ProducerHead

toru
  • 5.0 (34)
  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Welcome to ProducerHead. A podcast for the Music Producer, Artist, Creative, and, Entrepreneur. I’m excited to present the ProducerHead podcast in the form of a series of conversations with accomplished producers who will share what’s in their heads to help you unlock your own. Whether you’re just getting started or you’re a professional producer, these conversations are here to offer information, encouragement, and community — a place to belong. ProducerHead will explore the entire spectrum of topics that are experienced as a producer. So, whether you’re interested in Growing your social media following Improving your Spotify release strategy Or Managing impostor syndrome ProducerHead is here for you. Connect at with ProducerHead at torubeat.com and @torubeat on social media. producerhead.substack.com

  1. 4D AGO

    ProducerHead Bars: The Piñata Method

    ProducerHead Bars is a space for ideas that stand on their own. Short reflections and studio frameworks pulled from experience, conversation, and the ongoing pursuit of becoming a better producer. This entry focuses on a simple but powerful strategy for overcoming creative paralysis: The Piñata Method. The Problem: Creative Freeze Even experienced producers run into moments where they sit down to make music and freeze. Sometimes it looks like procrastination. Scrolling. Cleaning the studio. Doing anything except the thing you actually sat down to do. But procrastination isn’t necessarily laziness. More often, it’s a signal of overwhelm. When the scope of a project exceeds your perceived ability to navigate it, the brain chooses avoidance instead of action. The issue isn’t capability. It’s clarity. The Piñata Method The Piñata Method is a way to break overwhelming creative projects into pieces until the next step becomes obvious. Instead of staring at the entire goal, you smash the project open and look at what falls out. Imagine your goal is to complete a 10-track album. At first glance, that’s a massive undertaking. But if you smash that project open, working backwards, you start to see its components: 10 mastered songs. Smash those again and you see: 10 mixed songs. Smash those again and you see: 10 produced tracks. And before that? Individual production sessions. By working backwards from the finished goal, you create a clear map from the end point to the very next step. In this example, the path to a finished album starts with something much smaller: Opening your DAW and beginning one session. Capacity Changes Your capacity as a producer is not fixed. Your skills improve. Your schedule changes. Collaborators enter or leave the process. Life shifts. The Piñata Method accounts for this. The goal remains the same, but the structure of the steps can adapt. If your capacity grows, steps may combine. If your capacity shrinks, you simply break them down again. The map evolves, but the destination stays intact. The Takeaway Creative paralysis rarely comes from a lack of ability. It comes from trying to tackle too much at once. The Piñata Method reminds you that every large creative accomplishment is just the accumulation of smaller actions. A wall is laid one brick at a time. An album is finished one session at a time. So if you’re feeling stuck, take the project in front of you and smash it open. Break it down until the next step is clear. Then take that step. Once you begin moving again, the possibility of everything you’re trying to create returns with you. Connect with Toru: * Website: torubeat.com * Instagram: @torubeat * YouTube: @torubeat * Spotify: Toru * Apple Music: Toru Join The ProducerHead Community When you subscribe you’ll get access to the full collection of Invisible Instruments, Sonic Stimulus Vol. 1, a royalty-free sample pack created for the community by Toru, access to ProducerHead Bars write-ups and extended frameworks, and an additional opportunity to have your music featured in The Pocket, a monthly community curation from ProducerHead. This episode was co-produced, engineered and edited by Matthew Diaz. From ProducerHead, this is Toru, and in a way, so are you. Peace. Get full access to ProducerHead at producerhead.substack.com/subscribe

