Producer Points

This is the free episode. The full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: https://www.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: https://www.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
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

🎧 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: https://www.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
🛒 SoundBetter |

This is the free episode -- the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: https://www.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: https://www.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: https://www.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
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

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: https://www.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: https://www.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: https://www.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

🎧 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: https://www.patreon.com/producerpoints
🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

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
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

Ehren Ebbage on Lizzy McAlpine, Corook & Making Records That Feel as Good as They Sound

🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

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
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

🎧 The Demoitis Episode w/ Scott Robinson, Lucas Arens & Pedro Calloni -- The Sickness We All Have

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

Demoitis. The dreaded word we all have a love-hate -- okay, mostly hate -- relationship with. Especially when we're not the ones with the sickness. In this roundtable, Justin sits down with three producers and mixers who've all been on both sides of it -- as the ones catching it and the ones trying to cure it in others.

• Scott Robinson (@greatscottcreates) -- Grammy-nominated mixer, producer, and songwriter. Credits include Demi Lovato, Bebe Rexha, Fall Out Boy, and Avril Lavigne.
• 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, Apple, and more.
• Pedro Calloni (@pedrocalloni) -- Mixer whose credits include Chris Stapleton, Amy Allen, Nick Jonas, Joy Oladokun, Sasha Alex Sloan, LANY, and GAYLE.

🎛️ We cover:

• What demoitis actually is -- and why it hits producers and mixers just as hard as artists
• War stories: sessions where demoitis almost derailed everything
• How to tell when YOU'RE the one with the sickness
• Navigating the conversation with an artist who's convinced the demo is better
• When the demo actually IS better -- and how to know the difference
• How to prevent it on the front end and break it once it's set in
• Indie Plugin Spotlight: HYPE by Teletone Audio and VOYAGER by VYNL Audio
• Current Events: Oliver Tree, Olivia Rodrigo's third album, and Grammy rule changes for 2027

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Scott Robinson: @greatscottcreates
Lucas Arens: @lucasarens
Pedro Calloni: @pedrocalloni
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

🎧 Andrew Tufano on Producing Sabrina Sterling, Rosie Darling & Why Being a Player Makes You a Better Producer

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

In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Andrew Tufano — a producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose musicianship and intention elevate every room he walks into. From Sabrina Sterling and Rosie Darling to Katelyn Tarver, John K, and more, Andrew brings a player-first approach to production that you can hear in every record he touches. He's one of those rare producers who can do it all — and somehow makes it feel effortless.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "take a shot" by Sabrina Sterling — the initial sound, breakbeat choices, that pre-chorus melody, vocal chain, harmonies, and what he's most proud of in the production
• "catching a snowflake" by Rosie Darling — the challenge of writing a Christmas song, picking jingle bells, real vs. fake strings, layering, and balancing indie sensibility with holiday genre (full deep dive on Patreon)

🎛️ We explore:

• Growing up musical, learning guitar and piano, and how touring shaped his instincts as a producer
• The slow transition from session player to full producer — and why that path made him better
• Why being a skilled player gives you an edge in the studio that no plugin can replace
• How he builds trust with artists and adapts to different creative personalities
• Capturing emotion over perfection — his philosophy on performance and recording
• Plug or Unplug: Valhalla Delay, Goodhertz Wow Control, Kazrog KClip, UADx Studer A800, Distressor, CLA Vocals, Bricasti M7

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Andrew Tufano: @andrewtufano
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist
🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

Here it is:

🎧 Auto-Tune… WTF?! — The Bugs, the Workarounds, and the Alternatives

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

Somewhere between Auto-Tune 8 and now, something broke. The clicks, the pops, the inconsistent tracking, the constant repackaging — producers are frustrated, and they're starting to look elsewhere. In this roundtable, Justin sits down with three producers who use pitch correction every day to talk about what's actually going wrong, what they're doing about it, and what they want from plugin companies like Antares.

• Andrew J. Gomez (@andrewj_gomez) — Nashville-based producer, mixer, and songwriter. Credits include Knox, John Harvie, and LOYALS.
• Lowen / Emily Kopp (@earthtolowen) — independent artist, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Syncs on HBO, Disney, and Hulu.
• Stephen Conley (@stephenmconley) — gold-certified producer, songwriter, and mixer. Credits include GAYLE and more.

