How Tobi Lou is turning countless voice notes into masterpieces: “I’m never going to run out of ideas”Ad feature with Splice
Tobi Lou has me hanging onto his every word during our interview. It’s 10 am in Los Angeles, where the vocalist and producer lives, and he’s passionate but calm as he reveals the universe’s deepest artistic secrets as vivid metaphors, casually sipping coffee between bursts of wisdom.
The Lagos-born, Chicago-raised artist, athlete and anime lover has been producing music in his bedroom for over two decades. Sure, he’s found himself working in lavish studios with revered labels and world-class producers, but most of the ideas for his four studio albums and viral hits — such as 2019’s Buff Baby — are conjured in one familiar place.
“It always comes back to me, locked in my room, just like when I started [making music] in eighth grade,” says Tobi. “I love the process of getting an idea and fleshing it out. It’s like I have to take this invisible thing and give it some physical properties so that it’s echoing off the walls in the room, rather than in my mind.”
Image: Press
Tobi likens the act of expanding these musical ideas to “raising a little bird.” His latest means of nurturing his songbirds is Splice’s Mobile App. “In terms of recording ideas, I’ve always lived in voice memo land, where I play a beat and record a freestyle over the top — but my phone turns into a bit of a graveyard of ideas”, he explains. “Splice’s app helps me keep in the flow. The second I get on the app, I’m working in an environment where I can take an idea as far as I need it to go.”
Specifically, Tobi is enjoying the Splice Mic feature, which is part of the Splice Mobile app and allows him to record any sound over a Stack of complementary samples. Instead of letting his ideas dwindle and lose energy, Splice Mobile helps him invigorate them. In a tap, he can effortlessly shuffle the genres, style, tempo and key of his Stack. Another swipe on his smartphone and he can transform his mellow neo-soul spark into a melodic lo-fi track or a country-style beat. Given that Tobi has mastered the art of creating music in myriad styles with a wide palette of instrumentation, this is a boon to his workflow.
“Rather than starting from this completely blank canvas, where you open a DAW and think, ‘What do I do now?’, it’s like, you go to Splice and instantly get the building blocks of what a song should be,” Tobi says. “I’m really appreciative of that right now.”

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Since he started making music, Tobi has been obsessed with capturing his ideas as they happen, no matter what gear he had access to. His introduction to producing came when he bought a microphone for $10 from RadioShack — it’s a far cry from what he has access to now, but plugging that first mic into his old computer was enough to get him hooked.
“From there, I was obsessed with trying to get a clearer signal of my recordings on my own, without having to go to studios — I couldn’t really afford studio time,” he says. As he started putting his musical mind to work, he found that the barriers between him and his creativity became less about the gear he was using; it was a battle of confidence.
“It’s cute when you’re a kid and you’re like, ‘Mom, look what I made,’ he says. “And then once you start to be aware of judgment — that not everyone’s going to pat you on the back for what you did — you start to look around and compare like, ‘How do I sound?’”. If I had a really good song idea that maybe my family and friends really like, it felt like, ‘Okay, I got one, good job’. But I would always think, ‘Damn, is that my last good idea?’”
Thankfully, he quickly assures me, it’s never anyone’s last good idea.
“After making thousands and thousands of songs, I realised, ‘Okay, I’m never going to run out of ideas.’ I actually don’t have enough time to record all the ideas I have. No matter if I live another 50 or 100 years, I will still have way more ideas than I ever got time to put on wax. So then it all just became about getting better at executing each idea.”
Image: Press
It’s tools like Splice Mobile that help Tobi materialise his creativity. He’s able to take a galaxy’s worth of sketches, build on them in the app, and export them as stems to his DAW with functions such as AirDrop and Export to Project. The app even lets Tobi text his ideas to friends and producers, who will add to the idea and send it back to him.
Tobi is comfortable when he’s working solo, but has also become an adept collaborator. He’s worked with the likes of T-Pain, Chief Keef, and Warren Hue, and a wealth of esteemed producers throughout his career.
“I’ll send a producer a sample, they’ll send me back what they did on it, then I’ll get the stems and do something with it, maybe organise it a different way, then I might send it to another producer. We’re just experimenting. I love taking the ideas of three or four producers and putting them in one big sandwich.”
Being able to easily collaborate and expand on his projects quickly with Splice Mobile is helping Tobi make more music and is becoming a natural part of his workflow. The artist once looked to fellow LA-based songwriter Steve Lacy, who famously created music using just his iPhone, and thought “that’s too crazy”, he recalls, shaking his head. How could his smartphone be such a catalyst for his sonic inventions?
“Since I started using Splice Mobile, I realised, ‘Wow, you can actually do this,’ he explains. “And being able to switch up genres on my iPhone — I’m doing different styles but it’s still Tobi Lou. It’s like I’m accessing a different side of who I am within the music.”
Image: Press
It’s not all about crafting serious and meticulous performances, though. Tobi’s found that music is how he channels what he calls “playing as an adult.” He’s happy to freestyle wacky and spontaneous songs, and record whatever comes to mind, just in case it proves to be useful later on.
“That’s what some of the best ideas are,” he says, beaming. “Like, what you thinking about right now? You’re thinking about bananas and pineapples? Great. Go with it. Show me your song about bananas and pineapples.”
“That’s what I think you can get out of using Splice Mobile — even though you’re working, it’s still a form of play.”
Tobi Lou has managed to turn his version of play into a profession, and also likens it to his form of therapy. But he’s, of course, still learning, experimenting and building, every day; he’s just trying to create as much music as he can.
And, naturally, Tobi leaves me on the edge of my seat for one more vivid metaphor.
“When you start a music career, you’re really building a house. So if I started building a house right now, I may get 20 songs in and have a roof over my head, but you want to make this house as comfortable and as dreamy as you can. So rather than thinking, ‘I’m going to drop this one song and it’s going to be a mansion.’ Like, no, — you’re laying the foundation. And the foundation isn’t laid down with one song, it’s repeating, and repeating, and repeating that. That’s the best advice I can give — it’s all really just on you, and what you can do.”
The post How Tobi Lou is turning countless voice notes into masterpieces: “I’m never going to run out of ideas” appeared first on MusicTech.