    11 min

  2. MAR 4

    ProducerHead Loops: Your Grid Is Lying to You | feat. Dan Giffin

    What are ProducerHead Loops? Gems from past conversations worth running back. Perfect for when you need a quick hit of inspiration. This Loop: In this ProducerHead Loop, Dan Giffin talks about something simple but transformative. Get off the grid. Coming from a drummer’s background, Dan sees producers get overly locked into the visual structure of their DAWs. The grid becomes law. The lines become rules. But rhythm is not supposed to feel perfect. It is supposed to feel human. Swing the hi hats. Let the snare breathe. Trust the push and pull. He also challenges the way we rely on visuals when producing and mixing. Spectrum analyzers, waveforms, grids. They all provide information, but they can trick us into producing with our eyes instead of our ears. Dan’s philosophy is clear. Trust your ears before your eyes. Feeling is more important than what you see. From Episode: 029. Part 1: Getting Out Of Your Head And Into Your Body feat. Dan Giffin Connect with Toru: * Website: torubeat.com * Instagram: @torubeat * YouTube: @torubeat * Spotify: Toru * Apple Music: Toru Subscribe to ProducerHead Get new episodes and Loops delivered straight to your inbox. Hit that subscribe button if you’re not already part of the community. This episode was co-produced, engineered and edited by Matthew Diaz. From ProducerHead, this is Toru, and in a way, so are you. Peace. Get full access to ProducerHead at producerhead.substack.com/subscribe

    8 min
  3. 050. Slow Down, Stand Out | feat. The Phronetic

    FEB 25

    050. Slow Down, Stand Out | feat. The Phronetic

    Create Without Consequence with The Phronetic The Phronetic is a Colombian-born, Brooklyn-raised producer, composer, and creative director who emerged from the live beat-making scene around 2017. Since then he's built a career spanning music, videography, and branded content — and in 2023 launched a creative agency merging both. In this episode we get into making music that invites rather than overwhelms, developing taste through repetition, the real cost of grind culture, and what success actually looks like when you stop measuring it by numbers. Three things to take away: Invitation beats force. Taste is built through doing. Sustainability is the long game. If this resonated, the ProducerHead Substack goes deeper — essays, loops, and resources for producers who want to create with more clarity and less noise. Free to subscribe, and there's more waiting for you when you do. [Subscribe at producerhead.substack.com] Chapters: 00:00 – The Instrumental Dilemma 00:26 – Welcome from Mexico City 01:34 – Music as Invitation, Not Force 02:55 – The Remix Turning Point 04:33 – Why Lyrics Connect Faster 06:41 – The Connecticut Breakthrough Moment 08:23 – Can Taste Be Taught? 09:44 – Learning Tools vs. Having Vision 10:28 – Teaching Production Like Language 12:11 – Perfectionism and Sound Selection 13:47 – Creation vs. Organization Sessions 15:53 – Limiting Tools to Build Identity 16:39 – Excuses, Blocks, and Self-Doubt 17:21 – Working Alone vs. Collaboration 19:52 – 10 Years In: Rethinking the Grind 21:05 – Early Instagram and Finger Drumming 23:48 – Burnout, Health, and the Cost of Overwork 25:10 – Pressure and Public Deadlines 26:39 – Where Pressure Really Comes From 26:46 – Is Success in Your Control? 28:15 – How Success Evolves Over Time 30:58 – From Beats to Video Editing 33:06 – High-Level Video Advice 34:52 – Visual Identity and Differentiation 37:05 – Do You Even Need to Make Content? 38:33 – The Five Minute Rule and Inertia 40:22 – Aesthetic Shifts in the Beat Community 43:04 – Building a Visual Identity from Color 46:07 – YouTube University and Self-Education 48:04 – Be Careful What You Consume 49:10 – Advice to Younger Self 50:33 – Quick Hits 53:51 – Upcoming Projects and Where to Follow 55:12 – The Creative Act and Final Thoughts 56:17 – Closing Reflections and Outro Connect with The Phronetic: YouTube, Instagram, Spotify — @thephronetic Connect with Toru: @torubeat Get full access to ProducerHead at producerhead.substack.com/subscribe

