On a sunny Saturday afternoon in a community center in East Los Angeles, a group of teenagers huddles around a makeshift recording setup. They’re laser-focused as they adjust microphone placements and tweak software settings under the watchful eye of Liam Moon, the acclaimed music producer whose production credits include some of the most innovative albums of the past decade.

“That’s it,” Moon encourages a young girl adjusting a compressor setting. “Trust your ears more than your eyes. How does it feel?”

This scene, far removed from the high-end studios where Moon crafts records for established artists, represents what many consider his most important work—democratizing music production knowledge and creating pathways for underrepresented voices in an often exclusionary industry.

The Workshop Revolution

Since 2019, alongside running his successful production company Lunar Soundworks, Moon has committed significant time to hosting free workshops for aspiring producers who lack access to formal music education or professional equipment.

“The gatekeeping in music production has always bothered me,” Moon explains after the workshop concludes. “There’s this persistent myth that you need expensive gear and formal training to make impactful music. That’s simply not true, especially with today’s technology.”

Moon’s workshops typically focus on practical skills that participants can apply regardless of their equipment limitations. Today’s session covered microphone techniques using affordable dynamic mics, basic room treatment using household items, and mixing strategies that work on free software.

“When I was coming up, I was fortunate to attend USC’s Thornton School of Music and have internships at professional studios,” Moon acknowledges. “But that path isn’t accessible to everyone. These workshops are about showing that creativity and resourcefulness can overcome equipment limitations.”

The impact of these workshops extends beyond technical knowledge. For many participants, the opportunity to work directly with an established producer like Moon provides validation and confidence that can be transformative.

“Before I met Liam, I felt like an impostor calling myself a producer,” says Marcus, a 19-year-old regular attendee. “I was making beats on my phone and thought that wasn’t ‘real’ production. He showed me that the tools don’t matter nearly as much as the ideas and execution.”

The Moonlight Sessions: Creating Access

Perhaps the most ambitious expression of Moon’s commitment to democratizing music production is the Moonlight Sessions, a non-profit organization he founded in 2021. The initiative provides studio access to independent artists who can’t afford professional recording time.

“The idea came during the pandemic,” Moon recalls. “Studios were sitting empty, and simultaneously, so many talented artists were stuck at home without proper recording setups. It seemed like an obvious connection to make.”

The Moonlight Sessions operates on a simple model: Moon leverages his industry relationships to secure donated or heavily discounted studio time at professional facilities around Los Angeles. Independent artists apply for slots, and a diverse committee selects participants based on need and artistic merit.

“We’re intentionally prioritizing voices that have been historically marginalized in music production,” Moon emphasizes. “Women, people of color, LGBTQ+ artists, and those from economic backgrounds where access to this level of equipment would otherwise be impossible.”

The program has already helped produce several critically acclaimed independent releases and has expanded to include mentorship components, where established producers volunteer time to guide artists through the recording process.

“What makes Moonlight Sessions special is that it’s not charity—it’s community building,” explains Sofia Reyes, Moon’s wife and a graphic designer who creates branding for the organization. “These artists aren’t just getting handouts; they’re becoming part of a creative ecosystem where everyone learns from each other.”

Music Therapy and Youth Empowerment

While his production workshops and Moonlight Sessions focus on artistic development, Moon’s involvement with music therapy programs addresses more fundamental needs among at-risk youth.

Since 2018, he has volunteered with a Los Angeles-based organization that uses songwriting and production as therapeutic tools for teenagers dealing with trauma, depression, and other mental health challenges.

“Music production creates this unique safe space,” Moon explains. “Kids who struggle to express themselves in traditional therapeutic settings often open up when they’re working on a track. There’s something about the creative process that bypasses defense mechanisms.”

Moon approaches these sessions not as a producer but as a facilitator, providing just enough technical guidance to help participants translate their emotions into sound. The results can be profound.

“I’ve watched kids transform through this process,” he says. “There was one young man who barely spoke when he first came in—severe anxiety and trauma. By his fourth session, he had produced this incredibly powerful track about his experiences. The pride on his face when we played it back—that moment stays with me.”

The therapeutic applications of music production have become increasingly important to Moon, influencing his commercial work as well. He frequently cites the emotional authenticity he witnesses in these sessions as a reminder of why technical perfection should never override emotional impact in professional productions.

Mentorship: The Personal Touch

Beyond his organized initiatives, Moon has developed a reputation for personal mentorship that has launched numerous careers in production. Unlike many successful producers who jealously guard their techniques, Moon freely shares his knowledge with emerging talent.

“When I was starting out, I had several key mentors who changed everything for me,” he remembers. “They didn’t just teach me techniques; they showed me how to think about sound, how to communicate with artists, how to build sustainable careers. I’m just passing that forward.”

One such mentee is his younger sister, Hannah Moon, now an accomplished sound engineer in her own right. “Growing up with Liam was like having a masterclass at home,” she laughs. “He would show me how different microphones captured sound differently or explain why certain mixing decisions worked. But more importantly, he modeled an approach to the craft that balanced technical excellence with genuine curiosity and respect for artists.”

This approach to mentorship—focusing on conceptual understanding rather than just technical skills—has become Moon’s signature. His mentees consistently describe learning how to develop their own unique perspectives rather than simply copying his techniques.

“The industry doesn’t need more producers who sound like me,” Moon insists. “It needs authentic voices who bring their unique experiences and perspectives to the craft. My job as a mentor is to help people find their own sound, not clone mine.”

The Future: Building Sustainable Pathways

As Moon looks toward the future, he envisions expanding these initiatives into more structured career pathways for underrepresented groups in music production.

“The workshops and studio access are great starting points, but we need to build bridges to actual career opportunities,” he explains. “I’m working with several studios and production houses to develop paid apprenticeship programs specifically for graduates of our workshops.”

These apprenticeships would provide hands-on experience in professional environments while ensuring participants receive fair compensation—a rarity in an industry notorious for exploitative internships.

“Breaking into this field shouldn’t require the privilege of working for free,” Moon states firmly. “That system automatically excludes talented people who can’t afford to work without pay, and the industry suffers from that lack of diversity.”

His vision extends beyond individual career development to broader industry change. By demonstrating that talent can emerge from any background when given access and opportunity, Moon hopes to challenge the industry’s often narrow conception of who can become a successful producer.

A Legacy Beyond Records

For a producer with Moon’s track record, it would be easy to focus exclusively on high-profile projects that enhance his commercial standing. Yet as he enters his 40s, it’s clear that his community work holds equal importance in how he measures success.

“Don’t get me wrong—I love being in the studio creating records that reach wide audiences,” he clarifies. “But when I think about legacy, I’m just as concerned with who I’ve helped bring into this field as with what records I’ve made.”

This dual focus—excellence in commercial production alongside committed community building—makes Moon a unique figure in the production landscape. As his Silver Lake studio continues to attract established artists seeking his distinctive production touch, his workshops and non-profit initiatives ensure that the next generation of producers will include voices that might otherwise never have been heard.

“The most exciting music always comes from unexpected places,” Moon reflects as he packs up equipment after the workshop. “By opening these doors and sharing these tools, we’re ensuring that the future of music will be more diverse, more innovative, and more authentic. That’s a legacy worth building.”