Inside the Studio: A Conversation with Tomorrow's Sound

The New Generation

In a modest apartment in Copenhagen, far from the glamorous studios of Los Angeles or London, something remarkable is happening. A 24-year-old producer, who we'll call Alex (they prefer to let their work speak first), is creating tracks that have caught the attention of major labels and independent artists alike.

But this isn't a story about overnight success or viral moments. It's about patience, process, and the intersection of human creativity with machine intelligence.

"I don't fight the technology," Alex tells me over coffee, their laptop covered in stickers from music festivals and software companies. "I dance with it."

Humble Beginnings

Magz: Let's start at the beginning. When did you know you wanted to make music?

Alex: Honestly? I'm still not sure if I want to "make music" in the traditional sense. I grew up playing bass in punk bands, terrible stuff mostly. But I was always more interested in the sounds between the notes than the notes themselves. That's weird to say out loud, but it's true.

My parents thought I'd become an engineer. They were half right—I'm engineering sounds instead of bridges.

Magz: What was your first serious piece of equipment?

Alex: (laughs) A cheap MIDI controller and a cracked version of Ableton. I'm not proud of the piracy, but I was 16 and broke. I eventually bought a license when I made my first money from music. Felt like coming full circle.

But honestly, the equipment doesn't matter as much as people think. I've made tracks that got radio play on gear that cost less than a guitar pedal. It's about what you hear in your head and how you get it out.

The Creative Process

Magz: Walk us through how you start a track.

Alex: It changes every time, and if it doesn't, I'm doing something wrong. Sometimes it starts with a sample—could be anything, a bird chirping, someone's voice, a car engine. I'll manipulate it until it becomes unrecognizable but still has this organic quality.

Other times, I'll use AI tools to generate initial ideas. Not as the final product, but as inspiration. It's like having a jamming partner who never gets tired and has infinite ideas. Some are terrible, some are gold.

Magz: There's controversy about AI in music creation. What's your take?

Alex: I get it. People are scared their art will be replaced. But here's the thing—AI doesn't have taste. It doesn't wake up at 3 AM with an idea it needs to get out. It doesn't feel heartbreak or joy or any of the things that make music matter.

What AI can do is remove the boring parts. I can spend my time on the creative decisions instead of manually tuning 47 tracks or searching through sample libraries for hours. That's not replacing art; that's removing obstacles to art.

But I also understand the fear. The industry is broken in a lot of ways, and people are right to worry about their livelihoods. We need better systems to protect artists while embracing helpful tools.

Influences and Inspiration

Magz: Who are your musical heroes?

Alex: That's tough. Sonically, I'm all over the place. I love the minimalism of early electronic music—Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream. The raw emotion of punk. The precision of contemporary classical music. The groove of funk and soul.

But my real heroes are the innovators who weren't afraid to be wrong. Brian Eno experimenting with ambient music when everyone thought it was boring. Wendy Carlos showing that synthesizers could be serious instruments. Missy Elliott and Timbaland creating sounds that didn't exist before.

I'm also deeply influenced by the Scandinavian approach to design. Clean, functional, beautiful. That minimalist aesthetic is in everything I make.

Magz: You mention Scandinavian design. How does that translate to music?

Alex: Every element needs a reason to exist. If a sound isn't serving the track, it's gone. It's about restraint. Most amateur producers add too much. Professional producers know what to leave out.

It's also about space. In Nordic architecture, negative space is as important as the structure itself. Same with music. The silence, the pauses, the moments where nothing happens—those are as crucial as the drops and the hooks.

On Collaboration

Magz: You've worked with some established artists despite being relatively unknown yourself. How did that happen?

Alex: Networking, honestly. Not in the sleazy "hand out business cards" way, but genuine connections. I'd share works in progress online, engage with other producers, give honest feedback on their stuff. Eventually, people started reaching out.

The first big collaboration happened because I remixed someone's track for fun and posted it. They liked it, we started talking, and suddenly I was in a session with them. It was terrifying and exciting.

Magz: What's the biggest challenge in collaboration?

Alex: Ego. Everyone has one, including me. The hardest part is remembering that the song is more important than being right. Sometimes your idea isn't the best idea, even if you love it. Killing your darlings, as writers say.

But when collaboration works, when you're truly vibing with someone, that's magic. You create things neither of you could have made alone. That's the whole point.

Tools and Technology

Magz: Let's talk gear. What's in your setup?

Alex: It's surprisingly minimal. A decent laptop, an audio interface, studio monitors, and a MIDI keyboard. I use mostly software—Ableton Live as my DAW, a handful of plugins, some of them free.

Recently, I've been experimenting with AI-powered tools like SplitFire for stem separation. Being able to pull apart any track and study how it's made? That's revolutionary for learning. I can analyze a Daft Punk song at the molecular level now.

I also use AI for generating MIDI ideas. I'll feed it a chord progression or a melody, and it'll give me variations I wouldn't have thought of. I might use 5% of what it generates, but that 5% can spark something special.

Magz: Any advice for people just starting out?

Alex: Start now. Don't wait for the perfect gear or the perfect moment. Use whatever you have. Some of the most innovative music ever made was created with limited resources.

Also, finish things. I have hundreds of unfinished tracks. They taught me something, but finished tracks teach you more. Even if they're bad, finish them.

And listen. Listen to everything. Don't be a genre snob. The best ideas come from unexpected combinations.

The Business Side

Magz: How do you make money?

Alex: (laughs) That's the question, isn't it? I do production work for other artists, that's the main income. Some sync licensing for TV and commercials. A bit from streaming, but that's basically coffee money.

I'm also building a sample pack business. Turns out, my drum sounds are popular. Who knew?

The dream isn't to be rich—it's to make music full-time without starving. I'm getting there.

Magz: Thoughts on the current state of the music industry?

Alex: It's broken but exciting. Streaming killed album sales but democratized distribution. Anyone can release music now, which is beautiful and overwhelming. The challenge is standing out when everyone has access to the same tools.

But I'm optimistic. The middlemen are losing power. Artists can connect directly with fans. If you're good and persistent and smart about building community, you can make it work.

Looking Forward

Magz: What's next for you?

Alex: I'm working on a full-length album, which terrifies me. It's a cohesive statement, not just a collection of singles. Very different from how I usually work.

I'm also interested in installation art—music in physical spaces. How does sound interact with architecture? How do you create immersive experiences?

And I want to teach. Share what I've learned. There's a lot of gatekeeping in music production, and I think that's bullshit. Knowledge should be accessible.

Magz: Any final thoughts for aspiring producers?

Alex: Trust your ears. Don't get caught up in the numbers—bit rates, sample rates, all that technical stuff matters, but only to a point. If it sounds good, it is good.

Also, take breaks. Ear fatigue is real. Your best reference is fresh ears.

And remember why you started. When making music becomes a job, when it's all about algorithms and playlists and marketing, it's easy to lose the joy. Come back to that feeling of playing with sounds just because it's fun. That's when you make your best work.

Postscript

After our conversation, Alex played me a track they're working on. It starts with what sounds like rainfall but is actually granulated white noise. Underneath, a bass line emerges—deep, warm, undeniably human despite being synthesized. By the end, I wasn't thinking about AI or technology at all. I was just feeling the music.

That's the point, isn't it?

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Follow Alex's journey on SoundCloud @[redacted] and stay tuned for their debut album, coming 2025.

Got someone we should interview? Send suggestions to magz@splitfire.ai