REFLECTIONS – PRODUCING A RELEASE

Hey everyone! How's this brand-new 2011 shaping up? From these humble lines, I wish you, of course, LOTS OF GREAT MUSIC THIS YEAR! And amidst all the Lady Gaga, David Guetta, and other celebrities—who are essential and I'm glad they are, since there needs to be something for everyone—let's not forget the MANY talented club and underground artists, so they can continue to enrich the scene with new ideas and fresh air. Regarding SUTIL SENSATIONS, with the new year comes a change of direction, and a very significant one at that. We'll be reflecting on other things in this section, and not always with a critical eye.

MY (SUTIL) EDITORIAL

Each DJ/Producer decides, based on their current needs and considering their exact position in the artistic landscape at that precise moment, or their creative capacity at that stage of their life, etc., to make a new production. The most important thing to start with is having a good idea, a guiding thread, a roadmap that lets you know who you are, where you are, and where you want to go. I imagine many of you have seen the Swedish House Mafia video online called 'In The Studio With Swedish House Mafia,' the making-of for 'One.' If not, I recommend you take a look before continuing to read. Suggestions aside, if you prefer to continue reading, I'll just say that they aren't the first to explain what the tracks that make up a song are and how they were created. History has given us countless examples of this, but it's still interesting to see how this year's Club/Mainstream hit was made. As I said, you'll be able to learn the technical tricks there, although I prefer to talk about why those tricks were applied, why that particular technique was used and not another to achieve the desired goal. At this point, I must warn technology enthusiasts, who tend to base their discourse on endless comparisons between boxes, mixing consoles, sound cards, compressors, or various technological gadgets, that technology cannot be the driving force behind any production, it cannot hold the helm, it cannot dictate the development of our original idea, but rather it must serve it. This, which seems so easy, is VERY complicated and is the REAL SECRET to how to 'succeed' in the world of production (or in any other field, I believe...).

If we talk about SHM's 'One', you'll see that they start with a central idea, a main hook. In an era where many of us loop the tracks we play to create tension, build-up effects, and even make music by playing with pitch and cueing, they kick off 'One' by looping a kick drum that will become the track's main melody. That's having a clear idea, although undoubtedly, a poorly produced or lackluster idea could have ended up being a forgettable production. SHM knew what they were doing: creating a track for big rooms, based on an easy-to-remember melody. Let's come down from the pedestal and get back to the studio of someone just starting out. That essential original idea I'm talking about has to be tailored to your personal and professional circumstances. Consequently, be careful not to set goals that are too ambitious for your resources, or be careful not to project yourself onto established artists when you still have a long way to go and limitations to overcome. A young man starting out on his own path can't think about composing a song for Rihanna to sing, because David Guetta didn't start out producing the Black Eyed Peas.

Leaving aside geniuses, brilliance, or phenomena of any kind, history will also remind you—as it reminds us all daily—that if you analyze your possibilities and focus them on a goal (see the book/video 'The Secret'), you can achieve your objectives, which are none other than creating a production that defines you in your current moment as a DJ, whether by creating a piece with 'commercial' radio/media in mind, or to define your style or 'the foundation of your musical philosophy'. It's complicated, but all artists who define their trajectory, at some point in their career, have to survive the dilemma between doing what they love and making a living from it at the same time. That's why Guetta released an underground track through Toolroom in 2009. What need did he have to release it when he already has all the fame he wants and more? The answer lies in the fact that his specific objective at that time was to "clean up" his image among DJs who don't play his songs in their sets because they're too "party-oriented." It's that simple. By launching a project through a prestigious underground label, well-known among most DJs worldwide, he was able to gain the "respect" of a large segment of clubbers who previously considered him a different kind of artist.

A similar case is that of Eric Pridz, who, after entering the scene as an underground producer and creating mega-hits like 'Call On Me' and 'Pjanoo', continues to be a top download in electronic music stores every time he releases a new track through his label Pryda. This is because he's simultaneously capable of releasing his track 'Nitro' with a purely commercial or mainstream feel. This is also part of the initial idea of the project, the one that must always be considered before starting. For a novice producer or a resident DJ looking to begin their career and climb the ladder, the question would be: what do I play in my sets? Or, what clubs or events would I like to play that I'm not currently playing? Or, what kind of music would I like the people who come to see me as a guest DJ to enjoy? Again, for now, all of this has nothing to do with technique. We will discuss how to use it and other related matters in this upcoming issue of SUTIL SENSATIONS (written version).