Music Production Podcast

Sometimes we learn our biggest lessons when things don't go right. Failure can be our best teacher, and we grow when we take risks. Last week, I performed at the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo. It's a huge event where people gather to celebrate and play their favorite retro video games. I performed on Saturday night. This episode of the podcast is all about the lessons I learned, some of them the hard way. I decided to write all new music and design a new performance setup for the show. Unfortunately, I waited way too long to get started and, as a result, was very underprepared for the performance. Luckily, it went a lot better than I thought it did and I learned some important lessons that I share with you. At the end of the episode, you can hear my entire, unedited performance, and judge it for yourself. Enjoy! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play This episode is sponsored by Splice. Splice is the creative hub for modern musicians. Head over to splice.com/afrodjmac-music and use the code: AFRODJMAC to get a free month of Splice Sounds. Show Notes: Long Island Retro Gaming Expo - A old school video game fan's dream come true. Consoul - Incredible big band video game music. Super Thrash Bros. - Heavy metal video game music. VGM Collective - A jazzy take on video game music. Destryur - Synthwave, horror movie music. LSDJ - Little Sound DJ for Gameboy Super 8-Bit Ableton Live Pack - 150 Ableton Live Instruments made from samples of NES and Gameboy. COIN-OP - 8-Bit Chip Sounds Ableton Live Template. Thank you for listening. Please consider giving the Music Production Podcast a review on your favorite podcast provider. And don't forget to visit my site AfroDJMac.com for music production tutorials, videos, and Ableton Live devices. Brian

Ari Herstand is a musician, blogger, and author. In December 2016, he released How to Make It in the New Music Business. The book is currently high on the Amazon charts for music business books and is used in university classrooms. Ari takes his experiences, successes, and failures and turned them into one of the most informative books you can get on creating a career in today's music business. I had a great conversation with Ari, who was full of energy and enthusiasm. Ari dispels some common myths about the music industry and delivers an often much-needed wake-up call to artists of any genre. I love Ari's tone and delivery. His book and blog, as well as this conversation, are a straight-forward, occasionally harsh, but always-inspiring kick in the pants. He makes points that we all need to hear, and he does it with the purest of intentions. Enjoy! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play This episode is sponsored by Splice. Splice is the creative hub for modern musicians. Head over to splice.com/afrodjmac and use the code: AFRODJMAC to get a free month of Splice Sounds. Show Notes: Official Site - Ari's official web site and main hub to all of his work. Ari's Take - A wide variety of advice for musicians, producers, and performers straight from Ari's own experience. How to Make It in the New Music Business - Indispensable and essential book for anyone looking to make a career with music. I recommend the audio book version, read by Ari himself. Brassroots District - Ari's new musical project, a throwback soul-funk band. Definitely take a look to see the clear and intentional "artistic message" of the project. Digital Distribution - Ari's extensive breakdown of the various ways to digitally release your music. How to Get Hired or Fired - Important read if you want the job. How to Negotiate - This is an important skill to learn for your career. Thank you for listening. Please consider giving the Music Production Podcast a review on your favorite podcast provider. And don't forget to visit my site AfroDJMac.com for music production tutorials, videos, and Ableton Live devices. Brian

Madeleine Bloom runs the site Sonic Bloom for "all things Ableton Live, Push, and Max for Live," and the site is truly a treasure trove for tutorials, downloads, and more. The site grew out of her experience as Ableton tech support, and makes for an interesting story of the unpredictable path life often gives us. Madeleine's music is a beautiful combination of the organic and the electronic. It's interesting in both emotional and technical perspectives. I had a great and very wide ranging conversation with Madeleine. The show actually starts off with an extensive discussion about health and fitness, often one of the first things we let go of as workloads grow. From there, we get into making music, workflow, and more. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play This episode is sponsored by Splice. Splice is the creative hub for modern musicians. Head over to splice.com/afrodjmac-music and use the code: AFRODJMAC to get a free month of Splice Sounds. Show Notes: Sonic Bloom - Madeleine's web site for "All Things Ableton Live, Push & Max for Live." Official Site - Learn about Madeleine's music and read her blog. Bandcamp - Check out Madeleine's releases. Patchwork - Madeleine's 2012 album EP. Max for Cats - Powerful and unique Max for Live devices. Ableton Live Skins - Madeleine will give your Ableton Live a complete makeover. Dr. Rhonda Patrick - Joe Rogan interviews Dr. Rhonda Patrick, expert on nutritional health. Nutrition Facts - Madeleine asked me to post this link as an alternative perspective in response to the Dr. Rhonda Patrick link above, who Madeleine disagrees with. Matthew Walker - Joe Rogan interviews Matthew Walker, sleep expert. Thank you for listening. Please consider giving the Music Production Podcast a review on your favorite podcast provider. And don't forget to visit my site AfroDJMac.com for music production tutorials, videos, and Ableton Live devices. Brian

Peter Nyboer works for Sensel, a company that produces the Morph, a multi-touch, pressure sensitive USB and Bluetooth controller. The Morph is used for music producers, artists, gamers, and developers. It features easily swappable overlays for those many different applications. Peter also worked for Livid Instruments, makers of custom MIDI controllers and instruments. Peter and I discussed the Morph and his experience with Sensel, Livid, and various music-focused tech companies. Peter lays out the challenges of developing hardware in a rapidly technological world. It was great talking with him, enjoy! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Sensel - Makers of Morph, multi-touch, pressure sensitive, USB and Bluetooth controller. Morph - Details about the Morph controller. Ableton Live Control Surface Script - Use this to make Ableton Live immediate recognize and understand Morph. Livid Instruments - seriously awesome music products for live performance, electronic production, and DJs. Mod Devices - Makers of MOD Duo audio effects, instruments, and more device. Sensel Morph Kit - Free Ableton Live Pack I made for the Sensel Morph (works with or without any controller though). Factory Instruments and Percussion - Two Free Ableton Live Packs I made with samples from the Livid Instruments factory. SoundCloud - Check out Peter's music, under the name Slambassador. Redactive Audio - Big thanks to Scott of Redactive Audio, who has helped me clean up some audio files for the podcast. Thank you for listening. Please consider giving the Music Production Podcast a review on your favorite podcast provider. And don't forget to visit my site AfroDJMac.com for music production tutorials, videos, and Ableton Live devices. Brian

