During my first semester, while taking part in contextual studies, the role I mainly used within the group was being a producer. listening skills are important in this role. Being a good listener helped me guide the team, offer fresh ideas, and suggest ways to improve the songs we were working on. Even though my focus was on producing, I also played the drums from time to time during sessions. Due to there being two of us, I would often team up with the other member to compare our drum parts and figure out which one worked best. However, as much as I enjoyed drumming, I usually let him take the lead, mainly because I wanted to concentrate on improving my production skills.
One part of the course that really stood out to me was how we turned random words and phrases into melodies. I understand that this is usually one of the many common ways when wanting to create a melody, but this exercise was the starting point for one of our tracks and showed me how sometimes the most spontaneous ideas can lead to something nice to work with. It also encouraged me to be more experimental in my approach to songwriting, which was refreshing. Normally, I would get stuck in my own patterns, so this exercise pushed me to think differently and think outside the box.
Another thing I really enjoyed was how the music we created often strayed from the genres I usually listen to. Many of our tracks had a sort of atmospheric feel to them, which was new for me because I tend to gravitate towards songs with lyrics that have a lot of meaning behind them. This experience opened my ears to new sounds and styles that I might not have explored if I hadn’t taken part in the workshop. It broadened my musical perspective and made me more open to experimenting with different genres in the future.
As one of many producers in the group, I helped refine some of the melodies, suggesting new arrangements that made the rhythm more interesting. This was one of the most valuable lessons for me, as it improved my collaboration skills and helped me realise that production is not just about the technical side, it’s about working with others to make the best possible version of the music. I think this is something that will influence how I approach future projects, especially since it’s such a big part of what makes a good producer.
Another skill I picked up was how to turn improvisation into something that works. Throughout the workshop, when the group were playing their instruments and bouncing of each other. This was a great way of showing that not every idea needs to be perfect from the start. Sometimes, the best results come from just going with the flow and seeing where things go. I really liked that aspect of the workshop because it taught me to embrace spontaneity and not worry about making everything perfect straight away.
Although the project was collaborative, it was interesting to see how personal influences-whether they were related to genres, artists, or our own experiences shaped the creative process. For example, one of our tracks had an ambient, atmospheric feel, which reminded me of the chilled-out Café del Mar feel and the type of music you hear at Ibiza beach clubs. I’ve always enjoyed this kind of music, but I hadn’t thought about including those influences in my own work until then. Now, I’d like to explore further into that style and mix those sounds.
Something else I plan on carrying on is the idea of interpretation. I’ve come to understand that it’s not simply a matter of mastering the technical side of the production but also learning about how other people think and feel about the music. Whether it’s collaborating with other musicians or working with artists from other genres, being open to other interpretations of a song is something that I think will help me grow as a producer and as a musician. Going forward, I will make sure to stay in this mindset and be open to experimenting with new ways of producing songs.
Working with other musicians also made me realise how important interpretation is when it comes to performance. Whether I was playing the drums or giving production advice, it was great to see how each person brought their own interpretation to the current project. It made me realise that a song can change so much depending on who’s playing or how it’s being approached. This was sometimes a challenge because my vision for a track might differ from someone else’s, but I’ve learned that this kind of back-and-forth has more creative outcomes. The key is being open and receptive to new concepts, even if they’re different from your own. I think this is perhaps the most useful thing I’ve learned from the workshop is accepting other people’s ideas, my own that I come up with nine times out of ten probably won’t work and that’s okay.
In the future, I’m going to continue to focus on core elements of my production process. Whether it’s suggesting a new arrangement, adding an alternate texture, or changing the mood of a track, I now feel more confident to guide my projects in the correct direction. This level of intense listening is something that will always be a part of my production process. Overall, I have learned a lot from this process about teamwork, flexibility, and trying things out in creativity. Whether I’m working on production, working with other artists, or even just hearing a song with fresh ears, I think I am learning a better appreciation for the process of creating music. It has been a great experience, and I look forward to applying everything I’ve learned into future projects.
