I really enjoy these interviews with electronic artists I like. So, I am continuing with Guittim, who's music I keep encountering and liking on Soundcloud.
Den: Does the name of your brand have a specific meaning to it?
Guittim: Yes, It's a composition of two words: guitar and my first name tim: guit-tim.
Den: What was it like when you started producing music and what drew you to do it?
Guittim: Making music has always accompanied me. I made my first recordings in
the early 1990s, back then on a 4-track tascam recorder. those were guitar tracks, songs by the Shadows and Sputniks as well as my own. I then tried to make digital recordings with my first pc, back then with cakewalk. Unfortunately that didn't work well. in 2020 I saw a youtube series about setting up a small home studio for effective guitar practice, the focus was on the ableton live DAW. I liked that so much that I started buying the hardware and software I needed and setting everything up. I then quickly found that it offers a great opportunity to compose and produce music in addition to being used for practicing. That fascinated me so much that I looked into it more intensively.
Den: We are happy that you did. Who are your favorite artists; electronic or any other type?
Guittim: Actually I have almost no former exposure to electronic music. I received a classical music education in my childhood and adolescence and then oriented towards heavy metal, neoclassic and progressive metal. there are also influences from roots but also dub reggae and popular music from different decades, just like classical music or classical modern. I'm open to music in general. For me it's not the genre that counts but what I like about a certain title.
Den: That's interesting. What do you think sets your music apart, or makes it different from others?
Guittim: I think there is a difference in thinking and constructing the music. since I have hardly any listening experience in the field of electronic music, the individual styles such as house, EDM etc. are largely unknown to me in their characteristics and limitations. So I don´t follow any strict genre conventions. this probably means that i incorporate more classical and rock elements into the compositions and arrangements.
Den: I can definitely relate to that. Does your music have any certain themes to it?
Guittim: Yes, every track is an expression of its title. a bit like in the program music. but there is no theme that plays a role across all titles. it's often the case that I give the project a working title and the actual title then results from the mood and the course of the song. it can also happen that I have a title and try to put the thoughts associated with it into music.
Den: Putting a title on a track can be so difficult. What are you working on right now?
Guittim: I'm currently working on a track with a clear classical influence. in addition to classical instruments, I also use an electric guitar and a modern beat. I'm curious how it will be when it's finished. the production is more and more like a journey, unforeseen events and experiences occur that influence the result.
Den: What is the biggest challenge you face right now in music production?
Guittim: Since it's just a hobby, I can only invest a relatively small amount of time. I have a non-optimized listening environment, which poses major challenges in balancing the mix. But I don't want to hire a studio for the mix and mastering either. the result should be as good as I can get in the time I have and the environment in which I produce it.
Den: You mention playing your guitar. How much of your music production is virtual?
Guittim: Almost everything. I work almost exclusively at DAW. sometimes directly with software synthesizers and a midi keyboard, sometimes only on midi, it's sine waves. the only hardware equiqment I use is a guitar, which I rarely use.
Den: Have you ever collaborated with other artists?
Guittim: Not in the field of electronic music. But in my youth i used to play in a classical orchestra as well as in a metal band.
Den: How do you really measure success in your music production?
Guittim: For me it is a success to make a track so far that I release it on soundcloud. First and foremost, I want to be happy with what I've done. If other people like it too, I'm happy of course. Music was and is always a way for me to express myself - regardless of the audience. what I think is great is when listeners comment on something that the music triggered in them while listening - that can also mean that there is feedback that they didn't like the music for certain reasons. That's totally fine and helps me broaden my perspective on music. we are all different and it would be really sad if there wasn't a controversy in the field of art and music.
Furthermore, I am of course also happy when a song is frequently listened to, commented on and shared. So the range and interaction are also criteria that help me to judge the success of a production - independent of my own opinion based on the reactions of listeners. I think that's the part I need because I don't develop the music together with others like I used to. there was always creative friction when writing and arranging, which was certainly good for the songs. it's completely different when you're working on your own. so yes, the reactions to a released song are also an important criterion for the quality. I do not dream of making music for a living. It's a hobby and that gives me the freedom to put in as much time and energy as I enjoy myself, regardless of having to make the results usable. that feels good.
Den: Great. How did you get most of your fans?
Guittim: Mainly via Soundcloud. I also produced videos for the songs and put them on a YouTube channel, but the main focus is on Soundcloud.
Den: What is the most remarkable thing that happened, related to your music?
Guittim: For me personally the fact that I deal intensively with electronic music. I would have completely ruled that out earlier. as a reaction to the music itself, the most notable is your request for the interview, so thank your for your interest!
Den: Thank you for saying that. It is our privilege to have you here. You have been a great guest. So, what are some of your other interests?
Guittim: In addition to my private life and my full-time job, I use the time that is left with music.
Den: Do you care to add anything else?
Guittim: Thank you to all the people who took the time to listen to my songs and maybe even react to them, share and follow.
A big thank you to you, Den, for your interest and the friendly contact. I wish you all the best and lots of success with your own great music and blog. keep it on.
Den: Thank you, my friend. Keep putting out those cool tracks.
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