Kuba Bednarz | Minimal Techno Producer
Introducing Kuba Bednarz
My name is Kuba Bednarz and I’m a 19-year-old DJ and minimal techno producer from Belfast, Ireland. I have had a passion for music since as far back as I can remember and was always either listening to my favourite artists or playing the drums from a very young age. The main genre I grew up with was probably the likes of hard rock and metal, up until the age of around 12 which was when I discovered electronic music.
The first electronic track I ever listened to on repeat was ‘Koala’ by Oliver Heldens, and still to date it is one that I regard as a masterpiece. From that point, I began delving into the world of so called ‘EDM’ and discovered artists such as Tchami, Martin Garrix and Tiesto, to name a few. Those artists, especially Martin Garrix inspired me to start DJing and producing music, which I began in 2016.
The next 3 years to follow were very on and off for me in terms of producing, as I couldn’t get the inspiration to produce new material and was unsure with the direction of where I wanted to go with my music, however the end of 2019 saw a great turn for me as I decide to invest in new hardware, switch DAW and start over, leading me to the point I’m at today and trying to develop my own tech house sound.
Latest Release ‘Where We Started’
The track actually began by complete accident. I created a random single synth line in my bedroom and it immediately inspired me to start working with it. I went to the studio later that day and had the foundation and structure laid down within a couple of hours. Luckily I have access to a great studio in the Sonic Arts Research Centre, which is owned by Queen University, where I am currently studying Music and Audio production. I was able to spend the next 3-4 days working on the song and by the end of the week, the song was finished. I was really happy with the result because I feel like it reflects my artist profile in the best way, and I personally feel it is so far my best body of work.
Producing Music
Depending on how much time I have, I usually go into the studio in the afternoon, with a clear mind and no forceful mindset to produce a new song. If I feel like I’m forcing myself to create something new, it will never work out. The best ideas come in the most unpredictable times. If I have rough ideas in my head, I would usually prioritize getting them straight into my laptop and working around that. Sometimes that can take 30 minutes or sometimes 5 hours, its always different.
I always start with the drop of a track, because I feel like listeners always anticipate a big drop. If the drop is good then that’s when I know I need to finish the song. Regular breaks are also very helpful to give my ears some rest and come back ‘fresh’ into the studio. Sometimes it can feel so overwhelming sitting there for hours trying to do something but not being able to. However sometimes I would spend an entire studio session sampling, or having fun with new plugins, synths, sound design etc.
In a regular week, how many hours do you spend producing?
Again, it varies a lot for me. Some weeks I would only produce for a few hours, some weeks I would spend hours from Monday to Sunday working with something. It just depends if I have tracks that excite me and motivate me to work on them. Going back to what I said, I don’t like to force myself into producing when I don’t feel particularly inspired, it just always depends on what I am working with.
Creative Blocks
Around 2017-18, I had a huge creative block with my productions. There was a time where I hadn’t opened my DAW for 8 months. It was really bad, but looking back at it now, it was probably because I wasn’t into that genre of music anymore. Near the end of summer, I decided to invest in a new MacBook, new speakers and new software and switched DAWS from FL Studio to Logic. It felt like starting production all over again and brought back the excitement which I had when I started. Recently, I have had very minimal creative blocks, which I break through by listening to so many different genres of music to inspire me. My Spotify playlist is probably the weirdest thing you will see. Techno, house, heavy metal, rock, hip hop, rap, blues, the lot. I would advise every single producer and musician to do the same. It opens your mind up and shows the range of possibilities music has, and it definitely reflects in my own production.
What is your dream project?
Definitely to have my own tour and show across the world. Being able to play in front of a big crowd at a festival or club venue has been a dream of mine ever since I got my first decks and I will definitely work very hard to get to that someday.
Name three artists you like to collaborate with the most, and why?
Obviously being my inspiration since day 1, Martin Garrix will always be at the top of my list. He’s the guy that inspired me to produce and DJ and even though I don’t take particular inspiration from his music specifically, as an artist and DJ, and for what he has achieved in such a short space of time I will always admire.
What can we expect from you in 2020?
Loads of new music and shows across venues in Ireland. I have so much unreleased music and cannot wait to share it with you all.
How and where can we follow you or your work best?
You’ll find all my music on SoundCloud, Spotify and Beatport. Follow me on Instagram for some random content of my everyday life and studio sessions.
