Following the highly-anticipated release of his new EP ‘Ōkami’, ZEHV continues his mission to display his unique sound and skills with upcoming releases and projects. And while he’s not a stranger to the charts, having reached the Top 10 chart on Beatport in the recent past, his aim and drive keeps him inspired to reach new heights through the release of hard-hitting productions that have kept him busy in the studio as of late. We invited ZEHV to give us some music production tips, talk about his favorite plugins, and share his advice when it comes to making music.
Hi ZEHV how are you?
Doing great thanks!
What would you say it’s the most important thing to keep in mind when producing music?
Always keep learning!
Which DAW do you prefer?
Logic!
Are there any plugins you like using?
Tons. H-Delay from Waves, Valhalla Shimmer and Vintage Delay, Fabfilter Pro-C and Pro-Q, Soundtoys Echoboy, Minimal Audio Rift, Thermal and movement by Output, Guitar Rig from Native Instruments, lots more!
How about samples? Do you use them often? How do you think someone can make the best out of a sample?
I use lots of samples in every project! I record lots of my own samples as well. The best way to create a unique track or sound is to record your own samples. I think in order to get the best use out of it, it has to be a good quality sound. Other than that, just get creative with it. Speed it up, slow it down, stretch it, reverse it, slap weird FX on it, cut it up and play it out of order. Go nuts!
What’s the last thing you’ve learned production-wise?
I just learned that in Logic there is a hot key you can use to cut up a sample at each transient in the sample by pressing Control-X.
How do you know a track is finished?
I know a lot of producers that have trouble saying a track is finished, I’ve gotten pretty good at getting to a point where I just say “it’s done” and move on. Even if there’s still some tweaks or mixing things, I still consider it done if I love it and want to listen to it a lot.
What would you say producers should avoid doing in the songs to make it a good track for a DJ set?
Everyone has different preferences but I think for my style, proper intro and outros that allow breathing room for DJs to mix without too many elements in either, and also shorter breakdowns or if it’s a long one, elements that allow people to keep following the groove. I find when the crowd isn’t dancing for a significant amount of time people start losing interest in the song.
How do you keep yourself inspired?
My emotions are a big piece of my inspiration. When I’m angry or sad or happy, they tend to come out in the form of my music.
Any advice for beginners in the music production world?
Don’t quit! Go watch as many videos as you can and read as many things as you can to learn new methods and keep experimenting.
ZEHV Online:
Website | Beatport | Instagram
