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

For about five years. I learned the basics of it by watching the Sonic Academy tutorials. Then the rest I learned through trial and error.

What DAW(s) do you use and why?

I use Ableton. Its session view has influenced my life philosophy. The fact that you can arrange music non linearly is more akin to how I feel about life and art.

What are your favourite pieces of gear and why?

Recently my Numark Mixtrack. It’s a DJ controller, but I also use it as a midi controller in Ableton. It has some really nice touch strips, knobs and faders.

What are your favourite software plugins and why?

Reaktor and VCV Rack because they are so customizable and have great communities of users sharing their projects and their knowledge. I almost always use stock plugins for everything else: compressors, EQs, limiters, effects, etc.

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

Start with the kick. On a five-minute dance track of 128bpm, you will probably hear the kick 500 times, more or less. It should be a really nice kick. Then build the groove. I lay lots of drums and sometimes they become one-shots and then synth lines, or reverbed out pads.

What resources do you use to improve your craft?

I deep dive into the YouTube suggestions, but I can’t say I have a specific go-to source.

What is the last YouTube tutorial you watched that you would recommend to other Re-Ex Members?

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

Don't overproduce. Sometimes I get many ideas at once and I've come to the conclusion that it's best to separate them into different projects or let some go. If they are that good, they'll stay in my subconscious and come afloat again later, preferably better developed and matured.

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

Creative block, in general, is a recurring theme in my life. I’ve found that always being curious and trying out new things helps. Whether it be a new field of interest, new music and new place but something new and stimulating.

Can you share any killer tips or techniques?

Don't forget Ableton 10 has a capture button. This has been really helpful because if there are no other midi tracks it will set the project tempo to roughly what you played the capture clip in. Sometimes I just bang along without thinking in bars or measures and having Ableton transcribe it is very helpful.

Do you use any online tools to assist with the production process? 

Nothing other than a web timer to make sure I stay on track.

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

Unfortunately no. This is an area I'm lacking. But to my credit, I’m my biggest critic. But I have no way of gauging if these ideas are based on reality or not. Music is a personal thing and when I put it out it becomes a social thing in how it and I interact with others. But not in my process.

Which track are you most proud of and why?

In particular none, but last year I trudged through and made 180 tracks. I have them all in an MP3 and when I need a pick me up, I give it a listen and remind myself what I can do with time, focus and effort.

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

Yes, I love to listen to what other people make. There are a lot of creative people on Re-Ex and I love to benchmark myself against them.

Desert Island Gear (top 5 software or hardware)

Top L-R: Ozone, Reaktor.

Bottom L-R: Ableton, SUBPAC, Headphones.

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This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.