The Finish More Music Podcast

Today we are going to be talking about tearing holes in the fabric of reality and collapsing time. Nope, it’s not sci-fi. This is something you have access to. And easy access to. Changing your reality and collapsing your own personal timeline. So that you get to achieve what you want in your life and your music in a fraction of the time you think possible… …by taking shortcuts that you’re sure can’t possibly exist! As Mark Twain famously said: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so”. So if you’re doubting what I say, then this podcast is especially for you. Let’s tear open what you know for sure that just ain’t so.

In today's episode we have a controversial conversation that I would love to have your input on. Rob from Team FMM is convinced that hardware has been knocked off it’s perch… …and that the future lies in the box and therefore we should all focus on software going forwards. I threw my best shots at him during this session in support of hardware and he ducked, weaved, countered and even hit me with a few hooks. So dive in, have a listen and let us know which side of the argument you fall on. Oh - and before we get stuck in, you might have noticed new intro music… This track is Lazarus by super-talented FMM member Kukoo aka Louis Hayward. …And it’s our new soundtrack for the next 100 episodes! https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm201/

Today we welcome Ambient and Electronica producer John Hayes to the show. John is currently signed on a three-album deal to the excellent Nettwerk label alongside artists such as Sasha and il:lo. His music is supported on radio stations worldwide, including the iconic BBC, and his track Sleep Song has over 2 million streams on Spotify. In this conversation, we discover John’s approach to album writing, how his music guides him to the finish line, how he was discovered by promotors and label owners, and how you can be too. And we get to be a fly on the wall and discover what happens in a meeting with a top label before getting signed. Finally, at the very end of the episode John shares a well-guarded secret that we are the first to discover. This interview has it all - from initial improvisations to finished album to releasing to promo and building a fanbase… …To the big reveal at the end! https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm200/

Are you open to exploring something a bit leftfield? We all know that there are ways to get into a creative headspace at the start of a writing session that will help us to be more productive in that session… And maybe you are already making good use of many of them… DAW Templates…Creating a tidy studio space…Having a plan of what you want to achieve…Even meditation. But what if I told you there was another way? A way that while at first might sound a bit bonkers, has been scientifically proven to work and is being used by many of the world’s greatest creatives and performers. A way to build confidence, escape fears, beat procrastination… Would you be interested to know about it, even if it might raise an eyebrow or two when you first hear it? If the answer is “yes, I’m game for new ideas, especially those that can help me to be more creative”… Then stay tuned, because I’m about to reveal all…

In this episode, we’re asking the question - has it all been done before? Have we reached the frontier of music and there are no new genres, sounds, or musical directions to pursue? Given the amount of music in the world and the hundreds of genres and subgenres that exist, it would be easy to conclude that the answer is yes… …Our lot now is to simply refine what exists and there’s nothing fundamentally new to discover. So is it true? Or is there another way of thinking? One, that when unlocked, will; fill us with inspiration and wonder about the future. In this episode, we’ll dive into the topic and as always you can decide for yourself. https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm198/

In today’s episode, we’re going to be exploring that question. Said another way: Just because a particular genre lights you up to hear it in a club or on your phone, does that mean it’s the music you were put on this planet to make? …or could it be that holding on to the belief that you must make the genre that’s your favourite to listen to is dragging you down and sapping your enjoyment of making music in the studio? There’s something very interesting at play here, so without further ado, let’s find out. ---------------- https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm197/

Today we’re meeting a familiar foe but in a surprising new way. The enemy in front of us is distraction, and we’ve uncovered some new research that shows that everything we thought we knew about distractions and their impact on creatives is actually way worse. And some of the things we didn’t know were distractions… to our minds, actually are. Distractions cause us to react, and when we react we have no control… …and when we have no control, then who is running our lives? It’s certainly not us! So, to find out how this is happening to us… …and to discover the solutions we’ve uncovered to get your own mind and your own time back; Keep listening. www.finishmoremusic.com/196

No matter how organised and self-disciplined you are, change is inevitable. And, as a result, that will shake up your routine. This episode is all about the inevitable breaks that from time to time we are forced to take away from our regular creative sessions. Whether it’s an illness, life events, vacations, work, or perhaps you’ve simply fallen off the wagon and stopped writing music… Nobody wants to come back from a break and struggle to get started with their music. …and nobody wants the break from their creativity to take any longer than necessary. And yet, I’ve noticed that so many people end up dragging it out when they do have the opportunity to get started with their music again. And maybe this sounds familiar to you: You struggle to get back into a rhythm and days turn into weeks turn into months and the resistance to get started keeps building more and more. Really comes down to one factor. One reliable and repeatable first step. In this episode we look at the number one way to quickly and efficiently get back to your music… …and how you can implement it as soon as you’ve listen to this very episode. https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm195/

Nobody wants their art to be a stressful frustrating anxiety-inducing experience. And yet I’ve noticed so many creatives bring this upon themselves by creating their own studio paralysis. In this episode, we’re going to be exploring a strange phenomenon that will hamper your ability to make progress with the piece of music you are writing. In fact, if left unchecked this way of operating has been proven to lead creatives into stress, fatigue, frustration and a state of zero outcome… …that’s to say completely blocked creatively and with nothing to show for themselves. So let’s unpack this, shine your awareness on the red flags to watch out for… ...and make sure you don’t experience this debilitating phenomenon. https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm194/

