#213 - Always400 / The Producer Lounge: Mixing, Distortion, Monitoring & Production Tips

In this episode, the Always400 (The Producer Lounge) crew chats about music production, mixing, distortion, monitoring, creative workflow, and the realities of running a live production podcast. They get into practical techniques for checking mixes on different playback systems, using distortion and harmonic content, refreshing your ears, and keeping production sessions moving.Always400 is a collective and multimedia brand behind The Producer Lounge, a round-table podcast hosted by Austin, David, and Caleb that explores the ins and outs of electronic music production. TPL broadcasts live on Twitch every Tuesday and has featured guests including Sinistarr, Copycatt, Frequent, Keota, Au5, Skope, and Undulae. Always400 also provides acoustic installation services and runs a Patreon featuring electronic music production tutorials, sample packs, and more.Follow Always400 / The Producer Lounge:https://www.instagram.com/400tpl/https://www.youtube.com/@400TPLhttps://www.patreon.com/Always400https://Always400.comGrab limited-edition Producer Merch & save 10% with the code "podcast":https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merchJoin the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events.https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter

Flosstradamus and Underbelly talk about the rapidly changing world of music production, AI, and new tools for Ableton Live. They break down AI-assisted workflows, Ableton extensions, stem separation, BeatSpark, workflow automation, and how producers can use new technology to work faster while staying creative.Curt Cameruci, aka Flosstradamus, is a DJ and producer who helped pioneer EDM trap by combining Southern hip-hop with high-energy dance music. With more than 20 years in music, over 500 million streams, major festival appearances, collaborations with Post Malone, Lil Jon, and Diplo, and his work with Rubin, an AI and music technology company, Curt continues to explore the intersection of music, technology, and creativity.Tim Linetsky, aka Underbelly, is an Ableton Certified Trainer and the creator of the You Suck at Producing YouTube channel, which has more than 400K subscribers. Tim shares his approach to music production and education while building BeatSpark, an interactive learning platform designed to help producers learn directly inside Ableton. The conversation also covers their collaboration “Home,” stem separation, AI music tools, and ways producers can experiment with technology to develop new workflows.Follow Flosstradamus:https://www.instagram.com/flosstradamushttps://flosstradamus.ai/Follow Underbelly:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCapo4XcpVOlTLkbKIDL0WlAhttps://www.instagram.com/underbellybeatshttps://www.instagram.com/beatsparkapp/Sponsored by DistroKid:This episode is supported by DistroKid, which lets you upload once, get your tracks on all major platforms, and keep 100% of your streaming earnings. Their new DistroKid Direct feature also turns your artwork into print‑on‑demand merch like t‑shirts, mugs, and totes with no inventory to manage. Learn more below:⁠⁠⁠https://tr.ee/distrokid-ableton Grab limited-edition Producer Merch & save 10% with the code "podcast":https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merchJoin the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events.https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter

Adam Russell of Story Of The Year joins the Ableton Podcast to talk about songwriting and production and what has kept the band together. Adam breaks down thAbleton Live touring setup, including Able Set, MIDI routing, redundant playback rigs, live troubleshooting, and how they manage their massive catalog on the road.Adam Russell is the bassist and co-founding member of Story Of The Year, the St. Louis rock band that helped define the 2000s post-hardcore and alt-rock scene. The band's landmark 2003 album Page Avenue went Gold and featured "Until The Day I Die" and "Anthem of Our Dying Day." Story Of The Year released their seventh studio album, A.R.S.O.N., in February 2026, and continue touring with their Camp Screamo co-headlining tour with Silverstein. Adam also hosts the Star Wars podcast Thank The Maker with William Ryan Key, Nick Ghanbarian, and Mike Forester.Follow Adam:Russell:https://www.instagram.com/adamtheskull/https://www.instagram.com/storyoftheyear/https://x.com/StoryoftheYearhttps://www.facebook.com/storyoftheyearSponsored by DistroKid:This episode is supported by DistroKid, which lets you upload once, get your tracks on all major platforms, and keep 100% of your streaming earnings. Their new DistroKid Direct feature also turns your artwork into print‑on‑demand merch like t‑shirts, mugs, and totes with no inventory to manage. Learn more below:⁠⁠https://tr.ee/distrokid-ableton Ableton Merch - Save 10% with the code "podcast":https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merchJoin the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events.https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter

In this episode, What So Not shares his creative process behind evolving his sound over the years, balancing artistry with strategy, and building records inside Ableton Live. We dive into his production workflow, sound design techniques, touring, AI in music, collaborating with vocalists, mixing on the road, and hear breakdowns from his upcoming projects.What So Not is an Australian electronic music producer and performer recognized as one of the defining architects behind the rise of cinematic trap and forward-thinking bass music. His production style has helped shape modern music through collaborations with Skrillex, RL Grime, Oliver Tree, Killer Mike, Toto, and Daniel Johns. With over 1.3 billion global streams across records like High You Are, Jaguar, Gemini, and Be Ok Again, he's entering a new chapter with his forthcoming project I SAW A TRAP DJ AND IT CHANGED MY BIO CHEMISTRY.Follow What So Not:https://www.instagram.com/whatsonothttps://drop.cobrand.com/d/WhatSoNot/ISATDJSponsored by DistroKid:This episode is supported by DistroKid, which lets you upload once, get your tracks on all major platforms, and keep 100% of your streaming earnings. Their new DistroKid Direct feature also turns your artwork into print‑on‑demand merch like t‑shirts, mugs, and totes with no inventory to manage. Learn more below:⁠https://tr.ee/distrokid-abletonGrab limited-edition Producer Merch & save 10% with the code "podcast":⁠⁠https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merch⁠⁠Join the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events:⁠⁠⁠https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter

dnksaus (Carter) explores the future of Ableton Live, creative sound design workflows, Max for Live tools, and the new Ableton Extensions feature. They dive deep into building custom tools, making better "mud pies," AI-assisted coding, workflow optimization, and how producers can stay inspired while finishing more music. dnksaus is a producer, Max for Live developer, and sound designer known for his innovative Ableton tutorials and custom devices. His Max for Live devices and Ableton racks are used by producers including Marshmello, Skrillex, and RÜFÜS DU SOL. Carter has collaborated with Ableton on educational content and presentations, contributed to Sounds of KSHMR Vol. 5, and has become known for unconventional production techniques that help producers unlock new creative workflows.Sponsored by DistroKid:This episode is supported by DistroKid, which lets you upload once, get your tracks on all major platforms, and keep 100% of your streaming earnings. Their new DistroKid Direct feature also turns your artwork into print‑on‑demand merch like t‑shirts, mugs, and totes with no inventory to manage. Learn more below:https://tr.ee/distrokid-abletonFollow dnksaus Below:https://dnksaus.comGrab limited-edition Producer Merch & save 10% with the code "podcast":⁠https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merch⁠Join the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events:⁠⁠https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter

In this episode, Brendan aka Undulae shares his approach to experimental bass music, deep sound design, creating unique textures through phase manipulation, Max for Live devices, and generative tools. We dive into staying authentic in the attention economy, building a creative identity online, live performance workflows, and the process behind his latest album "No Worries If Not" — a 43-minute gapless listening experience.Undulae is a Denver-based electronic musician, producer, and educator known for sharing advanced sound design and production techniques with both new and experienced artists. His music blends experimental bass, cinematic influences, and IDM-inspired sound design. Brendan has won beat challenges hosted by Mr. Bill, participated in Andrew Huang’s 4 Producers Challenge, and has performed at popular festivals including Infrasound.Follow Undulae Below:https://undulaemusic.comSponsored by DistroKid:This episode is supported by DistroKid, which lets you upload once, get your tracks on all major platforms, and keep 100% of your streaming earnings. Their new DistroKid Direct feature also turns your artwork into print‑on‑demand merch like t‑shirts, mugs, and totes with no inventory to manage. Learn more below:⁠https://tr.ee/distrokid-ableton⁠Grab limited-edition Producer Merch & save 10% with the code "podcast":https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merchJoin the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events:⁠https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter

Kill The Noise breaks down his evolving creative process—from couch-surfing bass producer to film scores—while navigating an AI-heavy landscape and real-life deadlines. We dive into his Ableton Live workflow for sidechaining and sound design, “stink mode” bass concepts, and the mindset to finish records without getting stuck in perfectionism.From film scores to studio production and major festival stages, Jake Stanczak—better known as Kill The Noise—has built a career defined by evolution and experimentation. Influenced early on by visionary filmmakers and boundary-pushing artists, his sound bridges cinematic intensity and forward-thinking electronic music, with collaborations ranging from Skrillex and Deadmau5 to Tom Morello, plus contributions to major film scores like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and xXx: Return of Xander Cage alongside Brian Tyler.Follow Kill The Noise:https://www.instagram.com/killthenoiseGrab limited-edition Producer Merch & save 10% with the code "podcast":https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merchJoin the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events.https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter

In this episode, COPYCATT dives into bass music sound design and Ableton workflows—breaking down a track, talking clipping vs limiting, fun stories, and sharing tools for getting movement and character. We'll talk about waveshaping, feedback experiments, and a few Live 12.4 favorites.COPYCATT (Andre) is an Australian-based producer with a dedicated following in the neuro/ hip-hop/ bass scene, known for his unique sound design. His collaborations include working with artists like Frequent and Mr. Bill, and his tracks have been performed by acts such as Pretty Lights, Haywyre, Mr Carmack, Tipper, Excision, and more. Since his first release in 2015, COPYCATT has built a cult following around 90’s hip hop-inspired grooves, hard-hitting snares, and bone-rattling sub basses—and he also releases sample packs and video tutorials to share his production process.Follow COPYCATT below:⁠https://soundcloud.com/itscopycatt⁠⁠https://instagram.com/itscopycatt⁠https://discord.com/invite/9cW8HnszvfGrab limited-edition Producer Merch & save 10% with the code "podcast":⁠https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merchJoin the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events.⁠https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter

In this episode, NUEQ shares how he writes high-energy dance music in Ableton Live, breaking down his Operator-heavy sound design, groove-first drum mindset, and how he builds “call and response” ideas that stay cohesive through a track. He also digs into resampling, distortion chains, sidechaining, and favorite stock tools like Vocoder for adding character.NUEQ is a bass music producer known for detailed, rhythm-forward productions and building sounds from scratch. He’s played festivals like Tipper & Friends, Infrasound, Submersion, Fire Lights, Desert Bass (IL), and Balter Festival (UK), and has supported artists including Tipper, Culprate, K.L.O, Tsuruda, kLL sMTH, Duffrey, and Thought Process. He’s collaborated with Mr Bill, Culprate, Yehezkel Raz, Azaleh, and Omnist (with ongoing work w/ Vorso + Culprate), released on Inspected, VALE, Billegal Beats, Colony Productions, and Wormhole Music, and has sync placements with Tesla, Nothing Phone, and Ninja.Follow NUEQ:https://linktr.ee/NUEQGrab limited-edition Producer Merch & save 10% with the code "podcast":https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merchJoin the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events.https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter

Matt Hill from The Floozies joins the podcast breaking down the live-looping workflows that keep their sets flexible and more. We get into fun show stories, building performance-ready rigs (including multi-Serum setups), mapping + record-arm shortcuts, and the mixing/mastering tools that save time—like Ozone, referencing, and other “work smarter” tech.Brothers Matt and Mark Hill are the sonic visionaries behind electronic-funk powerhouse The Floozies. Known for sold-out shows nationwide (including their annual hometown Funk Street Festival), they’ve lit up major festivals like Bonnaroo, Electric Forest, High Sierra, Summer Camp, Wakarusa, Camp Bisco, Summerset, and Bumbershoot—plus headlining Red Rocks. Their formidable sound continues to get love from coast to coast.Follow The Floozies Below:http://flooziesduo.comhttps://www.youtube.com/user/FlooziesDuohttp://instagram.com/flooziesduoGrab limited-edition Producer Merch & save 10% with the code "podcast":⁠https://www.abletonpodcast.com/merchJoin the newsletter to get free downloads, early episode access, and upcoming events:⁠https://www.abletonpodcast.com/newsletter