The Co-Producer sprint is an event that kickstarts the songwriting process through limitation, inspiration and collaboration. Our last heat in December brought together sixteen Liveschool students with the challenge to each make a track from scratch within a single day. Just to add a dash of friendly competition, we had a Korg Volca FM up for grabs for the most impressive submission.
From samples to songs
The event began with a full takeover of Liveschool and Turning studios. The students worked together with Liveschool trainers and guest producers to create a pool of samples, recording raw material from a selection of drum machines, synths, effects, and live instruments. Each producer then worked individually against the clock to turn these sounds into a fresh tune, working with a dash of collaborative effort from the other participants and mentors whenever creative block took effect. The day finished up with each producer taking some solo time in the Liveschool studio to fine tune their work before submission.
At the end of the event we had a slew of tracks that were feeling close to release-ready. Hearing how the same sample bank had been flipped in such a variety of ways was refreshing and really showcased the individual styles of the crew.
Friendly Competition
Since the heat, the tracks have been sent to our mystery industry panel of promoters, label managers, and producers. The incredibly high standard of submissions made judging the entries extremely difficult, however after much deliberation we’re pleased to announce that the results are in. 
Co-Producer Sprint Winner: Pökari
A huge congratulations to Pökari (aka. Jason Vuong) for this mind-bending head-nodder. The track oozes brainfeeder sensibilities, with tight detuned vocal flows over a layered yet spacious rhythm section. The attention to detail in this is phenomenal, upon every listen a new sample or idea seems to jump out. Well done Jason, it’s a ripper. Can’t wait to hear what you do with the Volca!
Our Runners Up
Choosing a single winner out of the submissions was challenging to say the least. Coming in hot after Jason’s entry we had another couple of tracks that deserve massive kudos.
Space Cop 2 (Michael Spudic)
A moody exploration that finds a great balance between live and electronic instrumentation. Special shout out to the absolutely brutal bass synth that comes in at 3 minutes.
Mookhi (Olympia Henshaw)
Mookhi submitted a beautifully glitchy cut, with a stumbling drum groove and shimmering chords, topped off with some playful vocal slides and chops. Keep an eye out for Mookhi – her dreamy debut Lost & Found is a fine listen, and we’re extremely excited to hear that she will be taking it to the stage at this year’s Splendour in the Grass!
Honorable Mentions
We can’t wrap it up without mentioning a few more producers that finished the sprint with some excellent tunes. A big shout out to Carl Fitzsimons, Pete Kerans, Ellis Silverman, Preston Swaine and Martin Green, it was fantastic to hear great work created with such a quick turnaround.
Get Involved
Our co-producer sprints take place during our Open Days for students undertaking courses at Liveschool. They’re a great way of getting hands-on with a bunch of gear while experimenting and collaborating with other producers. If you’re interested in checking out the next heat, check What’s On at Liveschool to put your name down for our next Open Day where you can see the process first-hand.