🎧 Matt Huber on Mixing Julia Michaels, Valley & Why Editing Is Half the Job

🎙️ This is the free episode. The full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: patreon.com/producerpoints
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In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Matt Huber, a multi Grammy nominated mix engineer based in LA and Nashville who has been putting out some of the best mixes of the past few years. Credits include Julia Michaels, Maren Morris, Alex Warren, Valley, Boys Like Girls, Underoath, Dylan Scott, Jamie Miller, Tove Lo, Maddie Zahm, Ingrid Andress, and more. He also gives out some of the best mix tips on Instagram, and Justin has definitely stolen a few already.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "Scissors" by Julia Michaels ft. Maren Morris: making the 808 feel big without turning it into a hip hop record, word by word clip gain on the vocal, separating the lead from the harmonies, and layering a sample under a clipped kick
• "Like 1999" by Valley: rushed production, proximity effect, taming guitar scratches, and letting the 808 be the king of the low end (full deep dive on Patreon)

🎛️ We explore:

• The fateful "we like your rough mix better" moment that turned him from producer to mixer
• Why niching down made his career easier to understand
• His philosophy on sharing techniques and why mixing is not a zero sum game
• Keeping work hours and giving your freshest brain to the creative work
• The confidence to just hit send
• Taking big swings on a mix and when to ask permission first
• The saturation stacking trap and the gain match trick
• Top down mixing, cleaning tracks in solo, and why 50 percent of his mixing is actually editing
• Plug or Unplug: God Particle, Kirchhoff EQ, Trackspacer, Ozone 12, CLA Vocals

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Matt Huber: @mattjhuber
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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This is the free episode -- the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: patreon.com/producerpoints
🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Jason Strong -- a multi-platinum producer and songwriter who has quietly built one of the most impressive and genuinely global careers around. His work spans pop, alternative, and K-pop at the highest level, with credits across the US, South Korea, Japan, and beyond, including Tomorrow X Together, TWS, D.O., Jessica Baio, Sueco, Knox, Christian French, Jamie Miller, and more. Born in South Africa, trained at Berklee, and now based in LA, he's built a career on being deeply musical, endlessly adaptable, and always artist first.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "Other Side" by Jessica Baio -- how a chorus concept got completely reshaped in the room, keeping the production simple to let her vocal lead, and the reverb and delay choices that gave it that ethereal feel
• "Treadmill" by Knox -- full deep dive on Patreon

🎛️ We explore:

• Growing up in South Africa, discovering Berklee through John Mayer, and the audition that got him there
• Moving to LA right after graduation and building a career through visa-dependent production work
• Breaking into the Korean and Japanese markets and what makes those sessions different
• His philosophy on co-producing, handing off records, and when to let go of an idea
• Ableton vs. Pro Tools workflow and his approach to vocal chains
• Plug or Unplug: Keyscape, Goodhertz Wow Control, Chandler Limited Germanium Compressor, Splice Instruments, bx_console SSL 4000 E, iZotope Neutron, CLA Vocals

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Jason Strong: @jasonstrongsongs
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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🎙️ This is the free episode -- the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: patreon.com/producerpoints
🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

Live drums. It might be the thing that scares the average producer even more than vocals. In this Producer Points Roundtable, Justin sits down with Scott Robinson, Sam Pura, and Jon Graber to talk about everything from mic placement and room selection to drum bus secrets, hybrid kits, and the eternal question: can listeners actually tell the difference?

• Scott Robinson (@greatscottcreates) -- Grammy-nominated mixer, producer, and songwriter. Credits include Demi Lovato, Bebe Rexha, Fall Out Boy, and Avril Lavigne.
• Sam Pura (@sampura) -- producer, engineer, and founder of The Panda Studios and Purafied Audio. Credits include Basement, The Story So Far, State Champs, Hundredth, and The Dangerous Summer.
• Jon Graber (@jgrabesmixes) -- LA-based recording and mix engineer with roots in punk and classical composition. From studios in New York to Capitol Records, built a career on capturing raw, honest performances.

