Music Production Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#104: Produce Like a Chef: Mise-En-Place Mar 19, 2019

Show notes

The 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 collection of instruments built from sounds recorded to a handheld micro cassette recorder.

Organizing Like a Chef Makes for Good Habits - NPR broadcast from August 2014 (not 2005 as I mistakenly said in the show) that inspired this episode.

Seconds Pro - Interval Timer app for your phone.

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 sound packs.

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac

#103: Eshan Khadaroo aka Push4Life 2: Challenging Yourself to Keep Growing Mar 02, 2019

Show notes

Eshan 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 Eshan. We discussed his new course, the state of electronic musical instruments, and finding balance as an artist and working musician. Eshan's work is backed by philosophic thinking that guides him from project to project, and he shares those perspectives with us in this episode.

Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play or Spotify; watch on Y ouTube

Show Notes:

Push4Life - Stay up to date with Eshan's work.
Getting to Know (and LOVE) Chromatic mode - An introduction to Ableton Push 2 Chromatic Mode, utilizing Bach's Prelude 01 in C Major.
F ree Sampl es o f Chromatic Mode - Eshan is graciously offering listeners of this podcast free access to the first few tutorials.
YouTube - a wealth of tutorials and videos by Eshan.
5 Things Every Ableton Push 2 Beginner Should Know - Eshan's first Push tutorial, which went viral.
Music Sound and Silence - Eshan's podcast.
JNTHN Stein on Muisic, Sound, and Silence
DiViNCi on Music, Sound, and Silence
Push4Life on the Music Production Podcast - my first conversation with Eshan.
DiViNCi on the Music Production Podcast
Huston Singletary on the Music Production Podcast
Claire Marie Lim on the Music Production Podcast
Session Drumming - Eshan's work as a session drummer.
Melodics Course - Check out Eshan's finger drumming course on Melodics.
Fugue Machine - iOS app for writing Fugues.
Mad Zach - Multi-talented finger drummer and sound pack designer.

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac

#102: Nate Beaudry aka Chef Elf - Making Tracks Every Day for Over a Year Feb 27, 2019

Show notes

Nate 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 on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play or Spotify; watch on YouTube

Show Notes:

Chef Elf - Nate's home for his music.
Over a Year of Music - Nate's collection of 8-bit cover albums.
YouTube - Nate's channel featuring his 1 minute snippets of his music.
Instagram - Where Nate mercilessly produces a music video every day for over a year.
Star Wars The Last Jedi Review - Nate's extremely thorough review of The Last Jedi.
Spose "The Stolen Album" - Spose's rough unfinished release that was almost lost forever.
Dr. Chris Warren - sound designer, composer, installation artist, and signal processing researcher.
How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way - Classic book about comic book illustration.
Super 8-Bit Ableton Live Pack - I don't think any person has made as much use of this Pack as Nate.

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac

#101: Tom Frampton 2 - Revealing the Truth in Your Mixes Feb 24, 2019

Show notes

Tom 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 producer and mastering engineer, and he kindly shares his wisdom in this episode.

Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play or Spotify; watch on YouTube

Show Notes:

Bounce Boss - Simplify collaborations with Bounce Boss.
Mastering the Mix - Tom's web page, featuring a helpful blog, his book, and some great plugins.
Animate - A plugin that can bring a mix to life.
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 your track to other tracks, and highlights the differences between them.
Never Get Stuck Again - Tom's new book, packed with practical and technical help to finish music.
Decoding the Mix of "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars - Tom analyzes the mix on his blog.
Special Offer - Get a free trial of all three of Tom's plugins, plus a free chapter of Never Get Stuck Again.
Tom on Music Production Podcast #54 - My first conversation with Tom on the podcast.

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac

#100: Go Now; Correct Course Later Feb 19, 2019

Show notes

It'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 to number 100.
REEL SYNTHS v.1: PROPHET 6: Ableton Live Pack I demonstrate in the opening of the show, made from reel to reel tape samples of the Prophet 6 analog synthesizer.

-------------

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac

#99: Mark Mosher - Synthesist, Live Performance, Track Deconstruction Feb 09, 2019

Show notes

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 of his newest single "Disconnected." This episode is loaded with both practical and philosophical wisdom from Mark's diverse and extensive experience as an artist.

Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play

Show Notes:

Artist Site – http://MarkMosherMusic.com
Podcast – http://SonicEncounters.com
Rocky Mountain Synthesizer Meetup – http://RockyMountainSynth.com

Beat Cypher Event – https://www.facebook.com/groups/1980133178941598
Disconnected" Single – https://markmoshermusic.com/2019/01/21/new-single-disconnected-spotify-itunes-amazon-googleplay-bandcamp/
"Swarm of the Nanobots" – Sonic Encounters episode with emulation of a Dewanatron Swarmatron using an Octatrack –https://markmoshermusic.com/2016/02/27/011-swarm-of-the-nanobots/
Interactive visuals gallery with Resolume – https://markmoshermusic.com/interactive-visuals/
Mark Mosher Guest Solo Performance – Boulder Laptop Orchestra Event at CU Atlas Institute – https://youtu.be/ScpItttfGlY
Mountain Skies, Asheville, NC - http://spaceformusic.net/mountainskies/
Carbon Dioxide Ensemble with Tom and Victoria Lundy – http://CarbonDioxideEnsemble.com | Video
(no)poem duo with Darwin Grosse – https://nopoem.net/
A.I. Winter duo with Michael O'Bannon – http://aiwinter.net
Glenn Main - http://ghmain.no/
Norway's got talent clip 😲 https://youtu.be/m_Hvssy-xjE
Zebra Attack 1 Free Ableton Live Pack: https://www.afrodjmac.com/blog/2011/12/15/afrodjmac-and-mark-mosher-zebra-attack-ableton-live-rack-38
Zebra Attack 2 Free Ableton Live Pack: https://www.afrodjmac.com/blog/2011/12/28/ableton-rack-40-zebra-attack-ii-mark-mosher-afrodjmac
The Round WaveTable Free Ableton Live Pack: https://www.afrodjmac.com/blog/roundwavetable

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac

#98: Francis Preve - Sound Design, Synthesis, VanLife Jan 30, 2019

Show notes

Francis Preve is a sound designer, journalist, and educator. He teaches synthesis and sound design at Austin Community College. His writings on synthesis, sound design and gear can be found in top publications such as Keyboard magazine, Computer Music Magazine, and CDM. Francis has contributed synthesizer presets to just about every major manufacturer of hardware and software synths. It is quite likely you have some of his sounds in your collection.

This is the second time Francis has taken time to be on the podcast; he is our first repeat guest! Francis discusses his teaching and some of the projects he has been involved in over the past year. It was a wide ranging conversation with plenty of interesting tangents, as well as lots of useful and practical information about sound design, synthesis, and even #vanlife. Enjoy!

Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play

Show Notes:

Official Site - The main hub for Francis's work.

Instagram - Follow Francis's journeys in sound design and #vanlife.

SympleSound - Francis's store for his sound and preset packs.

Scapes - Synthesized recreations of natural environments.

Francis' Apple News Channel - a great way to keep up with Francis's work.

Serum Toolkit 3 - The 3rd installment of Francis's critically-acclaimed Serum presets.

Austin Community College - Where Francis teaches. Look for big growth here in the arts and music departments.

Free Serum Winter Pack - A collection of Serum sounds made by Francis's Synthesis 2 students.

Synthwave for System 8 - Francis teamed up with Carma Studios to produce this collection of retro synth sounds for the Roland System 8.

Korg Volca Modular Review - Francis's thoughts on the new Volca from Korg.

Music Production Podcast #38 - My first podcast with Francis.

And some topics that came up after we stopped recording...

Sound Waves Levitate Small Objects

Quantum Harmonic Oscillator

Ray Kurzweil on Ramona

TV Tropes

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac

#97: Fighting Off the NAMM Gear Lust Jan 24, 2019

Show notes

It'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. Unfortunately, us artists are extremely vulnerable to and new advances in technology and the clever marketing that accompanies it.

In this episode, I try to offer some ideas and thoughts on how we can fight the inevitable gear lust NAMM brings us. Stay strong and fight off the NAMM gear lust!

Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play

Show Notes:

NAMM - National Association of Music Merchants website.

Music Radar - Music Radar's wall to wall coverage of NAMM.

Moog Sub Phatty PLUCKS - a FREE Ableton Live Pack to quench the thirst for new gear.

PLUCKS - my latest premium collection of instruments for Ableton Live and Logic Pro X. (Sorry, I know putting that link here is a bit hypocritical!)

EchoMelt - Psychic Modulation's beautiful VST/AU audio effect machine.

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac

#96: Zaak Kerstetter - Ableton Certified Trainer, Zenotope Jan 19, 2019

Show notes

Zaak 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 insights about producing electronic music and building a community of music makers.

Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play

Show Notes:

Zenotope - Keep up with Zaak's music.

KMG Academy - Zaak heads up the Ableton Music Production Program.

Boulder Ableton User Group - Zaak organizes the Boulder, Colorado Ableton Live User Group.

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac

#95 : Sahil Lavingia - Gumroad CEO; Less is More Jan 13, 2019

Show notes

Sahil 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 art and applies to just about any activity one might partake in.

Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play

Show Notes:

Gumroad - The platform Sahil creator for artists to share their work with the world.

Twitter - Follow Sahil on Twitter.

Instagram - Keep up with Sahil's artwork.

Across the Border - A charming and engaging short story by Sahil.

Great Interview with Sahil

AfroDJMac Music Production Club - Get the January 2019 download, PLUCKS for Ableton Live and Logic Pro X.

PLUCKS Ableton Live and Logic Pro Pack

Brian Funk

AfroDJMac