The Sound Diaries: Coffee Edition

Alessandro Mastroianni

The Sound Diaries: Coffee Edition is a relaxed round-table podcast about music, sound design and the audio industry. Hosted by composer and sound designer Alessandro Mastroianni, each episode brings together friends and colleagues from across the world of film scoring, sample libraries, post-production, and music technology for an informal one-hour conversation. No scripts. No hot takes for the algorithm. Just honest discussions about tools, workflow, creativity, and the realities of working in audio today. We talk about: – composing and sound design – plugins, instruments and gear – industry news and trends – the creative process – the business of making sound Think of it as a coffee break with people who live and breathe this world. New episodes whenever there’s something worth talking about.

Episodes

  1. May 29

    InMusic buys Native Instruments, Music Degrees & The Future of Creative Careers

    In this episode of The Sound Diaries: Coffee Edition, we discuss the acquisition of Native Instruments by InMusic, and what it could mean for Kontakt, music software developers, and the future of the industry. The conversation then shifts to two recent videos by Rick Beato, exploring whether only wealthy musicians can realistically build successful careers today, the rising cost of music education, and whether traditional conservatory and university pathways still make sense in an era of YouTube, online learning and portfolio careers. Along the way, the panel shares personal experiences from Berklee, conservatory training, orchestral careers, software development, and life as working musicians in a rapidly changing industry. ☕ Use code COFFEEANDSOUND at checkout for 10% off at Sonora Cinematic (stackable with current sales).

    57 min

  2. Apr 24

    Berklee, AI Songwriting & the Future of Music

    This episode is sponsored by Sonora Cinematic. 🎁 Use code COFFEEANDSOUND for 10% off (stackable with current deals) In this episode of The Sound Diaries: Coffee Edition, we dive into the controversy around Berklee College of Music launching an AI songwriting course and we question what it means for composers, producers, and the future of creativity. - Should musicians learn AI tools? - Is generative AI a shortcut… or a creative dead-end? - Are we losing the human side of music? From real-world studio workflows to the ethics of AI-generated art, this episode explores where the line should be drawn and whether music education is heading in the right direction.

    1h 6m

  3. Apr 2

    Writer’s Block Isn’t Real. On Creativity, Craft & Finishing Music

    In this episode of The Sound Diaries: Coffee Edition, we dive into one of the most talked-about (and misunderstood) topics in music and sound design: writer’s block. Is it actually real… or just a convenient excuse? What starts as a casual catch-up quickly turns into a deep roundtable discussion on creativity, discipline, and the realities of finishing music in a professional context. Along the way, we explore everything from perfectionism and workflow habits to the impact of our tools. Also mentioned The release of Movimento Strings: https://sonoracinematic.com/products/movimento-strings-soundbox-instrument“The War of Art” by Steven PressfieldOrbit: https://www.theorbit.co/

    54 min

  4. Mar 11

    Can AI Actually Help Musicians? We tried Moises.

    This episode is sponsored by Sonora Cinematic. Check out Pure Steel String, the steel-string counterpart to Pure Nylon for Soundbox, currently on intro sale. Use the code COFFEEANDSOUND at checkout for an extra 10% off at Sonora Cinematic. The code is stackable with the current promotion. In episode 3 of the Sound Diaries Coffee Edition, we had a candid conversation about whether AI can genuinely help musicians and sound designers — not replace them, but actually support the creative process. The discussion starts from Charlie Puth joining Moises as Chief Music Officer and expands into a broader exploration of AI-powered music tools, including stem separation, transcription, lyric assistance, key and chord detection, practice features, and automated mastering. The panel looks at the real strengths of these tools, especially for learning, sketching ideas, speeding up workflows, and lowering technical barriers. But they also dig into the risks: de-skilling, over-reliance on convenience, loss of ear training, homogenized creativity, and the growing normalization of AI-generated “slop” in everyday listening environments. Along the way, the conversation branches into the importance of collaboration, why outside human perspective still matters in mastering and music production, and how useful tools differ from genuinely creative partners. The second half of the episode shifts into music tech and gear, with chat about Max/MSP, MIDI 2.0, the Suonobuono Polivera synth, the Erica Synths Steam Pipe, the ROLI Airwave and Seaboard, MPE controllers, and the joy of experimental workflows that make sound design feel playful again. A thoughtful and funny roundtable on the promise, limits, and unintended consequences of AI in music. In this episodeCharlie Puth joining MoisesCan AI actually help musicians?Stem separation and transcription toolsAI lyric writing and songwriting assistanceAutomated mastering vs human masteringThe risk of de-skilling and homogenizationWhy collaboration still mattersMax/MSP and AI-assisted codingMIDI 2.0 and experimental workflowsSuonobuono PolyveraErica Synths Steam PipeROLI Airwave, Seaboard, and MPE control

    1h 3m

  5. Feb 25

    Will AI Kill Music Careers? Composers & Sound Designers Debate

    🎧 Sponsored by Sonora Cinematic Use code COFFEEANDSOUND for 10% off at https://sonoracinematic.com In this episode of The Sound Diaries: Coffee Edition, I sit down with a roundtable of composers, sound designers, and audio professionals to discuss generative AI in music — not from hype or fear, but from lived experience. Prompted by Adam Neely’s recent video on AI music, the conversation explores what’s actually at stake: the financial future of working musicians, the difference between AI as an assistive tool versus AI that replaces the creative process, and why collaboration, skill-building, and community still matter. We also unpack ideas like “narcissistic listening,” the myth of democratization, and why AI may end up homogenizing creative output rather than expanding it. Guests: David Tobin & Jeff Meegan, Joe Miller, James David Redding III, and Nicolaj Möller-Nielsen.COFFEEANDSOUND.

    1h 1m

  6. Feb 12

    Is Kontakt In Trouble? Composers React to Native Instruments News

    🎧 Sponsored by Sonora Cinematic Use code COFFEEANDSOUND for 10% off at https://sonoracinematic.com This podcast grew out of my blog The Sound Design Diaries, which always aimed to spark conversations with other composers, sound designers and audio professionals. Instead of writing alone, I decided to bring those conversations to life. The idea is simple: A group of friends from across the audio industry sit down for a relaxed one-hour chat over coffee (or whatever we’re drinking), talking about music, sound design, tools, and the state of our industry. In this first episode we discuss the recent news around Native Instruments and what it might mean for composers, developers, and the future of platforms like Kontakt. We also talk about hardware vs software, creative workflows, and alternative sampler ecosystems. Guests in this episode: – Joe Miller (WavLab Studio) – James David Redding III (Emmy-winning sound editor: The Queen’s Gambit, The Americans) – Nicolaj Müller-Nielsen (Bunker Samples) – Matthew Collings (Krotos) We keep things casual, honest and unscripted — just a group of people who make sound for a living talking shop.

    1h 2m
  • 6 Episodes

About

The Sound Diaries: Coffee Edition is a relaxed round-table podcast about music, sound design and the audio industry. Hosted by composer and sound designer Alessandro Mastroianni, each episode brings together friends and colleagues from across the world of film scoring, sample libraries, post-production, and music technology for an informal one-hour conversation. No scripts. No hot takes for the algorithm. Just honest discussions about tools, workflow, creativity, and the realities of working in audio today. We talk about: – composing and sound design – plugins, instruments and gear – industry news and trends – the creative process – the business of making sound Think of it as a coffee break with people who live and breathe this world. New episodes whenever there’s something worth talking about.

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