Tommy Zee - Stop Drinking from the Infinite Well

Tommy Zee - Stop Drinking from the Infinite Well

Author: Brian Funk November 11, 2025 Duration: 1:45:32

Tommy Zee runs Tommy Zee and Co., a music production company that creates music for some of the world's largest brands like Nike, Adidas, Google, Sony, and more. He also runs Making Music for Brands, a platform where he teaches producers how to build careers creating music for commercial projects.

This is the fourth time I've had Tommy on the podcast, and every time we talk, I walk away feeling inspired and energized. In this episode, we talk about the evolving role of artists in a world increasingly shaped by AI and automation. We explore how commercial work shaped Tommy's discipline, why he's now leaning more into slower, more intentional creativity, and how important it is to stay connected to what truly matters to you as an artist. Toward the end, things get philosophical—and I think that's where some of the richest moments come through.

This episode is sponsored by Baby Audio, who are running a huge Black Friday sale until December 8, 2025.  
Save an additional 15% with the code: MPP15 
- https://babyaud.io 

Listen on Apple, SpotifyYouTube

Links:

Thank you for listening. 

Please review the Music Production Podcast on your favorite podcast provider!

And don't forget to visit my site https://BrianFunk.com for music production tutorials, videos, and sound packs.

Brian Funk


Brian Funk hosts the Music Production Podcast, a space where the technical meets the personal in the world of making music. This isn't a lecture series; it's a collection of conversations that feel like dropping into a studio with a knowledgeable friend. As a working musician, songwriter, teacher, and Ableton Certified Trainer, Brian approaches each topic with a practitioner's curiosity. Discussions flow naturally from the specifics of a piece of gear or a production technique into broader reflections on creative philosophy and the artistic process. You'll hear about the tools of the trade, but always through the lens of how they serve an idea or unlock a new way of working. The podcast thrives on informal dialogue, whether Brian is sharing his own experiences or talking with guests, making complex topics accessible and immediately relevant. It’s for anyone who builds songs from the ground up and thinks about the why just as much as the how. Tune in for honest, nuanced talks that go beyond simple tips and tricks, offering a deeper, more human perspective on the craft of music production.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Music Production Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Six Missing – Flow States, Ego Drops, and the Art of Letting Go [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:29
Today I welcome back TJ Dumser, who makes ambient meditative soundscapes under the name Six Missing. TJ is in the process of releasing his new album Without Mind in 3 sections. We spoke shortly after the first section Id…
Jxmie Blake on Rule-Breaking, Risk-Taking, and Decision-Making [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45:39
Jxmie Blake is a genre-blending artist, producer, and educator whose work fuses jazz, soul, hip hop, pop, and electronic music into a bold and expressive signature sound. Known for his innovative approach to Ableton Push…
Creative Confidence and Music Production with LNA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:07
Liina Turtonen, aka LNA, is a musician, producer, and educator, who runs the LNA Does Audio Stuff YouTube Channel. Liina is an Ableton Certified Trainer and just released her book Creative Confidence and Music Production…
Rich Shivener - Living Digital Media [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:02
Rich Shivener is a musician, producer, and professor. His book Living Digital Media explores how creators producer works. He documents the emotional journey creators go through and the behind the scenes experiences that…
#398: At Home Songwriting with Chad Shank [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:00:43
Chad Shank is a songwriting teacher and music producer. Chad teaches songwriting at Berklee Online and runs At Home Songwriting, where he helps students learn how to write songs in their own authentic style and voice. Ch…
William Garrett - From Sweeping Floors to 10 Billion Streams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:39
William Garrett is a mixing and recording engineer and producer, and studio builder and manager. He managed a studio for Sony in New York City for 15 years and was Senior Music Producer for Spotify Singles, recording and…
Songwriting, Creative Flow, and The Natural World with Jean-Paul Vest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:59
In this episode of The Music Production Podcast, I sit down with musician and songwriter Jean-Paul Vest, the driving force behind Last Charge of the Light Horse. We talk about the evolution of songwriting, the impact of…
Øy - Composing Live Music Using Dance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:36
Today I am speaking with Kristoffer Lislegaard and Janne Eraker of the duo Øy. Janne is a tap dancer, with contact mics attached to her shoes. Kristoffer receives the audio in his computer running sequencers, synthesizer…
Low Heat Beats on Flow, Creativity, and Sharing Your Music [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:57:58
Boyan of LowHeatBeats is a music producer and educator, whose rapidly growing YouTube channel takes us behind the scenes of his process, showing us the tools and techniques he uses to create his blend of soulful hip-hop,…