#2 – 6TH STREET — Creating Music with Emotion, Finding the Sparks, and Building Community on Twitch

"If you're internally happy with your music, then the purpose is already complete and you're already a successful artist." — 6TH STREET
6TH STREET (@6THSTREETmusic) is a music producer, DJ, choreographer, dancer, and Producer Dojo mentor and sensei. His EP, Neon District, came out in April 2019 on the Producer Dojo label, and hit #1 on the Beatport Trap/Future Bass chart, #2 on the Dubstep Chart, and went top 10 in Electronica and Downtempo. Each of those genres are landmarks in the Neon District, and the EP takes you on a musical journey through emotions and melodies.
6TH STREET has also collaborated with fellow Dojo sensei Daniel Simmons on “Back in Love”, a single released in August 2019, which will have remixes released soon. He also streams music roasts and feedback on Twitch twice a week.
In our conversation, we talk about creating music that evokes an emotional response, finding the elements that spark the making of a full track, building an online community through Twitch livestreaming, and much more.
Selected Links
- Connect with 6TH STREET: fanlink.to/6THSTREET / Twitter / Instagram / Soundcloud
- 6TH STREET on Twitch
Full disclosure: This list includes some affiliate links. If you purchase something through those links, you won't pay anything extra, but I'll get a small commission or discount which helps me make music and keep this podcast going. Thank you for supporting me and Beats and Risers!
- Producer Dojo / Music and Cyphers
- Ableton
- Cymatics.fm
- Producer Dojo Facebook group
- The Class of 808
- The Weekly Download
- Serum
- ADSR Sample Manager
- H-Reverb and H-EQ - Waves
- Guitar Rig 5
- Akai MPK Mini mkII MIDI controller
Music Referenced
- Neon District EP by 6TH STREET
- "Welcome to 6TH STREET" by 6TH STREET, from Producer Dojo Cypher #8: Say My Name
- "This Type of Monday" by 6TH STREET feat. Mitch Brady and Leo Xia
Episode Notes
- 6TH STREET reflects on a decade of living in Los Angeles and the beginning of his path shifting toward music [2:05]
- How Neon District and the theme of place fits into the vibe of 6TH STREET [3:40]
- 6TH STREET explains how the Neon District EP came together [4:53]
- What sparked 6TH STREET's love of music? [5:49]
- 6TH STREET looks back at how he started producing music [7:03]
- On getting involved with Producer Dojo, from finding the Facebook group to joining the Class of 808 [7:58]
- On the experience of becoming a Producer Dojo sensei [10:16]
- The #1 piece of advice 6TH STREET has for producers working with vocals [11:12]
- The three artists that most inspire 6TH STREET [12:02]
- How 6TH STREET's background in dance helps influence the groove of his music productions [12:57]
- When 6TH STREET starts a new track, what's the first thing he does? [15:24]
- Once the main idea is down, what comes next? [17:04]
- The two strategies 6TH STREET uses to overcome writer's block [18:25]
- How a time constraint of 3 days resulted in 6TH STREET writing one of his favourite songs he's written [19:45]
- 6TH STREET's tip for newer producers to help them understand what makes a song a song [22:23]
- The best investment 6TH STREET has made in his music career [24:22]
- Why music is a community career built on relationships, and what to be mindful of [25:33]
- On DJing, and finding the bridge to performing your own productions in front of a live audience [26:24]
- How a nearly-lost years-old loop inspired 6TH STREET to write an emotional, nostalgic song [28:53]
- On the organized chaos of projects - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't [32:42]
- How music production provided 6TH STREET with an outlet to deal with, and heal from, a tough breakup [35:24]
- 6TH STREET explains how he got started with streaming on Twitch, and how the community has grown over time [37:59]
- How Twitch creates a deeper connection than other social media [41:57]
- A final piece of advice 6TH STREET has for producers [55:09]
The 808
- What book has had the most impact on 6TH STREET's production or creativity? [43:11]
- If 6TH STREET had to give a TED Talk on anything, but it couldn't be about music, what would it be about? [45:10]
- What is 6TH STREET's favourite key and tempo to produce in? [47:11]
- If 6TH STREET could collaborate with any artist, who would he collab with? [47:45]
- The two VST instruments and three VST effects 6TH STREET would choose to make a track from. [48:20]
- How does 6TH STREET know whether a song needs to be finished or whether it's time to throw in the towel? [49:22]
- In the past six months, what has 6TH STREET purchased for $100 or less that has had the greatest impact on his music production? [51:40]
- What would 6TH STREET tell himself if he could go back in time and speak to himself while he was in his first six months of producing music? [53:01]
People Mentioned
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