Today we are entertaining one of Spain’s finest House Music Producers, KPD. With hundreds of releases to his name on the world's biggest labels from Defected to Toolroom AND with one of his singles reaching 25 million streams on Spotify, I was keen to understand how he maintains this output, at this quality. And all whilst DJing around the world! The answers to these questions are actually very different to everything we’ve heard on the show so far. We uncover the reason why one big release does not mean you’ve made it… …what happens when a track goes big and reaches 25 million streams… …how you can build a career as a producer and DJ without being a slave to relentless travelling… …and how to get your music discovered by the people who count in your corner of the industry. Now, if you think you might have left it too late to give yourself a chance of building a career in the industry… Or if you have a family you want to spend time with and feel that’s a barrier to following your dreams of DJing and producing… …you’ll want to pay special attention to this one! Let’s dive in.

Today we are going to be talking about mistakes… … particularly mistakes my wife Ana has made. And let me tell you, they’ve cost us a few quid! But… they have also revealed a profound lesson for me and a way of thinking about mistakes that, if you find yourself holding back due to fear of making mistakes, I know you are going to love. So If you want release from perfectionism, fear of what others think of you, or fear of failure then this episode is for you. I just hope Ana doesn’t kill me for sharing this with you…

Today we are going to be talking about sabotage! Specifically, how we often sabotage our chances of success by worrying, avoiding, and procrastinating on the things that we really want to achieve. Maybe you know you’re doing this regularly, maybe you can see that you are starving yourself of learning opportunities, growth and the results and outcomes that you truly want. In this episode, we’ll get to the bottom of the cause of this and importantly what to do about it… …so that you get to achieve more of what you want with your art and in the other areas of your life that matter the most to you. This concept will improve the quality of your life, art and music, and also improve your chances of achieving the outcomes and dreams that you are aspiring to so that you will be more present and worry-free. Let’s get started. https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm191/

This is the second part of a double-header focussing on what it takes to get your music signed on the labels you love, and the shortcuts to get you there fast. Previously we heard the perspectives of established artists in the scene learning how to get noticed, and the pitfalls they have fallen into so that you don’t fall into the same. In this episode, we are hearing from the label owners themselves… What criteria are they looking at? What do they want to see in you beyond just the music? How can you stand out in a good way to catch their ear? And, importantly, what not to do to avoid getting blacklisted by labels. Getting your music signed consists of several processes from getting heard in the first place to signing a contract to promo and to building long-lasting relationships with labels. So whether you’re excited to advance your career in music or you’re happy in your current job but want to get your music played by the DJs you love and share the feeling you get when you’re on the dance floor with other people… This is the episode for you. https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm190/

In this episode, we’re talking about getting your music out into the world… …so that you get to impact and share your creativity with others. I decided a great way to do this would be to search through our podcast interviews and curate the most powerful lessons from artists at the top of the game. People who have experienced massive success releasing their music on established labels AND have also made every mistake in the game. By hearing their advice you get to take advantage of the shortcuts they share… …whilst avoiding the pitfalls and traps they succumbed to on their journey. It’s super humbling to have shared these interviews with so many world-class artists. Their humility and willingness to share is an absolute gift for us on the podcast. So, if you’re looking to get your music out into the world (and I hope you are) then this episode is for you. https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm189/

It’s not often we have a bonafide pioneer of dance music on the podcast… Today I’m in conversation with house music legend Jesse Saunders who holds the impressive accolade of releasing the first ever House record… …planting the seed that sprouted into the global phenomenon that is dance music today. In this interview, we follow his journey and learn exactly what the formative years of dance music were really like… The scene, the people, the creativity and the vibe that kick-started DJing and dance music we know today. And importantly, the mindset and approach that Jesse takes into the studio and his performances. The same mindset that enabled him to write his name in dance music history. If you want to make a mark, be an innovator, stand out from the crowd and cut through the noise… If you are struggling in the studio and want a fun, joyous and spiritual way of writing music that takes the pressure off… If you have any interest in dance music whatsoever… Then this is absolutely the podcast for you. https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm188/

Travis Stewart is the gift that keeps on giving… Having left you dangling with one hell of a cliffhanger last week, now’s your chance to pick up where we left off… …and dive into part two of our conversation with Travis Stewart aka Machinedrum aka T.Stewart. We received amazing feedback about the first part of the interview in which Travis dove into the mindset, productivity, life skills and mental capacity required to be a professional producer. In this second half we step through the studio doors with Travis and uncover his creative process and the approach he uses to consistently write and release high quality, critically acclaimed pieces of music. Travis breaks down his 3 stages of music production, an essential technique for increasing your chances of finishing more music, the approach to mix downs that pros take that amateurs do not… …that will lead you to far more original and creative pieces of music… AND reveals the story that most struggling producers keep telling themselves that stops them from ever making it in the music industry… …which hit home really hard for my co-host Terra and had her on the brink of tears! https://finishmoremusic.com/fmm187/

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/