Interview: Rodrigo Capra

Some artists discover ambient music through synthesizers or experimentation. For Italian composer Rodrigo Capra, it began with meditation. What started as a search for the right sonic backdrop for moments of stillness gradually evolved into a deep appreciation for immersive soundscapes, and eventually into creating them himself. In this interview, Rodrigo shares his thoughtful approach to composition, the importance of silence and introspection, his minimalist hybrid studio setup, and why he believes the journey of making music matters more than the destination. It's an honest conversation about creativity, authenticity, and finding your own voice in the ever-evolving world of ambient music.

General info

Artist Name: Rodrigo Capra

Age: 44

Location: Rome, Italy

How long have you been making music? More than 10 years

 

Social Media / Music Links

https://www.youtube.com/rodrigocapra

 

Do you release music under a label or independently?

Independent

 

Creative process and inspiration

What drew you to ambient music in the first place?

Meditation plays an important role here. Even though music is not always necessary for meditation, I have always tried to do it with some background music. Suddenly I began to notice that some songs were making the meditation process more difficult, while others fit perfectly into my session. That was the moment I realized that ambient music is a perfect fit for meditation. From there I kept digging into those calm, relaxing songs, looking for new artists and before I realized it, I was totally into the ambient genre.

Can you describe your creative process when starting a new track?

After some years in music production, I can use many different approaches to start composing. As a piano player one of my processes is very traditional: starting to jam on the piano and seeing if something comes up. Another method I use a lot is to create some drones first and build on top of them, so I’m able to establish a mood first. If nothing is working, there's always the classic approach of recycling ideas from old projects. There’s no single way of doing things; instead it’s a mix of different methods, or even all of them combined.

What kinds of experiences or environments tend to inspire your work most?

Usually a calm and silent environment is what works best for me. Appreciating and learning how to listen to the silence is what drives me to create a new soundscape.

Also, introspection plays a big role here. Sometimes, spending a moment in the middle of nature with just organic sounds like trees, animals and the wind almost disconnected me from the reality, allowing me to visualize things in a broader way. An experience like that is very refreshing for me and helps me a lot when I go back to the studio.

What atmosphere or emotional space are you trying to create with your music?

Ambient music seems to be more about a place to be than a track to be heard. It's like when you hear a piece and can imagine yourself completely immersed in it. That is exactly the type of sound I try to recreate. Something so deep that even after listening to it so many times, I can still relate to that moment and feel a sense of familiarity.

What moment made you feel like you had truly found your sound?

I'm not entirely sure if I have already found my sound. Sometimes I think I have, and then the next time I sit down to produce, something completely different emerges and surprises me. That feeling makes me realize I'm not defined; I'm still a work in progress, and I hope to be like that for a long time.

How important is storytelling in your work?

It depends on the piece. For some tracks, storytelling is a way to set a direction and evolve through it. It’s almost as if the track has a clear definition and a final goal. Once you’ve heard it once, you already know where it’s going. Other times, an unpredictable sound that keeps shifting and transforming into something completely different is way more interesting to listen to. I think a mix of both worlds is probably closest to my style.

What makes a track feel “finished” to you?

Usually, I get a feel for when a track is wrapping up during the final stages. I make sure to listen to it both actively and passively to check for anything I might have missed.

After that, I’ll step away from it for a while so that the next time I hear it, it catches me by surprise. I love to emulating that feeling of hearing a track for the very first time. If nothing stands out as bothersome, I consider it officially finished.

Which artists (or even non-musical influences) have shaped your artistic vision?

There’s no question that Brian Eno has had a huge influence on my works, especially early on when I tried to emulate him a lot. It’s hard not to appreciate the person who pretty much created the genre. Having analyzed so many of his pieces, I find it impossible not to admire his attention to detail, his creative methods, and his concept of creating generative systems that play themselves and evolve without ever repeating. To me that is pure genius. He’s also a great human being whose values deeply resonate with my own.

 

Gear and setup

Are you using hardware instruments, software, or a hybrid setup?

I have a hybrid setup that’s ideal for me. A couple of analog synths, a small Eurorack case, and a drum machine. I try to avoid overcrowding my studio because too much gear overwhelms me. I ended up spending more time learning new workflows than actually producing. I’m confident that my current setup will keep me creative for a long time without needing any upgrades.