Cristofer Odqvist is an audio engineer, sound designer, and the author of Making Sound: Creative Music Production Tips and Philosophies. Making Sound is a valuable resource for producers because it gives actual techniques you can put to work in your projects. Behind each technique are philosophical ideas and guidelines which will further guide your work in the future. In this episode of the Music Production Podcast, Cristofer talks about his beginnings as an engineer and how he learned to improve his craft. We talk about his book and some of the techniques and philosophies it uncovers. It was a great conversation with many valuable lessons that will certainly help in the music making process. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Making Sound - Cristofer's book of Creative Music Production Tips and Philosophies. Twitter - Cristofer's Twitter feed is loaded with quick tips and inspiring ideas for producers. The Pro Audio Files - A collection of tutorials Cristofer has written. Thank you for listening. Please consider giving the Music Production Podcast a review on your favorite podcast provider. And don't forget to visit my site AfroDJMac.com for music production tutorials, videos, and Ableton Live devices. Brian

Alessio Santini is the founder and lead developer of K-Devices. K-Devices specializes in music creation devices for Max for Live and iOS. Their slogan is "colorize your sound" and they focus on devices that have smart user interfaces, are easy to use, and have light CPU usage. Recently K-Device released their second batch of OOG, or Out of Grid, Max for Live devices. This series specializes in adding some variety and fluidity to your music and exploring rhythms that deviate from the musical time grid that so much music is bound to. On this episode of the Music Production Podcast, Alessio talked to me about the philosophy behind his programming, how the design and limitations of our instruments influence the music we make, and his background as a doom-metal guitarist. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: K-Devices - Max for Live and iOS devices created by Alessio and his team. Shaper - K-Devices first iOS app for audio effects. OOG Series - OOG stands for Out Of Grid. A collection of sequencers and tools for interesting timings. Blog - Keep up with news on K-Devices Kenter - Alessio's new EP. Love the guitar and drum work here! Elli - Alessio's record label. Thank you for listening. Please visit my site AfroDJMac for music production tutorials, videos, and Ableton Live devices. Brian

Tim Webb has gone to great lengths to bring us the latest and greatest in iOS music making news. His site Discchord.com covers all the latest releases, updates, and relevant YouTube walkthroughs, jams, and reviews of music making software for iPhone and iPad. In a refreshing blast of honesty, Tim is not afraid to tell you what apps suck and are not worth your time. He has been a faithful supporter of developers and app users worldwide for the better part of the last decade. Tim was kind enough to sit down with me for a in-depth discussion about his work, developing apps, and creating and maintaining a one person business. He offers important lessons on discipline and sincerity that are applicable to all kinds of pursuits. Tim has been extremely supportive of my own work and the work of many creatives who put themselves and their art on the web. It was a pleasure to finally speak with him and learn some important lessons and viewpoints on running a successful music-based business. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Discchord - Tim's website, dedicated to covering all things iOS music making. Buy your apps through his affiliate links to help support Tim's work, at no cost to you. YouTube - Check out Tim's videos on iOS apps and music production tutorials. Twitter - Follow Tim's work on Twitter. Patreon - Support Tim on Patreon. Everyone Can Play Music - A great video series, and the one that helped me learn my Korg MS-20. Thanks Tim! Let's Play with Apps - Tim explores a variety of iOS music apps. API Hack - Tim's own app for doing things I don't understand! Cassini - One of Tim's favorite synth apps. Foodman - We spoke about this article on Ableton.com about Foodman's unique approach to music making. Expanding Sound - Music production tutorials, sound packs, and music from my good friend, Mike Longo. Thanks for listening! Be sure to head over to AfroDJMac.com to follow my work. If you've enjoyed the show, please consider leaving a review where you get your podcasts! Thanks, Brian

Christopher Postill runs the web site Sounds Like an Earful, where he offers music for podcasters, video makers, and anyone that needs professional quality music for their creative projects. Christopher runs a podcast editing business and works as a graphic and web designer. Christopher's work interests me because he is taking his passion for music making and sound editing and turned it into a successful business. In this episode, Christopher discusses his work and balancing it with a day job. He talks about staying focused and disciplined, while avoiding burn out. I especially enjoyed his perspective on setting clear and attainable goals, which he can use as personal landmarks for his success. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Sounds Like An Earful - Christopher's site where he licenses his music for creative projects. The Community Roadmap - Christopher is very open and clear about his goals for his work, and he shares those parameters here. Twitter - Connect with Christopher on Twitter. Sleep With Me Podcast - Bedtime stories to help adults fall asleep. Thanks for listening! Please visit AfroDJMac.com for more podcasts, music production tutorials, sound packs etc…

Matthew Fecher is a music software developer and part of the AudioKit Pro team. AudioKit Pro provides free and open-source audio software for developers to use in their apps and software. He and an enormous team of developers and collaborators just released Synth One, a free and open-source iOS synthesizer. I had a chance to talk with Matthew about the release of Synth One and the entire AudioKit Pro project. Matthew discussed working on a long term project and dealing with difficult setbacks. He explains how sharing ideas and working with others can lead to tremendous growth for an entire community of people. Matthew's enthusiasm and ability to think big is truly contagious, and the lessons he has learned can be applied to all types of projects. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: AudioKit Pro - Free and open-source audio development toolkit, powering millions of app installs. Synth One - The powerful and beautiful sounding Free and open-source iOS synthesizer app. FM Player - Free and open-source iOS sample player, featuring sounds of classic DX FM synthesizers. Matthew's Website - follow Matthew's work here. AutoPad - iOS for playing background pads, made with AudioKit Pro. AudioBus Forum - A great community for developers of music apps. Ego is the Enemy - Ryan Holiday's book about the enemy within.

How do we take an 8 bar loop and turn it into a finished song? It's probably the question people ask me most. As my students at Berklee are putting the finishing touches on their final project, it has been a major point of discussion. Then I received an email from a listener named Ed, who was seeking some advice on how to finish tracks. In this episode, I discuss the issues we all face in finishing songs. This is definitely not an end all be all - there's certainly room for a part 2 and 3 and 53 - but this episode answers attempts to answer the particular problems that have come up in the last few days. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: DREAM KEYS Ableton Live Pack - a collection of bedtime, mellow synth-keys instruments for Ableton Live. Check out the free DREAM KEYS Lite Pack. Making Music - Dennis DeSantis's absolute must-read book of 74 creative strategies for electronic music producers. A Simple Mistake That Will Ruin Your Mixdown - A 2 minute Ableton Live Tip that shows how to end your tracks smoothly. How to Make Music Like Marshmello - Using one song as a guide can be a powerful education experience.

