Hey guys, I recently interviewed UK DJ and producer "Lempo" (AKA Mike McGuinness) and asked him about his career and music productions, to tease out some tips.
He's put on shows for Ministry Of Sound, Cream, Pacha, The Warehouse Project, Sankeys and more, been Grammy shortlisted, and had top ten hits on Beatport, and number 1's on Juno and Trackitdown. He's also had the honour of supporting household names such as Snoop Dogg, The Prodigy, Calvin Harris, Fatboy Slim, Rudimental, Disclosure, Steve Aoki and Skrillex - to name a few.
Anyway, here's the interview (the full thing's 45 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wavTW-ToQZU&
We go deep on loads of subjects, such as:
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How to get started in the music industry.
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The one part of music production that can make or break a song.
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How to get gigs.
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Remixing Snoop Dogg.
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Working with Deadmau5’s vocalist.
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Getting plays on Radio One by Pete Tong and Danny Howard.
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Tips on how to contact record labels, artists & DJs (successfully).
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How to produce world-class music (even if you’re not the best at everything).
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Building a cohesive artist profile.
Here are some of the key takeaways from Mike (categorised under 1. Mindset and 2. Production Tips):
- MINDSET:
“Take influence from other genres of music, and weave them into your own.”
“There’s more to success than just the music; it’s the whole package (brand, artwork, promotion, marketing).”
“Stick to your guns in terms of brand. Don’t keep switching artist names.”
“Haters gonna hate! You have to turn a blind eye to the trolls and not take it to heart, and it’s mostly jealousy that you’re doing something you love.”
“Be brave and relentless, but courteous.”
“Go above and beyond. Make the effort and get to know people. Don’t just ask for stuff.”
“Don’t send unfinished songs to record labels! It’s a waste of their time, and they’ll be less likely to listen to your next song. Get feedback elsewhere (friends, DJs, Submit hub, etc.)”
“Nothing worthwhile happens overnight - be patient.”
- PRODUCTION TIPS:
“Finish your loop, then reverse engineer to work out the arrangement.”
“THE MIXDOWN IS SUPER-IMPORTANT! It can make or break a record.“
“Use a DAW template for fast-writing.”
“Record ideas into phone to get the ideas, as inspiration comes at any time.”
“Work with other people more-skilled in other areas to compliment your strengths. Build a strong team.”
And there you have it...Hope you enjoy!
Submitted April 27, 2018 at 11:13AM by willdarling https://www.reddit.com/r/edmproduction/comments/8fbyc4/interview_with_lempo_remixer_of_snoop_dogg/?utm_source=ifttt