Today we are in conversation with Travis Stewart aka Machinedrum.    Travis debuted his Machinedrum Moniker in 2001 when he was only 18 years old and has consistently pushed creative boundaries with his music for the last 2 decades.   With releases on forward-thinking, innovative labels such as Ninja Tune, Plant Mu, Lucky Me and Mercury KX, his latest album Elysian under his moniker T-Stewart once again showcased his versatility as a musician and producer.   This absolutely stunning ambient album explores the concept of finding heaven on earth through nature and music.   So I was super excited to speak to Travis and get a glimpse into how he stimulates his creative thinking and consistently executes to such a high level.   In this episode, you’ll discover how to use your life experiences to craft original pieces of art…   …what your creative mode is and how to activate it every day.    …how to give your work and family the undivided attention they deserve and still build a flourishing career in music.   …AND how to build the habits and processes that underpin the success of a full-time music producer.   In short, this is an absolute treasure trove of an interview and we dive into previously uncharted territory… https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm186/

In this second part of our reactions podcast, we dig into a topic that is continuously raising its ugly head…time.   This is an area that relates to all of us and brings with it all kinds of anxiety…   Are you spending more time than you need to on your music and how can you save time?   Are you focusing on the right things or in completely the wrong area?   And how do you even know what the “right” area is?   Then we have the angle of running out of time altogether - this idea of simply being “too old” for the game.   Our time is precious and none of us wants to waste it on something that at the end of the day no one cares about.    We want to use it to make a significant impact.   In today’s show, Team FMM’s Terra and Rob discuss the methods you can use to determine how and where you should be focusing your time…   …so that you can get maximum results for the minimum effort and keep moving forwards faster.   This episode hits those tough questions on how as music producers we approach time.   https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm185/

What is influencing your music? Are you stealing like a thief or an artist?   Has your sound found you yet?…and just what is YOUR sound?   This week’s podcast saw a return of the Team Takeover with Terra and Rob finding their way back into the podcast hot seat.   Diving back into some of the earliest episodes and the fundamental topics that all creatives face…   Innovation and originality, bringing your own sense of fun, loving what you do, and the importance of staying authentic.   I love hearing real-world examples, insights and experiences from music producers who are wrestling with these ideas.   Rob and Terra dug deep into the unavoidable questions of what it takes to be authentic with your music.   And if you’re like most music producers, these topics will hit home particularly hard for you…   https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm184/

If you could jump back in time and share one life lesson with your younger self what would it be?   If you’re like most people, chances are you’ve caught yourself saying “if only I’d known that years ago…”   And when it comes to music production there are some impactful lessons that have the potential to save you time, money, and frustration…   …while maximising on opportunities and massively accelerating your progress.   When I started out in music production I didn’t have a clue and yet there are countless people who have travelled that same path, who have the experience and who have the answers.   In today’s episode, the focus is on sharing those answers so that you don’t have to make the same mistakes that others before you made (myself included).   I asked members of my Finish More Music community what things they wish they had known when first starting out.    …What piece of advice was the difference that made the difference for them?   So if you’re not consistently finishing music and haven’t yet cracked the code, this is going to be dynamite for you!   https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm183/

Disruption can hit our lives at any time and in many different ways, creating a world of pain.   Maybe you’re moving house, or welcoming a new family member…   Perhaps you’re changing jobs, or getting a promotion...   Or maybe it’s exams, a new course, or unexpected travel.   These situations happen to all of us throughout our creative journey, and for some people the effects last way beyond the actual period of disruption…   …creating a real mountain for them to climb before they feel ready to start writing music again.    So how do you stay on track with your dreams and stay consistent with your music when other areas of your life get tied in a knot and pull you out of your routines and away from your daily stability?   In this episode, I'll share with you a simple, yet powerful three-part formula that you can apply whenever your life sails into choppy waters.   …to keep your creativity flourishing and your dreams completely on track.    Let's get started…

Today I’m talking about possibly THE most impactful piece of advice I could give you on your music production journey.   It’s a topic that is incredibly important, and one of the biggest ways to accelerate your progress as a music producer.   …In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it's nearly impossible to succeed without this ingredient.    This topic is about finding people to work with who have complementary skill sets, perspectives, and ways of thinking so that you can make meaningful steps towards the success that you want.   But it’s also about the traps and tricks that our minds play on us - the fear that we’re a failure because we reach out and ask for help.   And this is something I've noticed that holds people back across all areas of music production and creativity.   Something that actually stops them from seeking out and working with someone who may have the skills or knowledge that complement their own.   And maybe you can relate to this.   It might seem obvious, but if you are NOT working with others at every step of your journey, then chances are that you are living with a fear or a story that is keeping you trapped.   Maybe you feel you are missing a bunch of different skills that you need and that’s holding you back.    Maybe you are a perfectionist or you find yourself distracted a lot and just can't seem to get over the line with your tracks.   Or maybe you are sitting on a pile of music and haven't quite managed to get the courage up to get it out into the world.    If you are trying to do everything yourself because you're stuck in your own head then this episode is for you.   Asking for help is not a weakness. It is a strength. And it is the route that unquestionably will maximize your individual chances of success.     So let’s dive in…

