Music producer Nessim Pan Production has revealed the surprisingly simple trick he used to create part of the sound on King Saha’s hit song “Very Well,” featuring Slick Stuart and Roja.
The producer shared the behind-the-scenes detail while speaking to NRG Radio, explaining that an ordinary matchbox ended up serving as a shaker during the production of the song.
Rather than bringing in a professional percussion instrument, Nessim said he improvised with what was readily available.
“If you play the song, the first part, it was a matchbox that acted as a shaker. I saw it was going to be tiring to hire one, so I improvised.”
The revelation offers a glimpse into the kind of experimentation that can happen behind the scenes before a song reaches listeners.
To the average listener, the sound may simply blend into the opening of the track. For the producer, however, achieving the right texture sometimes means looking beyond conventional studio equipment.
Nessim’s matchbox trick also highlights how producers can use everyday objects to create or enhance sounds when working on a record.
“Very Well” became one of King Saha’s notable songs and features the production duo Slick Stuart and Roja, who are also prominent figures in Uganda’s music industry.
Nessim has built a reputation in Uganda’s music scene through his work with several established artists. His production credits include songs associated with artists such as Bebe Cool, Rema Namakula, Sheebah and Fik Fameica, among others.
His story about “Very Well” shows that the sounds audiences hear in finished records do not always come from expensive or conventional studio equipment.
Sometimes, according to Nessim, the right sound can come from something as ordinary as a matchbox.