This Superfan Platform Gets Artists Paid 10x+ What They Make From StreamingThis week, Ari is joined by Mag Rodriguez, founder and CEO of EVEN to discuss how direct-to-fan platforms are changing the game for artists.

Richard Russell to receive MPG Inspiration Award The MPG have announced that Richard Russell, the acclaimed producer and founder of the ground-breaking label XL Recordings, will receive the prestigious MPG Inspiration Award at this year’s MPG Awards ceremony.

Figma, ignores the fear, files paperwork for an IPODesign software startup Figma announced Tuesday it has filed its confidential paperwork for an IPO. We won’t know more until that paperwork becomes public, which, best-case scenario would be in about a month. However, with the stock market in groundhog mode — seeing its shadow with every new gyration of the Trump Administration’s trade policies […]

CALLUM KERR SIGNS TO ONErpm & HUFF CO.L-R Back Row: Angela Chamberlain (ONErpm) & Kylie Dembek (ONErpm)Front Row: Ryan Cunningham (ONErpm), Callum Kerr, David Huff (Huff Co.)Scottish born, Texas raised and Nashville livin’ country artist Callum Kerr, of “Tequila Therapy,” “Tamed by Tennessee” and “Cold Beer Cold” fame, has signed up with ONErpm and Huff Co. "I'd heard about the Huff's before even landing in Nashville” says Kerr. “Couldn't have been more delighted when David called me with the offer. And to team up with ONErpm is even more awesome, given their experience in music marketing and distribution. The music is recorded and ready to go, and I think everyone is super excited to get it out into the world.""When we first met Callum, we had an instant connection” exclaimed Dann and David Huff. “Working with him in the studio was effortless, even having to record a few of his vocals via Skype while he was filming in South Africa! His Scottish roots along with his Country Rock roots really bring a new feel to his debut Country EP. This guy is gonna come out of the gates smokin’!""Callum Kerr is a true entertainer. We've watched him captivate live audiences with just him and a guitar, and our entire team is excited for everyone to hear the new music he’s created with Dann and David Huff. With this new project, Callum is bringing a sound to Country music that is true to who he is as an artist, and we can't wait for the world to hear it” states Ryan Cunningham, Director of A&R, ONErpm Nashville.Kerr is also a model and actor, and has appeared in 13 different movies and TV series including Monarch on Fox and Virgin River and One Piece, both on Netflix.Visit instagram.com/callum_kerr_1 for more info.The post CALLUM KERR SIGNS TO ONErpm & HUFF CO. first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Universal Audio UAD Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Available natively, the UAD Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier plug‑in captures every nuance of the iconic amp, giving players the punchy cleans and rich tube‑driven overdrive made famous by artists from Chuck Berry and Neil Young to modern players like Jason Isbell, and Joe Bonamassa. The UAD Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier plug‑in captures the classic tweed circuit in end‑to‑end detail, from its tube preamp and power section to tone stack and transformer. Built upon Universal Audio's industry‑leading amp modeling and component‑level circuit analysis, UAD Woodrow '55 puts a world‑class studio amp with expertly paired mic/speaker cabinets at your fingertips — no mics, pedals, or live room required. Features: Raw tube tones from the dawn of electric guitar, now in a plug-in. Play through a perfect emulation of the classic '50s American tweed amp, right in your DAW. Go from clean to crunch with a single knob for instant vintage sound. Enjoy authentic 5E3 tone — right down to the preamp and power tube stages, tone stack, and transformer. Go deep with customizable mic/speaker pairings and artist presets for any genre. https://youtu.be/5dxbL-GI1kQ Read More

