About ZOiD
Daniel Jacobson — Bristol, UK
“My mission is to help electronic music-makers stop collecting unfinished loops and start releasing music with confidence and artistic pride.”
My name is Daniel Jacobson, known musically as ZOiD. I am a Bristol, UK-based electronic music producer, guitarist, composer, and educator.
I fell in love with electronic music during the mid-1990s Irish underground explosion. Coming from a jazz and guitar background, I was captivated by how synthesizers, drum machines, and samplers could manipulate timbre, repetition, and harmony in ways acoustic instruments never could.
Over the past 25 years, I have lived the entire journey: from struggling through the frustration of unfinished loops to releasing albums, touring, co-founding record labels, and mentoring hundreds of students across the UK, Ireland, and internationally.
How I Approach Art & Mentorship
Four foundational beliefs shaping every workshop, course, and coaching session.
My Music Journey
My signature sound is often described as “jazz-tinged electronica”—fusing the complex harmonic language of Miles Davis and Charlie Parker with the rhythmic force of techno, electro, and broken beat.
In 2006, I was selected to attend the Red Bull Music Academy in Melbourne. Through my label Zoitrax and earlier Diatribe Records, I have curated numerous collaborative releases, including the acclaimed ZOiD Vs The Jazz Musicians series, earning airplay on BBC Radio 6 and RTÉ.
My Teaching Experience
Teaching has been at the core of my life for over two decades. Alongside mentoring electronic producers, I founded and run a successful guitar academy, teaching students of all ages the principles of rhythm, harmony, and creative discipline.
This dual life as both a touring/releasing artist and a dedicated educator taught me how people actually learn music: not through abstract academic lectures, but through actionable constraints, step-by-step frameworks, and genuine personal encouragement.
My Approach to Music
I do not believe in the myth of the “tortured artist” who waits for divine inspiration to strike. Nor do I believe that buying one more synth plugin will magically fix your arrangement problems.
I believe great music is made when you set strict creative boundaries, establish a predictable session architecture, commit audio early, and embrace the joy of finishing.
What I Believe About Making Music
Making music should not feel like an uphill battle loaded with guilt, decision fatigue, and secrecy. Your studio should be a sanctuary of creative momentum.
When you finish music consistently, your relationship with yourself transforms. You stop viewing music as an expensive hobby you feel guilty about, and start claiming your rightful identity as an artist.
Releases & Artistic Highlights
A track record spanning over two decades in Irish and international electronic music culture.
Diatribe Records & Tronix Series
Co-founded Diatribe Records in Dublin, curating the Tronix series to foster groundbreaking collaborations between electronic producers, classical composers, and improvisers.
Red Bull Music Academy (Melbourne)
Selected to represent Ireland at the international Red Bull Music Academy in Melbourne, collaborating with premier electronic artists and producers worldwide.
ZOiD Vs The Jazz Musicians
Critically acclaimed album and EP series fusing intricate jazz harmonies and live musicianship with broken beat, techno, and electro soundscapes.
Zoitrax Label & Broadcast Airplay
Operating independent imprint Zoitrax. Regular radio airplay from Cian Ó Cíobháin (RTÉ An Taobh Tuathail) and Tom Ravenscroft (BBC Radio 6). Multiple Arts Council of Ireland bursaries.
Why Learn With ZOiD?
No cookie-cutter EDM templates. No sponsored plugin promos. Just battle-tested frameworks from an active, experienced underground artist.
Decades of Experience
Over 20 years producing, releasing records, running record labels (Zoitrax, Diatribe), and performing live.
Practical Teaching
Everything taught is designed for immediate execution in your DAW today — no theoretical detours that don't help you finish music.
Artist-Focused Approach
We look beyond sound engineering to develop who you are as an artist: your sonic identity, your aesthetic, and your story.
No Unnecessary Technical Waffle
We cut through plugin marketing hype and obsessing over minor dB adjustments to focus on arrangement velocity and core groove.
Personal Guidance
Direct feedback from Daniel Jacobson on your work-in-progress audio stems and arrangement bottlenecks, not automated quizzes.
Focus on Your Own Sound
Rather than copying popular presets, you learn to discover and harness your distinct musical influences into an unmistakable voice.
Ready to Finish Music Together?
Join the next cohort of the ZOiD Artist Incubator or inquire about private 1:1 mentorship tailored to your tracks.