Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
Entering the Warzone Beat Battle is tricky because you have to face a different opponent for four rounds. Being a newcomer to IllMuzik and the battle scene also brings a lot of pressure, but Simon Sillz pulled it off and is the current Warzone champ. Let's find out more about his music...
Sup? You recently won the Warzone. How does it feel?
It's always nice to win something. It gives me a boost inside of me when I know that the people feel what I do. Normally I don't participate in competitions online because people make all their friends vote for them like it was in Beatport play, but I really liked the last competition where you have just a beat and you don't know who made it. I'll give this site a big like for that.
I noticed that you only entered one beat for the whole battle. Was that on purpose? Because we're trying to get members to upload 4 beats instead.
To be honest I was at my job when I decided to enter the contest, so I uploaded 1 beat. All my other beats were almost 4 minutes or more. I got a lot of instrumentals done so it's not because I didn't have other instrumentals ready to be dropped. Next time I will put 4 beats for sure. I'm new here so I didn't know that this competition was once a month. Sorry for the others that have put 4 beats!!!
I checked out some of your other beats and you have a consistent style. How would you describe it?
I think I make music for me first so every time I make an instrumental I really like good chord progression. I don't make a style in particular. I'm a guy that loves every style of music as long as it's good music. If I don't have a good melody I don't like it. So I try to be consistent in bringing a good vibe in the hope that people will feel what I've felt when I did the beat.
You seem to also do Electronic music. What's up with that?
I love electronic music too. Like I said before I love every style of music. When I do electro music I don't need to search someone great to sing on my beat every time. I think that's why I started doing electro music. And I love doing this style too.
What do you have in your studio?
I don't have a big studio. Nothing to record vocals. I have an Akai keyboard for my melody and a Behringer pad to make my drums. Good headphones, good monitors, a lot of RAM to be able to use all of the plugins to the fullest. One day I will buy good gear. I have 4 kids so my money goes to my family first. I can make good music with that so I'm satisfied with that. I love Ableton Live too. The workflow on it is crazy. You can save you rack with your best effects on. So we all are lazy sometimes when it comes time to create good effects. That helps me a lot in my creativity flow.
Is there one piece of gear in your studio that you can't live without?
I can't live without my monitors. Without that it's like being blind.
So why did you first get into beatmaking?
I started making beats in 2003 when I met a good friend of mine that was rapping at the time. He had a Roland MC-307 to make beats and I tried it and fell in love in creating music. 'Till this day I've never stopped producing music.
I noticed you have some of your music on Spotify. What's your main goal when it comes to producing music?
I'm not an outgoing person. I keep it all inside of me. It helps me to express what I feel inside. If I am sad I make good sad music. If I'm happy I make good club music. My main goal is to make music in the hope that people will feel it like me.
When it comes to producing, who are some of your influences?
I got a lot of influence in music. I love Dr.Dre, Scott Storch, Timbaland, Tiesto, Mike will made it, Drumma Boy, 2pac.
How's the Hip Hop scene in Montreal now?
I think in Montreal Hip Hop deserves a bigger place. We almost never hear something from local rappers on the radio and they got a lot of good rappers there.
Do you have any advice for other beatmakers?
My first advice is do what you love and love what you do. Everything will come after. I struggled a long time to be able to create a good mix on my beats. Even if your beats are dope you have to learn good techniques for mixing. With YouTube now it's easier to learn good tips. Back then I knew nothing in mixing. My beat was good but not as good as today because I didn't know how to mix
Thanks for doing the interview. Any shoutouts you'd like to give?
Thanks to you. It was my first interview in 13 years. I give a shoutout to my friend Roberto. It's because of him that I do music.
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