What's your favorite piece of gear or plugin, and why?

I have a few favorites. On the hardware side, I love my Behringer Neutron. It was my first synth, taught me so much, and remains my go-to choice when I want to shape a new sound. On the software side, Bitwig is by far my favorite DAW. I love its design and how perfectly it fits my workflow. Lately, I’ve also been enjoying Vital. It’s an incredible powerful synth with endless possibilities and massive modulation options. It’s hard to believe a plugin like that is free.

What piece of gear completely changed your workflow?

The Elektron Syntakt has transformed my workflow. It’s incredible easy to sketch out an idea on the hardware and finish it later in the DAW. Sometimes, using it standalone is more than enough to have a blast. Plus, pairing it with Overbridge opens up a whole new world of possibilities. It really is the perfect companion for a hybrid setup.

 

Challenges

What's been the biggest challenge so far in creating ambient music?

Because of its introspective and passive nature, finding an audience that truly appreciates this genre is a challenge. Nowadays people rarely have the patience to sit through a 10-minute drone track layered with subtle details but lacking beats or lyrics. This is especially true today, when everyone’s attention span is so short.

How do you stay motivated or inspired when you're in a creative rut?

A creative rut can be a great time to learn a new skill or work on other parts of your music. If you’re not feeling so inspired to work in a song, try making some presets instead.

Spend more time dialing in sounds on your synth and saving them to your library. You could even review some old concepts that you learned a long time ago but don't remember well. There’s so much information out there today that breaking things down into small steps is one of the best ways to grow.

How do streaming platforms affect the way you release music, or what is your relationship with those platforms?

Since I only have a few tracks on the streaming platforms, it hasn’t really affected me yet. But given how people consume music nowadays, it feels inevitable. Sooner or later, I'll have to play by the rules of that system if I want my music to be heard. In an ideal world, maybe I could thrive entirely as an independent artist, but reality is still a long way off from that dream.

What are your thoughts on AI's impact on music and art? Have you, in any form, used it in your approach to creating and shaping ideas?

I think AI is incredibly promising for many aspects of daily life, though I’m still skeptical about its place in music. I never use it to generate or shape my musical ideas, rather I treat it as a research tool to help me break down complex concepts or learn things I’m unfamiliar with. For parsing existing knowledge, it’s an amazing asset. But on the creative side, I find it hard to embrace. I want to remain fully in charge of my artistic decisions. It’s unfortunate to see people generating entire tracks solely through text prompts and calling themselves producers. I really have my doubts about that trend.

How do you see AI evolving in music and art? Are you cautious about it, or do you think it will increasingly function as a tool within creative workflows?

Those are great tools, and they’re constantly evolving but I still hope humans remain the ultimate decision-makers, rather than a machine delivering a product based on existing work. Art has always been a fundamentally human, and delegating that creative core to an automated system feels completely unnatural to me.

What are you currently working on?

At the moment, I'm working on a few projects exploring different genres. For some of these tracks, I’m focusing on organic, rhythmic percussion and strong basslines, while keeping a relaxed, ambient aesthetic. The main idea is to produce music that fits a wide variety of settings, rather than being limited to meditation spaces.

What advice would you give to new ambient artists?

Once I heard a great piece of advice that I try to remember every time: Try to make songs that you would like to hear. I think it's a great quote because producers tend to copy their favorite artists or follow the same formulaic pattern too closely. The result is a lot of very similar songs everywhere. Instead, an alternative is to try to find your signature. Something that when people hear they will think of you. It gives you identity and authenticity, people appreciate that a lot.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Music production is a long, never-ending road. There have been so many times along this journey when I’ve thought about giving up, simply because I wasn’t happy with the results or I was burned out from trying too hard. If you get tired, it’s ok to take a break and step away for a bit. Don’t force it. It can take years to achieve a sound you’re proud of, and sometimes you hit a wall where nothing seems to work. Ultimately the most important thing is that you genuinely enjoy the process. If you choose this path, remember there’s no final destination. The path itself is the goal.

 

The sound of Rodrigo Capra