🎛️ We cover:

• The real bugs: latency errors, clicks and pops, inconsistent tracking, and the iLok transition
• Workarounds that actually help — retune speed automation, algorithm switching, committing and printing
• Alternatives: Melodyne, MetaTune, Waves Tune, UAD Topline Vocal Tune, Cubase's built-in algorithm, and more
• Transparent vs. character tuning — does the tool even matter if the performance isn't there?
• Current events: Taylor Swift's "I Knew It, I Knew You" for Toy Story 5, and the AFM lawsuit against UMG and WMG over AI training data

🔗 Follow & Listen:Andrew J. Gomez: @andrewj_gomezLowen: @earthtolowenStephen Conley: @stephenmconleyJustin Gammella: @justin_gammellaProducer Points: @producer_pointsTikTok: @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: https://www.patreon.com/producerpoints🛒 Production templates & more: SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Alexis Kesselman, aka Idarose — an artist, producer, and songwriter based in New York whose credits span pop, film, and K-pop. She co-wrote "Glimpse of Us" by Joji, a record that went number one globally. She wrote and produced "Death of Me" for Naomi Scott's character in Smile 2. And right now, her production on Bella Kay's "IloveitIloveitIloveit" is everywhere. Every time it comes up in a playlist, you feel it immediately — that intimacy, that restraint, that room sound. This is how she's doing it.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "Death of Me" by Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) — writing for a character in a film, building the production, vocal chain, sidechain choices, and what she's most proud of in the record
• "IloveitIloveitIloveit" by Bella Kay — origin of the song, the recording technique behind that in-the-room intimacy, vocal layering, and why there are no drums (full deep dive on Patreon)

🎛️ We explore:

• Growing up in South Florida, studying film scoring at the University of Miami, and finding her way into pop songwriting
• Co-writing "Glimpse of Us" in 2019, then taking LSAT practice tests during the pandemic before the song came out and changed everything
• Signing to Warner/Chappell, moving to New York, and doing a year of musical theater writing at Berklee's NYC program
• Why New York works for her as a producer in a way it wouldn't if she were only a songwriter
• Her approach to vocal production, arrangement, and building sonic space
• Plug or Unplug: Output Portal, Weiss DS1-MK3, Keyscape, UADx Studer A800, Tube-Tech CL 1B, CLA Vocals, UAD 1176 Rev A

🔗 Follow & Listen:Idarose: @idarosemusicJustin Gammella: @justin_gammellaProducer Points: @producer_pointsTikTok: @producer.points🎧 Producer Points Playlist

This is the free episode — the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/producerpoints

In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Collin Pastore and Jake Finch — a Nashville-based producer-writer duo quietly behind some of the best-sounding indie and alternative records of the last few years. From boygenius and Lucy Dacus to Ashe, Julien Baker, and Suki Waterhouse, their productions share a rawness and honesty that feels live, human, and never overcooked. Two studios, one shared vision, and a philosophy built around capturing real performances.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "Lost Time" by Lucy Dacus — vocal layering, dry mic choices, drum recording and processing, and the production decisions behind one of the most honest-sounding records in recent memory
• "I Wanna Love You (But I Don't)" by Ashe — main guitar, synths, real drums vs. samples, and the writing and production techniques that shape the track (full deep dive on Patreon)

🎛️ We explore:

• How Collin and Jake linked up at Berklee, landed in Nashville, and tricked Sony into letting them co-produce their first EP
• Their philosophy on raw-sounding records — minimal processing, unprecious mic choices, and letting performances breathe
• How they built two complementary studios and why bouncing between a live room and a dead mix room works in their favor
• Drum samples, compression, and why audio school got it wrong
• Mix bus approach, go-to plugins, and their vintage 414 vocal chain
• Plug or Unplug: UADx Sound City Studios, LA-2A, Waves R-Vox, Space Echo RE-201, AEA R88, UAD 1176 Rev A, and CLA Vocals

🔗 Follow & Listen:Collin Pastore: @collinpastoreJake Finch: @jakelfishJustin Gammella: @justin_gammellaProducer Points: @producer_pointsTikTok: @producer.points🎧 Producer Points Playlist🛒 SoundBetter | Patreon Templates

