Shows
Ableton Music Producer Podcast#86 - Podcast Highlights - PART 2In this new series, Dan Giffin highlights some of the best moments from episodes #16 - #24 with podcast guests.
Podcast highlights include:
#16 - Ableton Live Tips & Tricks - Audio Effects with AfroDJMac
#17 - Creative Producing & Insights with Andrew Huang
#18 - Live Show Design & Music Industry Myths with Laura Escudé
#19 - Inside The Song & Promotion with Sara Simms
#20 - Interview with Sonic Bloom Founder - Madeleine Bloom
#21 - Interview with Isotonik Studios Founder - Darren E Cowley
#22 - Marketing Tips for DIY A...
2021-06-2936 min
Music Production PodcastBe PROlificQuality comes from quantity, so make as much music as you can. The more you do anything the better you get at it. In this episode, I talk about a few things that have inspired me lately, and they all have to do with being prolific. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play or Spotify; watch on YouTube Show Notes: JUNO-106 Ableton Live Pack - The instruments used to make the intro music. Drumtraks by ReverbMachine - Drums used in the intro music. Save 50% with code: AFRODJMAC Gumroad Found Sahil Lavingia...
2019-07-2631 min
Music Production PodcastIdentity Crisis and The End of AfroDJMac"What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet;" -Shakespeare I've decided to drop the name AfroDJMac and move forward using my actual name, Brian Funk. I've wrestled with artist names for a while and decided to just drop it. The result has been surprisingly liberating. In this episode, we talk about artist names, why we have, and if we even need them. I'll go over why I adopted one in the first place and why I've now let it go. I have some ideas...
2019-06-0837 min
Music Production PodcastMatty Harris - Mixing and Mastering EngineerMatty Harris is a mixing and mastering engineer who has worked with Kelly Clarkson, Sammy Adams, Lil Yachty, A$AP Rocky, Cousin Stizz, Cam Meekins, and many more. He runs the online mixing and mastering site MixandMasterMySong.com. Matty and I had a great conversation about some best practices in mixing and mastering. Matty shared some of his favorite tools and offered some practical advice that can help producers of all levels. I enjoyed how open Matty was with sharing his knowledge and walked away with quite a few tips and techniques I'm excited to try in...
2019-06-011h 01
Music Production PodcastArtist as Observer vs. CreatorMusicians and artists are often thought of as creatives. We build, construct, and create out of thin air. In this episode, I explore the benefits of changing our thinking as that of a creator to that of an observer. By becoming an observer, we are noticing and curating the art and music. It can take the pressure out of the creative process and teach us to be more openminded. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play or Spotify; watch on YouTube Show Notes: Jason Timothy on the Music Production Podcast - Jason speaks a...
2019-05-2422 min
Music Production Podcast10 Things To Do When You Are UninspiredIt’s impossible to live in a constant state of inspiration. Truth is, inspiration is quite rare. And when it comes, it is hard to hold on to. So what can we do when we don’t feel like getting to work or we don’t have any ideas? This is a struggle I am currently feeling, so I made a list of things I can do to regain some inspiration and find new ideas. This episode of the podcast is really a pep talk to myself. I hope it can help you next time you are struggling to find i...
2019-05-1620 min
Music Production PodcastDavid Frangioni - Technologist, Engineer, Producer, Drummer, and Author of Crash!David Frangioni is a drummer, music technologist, studio designer, and author of the book Crash, which is an illustrative chronicle of rock and roll's legendary drum kits. He has worked with a who's who of rock legends like Aerosmith, Sting, Ozzy Osbourne, Ringo Starr, and KISS. His company, Audio One, builds and installs the most high-end luxury studios. David just released the book Crash! The World's Greatest Drum Kits. In this episode of the podcast, David Frangioni shares his experience working with some of rock and roll's greatest. He details his unpredictable path in the music industry...
2019-05-021h 09
Music Production PodcastMark Cawley - Songwriter and Author of Song JourneyMark Cawley is a hit songwriter, with credits to his name for artists like Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Joe Cocker, and many more. His new book, Song Journey: A Hit Songwriter’s Guide Through the Process, the Perils, and the Payoff of Writing Songs for a Living, offers practical steps and advice for songwriters. It's currently the #1 new release in the Music Composition category on Amazon. Mark also offers one on one coaching to songwriters at his website IDoCoach.com. It was great to talk with Mark. His perspective on songwriting goes deep on the craft and the...
