micro/Maker by Loose Leaf Transmissions

Vanessa Ague talks about growing up with an exploratory relationship to music — improvising on violin from a young age, engaging with minimalism through playing, and ultimately deciding not to pursue a performance career. Instead, she followed her passion for theory, history, and context, which gradually led her toward a life in music criticism.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on social media @LooseLeafTransmissions.

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

C. Jacqueline Wood describes her art as a tension between the analog and the digital—between what can be touched, saved, and archived, and what disappears into streaming platforms, algorithms, or failed hard drives. From cataloging every physical book, CD, and record she owned for her exhibition What Makes a Life to re-recording double-exposed slides until they disintegrated into static, Jacqueline reflects on how technology shapes memory, permanence, and loss. At its core, her work wrestles with what remains when media fades and what it means to long for something round when faced only with the flat.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on Instagram: @loose.leaf.transmissions

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At 19, Chris Opperman thought his future was slipping away—Frank Zappa was gone, and no label wanted a young composer making instrumental music. So he built his own label, Purple Cow Records, funded by a scrappy internet “mini mall” selling movie posters. Two decades later, after a PhD detour and a changing music industry, Chris revived the label with a fan-supported Kickstarter and a flood of orders that filled an entire mail truck. His story is equal parts urgency, reinvention, and resilience.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon.

Follow us on Instagram: @loose.leaf.transmissions

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Emma O’Halloran, the 1990s weren’t just about mixtapes, tribute bands, and chaotic tin whistle classes — they became part of her musical DNA. In this conversation, Emma reflects on how those formative sounds continue to resurface in her work, including her piece Constellations. Whether it’s grunge, boy bands, or Led Zeppelin colliding with the Backstreet Boys, the spirit of the 90s remains a wellspring of color and emotion she draws from, consciously or not. A window into how memory, nostalgia, and gut instinct shape a composer’s voice.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on Instagram: @loose.leaf.transmissions

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joshua Mallard explores the creative overlap between composing and sound design — from the pitch and texture of metal pipes to the way middleware helps shape immersive game environments. He and Tyler talk about how subtle sonic choices help guide the player’s experience, and how technical and musical fluency go hand-in-hand in modern game development.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on Instagram @loose.leaf.transmissions.

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From high school French press flops to slinging espresso for Scarlett Johansson and André 3000 in New York, Nathan Hudson’s journey with coffee is as layered as his career in music. He recounts opening pop-up “illegal coffee shops” in college, teaching as a barista educator, even roasting beans professionally—discovering in the process that coffee isn’t just a drink, but a practice of intention, connection, and surprise. Whether it’s pulling the perfect shot or composing a piece, Hudson finds joy in the balance of control and unpredictability—because in both coffee and music, the magic comes from what you can’t plan.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on Instagram: @loose.leaf.transmissions

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shelley Washington shares her candid perspective on tokenism in classical music and why real, lasting change requires more than checking a box. She discusses the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for marginalized artists — and how she uses her platform to push for greater equity.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on social media @LooseLeafTransmissions.

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Groove isn’t just ink on a staff—it’s where you place the beat. Marc Mellits tells Tyler Kline how he coaches classical players toward “smooth, funky legato,” invisible accents, and a center-or-back-of-the-beat feel that actually locks in the pocket. They also dig into orchestral drum set pitfalls, cymbal choice as personal voice, and why leaving slashes for improvisation often beats writing every note.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on Instagram: @loose.leaf.transmissions

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phong Tran reflects on his formative experiences growing up online, and how internet culture shaped his musical taste and personal identity. He shares the emotional origin of his album The Computer Room — a tribute to the friendships and memories made in digital spaces that no longer exist.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on social media @LooseLeafTransmissions.

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mahdis Golzar Kashani reflects on how Persian traditional music shapes her compositional voice. In this excerpt, she shares her experiences blending Iranian and Western classical instruments, navigating the challenges of writing for oral traditions, and collaborating closely with performers to create new musical dialogues. From early influences to large-scale cross-cultural projects, Kashani describes her process of expanding and preserving Persian musical heritage within contemporary composition.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions. Follow us on social media @loose.leaf.transmissions.

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.