Notes - :: aymat.org ::

These posts are written from experience. Read them in any order, or if you're not sure where to start, here's a good entry point.

Long exposure night sky with a bright full moon glowing through purple and blue haze, star trails, and the top of a tree in the corner.

Artist Spotlight: CO:LOG – Shoot By Mistake (LF003)

By aymat | Sep 24, 2026 | Artist Spotlight

When I originally put out a call for producers to join me on this coaching journey back in May, I naively expected most of the people who responded to be middle-aged producers like [...]

In a dark setting, a devilish man stands with his head down, reflecting a mood of solitude or deep thought.

The Producer Who Doesn’t Exist

By aymat | Jul 11, 2026 | Mindset & Creativity

There's this threshold every producer crosses when they stop listening to music purely for enjoyment and start listening to it with critical ears. It's a bittersweet moment. You learn to appreciate music on a [...]

Artist Spotlight: Laszlow – Emergency Landing EP (LF001)

By aymat | Jun 29, 2026 | Artist Spotlight

The first release on Latent : Forms comes from one of the earliest people to dive into the sessions... and it feels like the right way to kick things off. Laszlow, aka Val, has [...]

A man intensely focuses on a pool shot in dim lighting, surrounded by billiard balls. The serene atmosphere suggests concentration and leisure.

If You Love Something, You’ll Learn It

By aymat | Jun 24, 2026 | Life & Reflection

The icy cold arrival of middle age has a way of making you reflect more than any other period in your life. It's a time that comes with a palpable realization of your own mortality [...]

A monochrome image of a music studio showcasing various instruments and audio equipment arranged in the space.

What’s a Link?

By aymat | Jun 15, 2026 | Life & Reflection

When I look back over the past 30 years, it's still hard to wrap my head around how I got here. Nearly three decades later, I'm still wondering how a chance occurrence sparked a [...]

A person holds a smartphone displaying a messaging app in front of a music production setup with a keyboard, audio interface, and computer monitor. The scene gives a sense of distraction and lack of focus.

The Biggest Distraction Is You

By aymat | Jun 9, 2026 | Mindset & Creativity, Workflow & Productivity

As producers, we walk a fine line between our responsibilities and distractions. We're creatives with a constant need to express ourselves. However, since this is such a vital part of who we are, we [...]

Two people are sitting in low light at an ayahuasca ritual, with one person handing a small round bowl, to the other. The image is for an article about self-doubt as a music producer.

Doubt Will Kill Your Music Before You Do

By aymat | May 30, 2026 | Mindset & Creativity, Life & Reflection

I recently watched a video of a man who spoke about doing Ayahuasca over 100 times. I've never done it but have always been curious. It speaks to me as someone who does a [...]

A person’s hands operate music production equipment, including a MIDI controller with pads, an audio interface, and a computer keyboard in a studio setting.

Two Things Can Be True At Once

By aymat | May 17, 2026 | Workflow & Productivity, Mindset & Creativity

My wife and I have a saying that gets repeated often at home... "Two things can be true at once." It's usually mentioned when referring to something that has no absolute answer, or can't [...]

A blurry, monochrome image shows a man running with a sandbag over his shoulder through a trail, viewed from above. The scene conveys a sense of urgency and chaos, with swirling textures.

The Weight of Self-Doubt as a Producer

By aymat | May 6, 2026 | Mindset & Creativity

I've been active for most of my adult life. I started hitting the gym in my teens as a way to get stronger and avoid getting my ass kicked by bullies. I went from powerlifting [...]

Close-up of a person playing a keyboard synthesizer with both hands, wearing a "Good Looking Records" t-shirt, in a dimly lit room.

The Missing Key to Finishing Tracks

By aymat | Apr 23, 2026 | Mindset & Creativity

By now, if you've made it through the previous articles, you've probably noticed a pattern. Finishing tracks has less to do with gear or plugins and more to do with the abstract stuff... the [...]

Monochrome photograph of a woman and a child sit on a wooden dock by the water; the child is holding a pole while the woman sits behind, both facing the camera.

A Short History of My Production Journey

By aymat | Apr 15, 2026 | Mindset & Creativity

Growing up in Puerto Rico, music wasn't something I thought about... it was just there. Salsa, merengue, cumbia, latin jazz... I never thought of it in terms of genres or styles. It was just [...]

Monochrome photograph of a man working at a music production studio desk with headphones, mixer, and DAW software on screen.

The Psychology of Being a Producer

By aymat | Apr 8, 2026 | Mindset & Creativity

Before I jumped head first into music production in the late 90s, I had been working as a professional illustrator for close to 7 years. I was hired out of high school to work [...]

Monochrome photograph of a dimly lit music studio with sound panels, a computer on a desk, and various musical equipment. Posters adorn the walls, creating a focused yet creative vibe.

Why Most Producers Never Finish Tracks

By aymat | Apr 1, 2026 | Mindset & Creativity

After more than two decades of making music, I still remember the familiar sting of watching another track fade away unfinished. What started as a promising idea ended up buried in a folder, left [...]