20 Questions With Adam Friedman

Adam Friedman is a songwriter, producer, and recording artist whose melodies, beats, and lyrics have reached millions of listeners. A talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with a passion for drums, Adam makes a habit of writing music every day and brings his positive attitude and ear for tasty hooks to all of his collaborations.

After our recent interview about his new studio space, we had 20 more questions for Adam, covering his refreshing “make what you want to hear” approach to music, the importance of going with the flow in writing sessions, and how a percussion sample made with coins ended up in many of his productions.

1. How did you get started making records?

I grew up learning how to record on a dual tape deck karaoke machine, and then I got a Boss BR-532. I had the four-track and then I got the eight-track version. Then, I got an iMac when I was 15. My dad was like, “If you save up half your allowance, I'll pay the rest.” So I saved up for like six months and got an iMac with GarageBand and then Logic Express 7. I've always been just kind of creating for myself and learning recording techniques and stuff like that.

2. What was your first instrument and when did you start playing?

I started on the guitar at nine, and then I got a drum kit when I was like 13 or 14, to my mom's dismay.

3. What’s your philosophy on producing?

If I had a philosophy, it would be “Make shit that I want to hear.” Or whoever I'm working with, just make shit that makes us excited. That's it. The specifics of how that happens change depending on who you're in the room with, but the fundamental principle is to make the music you want to hear.

4. Tell us about a transformational moment in your career.

I moved to L.A. when I was a younger man, and a couple of friends were like, “You should do an artist thing,” so I just started putting my music out. But after a short time, I wasn't happy with that music. I was still figuring out my voice and I didn’t know what I wanted. I was just chasing something that somebody else thought I should do.

When I stopped doing that, I took a sabbatical and was basically broke. I had five grand in my bank account and I gave up my apartment, put all my stuff into a storage unit for $300 a month, and got a one-way ticket to Europe. 

During that time, I met my friend Tienus Konijnenburg on my porch in Venice and we just hit it off. He’s a phenomenal human and songwriter and makes music as Gold Kimono. He was doing this writing camp in Europe, and I went out there and met all these great people. That experience made me fall back in love with making music and the reasons I made music in the first place: because I fucking love doing it. 

5. What have you learned from all the writing sessions you’ve been in over the years?

One of the most important things I've learned is to not take anything personally. If someone says, “I don't like that,” cool. “What do you like? How about this, or how about this?” Never put up resistance. You're like water going downhill; you just take that path. If someone has an idea, just start doing it. It's the principle of being useful to the room. “How can I be of maximum usefulness to this situation?” That's it. 

6. What’s your favorite part of the creative process?

I love taking random improv moments on instruments or words and riding the entire wave until it's a finished, complete record. Not many feelings are better than that.

7. What's your go-to vocal chain?

I just have my Manley Reference Mic going into my Universal Audio LA-610 preamp and an LA-2A,  and then I use Waves R Compressor and a little SSL EQ and Pro-Q 3. But recently, I've been turning the R Compressor off and just trying to make it sound super good through the LA-2A.

8. What’s the least expensive piece of gear you’ve ever used on a record?

Kazoo!

9. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve done to get a specific sound?

My fingers were sticky one day from a pastry. I had two quarters and I just stuck them to my fingers and started doing this 16th note thing. I use it all the time in the background because it’s got this really nice, clicky attack, especially if you tune it down.

10. What do you do in your free time, when you’re not making records?

Spending time with my friends. I love surfing. I love snowboarding. I love riding my bike; I have an electric bike and a motorcycle. I love traveling and spending time with my family, although they live in Arizona. And I have a new niece who I adore!

11. What’s your favorite place to eat?

This Thai restaurant, Siamese Garden.

12. What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

Man's Search for Meaning.

13. What’s one of your favorite albums of all time?

Can I list two? Because they're both mutually important. The first one is Third Eye Blind’s self-titled album with the red cover. That album changed everything about how I listened to music, and it was right when my brother showed me Dr. Dre’s The Chronic. 

Those two albums converged for me, because Third Eye Blind was kind of alternative and I loved the drum tones on there, the guitar tones, the licks, the writing, the hooks. And Dr. Dre's productions are just so clean. Everything is present and clear and feels so good.

14. What’s one record you wish that you had worked on?

Portugal. The Man, Feel it Still. It's just so—it doesn't even need to try to be cool. The production, the writing, and the drums on that record are crazy, man. Oh my god. It just sounds so good.

15. What new music have you been listening to lately?

I've been really into Khruangbin, Black Pumas, Bakar, and Little Simz. I grew up loving film music, like James Newton Howard, James Horner, Hans Zimmer, Mark Isham. I kind of cycle through that stuff and classical music. It's kind of like ginger when you're eating sushi; it's like a palate cleanser for my tastes. It's so rejuvenating.

16. What has changed most about your production style over the years?

I have become more and more aware of how important it is to just make what I want to make and to work with people that I would have a burrito or a beer with, and just to keep it at that. Just being more confident in my principles and why I'm doing this.

17. When you're feeling inspired, what's the number-one piece of gear or equipment that you go to?

I love starting records from the drums. I recently started working with The Drum Doctor; he’s like the best of the best. I have a kind of a shitty kit right now and I'm waiting on a new kit, but he just makes it sound so good. There's something that excites me about that, and then when I have the drums, the chords will come.

18. If you had to choose between a completely digital workflow and a completely analog workflow, which would you gravitate toward?

I would do digital just because I love moving around. I love being out in the woods or by the ocean. I love recording studios, but I could not spend my whole life in a windowless dungeon with electronics everywhere. It would drive me mad. So I'm gonna say digital, but that doesn't mean I don't love analog. 

19. Name a "dream artist" that you'd like to work with someday.

I would love to work with Mark Ronson one day. I would just like to hang with him and see what he's all about. 

20. What’s one piece of advice you have for aspiring producers or engineers?

Make the music you want to make, share it, find great mentors, and find a great group of friends inside and outside of the music world. 

If you’re interested in purchasing any of the gear mentioned in this blog, we're here to help! Contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160.