I started about eight years ago during my studies in International Music Management in The Netherlands. One of the modules was a short introduction to music producing and audio mixing using Pro Tools. I started my bedroom studio with a Mac Pro, a TC electronics unit and a Røde mic which meant that I could now record my vocals for the first time. When I first started it was a real slog trying to figure out how to connect everything, I thought I could never do it but when I finally had my first sound going through I partied for days! Roll forward a few years, my studio has expanded a bit since and I have been lucky enough to have been able to make it my full-time job.
I started with Logic because it was recommended to me by a producer in my band in The Netherlands, and now a few years and many upgrades later it has improved a lot and I'm still happy with it.
I recently bought the SSL Nucleus² which is a professional DAW and Studio Controller and right now this is definitely my favourite piece of gear. I'm still practising all the features but my sound and workflow have already improved so much it was well worth the investment and of course it looks really awesome in the studio! I also love my Neumann mic for the clearest vocal sound and my saxophone because I got it when I was 11 so I'm just really attached to it!
The SSL Native Plug-ins, every one of them sounds fantastic if used in the right way. If you don't have the budget to buy them you can also pay a monthly fee to rent the complete or essential bundles via the Solid State Logic website.
It depends as I also do a lot of writing and vocal collabs over signed instrumentals from DJs and other producers, but if I take as an example my next new single with my band, it started with drums/beats on my AKAI MPC X for that hands-on future bass vibe, then I moved over to Logic for keys and vocals where after my guitarists did their magic. That was the process in short, but obviously, it can take months getting the right sound and sometimes I wheel in a celebrated mixer for the finishing touch.
In the beginning, it was a lot of asking other producers and people in my band for help, and believe it or not but I still own a really thick heavy handbook about Logic Pro, although I never use it anymore! Now you can basically find everything on YouTube (as long as you type in the correct keywords!) and I find it very important to always keep an open 'learning mind' because there is always something more to learn which will improve your skills even if you think you know enough. Technology changes really quickly so you have to keep up, in fact, this is relevant for every profession whether you are a music producer or an IT specialist.
Because of my latest purchase, I have been watching a lot of videos on the SSL YouTube channel. The last one I watched was a video by Sean Divine on the SSL Native Plugins, it's a seven-minute video which explains in short what to do and how to use the SSL Native plugins.
The general advice I wish I had realised in an earlier stage of my career was to not wait for other people to do the work for you if you know what I mean! In the beginning, I wasted a lot of time thinking I was not technical enough to do what I wanted to do and I regret that. I still don't see myself as a 'technical' person but now I know that if I want something I can figure anything out. I guess if I could have seen myself in the future I wouldn't have been so worried and started sooner. That, and I wish I'd learn earlier about audio frequencies across the spectrum and how by manipulating frequencies using EQ it impacts on the final mix!
Always time constraints for me. I struggle with treating something creative as a job. When you do this as a profession there always is a deadline. It feels like there is never enough time to implement all the ideas I have for one piece of music and if I could. I would be working a year-long on one song! But I can't. One thing I do to ease my mind is to instead of spending ages on creating one piece of perfect music, give yourself a deadline, keep a watertight schedule system, stick to it like glue and know there is always the next song to implement more ideas, improve your skills and get better.
I have created a unique lockdown vocal booth from a gazebo and four acoustic blankets, it works a treat!
I have a good relationship with some of the mixing and producer guys on SoundBetter which helps to get your production a level up.
Yes, I always run my music past my manager (who is also a published songwriter so it helps) and my promotions team who don’t hold back on how my music could improve for radio etc.
My next single because I have been wanting to make a track like this for a long time and it’s a real level up from anything I previously produced… I can’t say anything more for a few weeks!
Yes, in one very basic but crucial way. You can tell pretty quickly if a track is going to ignite interest with fans, so you get to learn what works and what doesn’t work so well.
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This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