In this episode, I'm sharing an unpleasant experience that Mrs M and I faced within days of arriving here in Austin.   This is something that could have seriously messed us up…   …but instead, Ana and I were able to seamlessly move through it without feeling stressed, hopeless, or desperate about what was going on.    We’ve been fortunate to go through some challenging situations in the past that have helped us to build our resolve and our thought process so that we can now tackle things like this with relative ease.    And I'll share with you some of the simple principles that we've learned and were able to apply that really helped.   …Because so often it's just little ways of looking at the world - a couple of perspectives -  that make all of the difference.    Every strand of your life is intertwined. Your music journey does not exist in a bubble. And these lessons fit perfectly with all areas of your life which support your creative journey.    There's a lot to get stuck into in this one!  

Miami based DJ Adrian Blaga who owns and runs the Magician on Duty label is a man who's growing in multiple facets of the music industry.    “There's no doubt about it. If you wanna be the best at what you do, you need to show up and you need to be better than everybody else”   We dig deep into what it takes to climb the ladder as DJ, producer, and label owner. And the importance of discipline and consistency to be the best at what you do.   “The more you do one thing, the better you get. That's how you start. There's no discussion that after a while you're gonna get better at it. It's proven”   Adrian reveals the most effective approach for submitting your music to labels and what to avoid…   …so that you get signed, not blacklisted.   And importantly, how to overcome the fears, insecurities, and self doubt that are holding you back from sending out your music.   “Life takes you in different ways and there are a lot of times that opportunities got presented to me. And then I just took them. Some worked some didn't but from each one I got to learn something that helped me”.   Adrian dropped so much knowledge and answered so many of the burning questions that I constantly hear from people about sending their music to labels.   There's such a great vibe, ethos and professionalism in Adrian's desire to support artists.   We unpack a lot in this episode…

While many producers try to sound like other artists, my guest today has always chosen to go against the grain.   In this episode I'm sitting down with co-founder and owner of the iconic Hospital records, Drum and Bass legend Tony Colman, who performs and produces as London Elektricity.   With a punk attitude of doing things differently and getting reactions, Tony broke stereotypes and boundaries by doing what he wanted and not what was expected.   “There's no point unless you do it differently”   The culmination of diverse influences led him to discover his place in the world of music…   “Hearing the tune work on the dance floor I just knew this was my future”.   Tony talks about the serendipity of his journey and how a negative experience became a positive and defining moment in his life.    Energised from getting burned, he worked hard, followed his muse and went by pure gut instinct to build a successful label with a novel philosophy.   Tony lays out his approach to listening to demos and the emotional response he looks for…   “Music for me works when it's accessing an emotional source within the listener that they may not even be aware of now. That is genius. That is undefinable. That's what people call the ingredient X. And that's what I try and open myself to when I'm listening to new music”   We go deep into the topic of being unique, sourcing obscure sounds and beats, the art of improvisation in the studio, throwing off restrictions and having fun…   “Don’t be afraid to break out of your comfort zone…Fear is important. Imposter syndrome is essential. It's part of what helps us to be different and better.” Tony really knows his stuff and this interview has one hell of an empowering message…

With his first music released at age 14, Tim Engelhardt has gone on to consistently release on some of the most respected labels in the industry, playing his music out around the world.    Today Tim talks about his unique journey, what he embraces in his productions and his process of discovery and learning, exploring the possibilities of the tools available…   “there's a tendency for a lot of people to almost discount the stock plugins or devices…just an exploration of the presets can be quite mind blowing sometimes”   The benefits of bringing something new into your workflow whilst minimising the risks of interrupting your creative flow…   “What's really important for me is that there is not that big of a learning curve. So it is very immediate. I don't have to do a lot to make it sound great.”   Deciding what to let go of for the greater good of the record…   “you don't necessarily need to add things, you can also take things away…it's easy to overcomplicate…there's a time to bring things in and a time when there isn't”   We deep dive into his workflow from the studio to the clubs to the label, the necessity of deadlines to get motivated to finish…   …and the power of saying no; reserving your creative energy for things that you love and that really inspire you.   This episode is a real eye-opener!