Got it — here it is:

🎧 Gian Stone on Vocal Production, "Stuck with U," and Making Pop at the Highest Level

🎙️ This is the free episode — the full conversation is available exclusively for Producer Pal subscribers on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/producerpoints

In this episode of Producer Points, Justin sits down with Gian Stone — a Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter, and vocal producer whose sharp ears and instinctive taste have helped shape some of the biggest pop records of the last decade. From topping the Billboard Hot 100 Producer Chart in 2020 to crafting hits for Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, the Jonas Brothers, Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, Meghan Trainor, Le Sserafim, and more, Gian has built a reputation as one of pop's most trusted and versatile creative voices.

🎶 Song deep dives:

• "Like It's Christmas" by Jonas Brothers — the origin of the track, making it more "Jonas Brothers-y," and how a piano demo became a guitar-driven holiday staple
• "Stuck with U" by Ariana Grande & Justin Bieber — how the song went from a session with Scooter to Ariana to Bieber in a week, and the production choices behind a #1 hit

🎛️ We explore:

• Gian's journey from drumming in NYC bands to sleeping on studio floors in LA to working at the highest level of pop
• How his partnership with producer Jason Evigan shaped his career
• His philosophy on vocal production — coaching artists, getting the best take, and knowing when less is more
• Balancing production, songwriting, and vocal production as equal crafts
• Gear and go-to tools: Neumann U87, SSL 4000 G+, Valhalla Vintage Verb, Omnisphere, and more
• Plug or Unplug: Apulsoft splitS, Goodhertz Lossy, CLA Vocals, and his plugin cheat code

🔗 Follow & Listen:Gian Stone: @gianstoneJustin Gammella: @justin_gammellaProducer Points: @producer_pointsTikTok: @producer.points🎧 Producer Points Playlist

🎙️ Season 3 of Producer Points starts May 20th — and this one's different.

Full episodes this season are exclusive to our Producer Pal community on Patreon. And we're not just talking episodes — Producer Pals get preset drops with real files and the philosophy behind them, AMA threads where you can ask Justin directly, extended cuts with the stuff that doesn't make the main edit, process breakdowns covering everything from vocal stacks to session organization, and early access to guest question submissions. It's the behind-the-curtain layer for people who are serious about making records.

We've been working hard behind the scenes, and we're bringing you a stacked lineup of guests, deep conversations, and something new: roundtables. Got a topic you want us to cover? Drop it in the comments.

Huge love to Nathan Rebello and Elijah Sheppard for helping make this happen. Make sure to check out their artist projects.

Season 3 drops May 20th. See you there.

🔗 Become a Producer Pal: Patreon📺 YouTube: @ProducerPoints📸 Instagram: @producer_points | @justin_gammella

🎧 Roundtable: The Future of Indie Plugin Design with Purafied & Nudist Audio

There’s a new wave of plugin makers changing the landscape of modern music production. From boutique developers to full-fledged software houses, indie creators are building tools that rival the biggest names in the game — and often do it with more innovation, personality, and passion.

In this roundtable, Justin sits down with two of the most exciting independent developers shaping that movement:

•

Sam from Purafied Audio — known for forward-thinking mixing and mastering tools used by pros worldwide.

•

Caleb from Nudist Audio — a rising developer pushing creative boundaries with analog-inspired plugins that bring warmth, imperfection, and vibe.

🎛️ We explore:

•

How indie plugin companies are competing with giants like Waves and UAD

•

The art and business of pricing plugins fairly

•

Oversampling, sound quality, and performance trade-offs

•

AI’s role in the next wave of music production tools

•

What it takes to turn a coding idea into a creative tool musicians love

💡 Plus: behind-the-scenes stories of what it’s really like building a plugin company from scratch — from sound design to customer feedback to surviving as a small business.

🔗 Follow & Listen:
Purafied Audio: Website | @purafiedaudio
Nudist Audio: Website | @nudist_audio
Justin Gammella: @justin_gammella
Producer Points: @producer_points
TikTok: @producer.points
🎧 Producer Points Playlist: Spotify
🎙️ Full Episodes: Spotify | Apple Podcasts