In the studio this week is Polish "witchfunk" producer Tomasz Mocny. Though he only started producing a few years ago, music has always been part of his life (starting with a guitar he won on the TV show Teleranek as a child!) Tomasz blends eighties cold wave, disco, and synth-pop (and lots more) to create his own style, often digging for samples on his old German turntable to find tracks that aren't available on streaming platforms. Tomasz tells us how he uses RepostExchange to share his work and get honest feedback, and his must-have plugins and hardware!

How long have you been producing music and how did you learn? 

I’ve been producing music for about two years now. I’m completely self-taught — I’ve always loved learning and discovering new things through trial and error, not just in music but in life in general. Music has, however, been part of my life since childhood. I won my first acoustic guitar on the Polish TV program Teleranek when I was very young. Later, I played bass in several student bands, so even though I’ve only been producing for a couple of years, music has always been a core part of who I am.

What DAW(s) do you use and why?

Currently, I work with Cubase 15 and also use FL Studio Mobile. I’ve tried many DAWs, but these two felt the most intuitive for me. Cubase allows me to assign virtually anything to my MIDI controller, giving me complete flexibility. It’s versatile and, in my opinion, has some of the best built-in composition tools available. FL Studio Mobile, on the other hand, is my portable solution — whenever inspiration strikes, I can immediately capture any idea or melody, like having a mobile sketchbook for music.

What are your favourite pieces of gear and why?

Headphones are definitely my number one — I never part with them. My personal favourites are the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3, Baseus Inspire XH1, and AKG Studio K240. Of course, good headphones need proper support, so I also use a Creative Sound Blaster GC7 and a Numark X1 USB mixer.

My bass guitar, as mentioned earlier, has been a long-time companion in my musical journey. And finally, my old German turntable — it lets me discover music that isn’t available on any streaming platform. It connects me to sounds and eras that might otherwise be forgotten.

What are your favourite software plugins and why?

I’ve developed my style using a variety of plugins, including the Universal Audio LA-2 Compressor, Frequency Equalizer, Auto Pan, Chopper, DualFilter, Multiband Compressor, Relay with Neutron Visual Mixer, RoomWorks, VSTDynamics, StudioChorus, StereoDelay, MonoToStereo, Tuner, Tape Delay, Tape Stop, Metalizer, Groove Agent SE, HaLion Sonic, Retrologue, and Iconica Sketch. These tools have shaped my sound and remain central to my workflow.

How would you summarise your approach/workflow when creating a track?

At the beginning, I often followed certain patterns — sometimes starting with a heavy bassline, other times with a strong, captivating riff or melody. Quite often, it all began with a simple sound I heard somewhere on the street. The best tracks I’ve written, though, were born out of pain and struggle — that’s probably my “magic ingredient.” Real emotions create real music. Sometimes, you just have to wait for that moment… until inspiration hits you like lightning.

What resources do you use to improve your craft?

I use YouTube for music theory and piano lessons, among other tutorials. I also have a few favourite websites for learning and inspiration. The last tutorial I watched was something like “How to grow on SoundCloud.” I also like reading the Repost Exchange blog — it’s very educational. My most recent favourite article is here.

What knowledge or advice do you wish you'd learned earlier?

Sometimes the hardest challenge is just keeping going, even when everything feels broken. I focus on continuing, no matter what. PR is another challenge — it’s something I’m still learning to handle.

What challenges related to making music do you face and how do you overcome them?

Never give up. Release your music — you never know which track may become someone’s favourite. Don’t follow trends; do what you feel, what comes from your heart and soul.

Do you try and get feedback or suggestions to improve your music? If so, how?

Yes. RepostExchange is a free site anyone can use. I’ve uploaded tracks experimentally on SoundCloud to see how others react. Tracks can be rated from 1 to 10, which provides real feedback from other producers. I’ve also used YouTube’s Audience Retention feature — it shows which parts of a track capture listeners the most.

Which track are you most proud of and why?

This is a tough question, but one that comes to mind is “Just Another Witch.” I poured my whole heart into this track, experimenting with many versions before releasing it. Even today, I can listen to it on repeat. I think it perfectly represents the style and genre I’ve developed, which I call Witchfunk.

Has RepostExchange affected the way you make music? If so, how?

Absolutely. I’ve created multiple versions of different tracks, experimenting to find which ones sound best to other ears besides my own.

Desert Island Gear (top 5 software or hardware)

Top left to right: Akai MPK Mini, Cubase 15.
Centre: Logitech G502 Mouse.
Bottom left to right: Baseus Inspire XH1, Yamaha RBX374.

Connect with Tomasz Mocny on SoundCloud, Instagram, and YouTube.

Want more? Sign up at RepostExchange.com.

This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.