TSB has produced for the likes of J Hus, Headie One and more. The Production Masterclass at Talent House for #IT2023 had a lengthy Q&A to start before we went to use UD’s state-of-the-art studios to watch him show us how it’s done. Kat Friar reports…
Image: Saadiq T
TSB spoke about his journey as a producer before going on to break down a beat he made for us, utilising the projector and Logic. The class was split into two groups as they watched him make a beat from scratch in the studios. TSB tinkered with elements, experimenting with different melodies and loops. He even started playing keys at one point. The whole masterclass felt very interactive as well as informative as we got to actually see him work in real time while asking him pressing producer questions.
Image: Saadiq T
Here’s some gems that you wouldn’t expect to get from a production workshop that are actually pretty vital…
People Management
- It’s all about chemistry
- Make people feel comfortable, especially in studio settings.
“Be the quieter person in the room and study, observe, see how other people manoeuvre. There’s people you look up to where you respect try and figure out or learn what it is that makes you actually even respect them or make them tick. Maybe it’s how silent they can be at times. Maybe it’s just how they do something.” TSB
- TSB spends a lot of time in sessions actually trying to have a relationship with the artists, talk to them, find out about them.
Image: Saadiq T
On managing burnout…
“People get so busy chasing after life and whatever that looks like for them that they kind of forget to be human sometimes. Your heart is an instrument, everything I do flows from my heart. So if I’m not in a healthy place, I can’t create. So if that means taking a step back, doing whatever is required for me to actually feel good before I start working again, then I’ll do that. And I think that kind of like refuels my inspiration as well.”
TSB
Image: Saadiq T
Thoughts on the future of Black British music, specifically production…
“We’re really on the way up when it comes to production, especially in Black British music. I’m surrounded by a lot of amazing producers and there’s so many amazing young producers coming up as well, man. It’s kind of scary cause like there’s just so many and naturally competing in each other, but I think overall production is in a great place. It’s really improving and it’s improving at a rapid rate, so I’m all here for it.” TSB
One thing to takeaway from the masterclass…
TSB: Be more honest and real with yourself. I think as a creative and as just a person in life that’s so important is to just be real with yourself and be more honest with yourself. I think when you’re able to self-assess in a good way, it has the potential to really change the trajectory of your life.
“Be more honest and real with yourself. I think as a creative and as just a person in life that’s so important is to just be real with yourself and be more honest with yourself. I think when you’re able to self-assess in a good way, it has the potential to really change the trajectory of your life.” TSB
Image: Kat Friar
Read our in-depth interview with TSB here.
Words & photography: Kat Friar
Photography: Saadiq T
Video: Hyabel & Saadiq T
