We recently sat down with a brilliant mind for a quick chat.
The industry is so crowded with producers right now, that it’s quite hard to distinguish true talent from just a name with good promotion. And helping settle that difference for you all, we’ve just had a quick chat with one of those names we truly believe are clear future diamonds — Waxman.
Waxman is a Canadian producer, DJ, composer, and mixer based in Melbourne, producing rather rich and vibrant Dance and Electronica tunes. Not only that, but he also composes pieces for TV and film. After support from acts like John Digweed, Solarstone, and Nick Warren, and releases on The Soundgarden, Pure Progressive, Maldesoule, WTHI, and plenty more, he’s just added another piece to his catalogue — ‘Harmless‘.
And while the track is still hot off the oven, we’ve approached him to have a bit of a chat, regarding early influences, production techniques, doing your own thing, and more. Read on to find out what Waxman had to say.
Who are the artists or sounds that most shaped your style early on?
I have a ton of old electronic faves who I still love to listen to. deadmau5, Flume, Max Cooper, Justice, Boys Noize, Stimming. They were all early influences of mine when I really dove head-first into my love of electronic music and decided to try my hand at production. It’s funny how years later these guys are still some of my very favourite artists to play and listen to, no matter how many different phases I go through and how many new artists I discover and delve deep into.
What’s the one sound or technique that you think defines your signature style?
I love playing with vocals — chopping them up to create texture and mood. I guess more broadly I’m pretty dead-set on having lead melodies and harmonies that hook me while I’m writing. Those might be with vocals, whether they’re lead, chopped up, or just kind of providing harmonic points of interest to create more depth. Sometimes it’s a lead arpeggio or a grain delay splashing weirdness all over the upper frequencies. I’m not really going to pursue working on a track if it doesn’t hook me first with melodies.
Why do you think it’s important for artists to focus on developing their own sound rather than chasing trends?
You can always try and copy what’s out there but chances are by the time you’ve achieved that (if you actually manage to) so will a hundred other producers and trends will have moved on. You won’t always (or maybe ever) be a trendsetter but you can at least be original and true to your own creative instincts. See where they take you and where that leads your sound. It may end up being the sound everyone else wants to achieve. Or it may just be the sound you wanted to achieve. Either way, it’s more likely you’ll have something you’re proud of than if you just copied another style.
How do you know when a track is finished?
Finishing a track is an incredible skill to develop. I like to stop (or at least pause) when I’ve reached a point where I’m happy and don’t find myself making any major changes when I listen through in my DAW. Stop, let it sit, and listen again in a few weeks. If it’s still sounding done, then it’s done. If not, then continue tweaking, but it’s probably close. Extra ears from friends, labels, etc., are also extremely valuable at this stage in knowing if a track needs anything more or if it’s ready to go!
What’s the biggest mistake you see other producers making when it comes to their creative process?
Not finishing and moving onto your next project/EP/song. You can endlessly tweak a track, but in my experience, it will never be perfect (at least not to you). It’s more constructive and productive to get to an end point, whatever that may be exactly, and finish your tune. Then start a new one! You’ll get better at the process and have new and fresh bursts of creative ideas.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to an artist who’s struggling to find their sound?
Try producing different styles and genres. Maybe you’ll find a realm that better suits your natural, creative, and productive instincts. Or maybe it will get you to try different techniques that inspire you when you come back to what you were trying to aim for in the first place.
What’s the one element every track you release has to have to feel complete to you?
As I mentioned, I love some nice vocals and am always a sucker for a great melodic line — so I tend to have those as strong elements in my songs and productions.
What do you think makes an artist’s music stand out in today’s crowded music industry?
Being yourself! Do different and interesting things and don’t try to sound like everyone else or the people you see with success. Easier said than done but so much music I hear these days sounds very generic and boring. Just try something different and experiment.
What’s the one thing you wish people knew about the challenges of being a producer today?
Trying to stand out from the crowd and have any of your music have any sort of lasting power is incredibly difficult today. Even if a song does well, chances are it’s only going to be listened to, purchased, or streamed for a very short period of time. It creates a frustrating situation of people churning out so so much content just so they have new stuff constantly coming out. I’ve been guilty of it myself but realized the age-old quality over quantity adage.
Final Words
Thank you so much to Waxman for this one. ‘Harmless’ is out now and you can check it out by hitting the ‘Play‘ button on the Spotify player below. Be sure to follow our page to stay up to date on the latest news and views regarding our beloved Dance music industry.
The post [INTERVIEW] Waxman Talks Influences, Production, Developing Your Own Sound, And More appeared first on EDMTunes.
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