Music Production Podcast

Anthony Marinelli is a legendary composer, performer, and synthesist. He worked with Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones on Thriller , James Brown, Kenny Loggins, Van Halen, and many more. He worked on the scores for over 90 original film score soundtracks including War Games, Stand by Me, and one of my favorites Planes, Trains, and Automobiles . He shares his knowledge on his YouTube channels and hi...

Ben Burnes is a musician, producer, and game developer. He is the author of the new book H ow to Write a Song in Two Hours, based off his experience writing over 400 songs in weekly two-hour sprints. Ben is back for his fifth conversation! We spoke about his new book and some of the wisdom he picked up writing songs in two hours. We covered practical techniques and philosophical approaches, and we...

Howard Benson is a Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum producer. With 15 platinum records, 10 gold records, and over 150 billion streams, Howard has shaped the sound of modern rock and alternative music. Howard has worked with Hoobastank, POD, My Chemical Romance, The All-American Rejects, Daughtry, and many more. He is also the co-founder of Judge and Jury Records.   Howard spoke to me about his...

Dennis DeSantis is a composer, percussionist, sound designer, author, and educator. He is a professor of Music and Technology at Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester, where he is developing an all new BM in Music Creation and Technology. Dennis worked as Head of Music Learning at Ableton, and wrote  Making Music 74 Creative Strategies for Electronic Music Producers .  Dennis and...

Jeff Graves is the founder and creator of LuvLang Studios, an online mastering service. LuvLang gives users interactive control and feedback over the mastering process.   Jeff and I spoke about how mastering can transform a mix. Jeff shared his story of his experience working in studios and learning about mastering, and how LuvLang Studios was created.   Listen on Apple ,   Spotify ,  YouTube Link...

Tim Atlas is a musician, producer, and Grammy-winning songwriter in Los Angeles. His new EP, Reverso, was recorded in his home studio and combines Indie and Psych rock with RnB and Soul.   Tim spoke to me about the production of Reverso. We touched on songwriting, arranging, and collaboration. Tim shared how he likes to move fast and commit to his sounds by printing them with outboard gear and eff...

Xylo Aria is a singer, producer, and entrepreneur. Xylo founded Music Production for Women to help empower and educate women music-makers. Her new album Dream will be released summer 2026. I've been following Xylo's work for some time now and it was great to speak to her about her work. We discussed building community and the creation of her new album. Xylo has collected a lot of wisdom in her jou...

Sebastien Heintz makes electro-acoustic music under the name OVERSEA. His new album BEYOND is a modern ceremonial album made for transcendental experiences. Sebastien and I spoke about his work as OVERSEA and how has been using music for meditation and healing.  Sebastien explained how he uses Ableton Live as a live performance instrument. We also discussed finding the creative flow in activities...

Lomotor is a musician and producer who makes nature-inspired electronic music on a small farm in Massachusetts. His new album ABCAPSILAHAD combines electronic and acoustic instruments with field recordings and the sounds of leaves, trees, and birds.   Listen on Apple ,   Spotify ,  YouTube Special Gifts from Lomotor: Lomotor's Creative Tips to Live By - https://lomotor.net/lomotor-s-creative-tips-...

Nick Culbertson is a musician and app developer who runs Moby Pixel, a mobile app creation studio. The Moby Pixel YouTube channel covers the latest in iOS music apps and his journey in his own app development. Nick just released Mighty Synth Sampler, a fully featured synth and sampler for iOS and Mac. In Nick's return to the Music Production Podcast, we discuss his new Mighty Synth Sampler and the...

Mike Nikou is the owner of Mic Nix Productions, a studio based in Adelaide, South Australia. He specialises in mixing, mastering, and full song production. Mike and I discussed how he began playing in rock bands and found his love of recording and production. We discussed how music making has changed and continues to evolve. Mike spoke in-depth about his mixing and mastering workflow and philosoph...

Kevin Griffin is the frontman of Better Than Ezra, a Grammy-nominated songwriter, and Co-founder of a new artist-built AI music platform Soundbreak. Better Than Ezra contributed to the soundtrack of the 90's with hits like "Good" and "In the Blood." Kevin's music has been performed and recorded by artists like Meatloaf, Taylor Swift, and Blondie.  Kevin and I spoke in depth about the art and magic...

David Paul Newell is a musician, producer, and one half of the electronic music duo Midnight Mystery Club. David worked as an audio engineer in Nashville for Brantley Sound Associates. He's been a ghost writer in European House music. Midnight Mystery Club's has a new single "I Only Have Eyes for You" coming out April 3rd.   David and I talked about his experience in music production and developin...

Amani Roberts is a DJ, Professor, Author, and Artist Coach. Amani teaches music business at Cal State Fullerton and helps artists reach their creative dreams. Amani is the author of DJs Mean Business and The Quiet Storm , a historical look at R&B Groups.   Amani and I discussed the challenges artists face from creating music to releasing and sharing it with the world. Amani has powerful insights t...

Have you ever felt like the more you learn about music production, the harder it actually gets to finish a song? You aren't alone. In this episode, I'm sharing the 5 biggest mental blocks I've faced, from "tutorial paralysis" to the crushing weight of trying to be a "Great Artist," and the practical shifts I used to break through them. After 6 years of the Jamuary challenge, I've learned that the...

Matt Tinkler is a musician, educator, and Ableton Certified Trainer. He runs a the Aspect Music Academy and makes music as Chronitect. Matt's YouTube channel is a great resource for learning music production and creative workflows. Matt and I spoke in depth about the creative process and how he makes music. He shared his 5 I's of Ideation workflow, as well as how he helps students turn their ideas...

Aqeel Aadam is the founder of Aqeel Aadam Sound plug-ins and Tyler Gilmore makes music as Blankfor.ms. Aqeel and Tyler have just released Outgrowth, a sample-based plug-in and iOS app. Outgrowth allows you to manipulate and reimagine samples in playful and unique way. Aqeel and Tyler spoke to me about their collaboration on the new plug-in, and how they came to work together. We covered the creati...

Brad Barr is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and, along with his brother Andrew, is half of the Americana, folk-rock group the Barr Brothers. The Barr Brothers just released their new album, Let it Hiss , which has a more vulnerable, stripped-down sound that embraces human imperfection and spirit.   Brad and I had a great conversation about songwriting and the production of the Barr Brothers'...

It's time for Jamuary, a challenge to create music and share it each day during the month of January.  Jamuary is a powerful way to start your year with a creative bang! In this episode, I share 7 tips that will help you make the most of Jamuary and maximize your productivity and creativity! Listen on Apple ,   Spotify ,  YouTube Links: Join the Music Production Club! - https://brianfunk.com/mpc M...

Joshua Blum is the host of The Thirteenth Hour Podcast , a show about the creative process as it relates to writing, music, and imagination. He's also the author of The Thirteenth Hour , a fantasy adventure novel, and the creator of Once Upon a Dream —an 80's-inspired synth soundtrack to accompany the book. Josh builds a rich creative world around his stories, blending music, writing, and visual a...

Joseph Holiday, who releases music as Snakes of Russia, returns to the podcast to talk about his latest album, Swallowed Whole Through the Mouth of Eternity. Joseph's music blends modular textures to create dark, moody, cinematic soundscapes.  In this episode, we talk about how Joseph's approach has evolved since our last conversation, why limitations fuel his creativity, and how visual storytelli...

Tommy Zee runs Tommy Zee and Co. , a music production company that creates music for some of the world's largest brands like Nike, Adidas, Google, Sony, and more. He also runs Making Music for Brands , a platform where he teaches producers how to build careers creating music for commercial projects. This is the fourth time I've had Tommy on the podcast, and every time we talk, I walk away feeling...

Tom Cosm is an electronic musician, Ableton Certified Trainer, and the technical co-founder of Telepathic Instruments. Widely known for his early Ableton Live tutorials and inventive use of hacked gear, Tom has built a reputation as a true audio mad scientist—transforming data, brainwaves, and even bugs into expressive sound. In this conversation, Tom shares his journey from early YouTube educator...

Tom Carpenter is a musician, producer, and plug-in developer. He is currently on tour with his 3-piece indie electronic band, Moon Tower. Tom is a co-founder of Soap Audio, who recently released Soap Voice Cleaner, a plug-in designed to easily clean up spoke word audio. I spoke with Tom about his tour, Moon Tower, and Soap Voice Cleaner. Tom shared his thoughts on creativity and collaboration in b...

https://brianfunk.com Is your best music not getting made? Do you struggle through the process?  This video contains 10 habits of prolific music producers. Adopt them into your music making and let your best music come to life! Every time we make music is a unique and special experience. We will never be in exactly the same place again. We have to take advantage of each moment we get otherwise, th...