Do you really need that new piece of gear? The truth is, probably not. Our modern day smart phones have more music making power than state of the art studios from just a few decades ago. In this episode, we talk about gear lust and how it gets in the way of our creative process. Plus I offer a few challenges you can give yourself to overcome the urge to buy new gear, accomplish goals, and perhaps reward yourself with a new toy when appropriate. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: AfroDJMac Music Production Club - My monthly subscription service that gets you a download every month, as well as LOTS of other cool stuff when you join. You Already Have Everything You Need to Make Music - My article for Berklee Online's Take Note Blog. Peaceful Synths - Ableton Live Pack of softer, mellow synth sounds. Use this link (or input the code: podcast) to get it for half price. SUBS - A collection of sub bass synthesizers or Ableton Live. Take Note - Berklee Online's Blog. Lots of great information, tutorials, and interviews about making music. Take Note Podcast - Berklee's podcast. This is the episode with Marlon Williams. Waterfalls - My 150th Free Ableton Live Pack, made from samples of the waterfalls of Norway's Fjords.

Vincent Musolino is a physicist and the author of How Audio Works. In the book, Vincent gives important information about how sound originates from the instrument, is recorded by the microphone, converted to digital in the DAW, and then back to analog when it leaves the speakers. It's a very musician friendly guide to a very technical subject. It's a great book for anyone interested in understanding the physics behind sound. In this episode, Vincent gives a detailed explanation of the journey sound takes and the nearly miraculous result that is music. We discuss the odd juxtaposition of the mathematical and emotional, the creative and the technical, that makes sound music. Enjoy this episode as there are powerful lessons that can dramatically enhance our musical productions. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: How Audio Works - Vincent's book about the journey sound takes from the instrument to the computer and out the speaker. Official Website Fletcher-Munson Curve - How humans hear different frequencies. Jon Hopkins on Song Exploder - Listen to Jon Hopkins break down a track from his new album. Adam Neely at Loop - Adam Neely shows how everything is a rhythm.

Dan Carr runs the site ReverbMachine, which is one my favorite new discoveries. On the site, Dan dissects and recreates the synthesizer patches used on popular songs by artists such as Tame Impala, Kanye West, Beach House, Nine Inch Nails, and more. At the end of each post you can download the presets and project files he creates. It's a powerful tool for learning how to program synthesizers and apply effects to achieve popular sounds. Like me, Dan also began his journey into music by playing guitar. I find his approach to sound design reflects the mentality of guitar players with their pedals and amplifiers. Those techniques translate to synthesizer sound design in exciting ways. I sat down for a conversation with Dan about his work and music production in general. Dan shared his process for dissecting the sounds from his favorite artists. It was a really fun conversation with a person doing some really exciting work for the music production community. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: ReverbMachine - Dan's Site where he dissects songs, recreates synth patches, and explores how artists make their music. Recreating Frank Ocean Tracks - Dan's piece for Reverb.com all about the sounds of Frank Ocean. Recreating Gone Girl - Another Reverb.com piece where Dan rebuilds Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' soundtrack for the film Gone Girl. Synth Patches - Dan's collections of presets for popular synth plugins. Ableton Sessions - Take a look under the hood as Dan recreates tracks by a wide range of artists. ReverbMachine on Facebook ReverbMachine on Twitter ReverbMachine on Instagram Moog Prodigy - Vintage Synth Explorer review of a classic synth. Soundtoys - We spoke a bit about their great plugins. Tame Impala - A favorite artist for both me and Dan. Tal Juno Chorus Plugin - It's free and sounds awesome.

Isaac Cotec is a musician, producer, and Ableton Certified Trainer. He makes music as Subaqueous and runs a website and YouTube channel about all things music production and Ableton Live. This summer he will run his 3rd Audio Grove Music Retreat. I first met Isaac in 2013 when we were going for our Ableton certification. Since then, I've followed his work closely and collaborated with him on a few Ableton Live Packs. This conversation with Isaac covers a lot of topics, including his Audio Grove Music Retreats, how he likes to batch his work together to be more productive, and his own workflow for the album writing process. It was a lot of fun catching up with Isaac and learning some of his tips and tricks to stay productive and inspired. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Official Site - Subaqueousmusic.com is where you will find all of Isaac's tutorials, music, and downloads. Music - Check out Isaac's music on SoundCloud. YouTube - Learn from Isaac and get some free downloads. Silk Drop - Isaac's collaboration with Heather Christie. Audio Grove Music Retreat - A peaceful getaway for music making. Ableton - Isaac's bio on Ableton's web site. Wavetable Course - Isaac created an in-depth course for Ableton's Wavetable Synthesizer. The Round Wavetable - 32 free Wavetable Instruments that Isaac contributed to. Wavetable Preset Tutorials - Learn to make Wavetable presets with Isaac. Ice Caves Free Ableton Live Pack #99 - This is a really cool collection of Casio SK-1 instruments I made, combined with Ice Cave samples Isaac made. Free Dubstep Beat Builder - Isaac is kind enough to offer his Dubstep Beat Builder for free to all AfroDJMac Music Production Club members!

You might not think that telling people they suck at producing is a good way to win over fans, but Underbelly has managed to take that approach and build a community of eager producers around it. His YouTube channel, You Suck at Producing, is growing at a hyper pace thanks to his powerful lessons and hilarious sense of humor. Underbelly packages important lessons in concise videos laced with a lighthearted attitude and dry humor. As a fan of his work, I had a great time talking with Underbelly. He's a classically trained pianist and an adept producer. During our conversation, Underbelly discusses his approach to his work as a teacher and a musician. He highlights the importance of not taking ourselves so seriously as artists, but being serious about discipline and producing quality music. I found him especially nice to talk to because he has a balance of deep knowledge and skill, but is open and honest about his own struggles as a musician. Enjoy! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: You Suck at Producing - Underbelly's official page. Underbelly's Youtube - A seriously hilarious and helpful channel for music production. Music - Check out Underbelly's music on Soundcloud. Private Lessons - Get some one-on-one time with Underbelly. Live Looping Tutorial - A nice live looping tutorial Underbelly did for DJ TechTools. Pyramind - Learn in the classroom with Underbelly. Discord - Join in the conversation and perhaps your song will be roasted on Underbelly's live stream. Endtroducing by DJ Shadow FKJ - Live looping guitarist. StickK - Punish yourself for not accomplishing your goals by helping causes you don't like.

