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 ...
14/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
14/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
14/11/2026
Newest Lenses, Horizon Anamorphic Seminar & Guided Lens Character Experience Highlight Creative Possibilities
At the 2026 Toru CAMERIMAGE Film Festival, ZEISS...
14/11/2026
Sonnet Announces Black Friday Sale on Select Products
Brie Clayton November 14, 2026
0 Comments
WHAT: Sonnet Technologies is having a sale on a select...
14/11/2026
Berklee Alumni Shine at the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards This year's winners included songwriters, engineers, and performers who contributed to acclaimed reco...
13/11/2026
The UIM E1 Series wraps its third season this week with the Bombay Sapphire E1 Miami GP, Nov. 11-14, on Biscayne Bay at the Miami Seaplane Base on Watson Island...
13/11/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
13/11/2026
Singer-songwriter Benson Boone will headline entertainment for the Discover NHL Winter Classic between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles St...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone, a 7th order ambisonic microphone array that captures spatial audio for immersive video prod...
13/11/2026
SMPTE has announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infrastructure and communications technology for the Solutions Hub at t...
13/11/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the theme and program focus for the 2027 HPA Tech Retreat, which takes place Feb. 14-18, 2027, in La ...
13/11/2026
Football Manager 27 Touch is available on Apple Arcade starting today. The game ...
13/11/2026
MotoGP has announced a two-year media rights agreement with ESPN covering the Un...
13/11/2026
Apple Sports, the free iPhone app, has added the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to its lineup of supported sports, in time for Saturday's UFC 334. The...
13/11/2026
The NBA and Fanatics Studios, the joint venture between Fanatics and entertainme...
13/11/2026
ESPN held its annual EDGE Innovation Conference last night and offered up an ove...
13/11/2026
Regional sports network gives Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland students a platform to thrive
One of the biggest games in Division III college football will be pla...
13/11/2026
Studer-inspired 500-series PWM compressor unveiled
The HLabs range already includes a couple of Studer-inspired offerings in the form of the PRE169 and EQ16...
13/11/2026
Download Now!
To view the white paper, please enter the following details:
--
First Name* First Name
Company*
Country* Please select your countryA...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Blue Lucy, the workflow orchestration and integration platform for broadcasters, rights owners and localisation companies, today announced an integration with c...
13/11/2026
Krotos announces Black Friday offers on Studio Pro and Studio Max
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
First-year annual plans start at US$195.99...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
New 7th order ambisonic microphone with 108 MEMS...
13/11/2026
Meet the Berklee Student Setting Planetary Motion to Music With his compositional platform SoniKosmos, Javier Roqueni aims to make the universe the ultimate i...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud company, today announced a partnership with Golden Times Media Technology (stock code 920021.BJ), a Beijing-based media and tech...
13/11/2026
CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, together with its Malaysian partner, Cedar ...
13/11/2026
SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists and engineers, today announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infra...
13/11/2026
iWedia, a global leader in connected TV software solutions, will present its software-first approach to DRAM optimization at Android TV APAC Summit 2026 in Bang...
13/11/2026
Beginning today, November 13, Apple HomeView is available for purchase at Apple Store locations, on the Apple Store online, and in the Apple Store app in select...
13/11/2026
From pediatric research to smart hospitals, AI is helping care teams spend less time on routine tasks and more time with patients.
Health systems and startups...
12/11/2026
Industry leaders examine how Dynamic Media Facility, Media eXchange Layer, and c...
12/11/2026
The junior Tar Heel is embracing the technical and creative challenges of live production while emerging as a leader and mentor in the control room...
12/11/2026
Gracenote, Nielsen's content intelligence business, has released its fifth a...
12/11/2026
RTL Deutschland will bring the NHL to free-to-air TV in Germany starting Nov. 30...
12/11/2026
Clear-Com supported On Air 2026, a 24-hour student-led broadcast connecting 45 u...
12/11/2026
uniqFEED has opened a Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Madrid, Spain. It is already operational, delivering virtual advertising for LaLiga matches. The ROC is ...
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.
