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Brian Funk

An exploration of music production through informal discussions about technique, philosophy, gear, and creativity. Hosted by Brian Funk, a musician, songwriter, teacher, and Ableton Certified Trainer.

Music Production Podcast

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

#27: Thomas Piper - The People's Republic of Sound

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.

#29: Homework- Make Music with Unusual Sound Sources

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...
 •

#30: The Power of Collaboration - Homework!

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!

#32: Breaking Down My New EP, "Country Punkin"

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:

#33: DiViNCi - Producer, Composer, Musical Sensei

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

#34: Mark Towers: Ableton Certified Trainer, Arcade Series Creator

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

#35: Cooper Anderson - Mixing Engineer, Producer

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

#36: Chris Rucks - Don't Make Beats Like Me

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

#37: Roisner - Ancient Instruments

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 to get their music heard. David raises the question "do we even want new music?" We discuss his take on the trajectory of the music industry and what it means for artists like many of us, who create original music, and our culture in general.
 
Finish-February 3-Day In-Person Workshop at Ableton's Pasadena Headquarters - https://brianfunk.gumroad.com/l/kwhsgv
 
Listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube
 
Takeaways:
 
 The abundance of new music can be overwhelming for listeners. Investing in music through purchase creates a deeper connection. Nostalgic listening experiences shape our relationship with music. MTV revolutionized music consumption and artist visibility. The desire for new music is declining among audiences. Tribute bands reflect a growing preference for familiar music. Hologram performances raise ethical questions about music consumption. Nostalgia is a powerful marketing tool in the music industry. The emotional connection to music is vital for artists and fans. Venture capitalists are reshaping music consumption. Listeners are increasingly exposed to nostalgic music. Streaming services have changed how we discover music. Albums today don't linger in cultural impact as before. Tribute bands provide a living for many musicians. New music discovery requires intentional effort. Cultural references in music are becoming less shared. 
Links:
 
 David's Website - https://www.davidrowellauthor.com The Endless Refrain: Memory, Nostalgia, and the Threat to New Music - https://amzn.to/4gD4lno Wherever the Sound Takes You: Heroics and Heartbreak in Music Making - https://amzn.to/4iCgBq8 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/16-bit Music Production Podcast - • 
https://brianfunk.com/podcast Save 25% on Ableton Live Packs at my store with the code: • 
PODCAST • 
- • 
https://brianfunk.com/store • This episode was edited by Animus Invidious of PerforModule - 
https://performodule.com/ 
Thank you for listening. 
 
Please review the Music Production Podcast on your favorite podcast provider!
 
And don’t forget to visit my site https://BrianFunk.com for music production tutorials, videos, and sound packs.
 
Brian Funk

The Threat to New Music - David Rowell

Mikas 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 all of the music he starts.
 
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-create and use the code: AFRODJMAC to get a free month of Splice Sounds.
 
Show Notes:
 
We Make Dance Music - Mikas's site for producers to upload and purchase templates, sounds, and stems. Mikas is generously offering listeners of the podcast 20% off their purchase if they use the code: WMDMM20
 
Progressive Groove Records - The label Mikas founded.
 
Mikas's Bio
 
We Make Dance Music Blog - Helpful articles about making music.
 
Progressive Groove Records SoundCloud - Listen to the label's work.
 
—-
 
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.comfor music production tutorials, videos, and Ableton Live devices.
 
Brian

#75: Mikas - Creator of We Make Dance Music

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