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 nostalgia, the value of quiet spaces, and why playing music with friends is one of the greatest joys of bein ..read more

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 music on both a technical and creative level. This is also the third time I've had Kristoffe ..read more

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 Ableton Move and how the consumerism around music production can inhibit our growth and creativity as ..read more

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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 Cheerful Guide by John Cleese - https://amzn.to/4hffpHG Sarah Belle Reid on the Music P ..read more

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 like how he recorded in a prison for Mayor of Kingstown and used its gates, walls, bars as musical ..read more

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 and have fun making music during Jamuary2025!  Listen on Apple, Spotify,  ..read more

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://brianfunk.com/workshop Cuckoo on the Music Production Podcast - https://brianfunk.c ..read more

David Alexander is an audio engineer, producer, and musician originally from Portland, Oregon and now based in Los Angeles. He has over 20 years of experience working in all genres, with roots in the subcultures of hardcore and punk. David shares his unique blend of technical skills and creative philosophy on social media. Listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Links: David Alexander's Site - http://davidalexander.lol David's TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@davidalexander2k9 David's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/davidalexander2k/ Brian Funk Website - https://brianfunk.com Music ..read more

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 ..read more