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FMM122 – Lee Huddleston: From 0 to 39 tracks signed in just one year

Today is the start of a very special series in which we’re going to be hearing about the journeys and lessons from a number of our producers from the FMM community.

And I’m super excited to share these journeys with you because they’ll give you the opportunity to learn from producers just like you…

Producers who have BIG ambitions, and who’ve wrestled and overcome a variety of challenges to see the amazing results that they are achieving today.

And stories like these are SO powerful because so often just one piece of information is all you need to flick a switch and see a huge change for yourself.

So in the hot seat today we have Lee Huddleston AKA Sigabort…

Like so many struggling producers, Lee kept telling himself that he wasn’t talented enough, he didn’t have what it takes to release music, and he was getting too old.

But 18 months ago he decided to back himself and go all in, giving himself one last chance at turning his dream into reality.

Just one year later Lee had a whopping 39 tracks signed by labels, over a hundred more in the bank ready to go, and his sights for the future are HUGE.

So how did he do it? What are the secrets to his explosive growth as a music producer, and importantly, what can you do to achieve the same?

Well, you’re about to find out…

Tune into this week’s episode of the Finish More Music podcast now!

Key takeaways

  • You don’t need lots of spare time in order to improve your music production skills.
  • You’ve got to be the person who does the things to get the results you want.
  • Finishing music consistently is the byproduct of discipline and showing up every day.
  • Follow the process and it’s not a matter of learning to be creative, it’s a matter of liberating that creativity.



Liked this? Now try these:

Thank you for listening!

I really appreciate you joining me and I hope you’re enjoying the topics and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this episode resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know, please share it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new episode lands: Subscribe here.

One of the things that helps people decide if a podcast is for them, is the review section. If you’re enjoying the episodes and feel they will add value for other music producers, please leave a 60 second review and rating. Thank you 🙂

Write a Killer Bassline in under 30 seconds!

If you’ve been looking for a quick way to create deep and groovy basslines perfect for house and techno… ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

Look no further!⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

This super effective technique uses a percussion sample as a framework to build your bassline within, so you know you’ll be creating something that carries the groove and rhythm needed to get people moving.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

You can choose to keep the sample in your track, or remove it so that you just have your bassline like I have done here.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

This trick works for almost any sample you can find, so you’ll be able to produce new and interesting results every time!⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

Thank you for watching

I really appreciate you tuning in and I hope you’re enjoying the tutorials and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this video resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know,  please share  it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new video lands: Subscribe to the FMM Youtube channel here.

Let me know how you get on with the techniques I showed in the videos and if you have any suggestions for future tutorials, ping me a message on Instagram (@IamKeithMills)

Quick Drum Layering with Simpler

Looking for fast inspiration and a cool technique for adding texture to your drum loops? Look no further!

Foley sounds like the water droplets sample I’ve used here provide an endless stream of inspiration for layering, especially when combined with the power of Ableton Live’s Simpler.

All you have to do is load your foley recording into Simpler, chop it up in Slice mode, then let it play the notes of your MIDI track whilst experimenting with the transient sensitivity.

And you can take this a step further by messing with the filter and pitch envelopes in the Simpler controls.

This technique is a super quick trick for making your drum loops less predicatable and sit better together in the mix, AND it works for almost any sound source you can find…so get experimenting!

Thank you for watching

I really appreciate you tuning in and I hope you’re enjoying the tutorials and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this video resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know,  please share  it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new video lands: Subscribe to the FMM Youtube channel here.

Let me know how you get on with the techniques I showed in the videos and if you have any suggestions for future tutorials, ping me a message on Instagram (@IamKeithMills)

FMM121 – Copying Kills Your Creativity Dead

An unavoidable part of being a creative is facing your demons: self doubt, perfectionism, worrying about what other people might think…

I get it…these are things we all have to stare in the face.

But one easy way people often try to avoid these feelings is to start copying other work.

(And it’s something you might be doing right now without even realising…)

Whether it’s track walkthroughs, complex templates or just straight up copying, the truth is: copying isn’t creative.

Because creativity is the process of using new ideas and actions to create original productions…and that’s why we’re all here right?

So in this week’s podcast I’m showing you just how easy it is to fall into the habit of copying, but more importantly, showing you the way to break free of the cycle and become truly creative!

The choice is yours… do you want to stifle your creativity, or liberate it?

Listen to this week’s episode of the Finish More Music podcast now.

Key takeaways

  • Copying isn’t creativity, it’s copying.
  • The more you copy, the more anxious you will feel about your own abilities.
  • You must build a creative process that liberates your creativity – one that allows you to express all of the great ideas in your head.
  • Replicating another person’s work as closely as possible only leads to disappointment – it never sounds as good.


Like this? Now watch these:

Thank you for listening!

I really appreciate you joining me and I hope you’re enjoying the topics and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this episode resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know, please share it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new episode lands: Subscribe here.

One of the things that helps people decide if a podcast is for them, is the review section. If you’re enjoying the episodes and feel they will add value for other music producers, please leave a 60 second review and rating. Thank you 🙂

Getting Deeper with Arpeggios

Arpeggiators are a simple but effective way to give standard chords rhythm and movement.

And whilst it’s fairly simple to set up an arpeggiator in your DAW, in this video I show you how to take it a step further by recording the arpeggiated chord to a new MIDI track, editing the MIDI data, and then playing it back through the original synth.

In this case I’ve randomized the chance of the notes playing, but you can really edit the MIDI notes however you like – remove, duplicate, randomize, whatever your heart desires!