    57 min

  4. FEB 18

    ProducerHead Loops: Upholster the Chair | feat. ELPHNT

    What are ProducerHead Loops? Gems from past conversations worth running back. Perfect for when you need a quick hit of inspiration. This Loop: In this ProducerHead Loops episode, ELPHNT digs into something deceptively simple: creativity is less about inspiration and more about process. He explains that every artist has a philosophy, whether they consciously define it or not. The key is becoming aware of your patterns, your tendencies, and the processes that make you confident in your work. ELPHNT shares how his own philosophy centers on minimalism, depth, experimentation, and less is more. Rather than stacking endless sounds, he prefers fewer elements with more texture and character. And when inspiration is nowhere to be found, he leans on a quote from Jack White: you do not wait to feel inspired to upholster a chair. You show up and do the work. This Loop is about creative discipline. Not romanticizing inspiration. Not waiting for lightning. Just showing up, trusting your process, and upholstering the chair. From Episode: 035. Soul-Crushing Success: The Counterintuitive Path to Creative Freedom | feat. ELPHNT Connect with Toru: * Website: torubeat.com * Instagram: @torubeat * YouTube: @torubeat * Spotify: Toru * Apple Music: Toru Subscribe to ProducerHead Get new episodes and Loops delivered straight to your inbox. Hit that subscribe button if you’re not already part of the community. This episode was co-produced, engineered and edited by Matthew Diaz. From ProducerHead, this is Toru, and in a way, so are you. Peace. Get full access to ProducerHead at producerhead.substack.com/subscribe

    8 min
  5. 049. Ideas Over Everything | feat. Moo Latte

    FEB 11

    049. Ideas Over Everything | feat. Moo Latte

    Why This Episode Matters: Modern music makes it easy to confuse polish with substance. In this episode, Moo Latte breaks down why musical ideas, not production techniques, are still the core of work that lasts. From deep listening and sketch-based workflows to creative restraint and long-term sustainability, this conversation reframes productivity, taste, and originality for producers navigating an increasingly automated landscape. Who is Moo Latte: Moo Latte is a producer, guitarist, and composer known for emotionally rich compositions that sit somewhere between jazz, soul, hip-hop, and cinematic music. With a background in formal music study and years of production experience, his work emphasizes harmony, movement, and intention over trends. What We Dive Into: * Why modern music often relies more on production than composition * Deep listening as a skill and how it shapes taste over time * Starting ideas away from the computer * Singing melodies before choosing instruments * Call and response as an underused compositional tool * Why constraints unlock creativity * Short, timed sketch sessions as an idea engine * Objectivity through distance and bouncing early * Content creation burnout and sustainable output * Why relying too heavily on AI weakens creative problem-solving Three Key Takeaways: * Strong ideas survive without sound design: If a song doesn’t work when stripped down to melody and harmony, production won’t save it. * Constraints create clarity: Limiting instruments, time, and options reduces decision fatigue and sharpens creative intent. * Creativity is a muscle, not a shortcut: Outsourcing thinking weakens long-term growth. The work is the point. Before You Go: Try this for your next session: set a 20-minute timer. Choose a fixed set of instruments. Finish when the timer ends. Bounce it. Don’t judge it. Repeat. Over time, quantity becomes quality. Chapters: 0:00 – Intro 1:42 – Moo Latte’s background and musical roots 6:18 – Composition vs production 11:04 – Deep listening and developing taste 16:27 – Singing ideas before producing 22:10 – Harmony, movement, and emotional intent 28:55 – Call and response in composition 34:41 – Sketching ideas quickly 40:12 – Objectivity through distance and bouncing early 45:58 – Finishing vs overworking 51:36 – Content creation and creative burnout 57:44 – Sustainable routines and creative longevity 1:03:22 – Constraints as a creative tool 1:09:48 – Training the creative muscle 1:16:30 – AI, tools, and creative responsibility 1:23:55 – Quick hits 1:31:40 – Final reflections 1:34:50 – Outro List of References from the Interview: Artists * J Dilla * The Beatles * BadBadNotGood * Robert Glasper Tools / Concepts * Timed sketch sessions * Call and response * Deep listening * Constraint-based creativity Connect with Moo Latte: * YouTube: @moolattemusic * Instagram: @moolattemusic * Spotify: Moo Latte * Apple Music: Moo Latte 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. Get full access to ProducerHead at producerhead.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 39m
  6. How To Define Your Own Paradigm | feat. Mark de Clive-Lowe

