Producer Points

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 Ori Rose, a producer, songwriter, artist, and vocal producer whose work spans pop, alternative, and the global K-pop world. Credits include 30 Seconds to Mars, MINHO, V of BTS, Tomorrow X Together, Hoodie Allen, MASN, Zach Hood, Crash Adams, and more. He also has his own artist project showing off his smooth voice and production. And somehow a massive Eagles fan and a Bills fan ended up in the same fantasy football league.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "FRI(END)S" by V: how a song pitched years earlier came back around, reading the actual email where V said he liked it, the original concept that definitely wasn't going to fly, and letting your ego go so someone else can finish the record
• "Pretty Face" by Hoodie Allen: pitching the vocal down and speeding it back up, why the drums are one layer each, and learning the day one demo had all the magic (full deep dive on Patreon)

🎛️ We explore:

• Cold emailing everyone, including his mom's work friends, and how that turned into a publishing deal
• Why the music industry isn't a meritocracy, and why you need shamelessness and a little delusion to make it
• Why Zoom sessions might actually write better songs
• His first K-pop cut and getting asked for three separate harmonies on the hook
• Why vocal production is king in K-pop, plus his Waves Tune settings for leads
• Being the most insecure producer in the room
• Taste is everything, and why you should check yourself if you keep referring back to the brief
• Plug or Unplug: Metric Halo ChannelStrip 3, Acustica Ash, Baby Audio IHNY-2, Softube Tape, UAD Oxide Tape, CLA Vocals, Soundtheory Gullfoss

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Ori Rose: @orirose
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
Pizza Bagel Plugins: @pizzabagelplugins
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

In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Pedro Calloni, a mixer whose work has been stopping him in his tracks lately. Every time a song hits different in a playlist, Pedro's name seems to be on it. Credits include Chris Stapleton, Bella Kaye, Stella Lefty, Ashe, Amy Allen, Nick Jonas, Joy Oladokun, Sasha Alex Sloan, LANY, GAYLE, Debbii Dawson, Alex Warren, Sadie Jean, and slimdan. In Justin's opinion, he's quietly becoming one of the top mixers to watch in the entire industry.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "Fever Dream" by Alex Warren — the three-day Hail Mary call, taming a powerful voice without touching its tone, the parallel vocal weight channel, sidechained multiband on the instrument bus, and keeping the groove untouched
• "problem solver" by slimdan — keeping the vocal dry, the room hiss decision, that too-loud fuzz guitar, and going back in for the Medium Build version (full deep dive on Patreon)

🎛️ We explore:

• Growing up in Rio, the Berklee scholarship audition, and realizing he wasn't going to be a jazz drummer
• Landing at Village Studios and how end-of-session rough mixes made him a better mixer than he realized
• Getting Sasha Alex Sloan's debut album by saying yes to a tour he had no business taking
• His philosophy on restraint and why he's never lost a gig for not making enough moves
• The Cezanne analogy: finding the shape of a song and making sure it never gets lost
• Why plugins aren't necessarily getting better, and working fast without working in a rush
• Plug or Unplug: Kazrog True Iron, Goodhertz Megaverb, AudioPunks Great British Spring, Dangerous BAX EQ, Tube-Tech CL 1B, CLA Vocals

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Pedro Calloni: @pedrocalloni
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
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🎧 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
🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

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
🛒 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

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
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

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
🛒 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

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
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

🎧 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
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates