“I find it hard to describe my own sound because I’m constantly trying to break it,” Cook says. “That’s what makes music interesting to me… a lot of the experimentation I’m doing in my own music is really to keep myself interested… just trying to stay engaged. In…
What core philosophy has stayed the same since the days of Symphobia or True Strike, and what has changed the most about your approach? What has remained constant since we started ProjectSAM in 2001 is our absolute focus on sound quality and articulations. Back then, industry-leading libraries were…
At what point did you realize the track needed movement inside the sounds rather than more layers to build intensity? Once we added the drums, the song shifted drastically. What originally felt like a slow, reflective ballad suddenly had a sense of immediateness and forward momentum. The breakbeat…
I would encourage younger producers to start by experimenting with timing and feedback before anything else. Small changes in delay time or feedback can completely alter how a groove feels. Try unsynced or slightly offset timings, and listen to how the delay creates movement and tension rather than…
For younger producers working in pairs, what advice would you give on finding balance, maintaining chemistry, and finishing music that still feels alive? Thea: The biggest thing is learning to protect the chemistry that made you want to create together in the first place. You each bring different…