    FEB 4

    How To Define Your Own Paradigm | feat. Mark de Clive-Lowe

    What are ProducerHead Loops? Gems from past conversations worth running back. Perfect for when you need a quick hit of inspiration. This Loop: In this ProducerHead Loops episode, Mark de Clive-Lowe opens up about the long journey toward belonging, identity, and creative truth. Growing up between cultures and never fully feeling like he fit in, Mark describes how that lifelong search eventually led him back to his roots, and deeper into himself. He shares how reconnecting with his Japanese ancestry transformed not just his life, but his music. By embracing vulnerability and telling personal stories through sound, Mark found a new creative framework where meaning mattered more than aesthetics or technical perfection. Performing music rooted in ancestry and lived experience became the first time he truly felt like he was defining the paradigm, not chasing one. This Loop is about courage. About letting go of hipness, trends, and external validation in favor of honesty. When you are bold enough to be yourself, the work resonates more deeply, not just with others, but with you. From Episode: 031. Bold Enough To Be Yourself: Mark de Clive-Lowe Want more like this? Subscribe to ProducerHead for new episodes, Loops, and creative clarity delivered straight to your inbox. Connect with Toru: * Website: torubeat.com * Instagram: @torubeat * YouTube: @torubeat * Spotify: Toru * Apple Music: Toru Subscribe to ProducerHead Get new episodes and Loops delivered straight to your inbox. Hit that subscribe button if you’re not already part of the community. This episode was co-produced, engineered and edited by Matthew Diaz. From ProducerHead, this is Toru, and in a way, so are you. Peace. Get full access to ProducerHead at producerhead.substack.com/subscribe

    11 min
  7. 048. If You Want Unconventional Results, Choose an Unconventional Path | feat. Nothing_Neue

    JAN 28

    048. If You Want Unconventional Results, Choose an Unconventional Path | feat. Nothing_Neue

    Why This Episode Matters: This episode is a deep, grounded reminder that longevity in music doesn’t come from chasing trends or algorithms. It comes from doing the work, living life, and letting experience shape the sound. Recorded in person at Nothing_Neue’s Brooklyn studio, the conversation is reflective, practical, and quietly powerful. Who is Nothing_Neue: Nothing_Neue is a Brooklyn-based producer and artist whose work sits at the intersection of broken beat, soul, hip-hop, and experimental rhythm. Alongside his own artistic output, he works within the music tech world, giving him a rare dual perspective on creativity, industry pressure, and identity. What We Dive Into: * Why living life is essential to making meaningful music * The danger of chasing “radio friendly” or algorithm-approved sounds * Separating your artistic identity from your day job * Morning practice, discipline, and removing creative pressure * Letting unfinished ideas have value instead of forcing outcomes * Why support has to be active, not passive * Choosing an unconventional path and accepting unconventional results Three Key Takeaways: * You can’t skip life and expect great art: Music gets better when it’s informed by lived experience, not constant output. * Unconventional paths come with unconventional timelines: If you choose authenticity, you have to accept results that don’t mirror anyone else’s. * Practice removes pressure: When music has a guaranteed place in your day, everything else becomes bonus time. Before You Go: If you’ve been forcing productivity or measuring your work against someone else’s success, take a step back. Build your walls, rooms, and houses before worrying about the final home. Progress isn’t always loud. Chapters: 0:00 – In-studio intro from Brooklyn 0:57 – D’Angelo, life experience, and making music too close to the work 2:46 – Why living life improves creativity 4:04 – Gym vs bike analogy for creative process 4:46 – Printing demos and listening away from the studio 6:45 – Distance, objectivity, and breaking critical habits 9:28 – Substances, creativity, and emotional avoidance 11:42 – Pain, avoidance, and emotional honesty 13:48 – Family, mortality, and confronting old wounds 16:55 – Reprioritizing time, discipline, and energy 19:57 – Discovering The Big Leap and the upper-limit problem 24:38 – Self-imposed ceilings and early musical validation 28:46 – Playlist Retreat, imposter syndrome, and belonging 32:54 – Music as a communal experience 36:12 – Letting ego step aside for collaboration 40:41 – Translating inspiration into technique 45:24 – How Nothing Neue practices instruments 48:54 – Learning taste, preference, and musical language 52:02 – Weed, reading, and rethinking time 55:18 – Walls, Rooms, Houses, Homes creative framework 58:53 – Morning practice and removing pressure 1:03:18 – Weekday vs weekend creative routines 1:05:24 – Recent releases and upcoming remixes 1:06:27 – Favorite hardware and inspirations 1:07:41 – Artists that changed his thinking 1:07:57 – Best free tools and YouTube as education 1:12:55 – Learning fundamentals vs chasing shortcuts 1:17:44 – Rapid-fire questions 1:18:33 – Loneliness in the music industry 1:20:06 – Underrated “product” for creatives 1:21:26 – Advice ignored and advice worth ignoring 1:23:24 – Authenticity over chasing radio success 1:24:40 – Undoing algorithms and passive consumption 1:27:21 – Active support, community, and closing thoughts 1:29:02 – Final recap and ProducerHead outro List of References from the Interview: Songs / Artists * D’Angelo * Lyric Jones Books * Making Records by Phil Ramone Hardware / Tools * SP-404 * Alpha Juno * Serato Connect with Nothing_Neue: * YouTube: @NothingNeue * Instagram: @nothing_neue * Spotify: Nothing_Neue * Apple Music: Nothing_Neue 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. Get full access to ProducerHead at producerhead.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 31m

