Crafting Electronic Music
During the COVID lockdown years, when we were all spending more time at home, I took the opportunity to dive into learning Ableton Live, exploring audio recording and electronic music production. Ableton Live quickly became a favorite tool of mine, offering an incredibly versatile platform for creating music—whether for live performances or studio recordings. My passion for electronic music flourished during this time, inspired by artists like FKJ, Marc Rebillet, and Reggie Watts. Their innovative use of electronic music and live looping sparked my creativity and motivated me to craft my own unique style of electronic music.
DAW & DAW-less Music
Once I got the hang of Ableton, I quickly fell in love with hardware synthesizers. Their endless funky sounds and creative possibilities completely drew me in. Soon after, I couldn’t resist picking up some used gear on Reverb.com. This led me to dive into the world of MIDI connections. Gradually, I learned how to sync everything up for a fully hands-on and no-DAW experience. Now, I enjoy switching between working with and without a computer. It’s always exciting to experiment with new sounds and jam with others. Thanks to MIDI, everything stays perfectly in sync, making it even more enjoyable.
I began recording friends and family over simple beats, then took those tracks and transformed them into electronic music through editing and production. This has grown into an enjoyable and creative hobby for me, and I’ve been sharing some of my recent recordings on YouTube.
Producing Music
I’m continually exploring new techniques in music production and finding creative ways to experiment across various mediums. This journey led me to start producing music under the name Polafia. Below is a sample recording where I incorporated the voices of my niece and nephew, creatively resampling them into a song. Their imagination and creativity never cease to amaze me!
Many of the songs I produce are in Polish, with the recording process often unfolding independently from the final composition. I start by creating a simple beat at a set tempo and then record individuals as they naturally talk or sing along. From these recordings, I extract samples, develop an overarching theme, and craft a variety of songs that convey the intended message.
I’ve also begun exploring live music sampling by recording clips of my friends playing various instruments and incorporating these elements into my electronic productions. This process has been an invaluable learning experience, deepening my understanding of acoustics and the nuances of different recording environments.
I truly enjoy transforming recordings of people into unique pieces of art. I love discovering subtle nuances in their sounds and finding creative ways to craft engaging rhythms from them.
I hope to capture more sounds from nature soon on a 32 bit float audio recorder for future work.