Making Parts Feeders Work Where They Weren’t Supposed To[Chris Cecil] had a problem. He had a Manncorp/Autotronik MC384V2 pick and place, and needed more feeders. The company was reluctant to support an older machine and wanted over $32,000 to supply [Chris] with more feeders. He contemplated the expenditure… but then came across another project which gave him pause. Could he make Siemens feeders work with his machine?
It’s one of those “standing on the shoulders of giants” stories, with [Chris] building on the work from [Bilsef] and the OpenPNP project. He came across SchultzController, which could be used to work with Siemens Siplace feeders for pick-and-place machines. They were never supposed to work with his Manncorp machine, but it seemed possible to knit them together in some kind of unholy production-focused marriage. [Chris] explains how he hooked up the Manncorp hardware to a Smoothieboard and then Bilsef’s controller boards to get everything working, along with all the nitty gritty details on the software hacks required to get everything playing nice.
For an investment of just $2,500, [Chris] has been able to massively expand the number of feeders on his machine. Now, he’s got his pick and place building more Smoothieboards faster than ever, with less manual work on his part.
We feature a lot of one-off projects and home production methods, but it’s nice to also get a look at methods of more serious production in bigger numbers, too. It’s a topic we follow with interest. Video after the break.

[Editor’s note: Siemens is the parent company of Supplyframe, which is Hackaday’s parent company. This has nothing to do with this story.]

ASCAP, BMI, GMR, and SESAC have their say in US Copyright Office’s PRO inquiry…The four biggest PROs in the United States just filed with the Copyright Office. Here's what they said.
Source

Universal Audio release UAD Woodrow plug-in UAD Woodrow ’55 Instrument Amplifier has officially launched, bringing the renowned tones of its hardware counterpart into the hands of DAW users.

Blue FX Devices announce Fuzz Fields Kickstarter Combining an analogue fuzz circuit with three modulation voices, the Fuzz Fields is capable of generating a wealth of new and interesting sounds, and promises to keep users busy exploring new tones for hours on end. 

CashorTrade leads face value ticket resale revolutionWhile Trump and Congress are promising to end predatory concert ticketing, scrappy startup CashorTrade is already winning the war for the artists, promoters and 400,000 fans that use its platform for face value ticket resale.
The post CashorTrade leads face value ticket resale revolution appeared first on Hypebot.

💬 🔥 Weekly Deals & Freebies Thread
Welcome to the BPB Community Weekly Freebie Thread for April 14-20, 2025! 😊 Read the Thread Guidelines 💬 This section of our community is where BPB readers can share links to the latest freeware news and deals with fellow music producers in the comments. Thank you for contributing! To keep the discussion helpful and relevant, please [...]
View post: 💬 🔥 Weekly Deals & Freebies Thread

“A visionary whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the trajectory of contemporary music”: Richard Russell awarded MPG’s Inspiration AwardThe Music Producers Guild has announced another winner in the lead up to its official award ceremony next week. Following on from Lauren Laverne’s Special Recognition Award, producer Richard Russell has received his own prestigious MPG Inspiration Award.
Alongside founding the XL Recordings label, which platformed acts like Adele, Radiohead and The Prodigy, Russell’s production credits are varied. From newbie Samantha Morton’s eccentric trip hop debut record, Daffodils & Dirt, to collaborating with the legendary Peter Gabriel on 2023’s Four Kinds Of Horses, Russell is a versatile talent.

