In today’s world of instant loops, AI plugins, and endless “type beats,” it’s never been easier to make music that sounds polished. But does it still sound like you?
In the first episode of the Off The Record series, Brazilian producer Daniel Ganjaman reminds us that the heartbeat of music doesn’t come from perfect stems or clever tech alone. It lives in the messy, subjective choices that keep your sound unmistakably human. This piece goes deeper into stories that didn’t make the final cut. These are lessons for any producer or musician who wants to protect their creative soul in an AI world.
Why Perfect Loops Can Kill the Feeling
Ganjaman doesn’t sugarcoat it. A lot of modern music feels lifeless to him, and he believes it’s because too many producers lean on shortcuts that erase personality. “I usually listen to a lot of old music. I’m not someone who listens to much new stuff. Of course, I enjoy some new things from people I admire, but honestly, 95 percent is stuff from the 80s and earlier. These days, I see a lot of people making music by stitching together pre-made loops. It’s a pretty grim way to produce.” There’s nothing wrong with a loop. But when your entire workflow becomes drag, drop, done, the unpredictability gets lost. Ganjaman calls this the danger zone: the moment your process becomes so formulaic, it might as well be an AI prompt. A song appears, but where’s the human touch?
Think about classic punk records; raw, flawed, but charged with emotion that perfectly produced music can’t always capture. Sometimes, a slightly detuned note or a sloppy fill is exactly what keeps a track alive.
Curiosity is Timeless: Crate Digging and the Art of Sampling
Long before streaming and smart playlists, producers like Ganjaman learned by digging through crates. For him, rap’s sampling culture cracked his mind open and taught him that curiosity builds range.
“One thing that really made me curious about different sounds and eras was listening to a lot of rap. Rap had that sampling culture. I remember it blew my mind. When I found out those beats were sampled from older records, my head went ‘wow.’”
Digging through crates, Ganjaman fell in love with soul, African music, jazz, Latin grooves, all the hidden gems that gave him range. He remembers taking Brazilian records to the US, trading them, and walking out with armloads of vinyl that reshaped his entire palette.
This spirit still matters today. Ask yourself: Do you really know where that loop came from? Would you recognize the original sample buried inside your beat pack? Curiosity keeps you timeless because it pushes you to keep connecting the dots.
Find the Roots That Hit You Hard
Trends fade. Roots don’t. For Ganjaman, music born from the soul, like reggae, funk, soul, and jazz, has always been his compass because it connects directly to emotion.
“I love Black music, you know? Pretty much everything I have here is that. I don’t really have classical music in my collection. I think it’s beautiful, but it’s not something I listen to at home. It’s what hits me.”
What resonates with you might not be what’s trending on playlists. And that’s the point. His nickname, Ganjaman, came from a Lee Perry reggae record that struck him so deeply, it stuck for life.
Finding a sound that truly moves you will always matter more than just following what’s trending.
The Producer’s Role: More Than Just Knobs and Levels
A lot of people think producers are just there to tweak levels or sweeten the mix. Ganjaman sees it differently; the real job is to help artists capture a moment in time and shape it into something worth remembering.
“I really believe an album is a snapshot of that period for the artist. The producer is like the photographer who gets that shot and captures what that moment means.”
Sometimes that means telling an artist, “That idea doesn’t work. Let’s try another way.” It means trusting your gut even when the results feel imperfect. The best records don’t age well because they’re flawless. They age well because they capture a truth that was real in that moment.
If you want to make records that last, remember: producing is a conversation, not a command. Quincy Jones didn’t just record Michael Jackson; he pushed him, challenged him, and made room for surprises. Same spirit, different era.
Don’t Copy the Sound, Become It
Nothing frustrates Ganjaman more than “type beats.” He doesn’t want artists to chase the same reference over and over; he wants them to become the reference. “I hate when someone comes in and says, ‘I want this track to sound like this.’ The best you’ll get is that. And if you even get there, it’ll be worse.” He’s not saying don’t have references. He’s saying, don’t get trapped in them.
Many great artists start by copying what they love, but the ones we remember are the ones who take that inspiration and transform it into something new. Tom Zé broke conventions so radically that he inspired generations. You don’t do that by sticking to someone else’s blueprint forever.
Moises App: Using AI Without Losing the Human Touch
So, how does Ganjaman use modern tools without losing the soul? For him, Moises is about doing what felt impossible before, like isolating a dead artist’s vocal for a tribute show, or cleaning up a rough home recording to bring a legend’s voice back to life. “I have some ways I use Moises that help a lot with my daily workflow... It was essential for us to get where we wanted to go.” From rehearsals with a missing vocalist to preserving fragile legacy recordings, it’s modern alchemy; AI tools that expand what you can do, without erasing the heart of the music.
The Key Takeaway
Stay unpredictable. Keep digging. Let curiosity guide you deeper. Use AI and loops if they serve you, but never let them do the work for you. The artists who stand the test of time are the ones brave enough to risk imperfection for something real.
Catch the rest of Ganjaman’s conversation in Off The Record, only on the Moises AI YouTube channel.