🎛️ We cover:

• Where everyone lands on live vs. programmed drums in 2026
• Can listeners actually tell the difference -- and does it even matter?
• When a record genuinely needs a real kit and when it doesn't
• The hybrid approach: blending live and programmed so they feel like one kit
• Matching a live kick to an 808 so they don't fight each other
• Drum editing: how far is too far before you kill the feel?
• The drum bus: parallel compression, saturation, and making live drums cut through
• Craig Bauer's AutoAlign tip that came up in the conversation: instagram.com/p/CUaKmSxAeo2
• Indie Plugin Spotlight: I AM CHOIR by @amiaudio_official and CICO by @quaiko_
• Current events: Spotify AI Persona badges and Phoebe Bridgers' "Lost Weekend"

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Sam Pura: @sampura | @thepandastudios | @purafiedaudio
Scott Robinson: @greatscottcreates
Jon Graber: @jgrabesmixes
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Denis Kosiak -- a Grammy-nominated mixer, producer, and vocal producer whose work shows up consistently across some of the biggest records in pop. Credits include Khalid, Billie Eilish, Marshmello, benny blanco, Halsey, Tate McRae, Ed Sheeran, ZAYN, and more. What stands out is how consistently great the work is across different artists and genres. This man just makes good choices -- and he's one of the very few people Justin would ever fully trust to touch a vocal.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "Look At Me" by All Day Project -- working with Korean pop artists remotely, the production approach, and navigating A&R notes
• "Don't Come Back" by Tate McRae -- how he got the gig, the vocal chain, handling a vocal that can be harsh if not done right, and the mix bus secrets behind one of her biggest records

🎛️ We explore:

• Growing up in Philly, moving to LA at 19, skateboarding to internships, and working his way up through Record Plant
• How running into Khalid at Record Plant led to working on his album six months later
• Shifting between mixer brain, producer brain, and vocal producer brain in the same session
• His philosophy on vocal production -- getting performances vs. fixing them, and knowing when to stop
• Vocal compression stacking, tuning speed, and why the capture matters more than the processing
• Plug or Unplug: oeksound Soothe2, FabFilter Pro-DS, Soundtoys Little AlterBoy, Wavesfactory Trackspacer, UADx Studer A800, CLA Vocals, real 1176

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Denis Kosiak: @deniskosiak
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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This is the free episode — the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: patreon.com/producerpoints
🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

Artists are writing way too much. Justin has been saying it for years. In this roundtable, he sits down with Ryan Marrone, Lucas Arens, and Sam SZND to finally dig into why it's happening, what it's doing to the people in the room, and what a healthier model actually looks like.

• Ryan Marrone (@ryanmarrone) -- producer and songwriter with credits spanning JP Saxe, Sabrina Carpenter, GAYLE, and Lauren Spencer Smith.
• Lucas Arens (@lucasarens) -- Nashville-based producer, songwriter, mixer, and multi-instrumentalist. Credits include Devon Again, Charli Adams, Brye, and emlyn, plus sync placements on Disney and Apple.
• Sam SZND (@samsznd) -- multi-platinum songwriter and recording artist whose credits include NCT Dream, NCT Wish, Katseye, NexZ, and 8TURN.

🎛️ We cover:

• The traditional model vs. now -- what actually changed and when
• Decision fatigue: how 200 songs makes it harder, not easier, to put anything out
• The toll on songwriters and producers who make incredible records that never come out
• Who's actually driving the write-more agenda -- the artist, the manager, or the A&R
• The live show problem: why artists not playing live is connected to writing too much
• Spurts vs. grinding -- what a healthy creative schedule actually looks like
• Current events: GEMA wins its lawsuit against Suno, and BTS boycotts the Grammys

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Ryan Marrone: @ryanmarrone
Lucas Arens: @lucasarens
Sam SZND: @samsznd
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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Here it is:

🎧 Alex Bilowitz on Co-Writing BTS's "Butter," Raising a Family & Making Pop at the Highest Level

