Sam Rad on Experimentation, Sound, and Staying Ahead in the Music Industry

It’s 2 a.m. in the studio, and Sam Rad is hunched over his workstation, headphones on, eyes closed, lost in the minutiae of a single sound. It’s barely perceptible—a subtle rise of strings under a heavy bassline—but to Sam, it’s everything. This is where he thrives: in the details, in the experiments, in the endless pursuit of the perfect sound.

“I think the most exciting moments in music come when you let curiosity lead the way, even if you’re not sure where you’ll end up,”

Sam says, describing his approach to composition, production, and sound design. A composer, producer, and sound designer whose work spans films, video games, and advertising, Sam is part artist, part technician, and all about pushing boundaries.

Experimentation as a Way of Life

For Sam, the studio is a laboratory, and sound is his alchemy. On any given day, his creative process might involve blending unexpected elements—a dripping faucet, reversed string samples, a warped synth line—to craft something entirely new.

Take, for instance, his work on Chrono Cut, a 3D rogue-lite game where sound had to react dynamically to the player’s actions. “The challenge was creating an immersive auditory experience that felt alive,” he recalls. He ended up layering ambient noise with organic instruments, creating an evolving soundscape that shifted as players moved through the game’s world.

This sense of play and experimentation has been Sam’s guiding philosophy since the early years of his career, when he won the Stagelight Monthly Music Contest hosted by Linkin Park. “Back then, I was just making tracks out of sheer curiosity and excitement,” he says. “That experience taught me to always leave space for fun and discovery in my work.”

Navigating a Changing Industry

In an industry that moves at lightning speed, staying relevant is no small feat. For Sam, it’s about staying curious and adaptable. “The tools are always changing, but what matters is how you use them to tell a story,” he says.

Sam relies on social media and niche forums to stay updated on the latest trends and tools. It’s how he discovered a plugin that became central to one of his recent projects, working alongside the leading audio production company Butter Music and Sound, known for blockbusters The Matrix Resurrections and Black Widow. “Sometimes, it’s a random Reddit thread that leads you to a breakthrough,” he laughs.

But beyond the tools, it’s his collaborative approach that sets him apart. Whether working with award-winning and nominated directors, producers, or game developers, Sam is relentless in his pursuit of understanding their vision. “I ask a lot of questions,” he admits. “It’s about getting inside their heads and figuring out how to translate their ideas into sound.”

Staying Ahead of the Curve

Sam’s achievements and collaborations with top-tier companies like Butter Music & Sound, Spitfire Audio, Open Labs, and Igloo Music, to name a few, have cemented his reputation as a trailblazer. At Butter Music and Sound, he contributed compositions to the trailer department, crafting music that cuts through the noise in a saturated market. “Trailers are all about impact,” he explains. “You have to grab the audience in the first few seconds.”

At Igloo Music, he worked on several relevant projects, including the Academy Award-nominated film Babylon, immersing himself in the painstaking process of perfecting a film’s sound. “What always inspired me was the dedication of the team to bring an idea to life exactly as they envisioned it,” he says. “That level of focus pushes you to be better.”

Sam’s commitment to detail is unwavering. Whether he’s meticulously adjusting a cue for a film or experimenting with new textures for a game, his goal is always the same: to create something that feels fresh and alive. “I’m always looking for ways to surprise myself,” he says.

Sounding the Future

Looking ahead, Sam is excited about his upcoming projects, including scoring the short film Water of the Will and a new documentary with director Matt Hinspeter. Both projects promise to push his creative boundaries even further.

“The beauty of sound is that it’s infinite,” he reflects.

“There’s always more to discover, more to create.”

It’s this relentless curiosity and willingness to experiment that keeps Sam ahead in an ever-changing industry. He isn’t just making music; he’s shaping the way we experience stories, one sound at a time.

In a world where mediocrity often prevails, Sam Rad reminds us of the power of pushing limits. Because in his hands, sound isn’t just heard—it’s felt.

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