My Music Production Journey

 

From Beatboxing to Beat Machines: My Unexpected Journey Into Music Production

By Paul Perez

I originally set out to record a simple comparison—looking at devices like the SP-404 MKII, the Koala Sampler app, and MPC units like the MPC One and MPC Live 3. But somewhere in the editing process, this article shifted into something more personal.

It became less about the gear—and more about the journey.

Because the truth is, I don’t really consider myself a music producer. But over time, I’ve found myself using the same tools that producers use, slowly building skills and curiosity through different phases of my life. Looking back, this didn’t just happen overnight. It’s been building for decades.

Growing Up Around Music

My introduction to music started early, through my older brother. He was a DJ when I was a kid, and music was always around—records spinning, parties happening, sounds constantly filling the space. I looked up to him and naturally wanted to follow in his footsteps.

This was the 1980s, a time when music felt larger than life. MTV and BET were central to the culture, and music videos weren’t just entertainment—they were events. Music felt tied to identity. What you listened to said something about who you were.

As a kid, I’d beatbox, hum melodies, and sing lyrics constantly. And for some reason, I believed making music couldn’t be that difficult. That assumption, of course, would eventually be proven wrong—but it planted an important seed.

First Steps Into Making Music

In my mid-20s, while working in a New York City hotel, I met a coworker who played piano and introduced me to a whole new side of music: sequencing and multi-track recording.

He sold me an Alesis MMT-8 sequencer, and that experience opened my eyes. For the first time, I understood that music could be built layer by layer. Around that same time, I was heavily into underground hip-hop, writing small rap verses with my younger brother and recording over instrumentals at home.

 

 

The Alesis MMT-8...Image courtesy of VintageSynth.com

 

I started experimenting with making beats. They weren’t good—but they were a start.

Reflecting on that period taught me something important: creating music is much harder than it looks, but repetition matters. Even when you’re not great, putting in the time helps you understand the process. Still, life moved on, and eventually I drifted away from it. I sold the equipment and left music-making behind—for a while.

Podcasting Rekindles the Spark

Years later, podcasting brought me back.

I started podcasting around 2016, and nearly a decade later, I’ve recorded over 400 episodes across several different shows. Along the way, I became more aware of how podcasts use music—intro themes, background tracks, transitions.

Like many people do when learning something new, I wanted to replicate what I liked.

That’s when I discovered GarageBand on the iPad.

 

Garageband on the Ipad...courtesy of apple.com

 

This was a turning point. GarageBand made music creation feel accessible in a way I hadn’t experienced before. Using loops, built-in sounds, and automatic syncing, I could quickly piece together tracks that actually sounded cohesive.

I began creating custom music for my podcast episodes—sometimes different tracks for each one. It wasn’t “traditional” music production, but it was creative, fun, and consistent. And it brought me back into the world of making music.

The Power of the iPad

Over time, the iPad became my central creative tool.

Not just for making music, but also for DJing. Inspired again by my brother, I explored DJ apps and started mixing more regularly. The flexibility of modern devices made everything feel seamless. I could start a mix on my phone and continue it on my iPad.

Technology had reached a point where the barrier to entry was lower than ever—and that made it easier to stay engaged.

Inspiration and the Pandemic Shift

During the pandemic, I discovered Marc Rebillet, known for his live looping performances and improvisational style. Watching his streams was inspiring. His setup—loop station, keyboard, and pads—looked both fun and expressive.

 

Marc Rebillet...image courtesy of wikipedia.org

 

And once again, I followed that familiar instinct: see something interesting, try it for myself.

I built a similar setup, adding a loop station, a MIDI keyboard, and eventually an MPC. At first, I didn’t fully understand the MPC. It felt like just a “box of sounds.” But I kept experimenting, because that’s always been the common thread—curiosity and fun.

A Setback That Created Momentum

In late 2024, I suffered a foot injury that kept me out of work for several months. That downtime, while frustrating, became an opportunity.

I dove deeper into learning.

I watched tutorials, studied workflows, and explored new tools. This is when I discovered the Koala Sampler app and the SP-404 MKII, and gained a better understanding of the MPC.

Things started to click in a new way.

What once felt confusing became more intuitive. 

More Than Just Gear

Looking back, this journey isn’t really about specific devices.

It’s about progression.

From a kid beatboxing in the ‘80s…
to experimenting with sequencers in my 20s…
to rediscovering creativity through podcasting…
to now exploring modern music production tools.

I’m still not a traditional music producer—and that’s okay.

What matters is the process. The curiosity. The willingness to try, fail, learn, and keep going.

And from here, the conversation about gear—the Koala app, SP-404, MPC—that’s the next chapter.

Find the audio version of this article on my latest podcast here.

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