Igloofest is a festival which happens every winter in Montreal, Quebec. The festival started in 2007 and has featured notable performers such as A-Trak, Rusko, and Nic Fanciulli. Landr put together a video recap of Igloofest 2015 and a collection of music production tips from some of the biggest producers in techno including Dubfire, M.A.N.D.Y., Luciano, and more.
Here is a quick summary of some of the best advise from the film, and enjoy the full length version at the end!
WHAT PIECE OF ADVISE WOULD YOU GIVE NEW PRODUCERS?
The game has changed. It’s okay to be influenced by and emulate artist you inspire to be like but you have to sort of find your own voice. Project onto whoever you want to project yourself onto but through them find you own unique voice. It’s about longevity and not the quick 15 minutes of fame.
– Dubfire
One of the important things is to have the knowledge of an instrument. Try to always have the knowledge about whatever instrument you have around, about your ears, the melodies, and how things match. Sometimes you have people with a lot of gear but the creative part is missing. Out of nothing people create really incredible things.
– Luciano
Just getting started with production? A basic piece of hardware is a fun place to begin.
WHAT MAKES THE PERFECT TRACK?
Accept that it will never be the perfect track.
– M.A.N.D.Y.
If you could just listen to it forever. If it doesn’t have to change to keep you interested then thats a good foundation for a track.
– Tiga
WHY IS MASTERING IMPORTANT
It’s very important to know that mastering can make or break your music.
– Cassy
It brings everything out frequency wise. It makes everything sound really crisp for larger systems. Thats why it’s so important. It’s that final phase where everything that you’ve done comes to a critical mass.
– Manik
Can’t afford pro mastering – build your own soft mastering chain like the pro’s do.
Want more great advise from successful techno producers? Check out a few of our “How I play” Videos Here:
- How I play with Dubfire
- How I play with Marc Houle
- How I play with Chris Liebing
- How I play with Loco Dice
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the perfect track,as elusive as it seems.,is a combination of Wit,Honesty,Delivery and Fidelity….there is NO FORMULA….if u wanna hear ‘perfect’,listen to ‘Let it Be’, by the Beatles or Entroducing by Shadow,and realize that they didnt pay attention nor care what ‘Anyone thought’….Want some free advice?, well here it is anyway, ‘Dont Write Songs or Even Make Music if your Main Goal is to be Rich- notice that all the so called producers that swear to write ‘HITs’,actually are the Worst in History-Just do you,Write from the Chest,not the Shoulder….here is my music,and I have made money with it,but that was waay after they were created….if you are dope,they will come-https://soundcloud.com/rasphaunt
I just realized that LANDR is from montreal, probably 2 minute walk from my friend’s art studio where i used to go hang out at all the time 2 years ago! MONTREAL LOVE!
NOW I JUST NEED TO FIND OUT IF THEY’RE HIRING!
[…] ?????DJTT […]
congratulations for this brand promotion embedded in almost useless production advices. more and more this business shows where the money sits. no records sales, but noob producers ready to get ripped off with bullshit bingo hard/software marketing products.
“Accept that it will never be the perfect track”
I think that one piece of advice there means the most to me, you’ve got to learn to draw a line in the sand and move on. With the very small experience I’ve got in production, this one I struggle with.
once you let go a little, it sets you free dude
I’m learning that, and finding it’s true not just with making music 🙂
THE hardest thing for me….. and ive seen people making absolutely studding work and just either scrap it completely or never finish it because to them it’s not perfect!
I think when you’re starting out you’re reallytyring hard to get everything to sound as far away as “newb garbage” and rightfully so because no one’s first track is a hit… we have to go through the crap till we get the gold. but i think the hardest part is self confidance that you’ve gotten to a point where you can let go of a track and it will be good enough.
Pretty inspiring Fayek, bang on the money mate, takes practice I reckon
WHAT SHOULD I AVOID AT ALL COSTS?
Lay off the brick wall compression/limiting in the loudness wars!!!
i’m from montreal and i hit up Igloofest every year. I’ve seen A-Track, Stanton Warriors and Dubfire to name a few. great festival that is still young and that is destined for great things. Really stoked to see it mentionned here!
“If you gonna call it techno, know what techno is….buy some shit from Detroit and then you’ll find out” ?- Juan Atkins
+1
It’s not “Detroit Techno” arrogance… It’s the truth.. 7 Mile.. Till I Die..
1: Advice for producers…
Don’t use a limiter in the producing stage and if you really need it for sound shaping use a compressor very lightly… anno 2015 nobody wants the continuation of the loudness war.
Keep dynamics alive by using the TT Dynamic Range Meter plugin for monitoring your production. ( http://dr.loudness-war.info/ and click links.) Keep the loudest part under the 8dB range and the rest around 14dB’s.
When the mastering is done properly your track will sound better than 90% of the rest that is still coming out. Punchy tracks above loud any time. Especially on unforgiving PA systems.
2: What makes the perfect track…
The notes that are not played and leave air for the real intention of music, to bring a smile on your face. No need for a plethora of plugins and effects to make your track into a half baked mess. The best music i.m.o. is the music without effects.
3: Why is mastering so important?…
Mastering is important in a way that it polishes the frequencies that are causing problems and getting it ready for the format it is going to be released on. What is more important is that the producer didn’t used a limiter… it squashes the music out of the music and should only be used by a mastering engineer or a sound engineer in production sense. In other words if the production is bad the mastering won’t make it better, because you cannot turn shit into gold. (at least not yet)