2019-04-261h 01
Music Production PodcastMusic Production ProblemsIf one thing is for sure, you will run into problems while producing music. Maybe it's a technical issue, a creative issue, or a personal issue, either way, you are sure to have them. So what do you do? In this episode, I offer some ways of rethinking problems from something bad to something good and productive. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play or Spotify; watch on YouTube Show Notes: REEL SYNTHS V2: MOOG MG-1 Ableton Live Pack - the intro music was composed using this new Ableton Live Pa...
2019-04-2313 min
Music Production PodcastGARDNSOUND - Synthesizers, Pets, Ethics, and Making MusicGARDNSOUND is the work of Gardner Beson, a musician, producer, and YouTuber known for his helpful tutorials. Gardner generously shares his production techniques and skills with his audience. He runs Gardnsound Studios, which caters to artists that excel at breaking through the barriers that contain conventional EDM. I had an interesting and wide-ranging conversation with Gardner. The first five minutes center around his pet parrot Lyla, who was present for the conversation. Then we move on to studio production techniques and some synthesizer talk. We even get to topics of ethics and personal online legacy. This is...
2019-04-111h 29
Music Production PodcastStay Productive with ListsAs I've been working on my live performance set, I've found two simple things helping quite a lot: to-do lists and done lists. In this episode, I share how I am using simple lists to help with my productivity and motivation. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play or Spotify; watch on YouTube Show Notes: REEL SYNTHS V1: PROPHET 6 - Ableton Live Pack made with sounds of the Prophet 6 analog synthesizer, sampled to reel to reel tapes. Workflowy - Great tool for making to-do lists. Eshan Khadaroo - P...
2019-04-0206 min
Music Production PodcastJason Timothy Ward 2 - The Mental Game of Music ProductionJason Timothy Ward runs the site MusicSoftwareTraining.com, where he teaches you how to produce music by not just showing you the tools, but also addressing the mental side. What I love about Jason's work is his ability to deal with the philosophical side of his art. Jason has tremendous insight on how our mind often gets in the way of our work, and offers practical solutions we can all use. In our second conversation, Jason and I pick up where we left off, talking workflow, best practices, and the philosophy of making music. I found it...
2019-03-271h 18
Music Production PodcastProduce Like a Chef: Mise-En-PlaceThe kitchen of a restaurant can be one of the more hectic workplaces. In order to make delicious dinners in all of the chaos, chefs need to be extremely disciplined. As music producers, we can learn a lot about our craft by observing how chefs manage to complete their art in the "heat" of the moment (couldn't resist the pun :). Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play or Spotify; watch on YouTube Show Notes: Micro Cassette Ableton Live Pack - all sounds in the intro music were made with this co...
2019-03-1925 min
Music Production Podcast#103: Eshan Khadaroo aka Push4Life 2: Challenging Yourself to Keep GrowingEshan Khadaroo has performed with Grammy award winning artists such as Cirque Du Soleil, Blue Man Group, Imogen Heap, and many more. In recent years, Eshan has been releasing some of the finest tutorials and video courses for Ableton Push under the name Push4Life. Eshan just released a new video course called Getting to Know (and love) Chromatic Mode on Ableton Push 2. Eshan is offering listeners of this podcast access to the first set of tutorials in the new course for free at: http://push4life.eu/afrodjmac I had a great conversation with...
2019-03-021h 35
Music Production Podcast#102: Nate Beaudry aka Chef Elf - Making Tracks Every Day for Over a YearNate Beaudry makes music as Chef Elf. He is an incredible example of discipline and hard work. Nate has released a new track every day since January 1, 2018; that's over 400 tracks! Nate and I had a great conversation about making music, staying productive, and finding ways to show up every day and get to work. Nate shares some tips he has discovered over the last year that has helped him keep working. The conversation covers lots of topics and even takes some unexpected turns to a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Listen o...
2019-02-271h 27
ParasitecologyS01E01: The Beat Goes OnFINALLY, Parasitecology has arrived! In this episode, our protagonist Javier awakens to a new reality and meets his future best friend, Cher Gandhi Statham under -- let's say, grave -- circumstances. Memories get explored, various nodules and capillaries get squeezed. It's like a therapy and yearly health checkup all in one!
Parasitecology is a darkly comic SF audiodrama about a suicidal nerd and his alien parasite best friend, which kind of spoils the episode to be honest, but -- come on, everybody knows the first episode is like the sweaty effort I put into the elliptical bike in...
2019-02-2623 min
Music Production Podcast#101: Tom Frampton 2 - Revealing the Truth in Your MixesTom Frampton is the creator of Mastering the Mix, a site dedicated to teaching producers how to get the best mixes of their music possible. He recently released a new service called Bounce Boss that simplifies and streamlines the collaboration process. Tom also has a host of plug-ins that can help you create the best mix possible. This is the second time I've had a chance to talk with Tom. We discussed his new project, Bounce Boss, and got into the truth of what is happening when you load plug-ins into your mixes. Tom is an experienced...
2019-02-2433 min
Music Production Podcast#100: Go Now; Correct Course LaterIt's episode 100! I felt a lot of pressure to make episode 100 something special. Soon the anticipation grew into anxiety and worry. It's very common for us to build things up so big in our minds that they seem insurmountable. In this episode, I retreat back to the same approach that got this podcast started in the first place and discuss how we can apply that to making music. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play or Spotify; watch on YouTube Show Notes: Music Production Podcast #1: The approach towards this episode has gotten me...
2019-02-1915 min
Music Production Podcast#99: Mark Mosher - Synthesist, Live Performance, Track Deconstruction Mark Mosher is a Synthesist, Composer, Performer, Founder of the Rocky Mountain Synthesizer Meetup, and hosts the Sonic Encounters Podcast. He has run his music production blog, Modulate This! (now merged with his MarkMosherMusic.com website) for about 15 years. Mark plays in a number of ensembles and has produced music and visuals for the stage, planetariums, and picture. Mark and I had an excellent conversation about his work as a synthesist, composer, and live performer. We discussed his musical workflows and use of visuals in his performances. Mark also deconstructs and takes us behind the creative process...
2019-02-092h 02
Music Production Podcast#97: Fighting Off the NAMM Gear LustIt's time for another NAMM show! This weekend, manufacturers from around the world will gather in Los Angeles to showcase their latest gear. It's one of the most exciting times of the year for music makers. Perhaps there will be the announcement of that magic piece of gear that will finally enable you to release all that music locked up inside you... The truth is, you probably already have everything you need to make that music. And further more, much of what you have likely sits in your studio gathering dust, never having reached its full potential...
2019-01-2417 minParasitecologyS01E00: Parasitecology TeaserSeason One of Parasitecology is nearly upon us! It's been a long road getting from there (not having a darkly comic SF audiodrama podcast about a suicidal nerd and his alien parasite best friend) to here (a metaphysical state where we, indisputably, have a darkly comic SF audiodrama podcast about a suicidal nerd and his alien parasite best friend). Where is Bryan Adams when you need him? The answer is, of course, Canada.
Parasitecology is a darkly comic SF audiodrama about a suicidal nerd and his alien parasite best friend, which you should know by now because we...
2019-01-2101 min
Music Production Podcast#96: Zaak Kerstetter - Ableton Certified Trainer, ZenotopeZaak Kerstetter is an Ableton Certified Trainer, producer and performer. He makes music as Zenotope, combining elements of glitch, ambient, downtempo, and bass with doses of classical and sci-fi. Zaak has worked at many different music production schools and is currently working and teaching at KMGLife. I met Zaak at Ableton Loop in November, and we hit it off immediately. We talked about making music, production tips, and education philosophy. So I was excited to pick up our conversation in a more focused setting. With a background in punk rock and experimental music, Zaak has some unique i...
2019-01-191h 20
Music Production Podcast#95: Sahil Lavingia - Gumroad CEO; Less is MoreSahil Lavingia is a designer, writer, painter, and creator of Gumroad. Gumroad is a platform designed for artists to sell and share their work; it’s what I use to distribute all of my own products. While still a teenager, Sahil was the first designer for Pinterest. Sahil and I had an awesome conversation about art, music, and the creative process. We discussed simplicity and productivity. I was immediately struck by the depth of his focus and his ability to see connections between so many seemingly different areas of life. This conversation transcends any one form of ar...
2019-01-141h 21
Music Production Podcast#94: Cuckoo - Live Performance, Synths, Overcoming ChallengesCuckoo is well-known for his playful personality, fun music, and deep music-gear tutorials with the little circular mirror. Music Radar just voted him the best music tech personality in the world. I first came across Cuckoo in 2011 when he started producing some of the best OP-1 tutorials, which showed me creative ways to use the OP-1. Since then, he has consistently stepped up his game, providing ever more useful tutorials, sound packs, and inspiring jams. After months of discussion, Cuckoo and I finally found a time to talk that fit our 6-hour timezone separation. Cuckoo generously shared...
2019-01-041h 35
Music Production Podcast#93: Margaret Harmer - Producer, Percussionist; Voices From ErisMargaret Harmer is a trained percussionist and electronic music producer. She runs a professional recording and production studio called Shifting Waves. Margaret just finished work on Voices From Eris, a collaborative album featuring female electronic artists from around the world. Voices From Eris brings together women of all different backgrounds, and is made up of all different styles of electronic music. I first met Margaret through my work with Berklee Online, while facilitating the Ableton Live sampling course. Maraget’s music and her dedication to growth and exploration stood out immediately. In this episode of the podcast, Ma...
2018-12-251h 18
Music Production Podcast#92: Huston Singletary - Ableton Content Creator; SingularitiesHuston Singletary is the lead sound designer for preset creation at Ableton. He heads a team of sound designers that create the “sound” of Live. Over the years, Huston has done sound design and preset creation for numerous instruments, including Omnisphere, Novation Peak, Prophet X, and so many more. He documents a lot of his work and experiments on his Instagram page. Today, Ableton has released a free gift created by Huston called Singularities. Singularities is a collection of 40 Instrument Racks Huston built from samples of classic synthesizers. In this episode, Huston discusses his role at Ableton and...
2018-12-181h 11
Music Production Podcast#91: Claire Marie Lim: Electronic Digital Instruments and the Future of Music EducationClaire Marie Lim is a music technologist, interdisciplinary artist, and live performance designer. A recent graduate of Berklee College of Music, Claire is a multi-instrumentalist who produces music as dolltr!ck. Claire has played an important role in planning and developing Berklee’s new Electronic Digital Instrument program, which welcomes modern technologies such as drum pads, MIDI controllers, and laptops as instruments of study. Claire’s work is paving the way for the future of music education. In this episode, Claire discusses her work at Berklee and in the school’s revolutionary Electronic Digital Instrument program. We examin...
2018-12-151h 07
Music Production Podcast#90: Evan Chandler aka SlynkEvan Chandler produces music as Slynk. He’s known for his unique blend of funk and EDM, and has an amazing collection of YouTube tutorials that dive deep into music production. Evan’s work has a unique character and originality that has brought him much success as an artist. Evan and I had a pretty wide ranging conversation. I was excited to learn how he makes his music move with so much groove; he shared some great tips. We spoke about his work and touring, as well as how teaching can often be the best way to lear...
2018-12-101h 29
Music Production Podcast#89: Dan Giffin - Live Producers OnlineDan Giffin is a musician, producer, and engineer, who runs the site Live Producers Online, which is a social membership site for learning Ableton Live. Dan’s podcast, Ableton Live Music Producers Podcast, centers around learning Ableton Live, and features many exciting guests who share their own personal stories and experience. Philia is the name of Dan’s musical project, and he just released a new album, Miracles Happen All The Time Vol. 1. I’ve been a fan of Dan’s podcast for a while now, and after meeting at Ableton Loop, we finally connected and had the chan...
2018-12-0653 min
Music Production Podcast#88: Vince Cimo, Creator of DataLooper, with Vir McCoyince Cimo is the creator of DataLooper, a hardware guitar-pedal-style controller, that makes live looping with Ableton Live quick and easy. We were joined by Vir McCoy, who was jamming with Vince to discover ways he could incorporate DataLooper into his workflow. DataLooper was created to simplify live looping, and Vince is actively seeking suggestions from his user base to make DataLooper the ultimate device for live looping. It was exciting to speak with Vince and Vir. We spoke about the creation of DataLooper, the potential for finding inspiration in Eastern music scales, and so much more...
2018-12-021h 13
Music Production Podcast#87: Neil "Nail" Alexander - Improvisation, Live PerformanceNeil “Nail” Alexander is a multi-genre, multi-instrumentalist from the Hudson Valley in New York. Neil’s work spans just about every genre from jazz and classical to modern EDM and ambient. He is an avid live performer who incorporates both acoustic and electronic elements into his performances, and combines jazz sensibilities to electronic composition. Neil runs the Hudson Valley Ableton Live user group. I spoke with Neil about his wide range of work and how he manages to wear multiple musical hats. Neil had some important wisdom on live performance and improvisation. It was great to finally sit do...
2018-11-291h 34Ableton Music Producer Podcast#16 - Ableton Live Tips & Tricks - Audio Effects with AfroDJMacIn this episode, listen to tips and tricks using Ableton’s Audio Effects with Brian Funk (AfroDJMac) and Dan Giffin. We'll review variety of ways to use Live's Audio effects and other tools for producing music. Our special guest AfroDJMac shares lots of tips using Max for Live and other Audio Effects.
Brian has produced hundreds of Ableton Live and music production video tutorials, sample packs, and songs that are available for download on his website below. Follow him on social and check out his Music Production Podcast...
afrodjmac.com/blog
afrodjmac.com/podca...
2018-11-2649 min
Music Production Podcast#86: Lessons From Ableton LoopI went to Ableton Loop in Los Angeles and it was an incredibly valuable experience. There were excellent panels, discussions, meet ups, and performances. But aside from the scheduled events, some of the best moments were the moments between events. I had the chance to meet and talk to so many interesting people. I finally got to meet 3-D, real life versions of tons of people I’ve followed and interacted with through the computer screen. The spirit of the event was welcoming and inspiring. Besides loads of inspiration, I took home some important lessons. In this ep...
2018-11-2326 min
Music Production Podcast#85: Finding Your Sound - A Short Talk at Ableton LoopAbleton’s Loop is a summit for music makers. It’s an incredible get together for people in the music production community to meet and share ideas. The schedule of events is amazing, and there are opportunities to talk, face to face, with so many brilliant people. I was hanging around the Maker Zone, when Angelica from Ableton asked if I’d like to do a short presentation. Since I have a thing or two to say about making sounds, I gladly accepted. This episode is the audio of that talk. I recorded it on my Rol...
2018-11-1118 min
Music Production Podcast#84: Budget Your Time Like Money - Reflect and ApplyWe carefully budget our money, so why aren’t we as careful with our time? In this episode, we Reflect on and Apply words of wisdom from the very first guest on this podcast, Ben Burnes. Ben advocates budgeting your music production time carefully for maximum productivity. By carefully scheduling your time, you can get more important work done and avoid wasting time on insignificant tasks. You can also download a free Music Production Schedule I made to help us all be more efficient with our time. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Sh...
2018-11-0423 min
Music Production Podcast#83: Jakob Haq - iOS Musician, YouTuber, Creator of haQ attaQJakob Haq is a mobile musician from Sweden. He all of his music using either iOS or other portable devices, no computer! On his YouTube channel, haQ attaQ, Jakob shares his accumulated knowledge from over 25 years of music making. Jakob specializes in what he calls “Docu-torials” on new iOS apps and portable music making gear. After crossing paths for years, I finally got a chance to speak with Jakob on the podcast. Jakob shares some tips on how he stays productive and avoids procrastination. He was very candid about his thoughts on the current state of mobile musi...
2018-10-302h 04
Music Production Podcast#82: Let's Get Physical - Reflect and ApplyThis episode is the beginning of a new type of episode on the Music Production Podcast, “Reflect and Apply.” Each episode will reflect on a lesson we learned from a guest on the show, and discuss ways to apply that lesson to our work. Today’s lesson is about the importance of involving the body in our music production work. DiViNCi spoke about this idea in episode #33, and today we look at ways to incorporate a little more physicality into our music. Show Notes: Episode #33 with DiViNCi - The episode that inspired this discus...
2018-10-2221 min
Music Production Podcast#81: Diego Stocco - Explorer of SoundDiego Stocco is a sound designer, instrument builder, and explorer of sounds. Diego is a master at finding music in places ordinary people do not hear it. As an imaginative craftsman, Diego has created a collection of instruments made from natural and found objects, and instrument parts. He uses his otherworldly creations to score films and trailers, design sounds for Spectrasonics, and create his own unique music. His work proves that there is still so much sound to explore in our world. I’ve wanted to chat with Diego for a long time now. In the world of...
2018-10-141h 07
Music Production Podcast#80: Johan Sundhage - Developer at KlevgrandJohan Sundhage is a developer at Klevgrand. For the last few years, Klevgrand has been making a huge impression on producers with their plug-ins for DAWs and iOS. Klevgrand combines a somewhat outside-the-box approach to their devices, centered around design and usability. Many of their devices manage to take complex audio concepts and present them in beautifully intuitive interfaces. I had the chance to speak to Johan about the creation process at Klevgrand. Johan reveals how he and a small team of developers manage to take each other’s ideas and turn them into reality. It was gr...
2018-10-041h 07
Music Production Podcast#79: Jesper Nordin - Composer and Creator of Gestrument iOS AppJesper Nordin is a leading Swedish composer who has garnered considerable international acclaim in recent years. Jesper Nordin has also had huge success with his iOS app Gestrument that is based on his own composition technique. I sat down with Jesper to talk about his new app Gestrument Pro, which sits somewhere between composition and instrument. It’s a beautiful app that makes excellent use of the touch screen interface. Jesper talked about his work as a composer, pushing boundaries of electro-acoustic music, and how he tricks himself to write music he didn’t know he likes. It w...
2018-09-2955 min
Music Production Podcast#78: Lynden Williams aka Divorce Court - Live Performance, Arrangement, and When Music Hits YouLynden Williams is a producer from Salt Lake City, Utah, who makes music as Divorce Court. Divorce Court is a chill wave, lo-fi project electronic project inspired by Lynden’s memories of youth and old home movies. I appreciate the consistent theme of faded memories and emotions, which the lo-fi nature of the music and his live visuals of old home videos bring to life. Lynden and I spoke quite a lot about producing music, arrangements, and live performance. We spoke about the challenge we all face in believing in a musical project long enough to bring it...
2018-09-181h 48
Music Production Podcast#77: Outliers and the Practicing MindI just finished reading Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and The Practicing Mind by Thomas Sterner. Both books contain wisdom and insight that can help us with music production. In this episode, I discuss some of the important lessons I learned from the books, such as hard work surpasses talent and genius, we need to reframe the way we look at goals, and no one makes it alone. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play Show Notes: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell The Practicing Mind by Thomas Sterner ...
2018-09-1225 min
Music Production Podcast#76: Anthony Clint Jr. - Clint Productions and Music LicensingAnthony Clint Jr., or just Clint, is seasoned producer and musician, creating hip hop, jazz, pop, and neo-soul. He's found quite a bit of success in music licensing. His work has been placed in film and on TV networks like MTV, VH-1, NBC, Fox Sports and more. Clint has been generously sharing his knowledge and experience with fellow producers on his site Clint Productions. Clint and I had a nice conversation spanning many different topics relevant to making music. He has some great thoughts on maintaining positive work relationships with other artists, staying creative and productive in...
2018-09-0356 min
Music Production Podcast#75: Mikas - Creator of We Make Dance MusicMikas is the creator of We Make Dance Music, a site where producers can release and purchase DAW templates, sounds, and stems. He is an audio engineer and producer who founded the label Progressive Groove Records. Mikas has over 20 years of DJing and producing experience under his belt. I enjoyed speaking with Mikas very much. He exudes a motivation and drive for making music and the community around We Make Dance Music. In the episode, we discuss how he started his business, why he rarely uses 3rd party plugins, and how he has manages to finish nearly...
2018-08-251h 23
Music Production Podcast#74: Tough Lessons from a Live PerformanceSometimes 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...
2018-08-2056 min
Music Production Podcast#73: Ari Herstand - Author of How to Make it in the New Music BusinessAri 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...
2018-08-151h 03
Music Production Podcast#72: Madeleine Bloom - Creator of Sonic Bloom for All Things Ableton LiveMadeleine 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...
2018-08-051h 33
Music Production Podcast#71: Peter Nyboer - Sensel Morph and Music TechnologyPeter 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...
2018-07-261h 23
Music Production Podcast#70: Cristofer Odqvist - Author of Making Sound: Creative Music Production Tips and PhilosophiesCristofer 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...
2018-07-191h 20
Music Production Podcast#69: Alessio Santini - Found of K-Devices, Max for Live and iOS Music ToolsAlessio 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...
2018-07-141h 01
Music Production Podcast#68: Tim Webb - Creator of Discchord.com for iOS Music AppsTim 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...
2018-07-101h 36
Music Production Podcast#67: Christopher Postill: Sounds Like an EarfulChristopher 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...
2018-07-051h 04
Music Production Podcast#64: You Already Have Everything You NeedDo 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 ...
2018-06-1422 min
Music Production Podcast#61: Isaac Cotec - Subaqueous, Ableton Certified TrainerIsaac 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 b...
2018-05-171h 02
Music Production Podcast#58: Inspiration - Hunt! Don't Wait to be Struck by LightningThis 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 li...
2018-04-2827 min
Music Production Podcast#56: Ethan Hein - Music Professor, NYU Doctoral Fellow, BloggerEthan 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...
2018-04-051h 13
Music Production Podcast#53: Where Will You Be in One Year?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 S...
2018-03-0620 min
Music Production Podcast#46: Ten Days into #Jamuary2018I 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 b...
2018-01-1250 min
Music Production Podcast#43: Josh Spoon - Ableton Certified Trainer, ProducerJosh 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 mu...
2017-12-171h 15
Music Production Podcast#41: Kristoffer Lislegaard - Electronic Musician and ProducerKristoffer 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 l...
2017-11-291h 29
Music Production Podcast#40: The Most Important Lesson...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!
2017-11-1026 min
Music Production Podcast#37: Roisner - Ancient Instruments 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...
2017-10-2241 min
Music Production Podcast#29: Homework- Make Music with Unusual Sound SourcesWe 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 t...
2017-07-2122 min
Music Production Podcast#23: Bedroom Producers Blog - Tomislav Zlatic, Editor in Chief Tomislav Zlatic is the creator and editor in chief of Bedroom Producers Blog, a website dedicated to sharing music making tips, software, and gear for music making enthusiasts and professionals alike. Over the years, BPB has been extremely supportive of my work, and we have even collaborated on a few projects. I had a chance to chat with Tomislav about writing, staying consistent, and our mutual love of old school video game chip music. Bonus Free Ableton Live Pack: Yamaha DD-8 Drums and Synths - These Free Ableton Live Instruments were made from some of t...
2017-06-061h 10
Music Production Podcast#17: Nuno Santos Imaginando Founder, Co-Creator of DRC Virtual Analog Synth Nuno Santos is the creative force behind Imaginando, a company that makes applications for creating and controlling music. The latest project is DRC, a virtual analog synthesizer for mobile and desktop platforms. It allows you to create and edit sounds on any platform and access them from all other platforms. Imaginando also released a powerful Ableton Live controller called LK. In this episode, Nuno and I have a great conversation about building an app, how to create something featured packed yet intuitive to use, and all kinds of topics related to making music. SPECIAL OFFER: Nuno...
2017-04-251h 15
Music Production Podcast#10: Chat with Ben Burnes Episode 10 is a special episode because it's the first conversation! I had the privilege to speak with Ben Burnes about creativity, chip music, growing as an artist and more. Ben is a composer and active YouTuber with some very interesting ideas on making music and the creative process. I first heard of Ben on the late, great Composer Quest podcast. It was a real treat chatting with Ben. He is no joke. Ben is putting out tons of useful content every week. Listen in to his words of wisdom and be sure to click on some of...
2017-04-021h 13