Recently, Dan from pATCHES asked me write a musical manifesto for his site. I was just finishing Samuel Adoquei's Origin of Inspiration: Seven Short Essays for Creative People. The book had struck me in a powerful way, so I wrote my manifesto based on 3 lessons I took from the book. This episode is my reading of that manifesto over some ambient music made from my Wind Chimes instruments and Isotonik Studios' Arcade Series Returns. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Origin of Inspiration - Samuel Adoquei's amazing book of "Seven Short Essays for Creative People." My Manifesto on pATCHES - This is the original post on pATCHES of my essay on Origin of Inspiration. Manifestos on pATCHES - Words of wisdom from some great minds in the music world. pATCHES on the Music Production Podcast - A great talk with the men behind pATCHES.zone. Ethan Hein on the Music Production Podcast - Ethan Hein drops some powerful knowledge. Free Flutes for Ableton Live - Rozalind MacPhail supplied me with some great flute samples, which I turned into 7 free Ableton Live instruments. Rozalind MacPhail on the Music Production Podcast - Rozalind speaks about her work. Wind Chimes Ableton Live Pack - I used two of the instruments from this collection for the background music. Isotonik Studios Arcade Series Returns - I used the Arkanoid to sequence the notes in the background music. Mark Towers on the Music Production Podcast - Mark Towers is the creator of the Arcade Series.

This podcast was inspired by a student question. He asked "How do I get inspired to make music?" It's a great question, but I think it contains some underlying beliefs that need to be addressed. In this episode I encourage you to hunt for inspiration. To make yourself inspired. If you wait for inspiration, you'll never get anything done. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: The AfroDJMac Music Production Club - Get new production tools in your inbox every month. The War of Art - Steven Pressfield's life changing book on making great art. DiViNCi - Some powerful lessons on creativity and productivity from DiViNCi's talk on the Music Production Podcast. No Such Thing As Writer's Block - I meant to mention this in the episode but forgot :( Great take on a common excuse!

Emilio Guarino is a bassist, music producer, and author of Make It: A Guide For Recent Music Graduates. His music ranges from orchestral to jazz and electronic. In his book, Make It, Emilio picks up where music school left off and offers practical tactics and insights one can use to begin a career as a musician. It was really nice talking to Emilio about his experiences in the academic music world and how he has managed to bridge that world with the day to day life of a working musician. In this conversation, we talked about what it means to "make it," and the practices and philosophies one must embrace to find success in music. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Official Website - The hub for Emilio's work. Make It - This book is not only covers the philosophical and practical path to finding success as a musician, but it just as easily serves as a metaphor for any creative endeavor. Chromatic Endpin - An angled endpin Emilio designed for upright bassists. Instagram - Follow Emilio visually. You've Never Hear Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" - An NPR review of the classic album. Akimbo - Seth Godin's new podcast. Visit the Music Production Podcast webpage! If you enjoy the show, please leave a review!

Ethan Hein teaches music technology NYU and Montclair State University. His blog covers all kinds of related topics on music theory and technology. Ethan's work is a must for anyone looking to go deep into studying music and the culture surrounding it. Ethan and I had a great conversation about creating music, overcoming obstacles, and finding meaning in one's work. I really enjoy how Ethan is able to tie together concepts and illuminate new ways of understanding what music means and how it impacts us and reflects the state of our world. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Ethan Hein Blog- Tons of great writings on all things making music. NYC Ableton Live User Group- Full video of an advanced user group meeting, featuring Ethan Hein, Ben Casey, Thomas Piper, and AfroDJMac. Disquiet- The work of Mark Weindenbaum, where you can find the weekly Junto Project Ethan spoke about. 33 1/3- A series of books about albums. Music Technology Syllabus- Ethan's syllabus for his Music Tech course at New York University.

John Holt runs The Audio Journey, which teaches music production, especially for beginners. Though he covers some of the most basic concepts in entering music production, he also covers some more complex ideas and problems most producers face when it comes to advancing and finishing tracks. It's pretty obvious that John and I read a lot of the same books, listen to the same podcasts, and subscribe to a lot of the same philosophies. There's a lot of "yes! I love that book too!" moments. The result is a pretty extensive set of show notes to go along with this episode. We had a really nice conversation exploring some of the common problems producers of all levels face, and shared our different solutions with each other. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: The Audio Journey The Audio Journey YouTube Channel The Audio Journey Instagram The Audio Journey Facebook The Audio Journey Twitter Gary Vaynerchuk - for regular and swift motivational kicks in the @$$. Keith Mills - Ableton Certified Trainer and founder of Quantize Courses. Growth vs. Fixed Mindset - a great article about Carol Dweck's work on Brain Pickings. Impact Theory - Videos on unlocking human potential. Calm - an app for meditation. 10% Happier - Meditation without the "woo-woo" by Dan Harris. Man's Search for Meaning - a powerful work by Viktor Frankl Ryan Holiday - Author of The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy. Tim Ferriss - Author of the Four Hour Work Week and host of the Tim Ferriss Show Stop Trying to Make Money Online - "The first step in making money online is to stop trying to make money online."

Tom Frampton is a producer, mixing and mastering engineer, author, and plugin designer. Never Get Stuck Again is his new book that gives producers a road map of the production process and practical and technical tips and techniques to navigate that map. His website Mastering the Mix, has great production tips and is where he offers his extremely helpful plugins. Tom and I had a great conversation about problems in the production process and how to overcome them, as well as his own plugins and book. Lots of great insights in here! Tom is graciously offering listeners of this podcast a free 15-day trial of all of his plugins, plus a free chapter of Never Get Stuck Again. Click here to get it! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Mastering the Mix - Tom's web page, featuring a helpful blog, his book, and some great plugins. Levels - A plugin that is taking track analysis to the next level! Expose - A plugin that will show potential problems within your mix. Reference - A plugin that allows you to compare you track to other tracks, and highlight the differences between yours and the reference. Never Get Stuck Again - Tom's new book, packed with practical and technical help to finish music. Decoding the Mix - Tom analyzes the top streaming song of 2017 19 Time Savers - A great list of ways to save time and energy in the studio. Special Offer - Get a free trial of all three of Tom's plugins, plus a free chapter of Never Get Stuck Again.

It has been one year since this podcast began. Happy Birthday, Music Production Podcast! In this episode, we discuss where we would be in a year if we started something new today. Whether it is a couple of small steps or something dramatic, add it up over the course of 365 days and the effects will likely be huge. We also talk about building the habit of always doing your best. It applies to life and to music making. Thanks for listening and inspiring me to keep making episodes! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: AfroDJMac Music Production Club - a new download every month to help you make music. 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson - lots of great, practical life advice, that applies to making music.

