Hasseltine earned an associate of science degree from Bowling Green State University and a bachelor’s degree in health communications from Ohio University. He was working for Teach for America in New Mexico when he started writing and recording. The experience of creating music was life-changing for Hasseltine, who more recently was living in Columbus and working as a nurse recruiter.
Hasseltine is preparing to begin his studies at the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe, Arizona. He recently discussed his career with Dayton.com.
Q: When did music come into your life?
A: I’ve honestly been playing music my whole life. It has always taken a different form depending on where I’m at and what I’m doing. In college, I was in the Marching 110 at OU. I was in the band at Centerville as well. I played saxophone so I did jazz ensemble and things like that. Earlier on, in fourth grade, I was in the xylophone club. When I got out to New Mexico, I wasn’t sure I was going to do music. Then COVID hit and a good buddy of mine, Quincy Coomes, and I started recording. He wanted to make music, but I didn’t know the first thing. I knew how to play music, but I didn’t know anything about the production side. We just took the leap, got the equipment and started from there and it kind of took form.
Q: How did you feel when you two started figuring it out?
A: It was exciting and a little frustrating. Production was a whole new ball game. The very first time we tried to set up the microphones it took about two-and-a-half hours. We didn’t know how they worked or anything. We plugged it in, and we couldn’t get any sound out of it. Finally, we got it working but everything has been a little bit of a challenge. There’s a big learning curve to do it on your own. There is always YouTube and things like that, which have been great resources, so it was exciting. It’s been really enjoyable and it kind of brought me back to it. I realized I actually missed doing music.
Listen to “Hudson Bae” from the album, “Take a Sip,” from Cuppa’ Joe:
Q: It’s impressive you figured all that out and started releasing material so quickly. Were you writing songs before this?
A: I hadn’t written any songs before. I’d do a lot of instrumentals with piano, saxophone and guitar and things like that. I never recorded them, but I was kind of getting my creative spirit on to see what I could make myself. I did want to write my own songs, but I didn’t really know how to write a song. I did a lot of research into that and then I just tried to be honest in the tracks I’m writing. I’m trying to follow the formula but kind of do it my way. I spent a lot of time doing it. I’ve always been working full time since I got out of college, but I’d get home and I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to work on the songs and see where we could get them, which is always nice. It’s kind of like a before and after thing. I love watching HGTV and seeing what the houses are like before and after and it’s the same with songs. That was enjoyable for me. It doesn’t really feel like work.
Q: What does it feel like to start off with an abstract concept and end up with a finished song?
A: It’s actually one of the greatest things. One of my favorite things about music production is that you have nothing and then you end with something that didn’t exist before. There are always trials and errors at the beginning. You write something and then you really like it. Then, halfway through, you’re writing the instrumental and you’re like, “I don’t know if this is really working for me anymore,” or, “I don’t know if this good.” It’s kind of like writing a paper. You’re not sure what to say but if you just put something down, you can work on it. It’s about finding little moments of inspiration and that goes a long way.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Q: Are you working on new music now?
A: Right now, I’m pretty loaded up. I’ve got about nine songs in the works, four with Quincy and some with some other artists. I’m excited to get them released here soon. Quincy and I have a little four-song EP coming out. We haven’t decided on a name yet. It’s got a little more of a somber tone. It’s not all slow songs but it’s a little more heartfelt and just kind of talking about personal experiences. Any time I can find a way to work with Quincy and collaborate, it feels good. It feels familiar so I love doing that. He’s become a great friend of mine. He’s a good influence and I’m really happy we’re continuing to do that together.
Q: When do classes start?
A: I start audio engineering school on July 28. I felt my music was going decently so I wanted to learn more, formalize the process and really dive into it. I picked the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences because that’s where my buddy Quincy went. He’s out in L.A. right now working for a studio. I think I’ll have an internship at the end of school. In something like the music industry it’s good to get your foot in the door and work through it. I did a little bit of teaching and some recruiting, and I enjoyed all the jobs, but I didn’t feel they had longevity for me. If I can find a way to get my foot in the door in something I really enjoy then I’m going to go and try to get it.
Artist info: https://linktr.ee/cuppajoe2
Contact this contributing writer at 937-287-6139 or donthrasher100@gmail.com.
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