Thank you for watching

I really appreciate you tuning in and I hope you’re enjoying the tutorials and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this video resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know,  please share  it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new video lands: Subscribe to the FMM Youtube channel here.

Let me know how you get on with the techniques I showed in the videos and if you have any suggestions for future tutorials, ping me a message on Instagram (@IamKeithMills)

How to Create Bass from ANY Sound

The never ending pursuit of a unique, warm and rich bass sound is every producer’s bug bear.

We surf presets, emulate our favourite artists, and endlessly search YouTube for the perfect tutorial.

Well I’m here to break that trend and tell you that almost any sound you can record can be shaped and sculpted into a quality bass sound for your music!

Check out this tutorial where I turn the sound of an iron weight being dropped into a warm, rich bass sound using basic filtering, sampling and processing techniques.

And while this tutorial was created in Ableton Live, the same concept can be applied to any DAW!

Thank you for watching

I really appreciate you tuning in and I hope you’re enjoying the tutorials and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this video resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know,  please share  it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new video lands: Subscribe to the FMM Youtube channel here.

Let me know how you get on with the techniques I showed in the videos and if you have any suggestions for future tutorials, ping me a message on Instagram (@IamKeithMills)

Enhanced Percussion with Filter Delay

Have you tried this trick yet?

If you ever struggle to create groovy, interesting percussion in your tracks, this technique using a Filter Delay is an incredible way to generate new ideas at a rapid pace.

This tip can not only be applied to a variety of percussive sounds, but also works on melodic hits, bass notes or even FX noises for some cool and creative results!

Take it a step further by duplicating your Filter Delay and changing the parameters, repeating until you have a selection of unique patterns to choose from!

Thank you for watching

I really appreciate you tuning in and I hope you’re enjoying the tutorials and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this video resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know,  please share  it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new video lands: Subscribe to the FMM Youtube channel here.

Let me know how you get on with the techniques I showed in the videos and if you have any suggestions for future tutorials, ping me a message on Instagram (@IamKeithMills)

Easy Drum Fills

If you’re looking to maintain interest throughout your track, you can’t go wrong with a classic drum fill…

In modern music production, fills can be created with a huge array of sound sources, one of my favourites being toms. Here you want to load up a drum rack of different toms samples, duplicate one of those samples across your MIDI editor, randomise it, then record…

The outcome will be a randomly-generated toms pattern which you can then sample to use a drum fill!

And the beauty of this technique is that you can load up your drum rack with different drum types, or sounds that you already know fit the vibe of your track so you can quickly generate something that works.

The possibilities are endless!

Thank you for watching

I really appreciate you tuning in and I hope you’re enjoying the tutorials and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this video resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know,  please share  it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new video lands: Subscribe to the FMM Youtube channel here.

Let me know how you get on with the techniques I showed in the videos and if you have any suggestions for future tutorials, ping me a message on Instagram (@IamKeithMills)

Thickening Drums with Gated Reverb

Reverb is a great tool for thickening out various sounds in your track, but how do you REALLY thicken things up and still have it sit tight in your mix? Gated reverb!

This classic 80s trick still work wonders today and is ideal for many modern electronic productions from big room techno (like this example here), to nu-disco, to synthwave!

Experiment with the release and the attack on the reverb of your choice until you get something that fits the groove of your track!

And while this was tutorial was made in Ableton Live, the same concept can be applied for use in any DAW.

Thank you for watching

I really appreciate you tuning in and I hope you’re enjoying the tutorials and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this video resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know,  please share  it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new video lands: Subscribe to the FMM Youtube channel here.

Let me know how you get on with the techniques I showed in the videos and if you have any suggestions for future tutorials, ping me a message on Instagram (@IamKeithMills)

FMM120 – Steve Bug

When you think of the best way to describe the world’s finest DJs and producers, what comes to mind?

…Taste-maker?

…Trend-setter?

…Visionary perhaps?

Only a handful of people can really claim to fit that description, but this week’s guest is all of the above…

Because in the hot seat this week is Steve Bug – a pioneering DJ, producer and label owner who is famed for his ability not only to adapt to changing trends, but set them.

Through his label Poker Flat Recordings, Steve helped pioneer the early 00s minimal tech house sound, and together with the various other labels he also runs, has made a profound contribution to the European house and techno scene as we know it.

His talents have also granted him releases on labels such as Bedrock, Knee Deep In Sound, Minus, Cocoon and Defected, and Steve’s regular touring schedule sees him playing to loyal crowds all over the world.

In this episode we discuss everything from how he generates his initial ideas all the way through to finishing them, how to find inspiration in the studio and stay true to your sound, plus the best approach to take to get your music heard by the top labels in the business.

More than two decades into his storied career, Steve still remains a singularly talented artist.

Listen to this week’s podcast to find out how!

Key takeaways

  • Give yourself time to explore ideas, and try things out – you don’t always have to create something that’s worth releasing.
  • It’s healthy to grow slow, take your time, and develop your sound and skills as a producer.
  • A small group of true fans, those that love exactly what you’re doing, is better than a bunch of people who only like what they want to hear.
  • Try to make contact with DJs when they pass by your local club, and develop a meaningful foundation to share your music with them.


Like this? Now watch these:

Thank you for listening!

I really appreciate you joining me and I hope you’re enjoying the topics and taking some real value into your music sessions.

If this episode resonated with you and you feel it will have a positive impact on the people you know, please share it  by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of this page.

To make sure you are always the first to know when a new episode lands: Subscribe here.

One of the things that helps people decide if a podcast is for them, is the review section. If you’re enjoying the episodes and feel they will add value for other music producers, please leave a 60 second review and rating. Thank you 🙂