  8. JAN 21

    ProducerHead Loops: Analog Intentions, Digital Decisions | feat. Dustyn Hiett of vvundertone

    What are ProducerHead Loops? Gems from past conversations worth running back. Perfect for when you need a quick hit of inspiration. This Loop: In this ProducerHead Loop Dustyn Hiett, founder of vvundertone, talks about crafting sound that feels human in a digital world. He explores the balance between analog warmth and modern precision, and why intentional limitations often lead to more expressive results. Dustyn shares how sound design becomes more meaningful when it is rooted in emotion, texture, and restraint rather than endless options. From shaping tone at the source to committing early and trusting your ears, he emphasizes building workflows that serve feeling first, not trends or tools. This Loop is about slowing down, choosing character over convenience, and designing a process that lets your music breathe. From Episode: 021. Dustyn Hiett, Founder of vvundertone, Part 1: Crafting Authentic Soundscapes with Analog Warmth and Digital Precision Connect with Toru: * Website: torubeat.com * Instagram: @torubeat * YouTube: @torubeat * Spotify: Toru * Apple Music: Toru Subscribe to ProducerHead When you subscribe, you’ll have a chance to submit your released music to be featured, send in works-in-progress for feedback, and you’ll get two free production tools: The Invisible Instruments and Sonic Stimulus, Vol. 1 You’ll receive The Invisible Instruments, a collection of ideas to help you in and out of the studio, plus Sonic Stimulus Vol. 1, a royalty free sample pack created entirely by me, Toru, for the ProducerHead community. This episode was co-produced, engineered and edited by Matthew Diaz. From ProducerHead, this is Toru, and in a way, so are you. Peace. Get full access to ProducerHead at producerhead.substack.com/subscribe

    15 min
See All (86)

5
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

Welcome to ProducerHead. A podcast for the Music Producer, Artist, Creative, and, Entrepreneur. I’m excited to present the ProducerHead podcast in the form of a series of conversations with accomplished producers who will share what’s in their heads to help you unlock your own. Whether you’re just getting started or you’re a professional producer, these conversations are here to offer information, encouragement, and community — a place to belong. ProducerHead will explore the entire spectrum of topics that are experienced as a producer. So, whether you’re interested in Growing your social media following Improving your Spotify release strategy Or Managing impostor syndrome ProducerHead is here for you. Connect at with ProducerHead at torubeat.com and @torubeat on social media. producerhead.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    toru
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    86
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © toru
  • Show Website
    ProducerHead

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