Music Production Podcast

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 Jamua...

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 into finished tracks. I've been fo...

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 creative process of developing plug-ins a...

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 Br...

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!

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 art to tell bigger, immer...

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 storytelling influences his sound design. We ...

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 inspired ...

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 to the...

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 both a band setting and as a program...

https://brianfunk.comIs 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 o...

Yeuda Ben Atar, aka Side Brain, is one of the most knowledgable and prolific Ableton Certified Trainers out there. He recently released his 100th weekly episode of his music production Study Group. He's got some exciting new Ableton Live tools, such as his Push Trigger FX, MIDI Bounce, and Flin for Push.

We spoke about his teaching and work and his liberating position on releasing musi...

Sarah Belle Reid is a trumpet player, composer, educator, and sonic explorer whose work combines classical performance, experimental electronics, and modular synthesis. With a background in conservatory training and a fearless embrace of improvisation and technology, Sarah's music blurs boundaries—merging extended trumpet techniques, custom-built software, and handcrafted synth patches into deeply expressive, often ot...

Mixerman (Eric Sarafin) is a gold and platinum-selling producer, mixer, engineer, and author whose credits include The Pharcyde, Ben Harper, Spearhead, Lifehouse, Barenaked Ladies, and Foreigner. Known for his no-nonsense approach and razor-sharp insights, Mixerman has spent decades working at the highest levels of the industry—both in iconic L.A. studios and now from his mountain home studio in Asheville, NC.

There's really only one secret I can tell you that will help you make more music, have more fun making it, and leave you more satisfied with what you make. 

Work Fast. 

Listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube

Links:

• Adam Rokhsar on the Music Production Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xsm_PGb9vM
• Some Good Evil The Master Plan EP - https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/somegoodevil/the-master-plan
• Brian Funk Website - https:/...

Oscar Zambrano is a mastering engineer and the founder of Zampol Productions, a New York City studio known for mastering an impressive range of records—from Spotify Singles to avant-garde jazz to Broadway cast albums. With 20 years in the industry, Oscar has become a go-to name for artists who want their music treated with care, precision, and a deep understanding of both the technical and artistic sides of mastering.

Aqeel Aadam is a musician, sound designer, and plugin developer blending modular synthesis with a love of nature and organic textures. Through his company, Aqeel Aadam Sound, he creates audio plugins for the curious and open-minded. He creates tools that spark inspiration rather than dictate outcomes.

Aqeel and I explore the connection between nature and synthesis, the power of li...

Julian Astri, aka Toru, is a music producer, educator, and the host of the ProducerHead Podcast, a show dedicated to amplifying the voices of beatmakers, producers, and creatives at every stage of their journey. Through his work, Toru fosters a culture of consistency, curiosity, and community in music production—offering motivation and real-world insight through interviews, daily posts, and personal reflection.

In this conversation...

Today I welcome back TJ Dumser, who makes ambient meditative soundscapes under the name Six Missing. TJ is in the process of releasing his new album Without Mind in 3 sections. We spoke shortly after the first section Identify was released.

TJ and I picked up where we left off, discussing his work and the vision he has for this album. Things pretty quickly got philosophical and introspective. We shared techniques for dealing with s...