On the Beat: Omri Smadar’s studio insights for aspiring musicians
Omri Smadar is renowned for his unique blend of Dancehall, Dub, House, Disco, and Middle Eastern tones. His classical and jazz influences are clearly reflected in his DJing style.
Photo Credit: Mor Elnekave
He began his career at 17, quickly immersing himself in Tel Aviv’s electronic music scene, and has since performed across Israel and Europe.
His 2020 remix of classic Israeli melodies, ‘Collage: An Electronic Tribute to Timeless Israeli Music’, thrust him into the national spotlight. His ‘Fragile’ EP was featured in Jamie XX’s BBC Essential Mix and ascended to the top of Beatport’s Indie Dance charts.
Smadar’s music, widely played on national radio and in clubs, appeals to a diverse audience. He is currently exploring live performances with a 4-piece band. His ultimate goal is to craft intimate musical narratives that resonate with listeners.
His next performance is set for Friday, April 5, 2024, at Ganuz Take #2 in Tel Aviv, following a successful winter launch party. In preparation, Smadar shares five tips to create riveting music.
1. Don’t wait for a muse or a moment of inspiration
Work on your musicianship, and look at it as a craft. Think of going to the studio, like a carpenter going to his workshop. You are now going to make music. You’re going to sit on your ass and create a beat, a bassline, and maybe play a pad on the synth, and so forth…
It might be crap. You might hate it the next day, but congratulations – you are on the right way and you should be proud of yourself.
2. Gain stage your project from the get-go
Pick a strong element, such as the kick drum, and set its track gain to around -10/-9 db. This will guarantee you enough headroom to create and add elements to the mix without suffocating the master bus. It will be easier to mix and later master your track.
3. Keep the volume on monitors low and take regular breaks
Keep your monitors on relatively low volume, so your ears won’t get fatigued. Take a break from time to time, remember that if you listen to this wonderful 16-bar beat loop you created, for a long period of time, your artistic judgment can become vague, and you might get detached from the bigger picture. It’s time to hit the space bar and take 5.
4. Don’t delete unfinished projects
Those are ideas. You never know when and how these ideas can make a comeback and be useful. It can be a chord progression, it can be a tiny melody that didn’t work out at the time but now sits perfectly with a new track you started. Music works in mysterious ways.
5. Buying new equipment will not make your music better
Remember that buying another plug-in, purchasing a new synth, upgrading the monitors, all of that – it’s a pleasure, it’s wonderful, and it will surely pump those endorphins in the brain. Hey, I do it too. But, it will not, I repeat, it will not make your music better and it will not make you a better artist. You can make fantastic records with the most basic gear and shitty monitors. Some of the most iconic records were made exactly like that.
Omri Smadar is set to perform at Ganuz Take #2 on Friday, April 5th, 2024. Grab your tickets here.
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