Rozalind MacPhail is a flutist and producer who blends effected flute, electronics, voice, omnichord and silent film. MacPhail creates music for film and live performance and has released several albums of original work. She explores new ways to combine image and sound, in works that speak honestly of place, person and the human experience. Rozalind recently took home an East Coast Music Award for Electronic Recording of the Year and MusicNL's Female Artist of the Year. MacPhail is sponsored by Gemeinhardt Musical Instruments I had a great conversation with Rozalind about her work as a flutist and electronic musician. We discussed everything from the technology, philosophy, and technical approach Rozalind uses in her music. Show Notes: Official Website: The hub for Rozalind's work. Bandcamp - Rozalind's releases. SoundCloud - More of Rozalind's music. YouTube - See some of Rozalind's Audio/Visual work. Facebook Twitter Instagram Gemeinhardt Flutes The RPM Challenge - Make an album during February. Robert Dick - World Renowned Flutist The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer "The Invitation" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Eshan Khadaroo is a professional session drummer, producer, and educator. He producers tutorials and online music production courses on his site Push4Life. By applying his deep understanding of drumming, Eshan offers musicians and producers a unique approach to finger drumming and electronic music production. My conversation with Eshan ranged from all kinds of interesting topics. We explored his background and the wisdom he gained touring with Cirque du Soleil and a variety of touring bands. Many philosophical topics that apply to making music and beyond came up. It was a diverse and stimulating conversation that I think will provide us all with a deeper understanding of the pursuit of creative endeavors. Show Notes: Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Special Offers! Expires March 8, 2018! Eshan is generously offering a 20% discount to listeners of the Music Production Podcast on two of his course: Ableton Push 2 Composition Course and Finger Drumming Bootcamp Just use the code: AFRO at checkout. About Eshan - Eshan assembled a nice YouTube playlist about his work Push4Life - Stay up to date with Eshan's work Instagram - Eshan's Instagram photos Facebook - Connect with Eshan on FB YouTube - a wealth of tutorials and videos by Eshan Music Sound and Silence - Eshan's new podcast Session Drumming - Eshan's work as a session drummer Melodics Course - Check out Eshan's finger drumming course on Melodics Agile Software Development Scrum

Let's continue our #FinishFebruary2018 work! In today's episode, we talk about a couple of techniques we can use to move forward with our tracks. I'd still characterize these steps as the planning phase, but I think taking these extra steps will focus our work in the future, which will ultimately save us time. It's very easy to get lost in making music without any direction; these two steps will help focus our work. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Warp 10 - A full and free video course on all of the updates in Ableton Live 10. Google Spreadsheet: Use this spreadsheet to categorize your jams and organize your thoughts on each one. My Spreadsheet - Here's what I did with my spreadsheet. I still want to add a few tracks from the previous year that will fit in with some of the jams from #Jamuary2018. My Jamuary 2018 Tracks - YouTube playlist of all 31 jams. Making Music - A guide to beginning, progressing, and finishing tracks, by Dennis DeSantis. About 1/3 of the book is available here for free. Freytag's Pyramid - Plot diagram.

Laura Escudé is a producer, performer, and live show designer. She performs electronic music as Alluxe, creating music that borrows from the classical and modern world. Her company, Electronic Creatives, is the brains behind some of music's largest live performance acts. Clients include, Kanye West, The Weeknd, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Herbie Hancock. She recently just ran a successive retreat for live musical performance and physical wellness. After her trip to the Grammys supervising Logic's performance, Laura sat down to have conversation about live performance, touring, and taking the time to take care of yourself. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: LauraEscude.com: Laura's official website. Alluxe: Laura's music Electronic Creatives: Laura's company, providing state of the art music performance services. Alluxe on Spotify Transmute Retreat: Music performance and wellness retreat.

January 2018 was spent creating a small piece of music every single day for the #Jamuary2018 challenge. It was a lot of fun and pretty challenging. Lots of people participated and there were a ton of really cool jams. Now we are going to do something with them! It's time to begin #FinishFebruary2018 !! The first thing I think we are all entitled to is a short break. Take a step back from your music making and assess what you have. It's probably pretty likely you've forgotten about some of those jams. After a couple days of rest, let's look at the situation. I've built a spreadsheet on Google Sheets to help categorize your jams. There are eight columns to fill out for each day. Jam Name: Give your jam a name to help identify it (this can change). Notes: List anything that might be relevant. Instruments used, style, groove, feel... anything that will help you identify the track. What still needs to be done? BPM: List the BPM of your jam. Key: What key is your jam in? Mood-Theme-Genre: What is the emotion of the track? Any interesting theme? The Musical Genre. Group: Label these with letters. If a jam is similar in some way to another jam, give it the same letter. It is ok to have multiple letters on a single jam if it has something in common with multiple jams. % Complete: Estimate how close this jam is to completion. Rating 1-4: How likely are you to use this jam. 1-Not likely, 2-Maybe, 3-Probably, 4-Definitely. Feel free to add your own columns. If you do, let me know what you added! You may notice that I added ten addition spots for jams after day 31 (A-J). I'm going to use this to add some unfinished ideas I've had over the last year that I think might fit in with some of the other jams. I encourage you to go back and pick 10 of your favorite unfinished ideas from the past year and keep them in mind as we go through the month. If you did not participate in Jamuary, that doesn't mean you can't do Finish February! Look through your unfinished ideas and pick your favorites and list them in the spreadsheet! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Google Spreadsheet: Use this spreadsheet to categorize your jams and organize your thoughts on each one. Fact TV Against the Clock: Producers get 10 minutes to make a track. Very inspiring! My Instagram: Find my jams and thoughts for Finish February. Jamuary2018: Check out the work of everyone involved in Jamuary 2018! FinishFebruary2018: Here's a hashtag to follow on Instagram. My #Jamuary2018 Jams. These are the full-length videos, in reverse chronological order. Enjoy :)

Merlyn Silva is a musician, sound artist, and educator from Denmark. His work spans many different genres, with a focus on electronics and glitch. A background in drama helps Merlyn shape both his music and teachings. I had a great conversation with Merlyn, spanning a wide range of topics. He's got some great thoughts on being productive. I especially liked his "hats" method. In this talk, Merlyn shares his thoughts on making music, teaching, and his musical collaboration with a cup of coffee. Merlyn's enthusiasm is infectious. Enjoy this talk! *A little disclaimer... Unfortunately, there were some errors on my end of the audio. I believe it was merely a bad microphone cable that caused some bothersome clicks and pops. I actually found that adding a layer of vinyl record crackling helped to mask the glitches and make the listening experience more enjoyable. Although it's certainly not ideal, I don't think that it takes away from the valuable wisdom Merlyn shared with me. Thanks for your understanding!* Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: YouTube - Merlyn's channel with some great performances and tutorials. Twitter - Merlyn's Twitter. SoundCloud - Listen to Merlyn's music. Warp Academy - Great tutorial by Merlyn on creating interesting vocal chops.

