The Talented Producer and DJ Semark Gives Insight into His Music Production Processes

Join us for this enlightening interview as we sit down with the Producer and DJ Semark to discuss his approach towards music production. As we learn more about his journey into Electronic Music, discussing how he discovered his passion for the genre, we dive into the techniques, favourite processes and pieces of equipment that continue to support Semark’s creativity and lead to such captivating productions.

Hi Semark, nice to meet you! How are you?

I’m good, thank you!

To start, we would love to hear about your journey into the world of DJing and Electronic Music production; what started your pursuit of a career of DJing and experimenting with Dance music?

Sure! It may sound cliche, but it’s the truth, my Mum was a dance teacher and my Dad owned a recording studio so there was always music playing at home. I was probably about 8 when I realised it was Dance music that I really loved. I began collecting CDs, at that time they were mostly compilations like “Ibiza Anthems” or “Club Anthems” etc. I just completely fell in love with Dance music and would drift away whilst listening to my favourite tracks. I got my first set of decks soon after and continued the journey.

Which DAW is your favourite?

I’m a Logic man, personally.

How did you learn to produce music?

I studied music technology at school, which taught me the basics of using a DAW, it was Cubase at that time. I then went on to start a degree in digital music which was a lot more in-depth, it was then that I got my first copy of Logic. As well as that though I learnt a lot through a combination of trial and error and watching production tutorials on YouTube. I’ve spent many nights crafting the perfect snare, ha! I also have some classical piano training, which helps me with writing melodies etc.

Where do you draw inspiration to create music? What motivates your creativity?

My DJ gigs inspire me to create music. I’ll often have ideas on the way home. I also feel like the weather can play a part, ha. My emotions do go into my music for sure. Sometimes I’ll end up finding a vocal sample and that’s enough for me to just write some chords and get a track on the go.

Could you share with us some key steps to your production process? What are some foundations of yours’ for starting a new track?

Sure, I usually start with a melody or a vocal. I like to have the musical ideas for the track sorted first. Once I’ve got those ideas in, I’ll move on to the drums. I suppose the main foundations for me are strong musical ideas and high-quality samples.

What are your favourite plugins and effects?

Over time I have experimented with lots of different plugins, but I seem to have settled on a few favourites. For audio processing, I use the FabFilter Pro-Q 3, Pro-C 2, Pro-L 2 and Saturn 2 a lot. The Waves SSL G-Master Buss compressor is also essential for me. Then I have a collection of soft synths that I use for sound design including Serum, Massive, Spire, Sylenth, some Arturia emulations and the classic Korg M1 emulation.

Which pieces of music equipment are vital to your production process?

So, I have an M1 MacBook Pro which has got to be the best Mac I’ve ever owned for music production, it is unbelievably powerful for its size. I am very attached to my speakers though! They are just an old pair of Fostex studio monitors, but they are very honest and go outrageously loud without any complaints. They are vital to me; I trust my mixes on them.

What are your tips for producing a track that does well in a live set?

I would say great dynamics and a solid low end are the most important things for a track that is going to work well on the dance floor and a club sound system. The kick and bass must be working well together. I also prefer listening to tracks which have not had the dynamics completely squashed out of them with limiting, as I think they hit harder on a big system!

What would be one piece of advice you would give to a new DJ and producer who is trying to perfect their production skills?

Take full advantage of any opportunity you find to learn about music production techniques and practise the methods that you learn. Keep practising!

We thank Semark for his time today and for sharing a glimpse into his creativity and workflow when it comes to music production. As he remains passionate and committed to his craft, we’re sure that Semark will continue leading an exciting musical journey, so make sure to pay attention to this talented Producer and DJ by following him across social media.

Semark Online Spotify | Instagram