The Surprising Magic of Creating for Creators

During the long, slow, and periodically agonizing process of building our studio, I was approached about a new project: would I be interested in doing a country sample pack for Splice?

As a writer-producer who is always looking for the quickest (and cheapest) way to finish a demo, I was intrigued. I have long been reliant on samples to make programmed tracks sound more organic, whether it’s a folder of Devin’s steel parts I’ve saved, guitar fx I’ve printed, or that same damn Arcade steel patch I hear in every demo, we’re all looking for a quick way to add a little Nashville flavor to a simple day-of track. Until now, the options have been frustratingly limited.

Building a studio is expensive, so we jumped at the chance to get on board with Splice last year and explore a new revenue stream. I’m now entering into my 5th sample pack for the company, and I will say there is a joy in the side hustle of “creating for creators” that has really touched me.

Being a producer can often feel very lonely. We’re obsessing about sounds that the average listener may not care about, we’re tweaking the snare 5 plugins deep because it’s “not hitting”, we’re polishing up every note of a vocal performance with the knowledge that we’ll STILL be asked for endless revisions even after we’re sure that it’s perfect. Getting a song exactly right for an artist (and for ourselves) can feel like a lonely quest, which is why putting sounds in the hands of other producers feels so empowering.

It’s like by giving someone the tools to do their job, and do it well, we’re coming together across continents and time zones to support each other. If I can write the loop that is the missing puzzle piece to someone's song, or build the song-starter that gives someone that next great idea, that to me feels like a very worthy use of my time.

When people reach out to me and want to send me something they’ve created using our sample packs (great example here), it feels like such a huge high five. It’s a way of coming together in a previously isolated journey that really wasn’t possible until now.

Since doing these packs, I’ve also found endless inspiration in loops from other Splice creators, and I often get lost in the scroll through loop after loop after loop. There is so much incredible musical talent in this world, and to be able to experience and interact with it in this way makes me very grateful to be a writer-producer in 2025.

The music business is full of surprises (often the annoying kind of surprises), but one of the best ones of the last year has been the satisfaction I have gotten out of creating for other creators. Cheers to everyone who is out there fighting the fight to bring something awesome into this world…I see you and I salute you.

Sample Packs:

Nashville Essentials

Country Grit

Southern Gothic

Country Vocals (Upcoming Release)