I am ten days into #Jamuary2018, and productivity is at a high. Jamuary is a challenge to create a piece of music every day. It doesn't have to be great; it can be a jam, loop, idea, performance... it doesn't matter. The point is to just make music. I've learned some valuable lessons in these first ten days. I've managed to create and put out a jam every day. It's become extremely empowering to know that it can be done. It's led to some important insights and discoveries. In this episode, I will tell you the story behind the experience and some of the specific things I've discovered, as well as some of the improvements to my workflow that have happened as a result of the Jamuary discipline. Plus I will let you hear some of the music. If you aren't involved in #Jamuary2018, it's not too late. Join in now! Start making little jams each day for the rest of January. You will be amazed at how much it will help! Enjoy! Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: AfroDJMac Instagram - I'm posting all of my #Jamuary2018 jams here. COIN OP Ableton Live Template - Ready to go 8-Bit music Ableton Live Project. Gibson Ebow Ableton Live Instrument - This is the 2nd free Ableton Live Pack I ever made! World Collection - Isotonik Studios Music Reactive Visuals. Samsara - Customized Granular Looping Plogue Chip Speech - Incredible Singing Robot Plug in. Izotope Nectar - Vocal Suite Plug in. Fugue Machine - iOS MIDI Sequencer. Patterning - iOS Drum Machine. Figure - iOS Beat Maker. Samplr - iOS Sampler Audiobus - iOS Audio Router.

During the month of January 2018, I will be participating in #Jamuary2018, and I encourage you to do the same. The challenge is to create and share a piece of music every day. It doesn't matter how good or complete it is, the point is to create music each day during the month of January. Feel free to share ideas, grooves, jams, musical explorations, full songs... whatever you come up with for the day. You can share your jam however you like, but it seems like Instagram, using #Jamuary2018, is the most popular place to do it. In this episode, I explain what #Jamuary2018 is, what the goals are, and how my participation in #Jamuary2017 helped me grow as an artist. Embedded in the episode are thoughts on how #Jamuary2018 will help you with discipline, separating left and right brain tasks, and exploring and experimentation. I will be posting my jams each day on Instagram and this podcast. Each day I will share the music I make, how I made it, and what I learned. Today, we get ourselves ready for a busy and productive #Jamuary2018! I hope you join me in the challenge! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Cuckoo's Thoughts on #Jamuary2018 How to be More Creative - a post I wrote about the early stages of the creative process. Maximum Productivity from Proper Use of Left and Right Brain - Jason Timothy's Ableton Forum post about making music. Jason Timothy on the Music Production Podcast Against the Clock - Fact Magazine challenges producers to make a track in 10 minutes. Cuckoo on Instagram #Jamuary2018 on Instagram - Follow this thread and share your jams. My #Jamuary2017 tracks

Dustin Ragland is a musician, educator, and engineer. He teaches at the Academy of Contemporary Music at UCO in Oklahoma City. Dustin creates music under the name Young Weather and is an Ableton Certified Trainer. He owns and operates Mir Studio in Oklahoma City. In this episode of the Music Production Podcast, Dustin and I discuss a wide range of topics related to making music. Dustin shares his thoughts on how to work well with other musicians, his role at the Academy of Contemporary Music, and the importance of preserving curiosity. Show Notes: Young Weather - The musical project of Dustin Ragland Bandcamp - Young Weather on Bandcamp iTunes - Young Weather on iTunes Pyramind - A wealth of video tutorials by Dustin Instagram - Dustin's Instagram Max for Live - Dustin's free Max for Live creations Mir Studio - Dustin's recording studio in Oklahoma City. AMC@UCO - The Academy of Contemporary Music at University of Central Oklahoma.

Josh Spoon is a musician, producer, and Ableton Certified Trainer living in Los Angeles. His music pulls inspiration from hip hop and alternative rock. Think Dr. Dre meets the Flaming Lips. Josh runs the site Producerskitchen.com, where he shares his deep knowledge of music production and live performance. In this episode, Josh and I talk about staying creative, losing yourself in the moment, and how to stay in that creative moment. Show Notes: Josh Spoon.com - Josh's site for his music and teaching The Producer's Kitchen - Tutorials on music production Bandcamp - Listen to and get Josh's music SAMPLEnHOLD - Performance collective of "electronic weirdos" Reverb.com - How to Make Your Drums Sound Like Ringo Starr Music Production Podcast web page. AfroDJMac.com

Sam Gribben is the founder and CEO of Melodics, as well as the former CEO of Serato. Melodics teaches people how to play MIDI pad controllers, electronic drum kits, and now keyboards. What makes Melodics unique is that it uses aspects of video gaming to teach the discipline of practice. Melodics makes practicing fun and productive in a few minutes a day. I've been using it for finger drumming for over a year and my skills have grown tremendously. Sam was kind enough to spend some time with me to discuss the newest version of Melodics, the importance of discipline, and how to make learning both fun and productive. Download Melodics and use the promo code: MusicProduction-Podcast to unlock extra lessons for free. Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Melodics - Learn finger drumming, electronic drumming, and keys. Unlock extra lessons for free with the special promo code: MusicProduction-Podcast Jane McGonigal - Game designer and author

Kristoffer Lislegaard is an electronic musician, producer, and sound artist from Norway. He is one half of the duo, Sgrow. Sgrow combines influences from pop, ambient, and club music. They've just released their new album, Circumstance. I wanted to speak with Kristoffer after hearing the new album because I was intrigued by the interesting palette of sounds made from a combination of real world instruments, field recordings, and synthesizers. Kristoffer has some really inspiring takes on sound design and manipulating samples. Our conversation covers various topics from unusual sound design techniques, some of his favorite gear, and learning how to leave the ego behind to have successful collaborations. Show Notes: Sgrow - Kristoffer's electronic duo with Vilde Nupen Sgrow on Facebook Sgrow YouTube Channel Kristoffer's YouTube Channel Critter & Guitari Organelle LOM Elektrosluch Lo-Fi Loop Junky Monome Check out my website AfroDJMac.com for more music production materials.

What is the most important lesson? If my students remember just one thing, what would it be? Check out AfroDJMac.com/podcast for the full show notes, featuring some very useful videos and links. Support this podcast on Patreon and by shopping the AfroDJMac Store!