🎙️ This is the free episode — the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: patreon.com/producerpoints
🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Alex Bilowitz — a songwriter, producer, and keys wizard whose credits span the entire spectrum of pop. He co-wrote "Butter" by BTS, a song that broke Billboard records, sales records, and Guinness records. He's gone on to work with Le Sserafim, Lil Wayne, Megan Thee Stallion, Keith Urban, Bebe Rexha, Jessie Murph, and more. And on top of all of it, he's one of the funniest, most naturally gifted musicians Justin has ever had the pleasure of knowing.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "Butter" by BTS — the story behind the write, who was in the room, the synths, the lead, the bass, the counter-melody, and that synth solo
• "so unfair" by Sophia James — the piano sound, arrangement philosophy, switching from sampled to real drums, gang vocals, bass guitar, and the NY/modern Broadway energy running through the whole thing (full deep dive on Patreon)

🎛️ We explore:

• Growing up in New York, getting signed to Primary Wave early, and building his way into major pop rooms
• How "Butter" came together over WhatsApp with BTS in Seoul during the pandemic
• Balancing songwriter instincts with production chops and knowing when to play simply vs. show off
• Raising a family while navigating the unpredictability of a music career
• His keys-first approach to sessions and how he shapes piano and synth tones
• Plug or Unplug: Keyscape, Serum 2, UAD 1176 Rev A, Goodhertz Megaverb, Cradle The Prince, CLA Vocals, Kramer Tape

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Alex Bilowitz: @alexbilomusic
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

🎙️ This is the free episode — the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: patreon.com/producerpoints
🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

The number one question Justin gets — in DMs, in person, at mentoring events, from his aunt's cousin's brother-in-law's friend's kid — is "How do I make it in LA?" In this roundtable, he sits down with three producers and songwriters who figured it out the hard way to talk about what actually works, what nobody tells you, and what the grind really looks like from the inside.

• Kyle Reynolds (@kylereynoldsmusic) — platinum songwriter, producer, and artist with releases alongside Galantis, David Guetta, 5 Seconds of Summer, Marshmello, Stray Kids, Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker, and iann dior. Founder of Songdads.
• Tyler Thompson (@tylermeetsworld) — producer, mixer, and mastering engineer with 300+ credits. Works with GIRLHOUSE, Valerie Broussard, Lindsey Stirling, Salem Ilese, The Mowgli's, and The Band Perry. His band WILD has 50M+ streams and syncs on Pixar and Ted Lasso.
• Nate Flaks (@nateflaks) — songwriter and founder of Hitchhiker Sound. Credits include Transviolet, Khatumu, Lily Williams, and Hailey Knox. One half of pop duo Sleeping Lion and host of the Talking Lion podcast.

🎛️ We cover:

• How each guest actually got to LA — and the gap between the fantasy and the reality
• Networking the real way: relationships vs. transactions, and where the best connections actually happen
• Cold DMs and reach outs — what lands and what gets ignored
• Working with people at your level and why your peer group becomes your career
• Social media, Instagram profiles, and what actually moves the needle
• Writing hundreds of songs and the mindset shift from precious to prolific
• Word of mouth — what gets you talked about in rooms you're not in
• Current events: Spotify removes 75 million AI tracks, Apple Music raises prices, and Massachusetts moves to cap ticket resale with Noah Kahan's backing

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Kyle Reynolds: @kylereynoldsmusic
Tyler Thompson: @tylermeetsworld
Nate Flaks: @nateflaks
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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🎧 Charlie Hickey on Guitar Tones & Making Indie Records That Hit Different

🎙️ This is the free episode — the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: patreon.com/producerpoints
🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Charlie Hickey — an artist, songwriter, and producer from Pasadena whose music hits you in the most honest, disarming way. His songwriting has always stood out — there's a softness and emotional clarity to it that feels completely effortless. And every time you hear one of his guitar tones, you end up pausing and going, okay, what exactly is happening there? He's quickly becoming one of the most interesting producers in the indie world.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "My Heart Is a Bloodhound" by Sydney Ross Mitchell — guitar recording, baritone tone, drum samples, vocal chain, and the genius production move at the end
• "Tommy" by Beeson — acoustic guitar lo-fi tape vibe, banjo recording, late drum entrance, slide guitar, and hidden textures (full deep dive on Patreon)

