Who are you and what do you do? How long have you been a working musician?

I'm Robi Insinna and I produce under the names Headman, Manhead, International, and my real name. I have been producing music since the late 90's.

What is your educational background? Are there any schools, courses, or books you recommend?

I have an Art background. I studied Fine Art. How Music Works by David Byrne could help.

What hardware are you using?

These days I use mainly synths, external pedal effects, and some drum machines. I like to use the best of both worlds. Generate most of the sounds analog, and then process in the box. I'm not a purist. I think there's no limits for creativity. So for me, you can do good things with everything. The better the equipment, the sound might improve, but not the creativity. One piece of instrument I use quite a bit is a sequencer which my studio engineer built. On my recent productions, you can hear loads of arpeggios. I'm also very into playing the arpeggios live on my Jupiter-6.

What software are you using?

Logic 9.

What would be your dream setup?

I'm pretty happy with my setup. Loads of plugins are being developed all the time. Summing was always a big issue for me. But now there are even summing plugs.

Can you describe your creative process? Is there a particular routine or schedule you stick to?

I start with an idea. It can be just the drums or a melody. Normally, I start laying down the drums, then the bass and then the rest on top.

Where do you shop for and discover music?

Everywhere, loads on the net. I also get sent loads of music, which is hard to stay behind, as I could just sit in front of my computer and download music all the time. I also go to record stores sometimes, and buy vinyl. It's an unbeatable way of finding and appreciating music in a special way.

Any highlights from your latest musical discoveries?

There is loads of interesting music out there. I still try to discover old music, which I missed in the past. These are the new producers I think are great: Daniel Avery, Scott Fraser, Remain, Tim J Fairplay, DC Salas, Daniel Maloso and so on.

What's brewing in your studio?

I'm working on album tracks, this time it will be loads of collaborations. Normally I start a track and send it out to the producer. Sometimes if it happens, we work together in my studio. There are loads of demos. I just remixed DixLexSix from I'm a Cliché. I'm trying to be very minimal in my production and not overdo things. I'm trying also not to overdo reverbs, but still want to have loads of room in my mixes.

Any production tips & tricks you'd like to share?

I like to trust my ears the most and not rely on any mastering people. I try to mix the tracks, so that the mastering guys don't need to do much.

Where can we find you on the web?

Robi Insinna (Headman) / SoundCloud / Facebook /