Ableton has just announced Live 10, the latest development of the popular DAW. It's currently becoming available to beta testers now and will be released in early 2018. I've had access to Live 10 for the last few months and have quite a lot to say about it. In this episode, I discuss some of my favorite features and devices. There are some sound examples to help demonstrate my points, as well as some thoughts on how Live 10 has improved my music making experience. Basically, an Ableton Live nerd reveling in his new toys. Enjoy! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Free Ableton Live Pack 162: Mitchell's Harpsichord New in Ableton Live 10 - My YouTube Playlist with in-depth tutorials and walkthroughs of some of my favorite new features

Francis Preve is a synthesist, journalist, and educator, amongst other things. He is one of the industry's most in-demand sound designers. In fact, it seems like every time I investigate the names behind some of my favorite synths, apps, and plug-ins, I find Francis Preve. His writing can be found in popular magazines such as Keyboard, Computer Music (UK), Future Music, EQ, and Music & Computers. Francis is a college professor in Austin, Texas. He also creates some of the finest sound packs on the market for Ableton Live via his company SympleSound. I've admired and learned quite a lot from Francis' work over the years. He's even been kind enough to allow me to use some of his samples to build Ableton Live Packs. It was a real pleasure talking with him. His depth of understanding of sound design is incredibly impressive and a joy to explore. As this conversation will show, it is all fueled by an undying curiosity and love for sound and music. Enjoy! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Official Web Page Scapes - Synthesized recreations of natural environments SympleSound - Preve's sound design creations for Ableton Live (use the code AFRODJMAC2017 by Nov. 30, 2017 to save 25%!) Francis' Apple News Channel Facebook Twitter Revisiting FM - Keyboard Magazine article on FM synthesis The Friendly Sine Wave - Another great example of Francis Preve's synthesis tutorials The Haunting Scape - Write up and video about Francis' The Haunting Scape The Haunting - 1963 movie Adam Neely on 432Hz "Arrow Through Me" by Wings Moog Minitaur Madness - Free Ableton Live Pack made with samples of Francis' Moog Minitaur

Francois Benner producers music as the artist Roisner. He recently released his latest album Rhombes Timber 25000 BC. For this project, Roisner sampled hundreds of instruments that date all the way back to prehistory. He then reached out to me to create Ableton Live Instruments so he could use them and his samples to create his newest album. In this episode, Roisner and I discuss the production of his latest album. We talk about our collaboration on the Ableton Live Pack, ANCIENT, which we've been working on over the last year and a half. It was a great talk about finding new avenues to realize an artistic vision. Enjoy! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Roisner Rhombes Timber 25000 BC Guy Thevenon Roisner on Facebook and Instagram ANCIENT Ableton Live Pack ANCIENT Ableton Live Pack ANCIENT is a collection of 104 Ableton Live Instrument and Drum Racks all made from samples of instruments that date back to prehistoric times. Journey back to the roots of human music-making with the instruments and sounds of ANCIENT. Buy Now *ANCIENT is the October 2017 download for the AfroDJMac Music Production Club* Requires Ableton Live Standard 9.7 and Above

Chris "MAYDAY" Rucks doesn't want you to make the same mistakes he made. He wants to save you time and prepare you for the journey. Most producers make the same mistakes as producers before them. To help combat this, Chris Rucks has written Don't Make Beats Like Me - 24 Powerful Laws to Guide You Towards Success As a Music Producer. The book breaks down a host of challenges most producers will face and explains how to handle them. It's a bit like a warning sign, a shoulder to cry on, and a slap in the face all at the same time. Chris dishes the sometimes harsh realities of what it really means to be a successful music producer. I had a great chat with Chris. He is full of deep insights and wisdom, as well as some obvious truths that are easy to underestimate. I've been able to preview a few chapters of his book and it left me feeling inspired and prepared. The issues he raises can be enough to stop producers in their tracks, but Chris has a way of making you feel as if you can make it through the journey, without ever sugar-coating it or pulling his punches. Enjoy this talk and be sure to pick up his book! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Don't Make Beats - Chris's Website Don't Make Beats Like Me - Hard copy of the book via Amazon Don't Make Beats Like Me - iTunes digital copy The Blog - Words of wisdom from Chris's Blog Instagram - A steady dose of visual inspiration Be Focused Pro - Focus Timer Essential recommended reading by Chris Rucks: The Way of the Superior Man The Alchemist The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck An Enemy Called Average

Cooper Anderson is a mixing engineer and producer with a pretty impressive resume. Undoubtedly, you've heard some of his work. Cooper's credits include work for artists like Fun, Kanye West, Ghost Killah, and John Legend. Cooper and I had a chance to speak about his work and experience. I found Cooper to have some nice insights into what it takes to find success in the music industry. Enjoy! An afterthought from Cooper: "I've been thinking about the desert island golden piece of gear….I said Antelope cause that's what I was thinking about at the time, but now I'm thinking maybe my monitors….Adam A7x. That would probably be my one indispensable item." Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Cooper's Website Cooper's work

Mark Towers is a fellow Ableton Certified Trainer from the UK. He is the creator of the Arcade Series, a collection of retro video game inspired Max for Live sequencers. Mark teaches music technology at Leicester College. I've been a huge fan of Mark's work for quite some time. Being a fan of old school video games, the Arcade Series is one of my favorite collections for Max for Live. In this episode, we talk about the creation of the Arcade Series, finding ways to fill gaps in our own abilities, and the importance of doing work that is meaningful to oneself. Mark was a pleasure to talk to, and he left me inspired to make more music! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Mark's Website The Arcade Series - Retro Video Game inspired sequences for Max for Live Isotonik Studios - One of the best places to get all things Max for Live and Ableton Live Creative Sound Technology - The program Mark leads at Leicester De Montford University Soulsby Atmegatron - Arduino-based digital 8-bit synthesizer

DiViNCi is a producer, composer, and educator from Orlando, FL. He is known for his high energy, mind-blowing finger drumming skills, his group Solillaquists of Sound, and his work for Lauryn Hill. He travels the world performing and giving music production workshops. I had a chance to attend one of DiViNCi's workshops at the Ableton User Group in Brooklyn at The Brooklyn Home of Music. Just as dazzling as his performance was his philosophical view point on creating music and finding balance in one's life. DiViNCi's teachings are immediately applicable to making music, but that's just the surface of what he does. The real power is in how he connects his views on life and self-awareness to everything a person does. DiViNCi and I had a great conversation about finding flow, trusting your intuition, and how his experience in the martial arts has shaped the way he approaches life and music. There are a lot of valuable lessons in here, so get a pen and paper and be ready to take some notes! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: DiViNCi's Website Studio Sensei - Private lessons and wisdom from DiViNCi Second Subject - The collective of artists DiViNCi is a part of in Orlando, FL Solillaquists of Sound - DiViNCi's hip hop quartet Music - DiViNCi's music on Soundcloud Brooklyn Home of Music - a super cozy and inviting place to learn about making music Here's a nice introduction to what DiViNCi does:

I just released my newest EP, Country Punkin. It's a collection of 4 to-the-point no-nonsense rock songs, inspired lyrically by country music and musically by punk rock. There are no intros, outros, interludes, solos, or instrumentals. Every song begins right away with only the core meat-and-potatoes parts of the song. Recorded entirely on the Teenage Engineering OP-1's four track, using a Shure SM57 plugged straight into it. Instrumentation is Drums, Guitar, Bass, Vocals. This was the studio for "Country Punkin" In this episode, I talk about the creation of the EP. We go over it's philosophy, the goals, inspiration, process, recording, instrumentation, lyrics, and themes. I play you some isolated tracks, as well as each song. I hope it inspires you to finish your next project! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Country Punkin is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play and wherever else you stream your music!

