Meet David Milkis

David Milkis
Sep 2, 2024
5 min read

Updated: Mar 23

Original article : https://canvasrebel.com/meet-david-milkis/

September 2, 2024

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful David Milkis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

David, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I grew up in a family of musicians going back three generations. The path was always set for me, but was it my decision? Far from it, it was simply a part of who I am. Being part of dynasty of musicians, surrounded by professional creativity, I was always looking forward to seeing what that meant for me. But I didn’t know how to take it seriously. It was just something that was always there, something I can always lean on and look at my family and see myself within. As I got older, it was still not something I was decidedly doing on my own terms. It wasn’t till I injured myself, and couldn’t play my instruments anymore. That’s when I realized what was taken away from me. Sure, it was something I’ve always had, but I couldn’t apply it to my body anymore, albeit temporarily. This opened up a direction in music I didn’t know I could take. Beat-making, music production, audio engineering. A corner of music that decidedly reinforced that I do indeed love music, not that (only) that I’m made out of it. After recovering, I was able to pick my instrument back up, and my appreciation for music became much more holistic. My different approaches to making music became wider and I knew that as long as I was in this atmosphere, I would be more than okay.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Since being born into a musical dynasty of a family, I was always going to end up in music one way or another. After recovering from my injury, my vision was cleared and I focused on what my impact was going to be. Being a musician is one thing, appreciating the making of the music is another. I got into hip-hop which lead me into beat-making early on in college. That lead me directly to the recording studio and wanting to know more. Audio engineering is a much broader world than just making a beat on your computer I learned. I got into an incredible apprenticeship which gave me two years of education and experience I’ll never forget. Watching the process, how a record can be made from start to finish, all the little things that go into making a song let alone a full project, was more than inspiring. This lead me into thinking about the label side of things. I wanted to make an impact on music publishing, on how independent artists operate and are treated.

I wanted to make a difference while being creative. This lead me to founding FreeThe Entertainment to use as a hub for all these facets. As I got more into music production, people started liking my beats more and more. I had different waves of regular artists over the years and was able to hone in on what exact sound I can create and curate.As I learned and worked more, I became more confident in the different aspects of production. Recording, editing, mixing, and mastering were all things I needed to understand and implement into my system.

I was born and bred in music, what sets me apart is my holistic appreciation and approach to music. I can make a beat the same way I can sightread a new piece of music, the same way I am able to efficiently track vocals or instruments, the same way I am able to administrate for releases. My strengths became clear as I went on and people started paying attention to what I wanted them to. I like to think of myself as multifaceted, I can do what needs to be done.

My business represents me and all the things I could do or have access to. I am most proud of works I had a chance to be a part of creatively, in the production side of things, and administratively. In other words, I made this project happen. I like to tell people, I make music, and I make music happen.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

In all the ways I make music, be that I play instruments in different genres, or produce with or for other people, engineer sessions, doing it with someone has always been the most rewarding experience for me. When I play chamber music, the people in my ensemble are doing the same thing I am, for the same reason, and with the same intention. The difference being that we’re filling different parts of the whole. The moment we share is something that often makes me feel overjoyed and connected to music in so many intimate ways, it is hard to put into words. This is why instrumental music, at least for me, is the best way to convey how I’m feeling, or how to take in a feeling too. If it’s my cello and I’m playing a part written for me, seeing how all the dots connect with the other players, it’s rewarding to see the big picture. Or if I’m on bass and playing a part that I composed. It is very much an experience of personal satisfaction, but that feeling is contingent on whether or not the other people in the group feel the same. Or when the right beat of mine goes with the right lyrics by the right rapper. It’s a moment in time and space we share as participants of this musical expression. The format matters not. In other words, when the people are locked in and everyone feels that same energy, that’s something that always leaves a smile on my face.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I want to be the multifaceted person that I already am in a more consistent manner. I want all of my dots to connect. My goal is to have the security that frees me up to be able to do one thing and then another. I don’t want to be a jack of all trades and master of none. I want to hone in on my craft of music making, and use it to be able to express my artistic self and ideas. To me, though obviously there are different trades incorporated, it is all just one thing. Music. What’s driving my journey is getting to that position, and creating it along the way.Through my label, I want to be able to help artists get to where they need to, the way I wish I had been able to for myself.Personally, I want to express all the facets that make my creative self up, at least the ones I can identify. I want to do the whole band thing, the jazz thing, the hip-hop producer, the studio engineer, the cellist in a string quartet, and more. I want to look back and know I did what I wanted to. I’ll figure out more as I go.