Today we’d like to introduce you to Noah Reed.
Hi Noah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Noah Reed! I am a music producer, musician, audio engineer, and songwriter.
From an extremely young age (4 years old, I believe?), I’ve always wanted to produce music (though, back then I would’ve said “I wanna be in a band!”). Of all things that could’ve sparked my interest in this field, I distinctly remember being given Hybrid Theory as a kid, and since then, I’ve had a fascination with music and sound design as an artistic and narrative medium that I wasn’t able to articulate until years later.
In school, I was always one of the “music kids,” band, choir, etc. I started experimenting with digital audio workstations in middle school, creating little looping patterns and calling them “songs.” Acquiring these programs back then made the vague fascination with creating new and interesting sounds tangible, and provided the key I needed to begin pursuing the dream of producing music “for real.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think any independent artist would answer this question in a similar way: “No!”
The hardest thing about independent artistry is making the time for the art even when it may not be financially feasible to do so. Those periods of time, having to rely on day jobs and supplemental gigs, can wreak havoc on an artist’s mental health and motivation to continue their craft. It’s sometimes impossible to slave away at a job you hate, then come home tired and try to force yourself into a creative mindset, for instance.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My specialty is not necessarily in any one genre, in fact, my specialty is being able to blend many genres and aesthetics into a new sound that doesn’t fit into a pre-established style. My most recent album, “In Good Health” from the (now defunct) band Linear Process exemplifies this by making sure each song sounds very different from the last one, and individually, the songs might shift styles suddenly or experiment with structure, lyric patterns, etc.
I take inspiration from as many different artists and genres as I possibly can. Among my topsters are harsh noise-rap group Clipping, electro-funk band TWRP, and progressive rock group The Pineapple Thief, just to name a small few.
I’m classically trained on a few instruments, and I subscribe to the philosophy that the recording studio is an instrument in and of itself. I continue producing music by blending my classical, conservatory-style music background with contemporary practices and modern philosophies in the studio.
What makes you happy?
Being creative and sharing stories makes me happy!
For me, music-making is an inherently social thing. I’ve never really been one to gravitate towards solo work as a default (though I am working on a few solo projects which are soon to be announced), instead the magic of making music happens collaboratively. Anything I make alone, in a vacuum, fundamentally lacks an outside perspective that can elevate the work to new heights that I could not have achieved while hunched over my Ableton Push with nobody to talk to.
Also, I just like hanging out with my friends, ha! Sometimes making a song is just a handy excuse to do that.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noah.r.reed/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Shmoanator
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/noah_reed
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2XmRQc1Gvx6BOem81N5NEa?si=83e6297fb72e481e
Image Credits
Brian McQuain