LoopLabs is a cloud based music studio that allows you to compose music using its huge selection of loops. Everything gets tempo and key matched, so it always sounds good. It's a great place for beginners or for experimenting with ideas. Craig and I sat down for a nice conversation about his vision for Looplabs, the music industry, and the role future generations will play in music making. Definitely check out Looplabs.com. I'm very excited about how this could open the door to music production for a whole new generation of people. I've even contributed some loops to the library of loops available to use. Maybe sit down with your younger sibling, nephew, or child and have fun making music without worrying about theory or technicalities. It's a great way to share the joy of making music. Regardless of your experience, Looplabs could be a perfect introduction to music creation or a springboard for your next composition. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: LoopLabs.com - The web-based DAW Medium - Looplabs' producer showcase Spotify Needs to Face the Music - We talked about the viability and profitability of streaming services. I admit some of the stuff that came out of my mouth was only partially informed speculation. Here's an article with an oh-so-clever headline that will do a better job at shedding some light on the topic. No Music Theory Ableton Live Rack - Make music without understanding music theory Here's a video I made, using Looplabs and some of the loops I provided to the collection:

It is a wonderful day and age in which we can create, write, and record music all by ourselves. We have the technology to do every step of the process on our own. While this can afford us plenty of freedom and releases us from the struggle of coordinating schedules and ideals with others, if we never work with other people, we are really missing out. Collaboration is one of the best ways to learn, grow, develop, and discover new ideas. I personally believe that a good collaboration can bring you wisdom that could take you years to develop on your own and new ideas that you might not ever discover otherwise. This show is about the power of collaboration. I discuss how collaboration has benefitted me and highlight my recent experience creating the Ableton Live Whistle Pack with pATCHES. I then go on to create a piece of music using some of those sounds. You Have Homework! Need an excuse to make music or some direction to help get you going? Well I have a homework assignment for you! Collaborate with someone else to make some music. How you collaborate is entirely up to you. Do it in person or over the internet. Find a musician to play a part or ask someone for an idea or direction. Sample someone singing, talking, washing the dishes... Send someone a half-finished track to work on. It really doesn't matter. Post your results on the Music Production Podcast Facebook Page. Maybe even find someone on that page to collaborate with! Just create some music with the help of another person. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: The Ableton Live Whistle Pack - My collaboration with pATCHES and You to create 20 free Ableton Live Whistling Instruments. Podcast with pATCHES - I had a great conversation with pATCHES on this podcast. Give it a listen! pATCHES - Tutorials, sample packs, wisdom...

We all strive for the best gear, highest quality samples... but lets not forget that you can make beautiful music from unexpected places. This episode is all about challenging yourself to create music from sources you wouldn't normally think you could. You have a homework assignment! Create some music from a source or sound that you wouldn't normally use. Maybe it's a terrible preset, an old toy, a piece of wood that vibrates in a funny way... it doesn't matter. Just challenge yourself to make music from an unusual sound source. Post your results at the Music Production Podcast Facebook page. My piece is there too. I hope you enjoy this talk and it gives you inspiration to make music in new ways! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Music Production Podcast Facebook Page - Give it a like and post your homework assignment! Americanas Vinyl Synth Ableton Live Pack - Ableton Live Instrument Racks made from samples of old vinyl records of the music of North and South America. Pacific Vinyl Synths Ableton Live Pack - Ableton Live Instrument Racks made from samples of old vinyl records of music from the Pacific Islands. AfroDJMac Music Production Club - Get a new Ableton Live Download every month, as well as a bunch of other goodies when you join. Free Ableton Live Pack #44: Justin Bieber Super Fun Pack - A Justin Bieber toy guitar actually turned into some cool sounding instruments. Free Ableton Live Pack #41: Steel Water Bottle Synth - A non musical object turned into a music making synth.

Erin Barra is a musician, songwriter, teacher, and performer specializing in the convergence of music and technology. She has created music curriculum for students of all ages, including Beatz for Girlz, which specializes in bringing music production to young women and Berklee College of Music. She's worked with Grammy-winning artists and is a powerful voice in the world of music technology and education. Erin and I had a great conversation about a wide range of topics including education, creativity, and some of our favorite creative tools. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Mammabarra.com - Erin's website Beatz by Girlz - Erin's mission to bring music production to young women Matthew Herbert's Manifesto Izotope (We spoke about so much of their stuff, I swear this wasn't a paid promo!)

Thomas Piper is an accomplished musician, producer, performer, and video artist from New York. Over the years, our paths have crossed many times at various shows, workshops, and Ableton User Groups. It seems like wherever the action is, so is Thomas! Recently, Thomas' work was featured in a documentary by Ableton. We had a great conversation about live performance, overcoming creative blocks, and building community. I love his positivity. Thomas is an example to all of us about productivity and hard work. This episode is loaded with great insights and powerful knowledge from a man who is doing the work! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: The People's Republic of Sound Thomas Piper's YouTube Channel Thomas Piper on Twitter Thomas Piper on Instagram Support Thomas Piper on Patreon Elektron Gear Output plugins

Thomas Glendinning is an Ableton Certified Trainer, formerly from Cape Town, South Africa, but now living in London. Tom creates music under the name ELPHNT, which is pronounced "Elephant." There he creates sample packs, Ableton Live Packs, and tutorials. We sat down for a conversation about making music, sharing your work, and building communities. Enjoy! Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: ELPHNT - Tom's blog, full of great stuff for fellow producers Ableton Live Packs - Tom's collection of really cool Ableton Live devices. Tom's Music Ableton Live Suite Free Alternative Devices Deconstruction - Ski Oakenfull's deconstruction of a Todd Terje track Trello - Online to-do list

Andrew Whiteman is a musician and songwriter out of Toronto. He plays guitar in Broken Social Scene and has a number of other projects including Sonic Poetry and AroarA. Andrew is about to embark on a tour with Broken Social Scene, as they release a new album on July 7th. We spoke about creativity, change, and performing on Stephen Colbert's late night show. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Support the Podcast on Patreon Show Notes: Broken Social Scene Sonic Poetry AroarA Apostle of Hustle Morning Becomes Eclectic DJ Rupture Muse Exchange Sonic Poetry: Broken Social Scene performing on David Letterman's show: AroarA, Andrew's collaboration with his wife, Ariel: