Oscar Zambrano is a mastering engineer and the founder of Zampol Productions, a New York City studio known for mastering an impressive range of records—from Spotify Singles to avant-garde jazz to Broadway cast albums. With 20 years in the industry, Oscar has become a go-to name for artists who want their music treated with care, precision, and a deep understanding of both the technical and artistic sides of mastering. In this episode, Oscar and I explore the art and philosophy of mastering—from ...
Jul 14, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 405
Aqeel Aadam is a musician, sound designer, and plugin developer blending modular synthesis with a love of nature and organic textures. Through his company, Aqeel Aadam Sound , he creates audio plugins for the curious and open-minded. He creates tools that spark inspiration rather than dictate outcomes. Aqeel and I explore the connection between nature and synthesis, the power of limitations in creativity, and how modular gear shapes his sonic world. We talk about learning through struggle, desig...
Jun 30, 2025•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 404
Julian Astri, aka Toru, is a music producer, educator, and the host of the ProducerHead Podcast , a show dedicated to amplifying the voices of beatmakers, producers, and creatives at every stage of their journey. Through his work, Toru fosters a culture of consistency, curiosity, and community in music production—offering motivation and real-world insight through interviews, daily posts, and personal reflection. In this conversation, Toru and I explore the power of creative discipline, the value...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 403
Today I welcome back TJ Dumser, who makes ambient meditative soundscapes under the name Six Missing. TJ is in the process of releasing his new album Without Mind in 3 sections. We spoke shortly after the first section Identify was released. TJ and I picked up where we left off, discussing his work and the vision he has for this album. Things pretty quickly got philosophical and introspective. We shared techniques for dealing with self-doubt and the inner critic. We also explored where we stand a...
Jun 04, 2025•59 min•Ep. 402
Jxmie Blake is a genre-blending artist, producer, and educator whose work fuses jazz, soul, hip hop, pop, and electronic music into a bold and expressive signature sound. Known for his innovative approach to Ableton Push as a chromatic instrument, Jxmie is a multi-talented creator with a deep background in audio engineering, songwriting, and sound design. With degrees from Berklee College of Music and a client list including Ableton, Red Bull, and Ludacris, he’s quickly becoming a leading voice ...
May 20, 2025•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 401
Liina Turtonen, aka LNA, is a musician, producer, and educator, who runs the LNA Does Audio Stuff YouTube Channel. Liina is an Ableton Certified Trainer and just released her book Creative Confidence and Music Production: Overcome Your Insecurities . LNA and I discussed her new book and the inspiration behind writing it. She shared insights that have helped her and her students get past creative blocks and insecurities. Listen on Apple , Spotify , YouTube Takeaways: LNA's journey to authorship w...
May 08, 2025•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 400
Rich Shivener is a musician, producer, and professor. His book Living Digital Media explores how creators producer works. He documents the emotional journey creators go through and the behind the scenes experiences that shape their work. Rich and I are reconnecting after meeting and working together at my Finish February workshop at Ableton’s headquarters. Rich shares his experiences writing his book, creating music, and live streaming. Listen on Apple , Spotify , YouTube Takeaways: Collaboratio...
Apr 22, 2025•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 399
Chad Shank is a songwriting teacher and music producer. Chad teaches songwriting at Berklee Online and runs At Home Songwriting, where he helps students learn how to write songs in their own authentic style and voice. Chad’s YouTube channel, At Home Songwriting, is filled with songwriting tips and exercises. Chad and I spoke in-depth about songwriting, lyric writing, and overcoming creative blocks. Chad shared techniques and strategies he uses in his music and teaches his students. Listen on App...
Apr 09, 2025•2 hr 1 min•Ep. 398
William Garrett is a mixing and recording engineer and producer, and studio builder and manager. He managed a studio for Sony in New York City for 15 years and was Senior Music Producer for Spotify Singles, recording and mixing more than 900 tracks that have over 10 billion streams to date. William has worked with countless artists like Jack White, Miley Cyrus, Shania Twain, John Cale, Cyndi Lauper, The National, Norah Jones, Elton John… the list goes on and on… it might have been easier to ment...
Mar 25, 2025•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 397
In this episode of The Music Production Podcast , I sit down with musician and songwriter Jean-Paul Vest , the driving force behind Last Charge of the Light Horse . We talk about the evolution of songwriting, the impact of place and sound on music, and the delicate balance between control and spontaneity in the creative process. Jean-Paul shares his approach to writing, how his songs take shape over time, and the unexpected ways music resonates with listeners. We also dive into the role of nosta...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 396
Today I am speaking with Kristoffer Lislegaard and Janne Eraker of the duo Øy. Janne is a tap dancer, with contact mics attached to her shoes. Kristoffer receives the audio in his computer running sequencers, synthesizers, drum machines, and Max for Live that all respond to Janne's movements. We had a fascinating conversation about how Øy collaborates and interacts musically for live performances and their new album Live . It was inspiring to learn about these new and exciting ways of creating m...
Feb 26, 2025•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 395
Boyan of LowHeatBeats is a music producer and educator, whose rapidly growing YouTube channel takes us behind the scenes of his process, showing us the tools and techniques he uses to create his blend of soulful hip-hop, funk, electronic music. Boyan and I discuss a wide range of creative philosophies and techniques. He shares how he gets into the creative flow and uses his YouTube channel to share and develop his music making process. We discussed some of our favorite tools, including the new A...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 58 min•Ep. 394
Jan 29, 2025•21 min•Ep. 393
Nick Maclaren is the Chief Strategy Officer for Serato. Nick talked about his experiences as a DJ and how it lead him to become a Serato user. We discuss Serato's new multi-fx plug-in Hex FX. Nick also spoke about the technological developments that have changed DJing and music production, and the challenges that lie ahead as tech gets more and more powerful. Listen on Apple , Spotify , YouTube Links: Serato - https://serato.com Serato Hex FX - https://serato.com/hex-fx Creativity a Short and Ch...
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 392
Andrew Lockington is a film and television composer who composed the scores for many films including blockbuster hits City of Ember, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Sandreas, and Rampage, as well as hit television shows like Mayor of Kingstown, Special Ops: Lioness, and his latest Landman, starring Billy Bob Thornton. He also created the opening theme for Amazon Prime's Monday Night Hockey. Andrew's work is known for its creativity and attention to detail. We spoke about some of those techniques...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 391
It’s time for #Jamuary2025, a challenge to make and share music for as many days as you can during January. I’ll be sharing the prompts I am giving to my Music Production Club here on the podcast. Whether you are keeping up with the Jamuary challenge or using these prompts sometime in the future, I hope they help inspire you to make some new music! Join the Music Production Club to get the downloads and access to a supportive community of fellow music makers: https://brianfunk.com/mpc Good luck ...
Jan 01, 2025•4 min•Ep. 390
It's time for Jamuary 2025! These 31 days of creativity will dramatically increase your creativity. Here are some lessons, tips, and takeaways that will help you prepare to make the most of the Jamuary challenge. Listen on Apple , Spotify , YouTube Links: Music Production Club - https://brianfunk.com/mpc 5-Minute Music Producer - https://brianfunk.com/book My Free Ableton Live Packs - https://brianfunk.com/free-ableton-live-packs Finish February Workshop at Ableton Pasadena Headquarters - https:...
Dec 31, 2024•26 min•Ep. 389
David Rowell is a veteran music journalist who has worked as an editor and writer at the Washington Post for over 20 years. Stewart Copeland of the Police said "David Rowell is the kind of critic that scares us musicians. He really gets it, maybe even more than we do." David is here to talk about his new book The Endless Refrain: Memory, Nostalgia, and the Threat to New Music . In it he expores the popularity of legacy acts and tribute acts and the challenges it creates for new musicians trying ...
Dec 16, 2024•49 min•Ep. 388
C4RP00L is an alternative hip-hop band that combines hip-hop beats with electric guitar and bass. They've just released new music, Creature Mode: Vicious and Creature Mode: Velocity . I spoke with Danger, Renzo Starr, and Villian about their new releases and recent touring. We had a great discussion about writing music as a group and performing live. Please welcome C4RP00L to the Music Production Podcast. Listen on Apple , Spotify , YouTube Links: C4RP00L Website - https://www.c4rp00l.com C4RP00...
Dec 03, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 387
Tyson Boorman is a mixing and mastering engineer for Nightowl Music Group. He is the author of The Objective Mix - Mix Like a Pro Without Pro Gear or Premium Plug-ins . Tyson teaches music production on his YouTube channel, Objective Mixing, and he also runs a podcast called Prolific Super Producer, where, in the very near future, I'll be a guest. Tyson and I spoke about his production philosophy of "skills over gear." We talked about the practical insights and messages from his book The Objecti...
Nov 19, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 386
Let's get the big things right before we worry about the details. Listen on Apple , Spotify , YouTube Links: My First Album Project Nairb - Apple Music - Spotify My Second Album Forest Far - Apple Music - Spotify Music From Video is from my Passings EP - Apple Music - Spotify Brian Funk Website - https://brianfunk.com Music Production Club - https://brianfunk.com/mpc 5-Minute Music Producer - https://brianfunk.com/book Intro Music Made with 16-Bit Ableton Live Pack - https://brianfunk.com/blog/1...
Nov 11, 2024•14 min•Ep. 385
Ben Levin is a musician, visual artist, and educator. He runs the Ben Levin Music School where he hosts courses that help artists find their voice, finish music, and maintain and cultivate their love of music-making. Ben's YouTube Channel hosts his art, music, and educational content. His new album Heaven Heaven Heaven features indie, alternative rock music with 2 Fender Bass VIs at its core. Ben and I explore the complexities of artistic identity, the challenges of navigating platforms like You...
Nov 05, 2024•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 384
David Mash is a musician, composer, educator, technologist, and futurist. David worked at Berklee College of Music for 44 years, first as a teacher of guitar and jazz. Then he started the Music Synthesis department, which is now the Electronic Production and Design department. David was Berklee’s Assistant Dean of Curriculum for Academic Technology (BADCAT) in 1989, Vice President for Technology in 1997, Vice President for Technology and Education Outreach in 2006, and Senior Vice President for ...
Oct 22, 2024•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 383
Andrea Stolpe is a renowned, multi-platinum creative consultant whose methodology for songwriters and music artists has been taught worldwide. A writer with 20+ years of experience in the music industry, Andrea has written for such artists as Faith Hill, Julianne Hough, and Jimmy Wayne. She has turned her experience into award-winning online courses and live events as well as numerous articles, books, and resources. As one who has followed and learned from her for years, I really enjoyed speakin...
Oct 08, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 382
KIN TALA is a musical duo from Blackpool, England, who just released their debut EP, Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost . They created the album entirely on their own, learning to produce and mix along the way. I spoke with Dominic of KIN TALA about their new EP and the creative process they used to make it. Dom discussed how the duo did most of their learning on the fly and how they managed to inject their personality and style into the music. We talked about overcoming creative challenges and w...
Sep 24, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Ian Temple is the CEO and Co-Founder of the online music school, Soundfly. Soundfly offers courses in a variety of topics related to music-making and music production. Ian is a pianist, composer, and plays in the band Sontag Shogun. Ian and I spoke about the creative process and the challenges of making music. Ian shared insights about learning music and growing as a musician. He explained how we should embrace challenges and obstacles along the way and use them to our creative advantage. Listen...
Sep 09, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 380
Corey Baker is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and Ableton Certified Trainer. Corey made a huge impact on the electronic music scene and toured the world as Kill Paris. He shares his workflow and techniques in his tutorials and courses, and hosts a weekly sample flip challenge. I spoke with Corey about his music, educational community, and production techniques. We discussed some of the newer features in Ableton Live 12.1, as well as the process of learning complex software to create music. C...
Aug 27, 2024•2 hr 4 min•Ep. 379
Thomas Glendinning is a music producer, educator, and sound designer. He creates some of the finest Ableton Live and Max for Live devices available at his site ELPHNT. Tom recently released his new album Micro((osmos under the name Conso/e. Tom joined me for a 3rd conversation on the Music Production Podcast to talk about his new album and some of his latest Max for Live creations, including Essentials . We spoke about the fun and challenges of creating music and devices. Tom shared some great i...
Aug 12, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 378
Michelle Moog is the executive director of the Bob Moog Foundation and daughter of synthesis pioneer Bob Moog. The Bob Moog Foundation’s Mission Statement is to inspire creative thinking by providing interactive educational experiences at the intersection of science, music theory, history, and innovation. Michelle helped bring the organization from a volunteer-driven, grassroots effort to the educational and historical preservation force it is today. Michelle and I spoke about the Bob Moog Found...
Jul 30, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 377
Carter Vail is a musician, producer, and video creator. His fast-paced, lighthearted short-form songs have garnered him hundreds of thousands of followers across social media. His new album, 100 Cowboys , combines upbeat music with emotional lyrics that document a difficult breakup. Carter shares his songwriting process, thoughts on collaboration, and why he chooses to work fast and be prolific in his creative process. This episode is sponsored by Baby Audio, makers of incredible music software....
Jul 16, 2024•56 min•Ep. 376