READ MORE: A. G. Cook, Charli xcx and Saltburn shortlisted for Music Producers Guild 2025 awards

Elsewhere, he’s also worked closely with Blur and Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn, co-producing Albarn’s 2014 solo debut, Everyday Robots. The pair went on to work together on R&B singer Bobby Womack’s 2012 comeback album, The Bravest Man In The Universe.

Collaboration is a key element of Russell’s creativity, and defined his 2018 music project, Everything Is Recorded. The project saw Russell incorporating a wide range of musical textures, melding dub, garage and soul, alongside the likes of Sampha, Obongjayar, Giggs, and Canadian indie pop violinist Owen Pallett. Everything is Recorded was even shortlisted for the 2018 Mercury Prize.

“Whether in the studio or guiding from behind the scenes, Richard Russell continues to inspire through his fearless approach to creativity and unwavering commitment to artistic freedom,” MPG Executive Director Anu Pillai says.
“The MPG is proud to honour a visionary whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the evolution and trajectory of contemporary music; from Kicks Like a Mule, to Everything Is Recorded, and countless highlights in between.”
The official Music Producers Guild Awards will take place on the 24 April. The awards span across 15 categories, including standout Self-Producing Artist and Breakthrough Producer of the Year. The nominees list includes Charli xcx, A. G. Cook, Rachel Chinouriri and more.
The event will take place at London’s Troxy next week on 24 April. Tickets for the ceremony are on-sale now.

The post “A visionary whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the trajectory of contemporary music”: Richard Russell awarded MPG’s Inspiration Award appeared first on MusicTech.

Women in Live Music: New report reveals gender disparitiesA new report, ‘Seat at the Table: LIVE Edition’ looks at the role of women in live music and the battle for more equitable gender representation.
The post Women in Live Music: New report reveals gender disparities appeared first on Hypebot.

Universal Audio transforms another of its amp modelling pedals into a plugin – this time the Woodrow ’55Want vintage guitar tones without the fuss? Universal Audio has transformed yet another of its classic amp modelling pedals into a plugin. The UAD Woodrow ’55 allows you to tap into the vintage tones of Fender’s 1955 5E3 Tweed Deluxe, all from the comfort of your DAW.
The UAD Woodrow ’55 plugin joins Universal Audio’s digital collection of studio-grade amp modelling plugins. It joins Dream ’65, another Fender emulation, as well as Marshall and Vox amp emulators Lion ’68 and Ruby ’63.

READ MORE: Pro-Ject’s new fully automatic A1.2 turntable is a masterclass in effortless vinyl playback

With the Woodrow ’55, users have a vast array of tone-shaping options, with the ability to fully customise mic and speaker pairings, or utilise presets for any desired genre. It’s a quick and easy way of injecting some rock ‘n’ roll grit to your mix, or toy with some soulful Americana.
From ripe cleans to tube-driven overdrive, the plug-in captures the circuit in end-to-end detail. It could be the perfect fit for anyone on the hunt for old school bluesy guitar tones – of if you want to add a Chuck Berry or Joe Bonamassa edge to your track.
Back in 2016, we argued that UA’s original Fender Tweed Deluxe emulation was “the most authentic and sonically detailed emulation we’ve seen of any guitar amplifier to date”, praising its dynamic response.
“This is the amp that defined what electric guitar sounds like – from the first fuzzed-out rock records to today’s alt-country and Americana,” Lev Perrey, VP of Product at Universal Audio, explains. “With UAD Woodrow ’55, we’ve made that iconic tone accessible to anyone producing music in the box.”
Credit: Universal Audio
For anyone keen to tap into Universal Audio’s full collection of vintage amp models, the company is currently running a UAD Guitar Amp Bundle deal, which includes UAD Woodrow ’55, Ruby ’63, Dream ’65, and Lion ’68 amps in one package for $399.
The release coincides with the 3rd anniversary of Universal Audio’s subscription service, UAD Spark. To celebrate the occasion, the company is offering users two years of UAD Spark for just $99 per year. The subscription allows access to over 50 of the company’s UAD plugins, including UAD Woodrow ’55.
The UAD Woodrow ’55 plugin is available now for $199. Alternatively, you can grab the UAD Guitar Amp Bundle deal for $399.
The post Universal Audio transforms another of its amp modelling pedals into a plugin – this time the Woodrow ’55 appeared first on MusicTech.