Why This Episode Matters:

AudioHaze has quietly built an incredibly respected music education platform online. From forensic artist recreations to heartfelt reflections on creativity, his channel has become a masterclass in curiosity and craft. In this conversation, we get into the realities of being a full-time creator, from loneliness and editing marathons to embracing mic bleed, imperfection, and community. His message? The giant leap you’re waiting for probably doesn’t exist. It’s all about the small, painful, necessary steps.

Who is AudioHaze:

Ricky is the creator behind AudioHaze, a YouTube channel focused on recreating iconic artist sounds through real-world setups and deep music education. His work blends technical expertise, production storytelling, and emotional honesty, showing how creativity thrives not in perfection, but in process. He’s collaborated with musicians to recreate everything from The Beatles rooftop sessions to Vulfpeck performances, always breaking down the “how” and the “why” behind great sound.

What We Dive Into:

* The creative isolation of being a solo creator, and how to build community

* Why you don’t need hardware or new plugins to make something great

* Mic bleed, live setups, and the psychology of real collaboration

* The economics of creating: YouTube, Patreon, sponsors, and building income streams

* Fear as a creative fuel and how to avoid burning out

* The myth of the “big break” and the beauty of slow progress

Three Key Takeaways:

* The Monumental Leap is a Monumental Lie: Every breakthrough comes from hundreds of small, invisible steps. The daily grind is the real magic.

* Create to Connect: The more you open up, even when it’s scary, the more meaningful your work becomes.

* Build Around What You Love, Not What You Fear: Sustainable success comes from balancing ambition with joy, community, and rest.

Before You Go:

Think about your own version of small, consistent steps. What’s one thing you can repeat today that no one will see, but that’ll move you closer to where you want to be a year from now?

Chapters:

0:00 – Intro

1:00 – What AudioHaze Does

3:42 – Isolation in Creative Work

5:07 – Creating Collaboration Energy

9:22 – Embracing Bleed & Imperfection

13:13 – Breaking Isolation

14:55 – Live First, Fix Later

16:54 – Vulnerability & Connection

22:00 – The Cost of Success

24:00 – Reality vs Expectation

29:32 – Process over Plugins

33:20 – Finding Your Process

35:02 – Plugin Philosophy

37:39 – Pressure & Comparison

39:25 – Metrics That Matter

46:13 – Starting From Zero

50:13 – Fear as a Compass

54:20 – Learning Through Experience

55:21 – Monumental Leaps Are B******t

1:00:11 – Where to Find AudioHaze

1:00:49 – Quick Hits

1:05:44 – Closing Thoughts

1:06:21 – Outro

List of References from the Interview:

Songs / Artists:

* Bon Iver

* Phoebe Bridgers

* Rage Against the Machine

* Vulfpeck

* Radiohead

* Bob Boilen (NPR Tiny Desk)

Products / Gear:

* SM57 Microphone

* Goodhertz (Wow Control, Vulf Compressor, Tone Control)

* Scheps Omni Channel

* Universal Audio 1176 / LA-2A

* Ableton Live

* Plunk by AudioHaze

Connect with AudioHaze:

* YouTube: @AudioHaze

* Instagram: @realaudiohaze

* Website: AudioHaze

Connect with Toru:

* Website: torubeat.com

* Instagram: @torubeat

* YouTube: @torubeat

* Spotify: Toru

* Apple Music: Toru

Credits:

This episode was co-produced, engineered and edited by Matthew Diaz. From ProducerHead, this is Toru, and in a way, so are you. Peace.

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