🎛️ We explore:

• Growing up around music with songwriter parents, dropping out of college, and making his first EP in a friend's bedroom
• His label experience, what worked, and why paths diverged
• How he transitioned from artist to producer and started working with other artists
• Guitar tones, amp chains, pedals, and how he shapes emotional texture
• His approach to lo-fi vs. clean and knowing when a sound is right
• Plug or Unplug: Strymon Deco, FabFilter Saturn 2, Baby Audio Spaced Out, Nudistort, Devious Machines Infiltrator, CLA Vocals, RC-20 Retro Color

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Charlie Hickey: @charlie_hickey_
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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🎧 The Big AI Episode w/ Louie Diller, PJ Frantz & Stephen Conley

🎙️ This is the free episode — the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: patreon.com/producerpoints
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The AI episode. The roundtable Justin has been putting off long enough because he was afraid it would run for four hours. In this Producer Points Roundtable, Justin sits down with Louie Diller, PJ Frantz, and Stephen Conley to talk about where they actually stand on AI in music, what tools they're actually using, and what a fair AI music ecosystem even looks like.

• Louie Diller (@louieliveslaughsloves) — artist, songwriter, and producer behind HOLYCHILD. SONA advisory board member.
• PJ Frantz (@pj.frantz) — producer and songwriter whose LA Times piece "Spotify Needs to Start Labeling AI-Generated Music Before It's Too Late" sparked exactly the conversation it was supposed to.
• Stephen Conley (@stephenmconley) — gold-certified producer and songwriter. Credits include GAYLE, Dove Cameron, and Sofia Carson.

🎛️ We cover:

• Generative AI vs. AI-assisted tools — is that a meaningful distinction?
• The streaming flood: Suno generates 7 million songs per day
• PJ's LA Times piece and the transparency problem — should listeners have the right to know?
• The legal landscape: Sony vs. Suno, the Supreme Court ruling, and who's actually getting paid
• Voice cloning, identity, and what Taylor Swift and the Backstreet Boys are doing about it
• AI in the DAW: the tools that actually help vs. the ones that flatten the result
• Current events: Boris FX acquires iZotope, M.I.A. vs. Kid Cudi, and an indie musician suing Spotify

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Louie Diller: @louieliveslaughsloves
PJ Frantz: @pj.frantz
Stephen Conley: @stephenmconley
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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Ehren Ebbage on Lizzy McAlpine, Corook & Making Records That Feel as Good as They Sound

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In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Ehren Ebbage — the producer behind some of the most emotionally precise records in indie pop right now. Credits include Lizzy McAlpine, Corook, Myles Smith, Maddie Zahm, sombr, Jacob Collier, FINNEAS, and more. Every record he touches has a balance that's hard to put into words — clarity, real engineering precision, and genuine emotion, all working together without stepping on each other.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "blankets" by Corook — how the song came together, bass sound, synths, the descending counter melody, vocal processing, and what stayed untouched
• "ceilings" by Lizzy McAlpine — simplicity as power, acoustic guitar choices, strings, vocal capture, and why the master feels so pushed in all the right ways

🎛️ We explore:

• Growing up in bands, assisting Joe Ciccarelli, and finding his voice through sync work
• Building long-term creative relationships with Lizzy McAlpine and Corook
• Balancing engineering precision with emotional instinct
• Vocal chain, mic choices, and why dry and raw usually wins
• Keys-first workflow and knowing when to stop adding
• Plug or Unplug: Goodhertz Vulf Compressor, Unfiltered Audio SILO, oeksound Spiff, Aberrant DSP SketchCassette II, Baby Audio TAIP, Moog Sub 37, CLA Vocals, SM7B

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Ehren Ebbage: @ehrenebbage
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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