with full Women...
01/04/2026
T Bluey ag teacht go RT ! Beginning on Monday 6 April 2026, Bluey will be available as Gaeilge on RT KIDSjr and RT Player. Children will be able to connect w...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
31/03/2026
MeyerPro delivered the LED production for the Microsoft Ignite 2025 keynote at Chase Center in San Francisco, using more than 2,700 ROE Visual panels across mul...
31/03/2026
The Media Coding Industry Forum (MC-IF) is expanding membership outreach in 2026...
31/03/2026
ViewLift and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) have announced the launch of ViewLift Conversational AI Search on the MyOutdoorTV platform. The feature enables natural language...
31/03/2026
The Atlanta Braves and Gray Media have announced a multi-year agreement to simul...
31/03/2026
Gravity Media has delivered broadcast services for TAB Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill Gardens on March 21 and will now cover The Star Championships at Royal Ran...
31/03/2026
Synamedia has announced that Mileto Tecnologia, a Brazilian pay-TV operator, has selected the Synamedia Go platform for its OTT expansion. Mileto is also deploy...
31/03/2026
KMH Integration will attend NAB Show in Las Vegas with a focus on what the company calls AV Casting - an approach built on the idea that professional AV and bro...
31/03/2026
Prime Video will carry live coverage of the first and second rounds of the 2026 Masters Tournament, beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 9 and Friday, A...
31/03/2026
The NHL and its U.S. and Canadian broadcast partners have announced a collaborat...
31/03/2026
Daktronics has partnered with Wake Forest to manufacture and install a new end z...
31/03/2026
The National Football League has announced that Las Vegas will host Super Bowl LXIII in 2029 at Allegiant Stadium. The announcement was made at the NFL Annual M...
31/03/2026
The NFL has announced a partnership with TMRW Sports to develop and operate a professional flag football league for women and men. The league will launch with i...