Danish DJ and music producer Gelida is a name to follow closely. His impressive style and powerful sound has already caught the eye and received praise of industry VIP names like Nicky Romero, Pink Panda, and labels like Spinnin’ Records and Protocol Recordings just to name a few. His limitless talent and clear aim have helped him get far, although this is just the beginning of his bountiful career. As a gifted music producer and label boss, we wanted to ask him a few questions regarding music production, here he shares his very own tips, tricks and advice when it comes to music making.
Hey Gelida, how are you doing?
Hello! I am very good thank you and thanks for having me! A lot is going on at the moment, which keeps me busy!
What set of gear is a good recommendation for setting up a home studio?
I would suggest buying a pair of studio monitors, a proper working PC and an interface (for instance Focusrite Scarlett)! That is what I did in the beginning, which worked perfectly for me!
Which part of a track would you say is best to start with?
For me, I always start out with the drop. The reason is that the drop is the climax, and if I can come up with a drop I like, it motivates me to finish the track. I have tried to make a pretty cool break, but couldn’t come up with a good fitting drop, which made me delete it again.
What’s your take on samples? How can someone make the most out of a sample?
Today, you can buy very high-quality samples that barely need any processing! However, I would try to use the samples you want in the beginning of the track, and choose wisely! A bad choice of a sample can ruin your track and mix!
Which plugins and effects are your favorites?
To choose one plugin would be very difficult! I mostly use the same 3 plugins for sounds, which are Sylenth1, Serum and Nexus! But if I have to choose, I might choose Serum. About effects, I have a lot of effects I really like, but distortion or reverb might be my favorite, it can really do something to a mix, and there isn’t a track I don’t use both of them!
How do you know when a track is finished?
That’s actually a good question. The way I do it is, when I feel I can’t do so much more or I can’t come up with awesome new ideas, I’ll leave it for a couple of days or a week, and see if I would come up with something or would like to change something! If not, I’ll master it, and listen on different sound systems to see if there should be any uncomfortable sounds in the mix and if I feel it’s ready to be published!
What, in your opinion, is the most important thing to keep in mind when producing music?
There are a lot of different things that have their own importance in music production, but there is a sentence that keeps coming to my mind, every time I start a new project! The sentence is: “Everything should have its own space in the mix”. Since the day I read that, I have always thought about it!
Are there any YouTube videos, books, courses or blogs you’d recommend to someone starting out their music production journey?
There is no need to buy all these books, courses or anything. Everything you need answers to or want to learn is on YouTube, and YouTube is free! I haven’t bought anything, but tried to find all the answers to my questions on Google and watch a bunch of tutorials on YouTube! YouTube is the right way for beginners but also for experienced producers!
Do you have any special advice for music production beginners?
No matter what, keep focusing on yourself, and don’t be affected by others! Enjoy your journey and keep pushing yourself, cause no one else will do it for you!
How do you keep yourself inspired?
I listen to so much new music! Sometimes I just listen to drops for 1 hour, just to be inspired by all that music that comes out every week! If I listen to a good track in the gym, car or any other place, it can make me so inspired, that I can make half a track during a studio session!
Follow Gelida:
Instagram / Soundcloud / Beatport
