Starting his studies at our Cornwall campus, Marco is continuing on to our Electronic Music Production BA in Bristol. With management, an agent and big dance labels all getting involved with Marco and his productions, we caught up with him for a chat to discover how his studies have been going and his focus for the future...
What courses have you completed with dBs Institute?
"So far, I have completed my two year DJ and Electronic Music Production BTEC level 3 course at dBs Institute Cornwall."
What course are you on now?
"I’m currently doing a BA course in Electronic Music Production at dBs Bristol. My time at dBs Cornwall was amazing and quite a fun journey! I had moved from Portugal to the UK to study music at the dBs centre in Cornwall. Best life decision I have ever made (trust me, it really was!).
"At dBs, I gained a sense of belonging. I was surrounded by like minded people who I ended up being friends with. Even there were people who had different tastes in music, we were in essence all in the same boat and all respected each other. The tutors were really supportive, one of them I even considered as my mentor [dBs's Oliver Thompson]. Both tutors and students have taught me so much and helped launch me into a career in the music industry and have a great understanding of it.
"Right now I live in Bristol, studying at the city’s dBs centre. I’m still expanding my knowledge on production and the music business, because you can never stop learning! I get the same awesome experience here as I did in Cornwall. Plus, Bristol is definitely one of the places to be if you’re considering to engage in a career in music. The scene here is wicked!"
What would you say to somebody joining dBs and your course?
"I would say, if you’re wanting to dedicate most of your time to music and take it to a commercial standard and have a professional career, then you’re on the right train! dBs not only teaches you production theory and composition, they also give you a very good insight on more industry based stuff like marketing, promotion, events management, labels, etc., which is quite valuable to any independent artist whom just started out.
"Also, it’s worth mentioning that the centres have exceptional facilities! You’re surrounded by well built studios and tons of synthesizers, software, mixing consoles and racks of processing units. Every producer’s wet dream! dBs gives you all the necessary tools that will help you find your own ways of crafting your work and building your profile as an artist."
Tell us about your track on Cr2 Records. How did that signing happen?
"As my music started to gain more and more recognition over time, it eventually found its way to top DJs and producers within the House/ Techno scene and people supported my music in clubs, festivals, radio, Ibiza parties. I got in touch with the main guy behind Blanc, one of the leading labels within the genre and he ended up taking the role as my manager and agent. He’s very well connected in the industry which leaves me have more time to write music and get booked. He forwarded my track 'Persistence' to Cr2 and I immediately got given a record deal. The track is part of the 2017 Amsterdam Dance Event album featuring tracks from the likes of Carl Cox, Todd Terry, Lee Walker, CamelPhat, Max Chapman and many more. Very exciting stuff coming my way for sure!"
What were the ideas behind the track?
"The idea was to create a track that is easy to dance to and adequate for any House and Tech House set. The composition is rather simple yet effective. The two main aspects of the track are around the drum groove and the vocal. The vocal comes from a sample that I further processed to fit with the groove. This track speaks to me as the message is all about making life worth living and to challenge yourself to make the most of it. I like to think of the track as a pep talk which you can dance to!"
Are there more tracks in the pipeline?
"Yes! Loads of them! I have two EP’s, two singles and one remix all signed to great labels. Just waiting for the release dates. In the meantime, I’m working on more collaborative projects with people I have always followed and looked up to so that will be interesting."
How has your time at dBs influenced how you make music?
Being at dBs really taught me the science behind different types synthesis, sampling, sequencing and mixing, enabling me to have flexibility with a range of software and hardware. Thus improving my production quality and enhancing my workflow. My peers also taught me some really handful techniques that fitted with their genres!"
What has been your best experience at dBs Music and why?
"Just being in that environment really! Being able to learn about the things that I have a passion for and being surrounded by people that I can relate to and share my work with and support."
What is your plan for the future?
"I’m getting closer to my goals with every achievement made. I’ve even got gigs locked for Ibiza next year which has been a milestone since day one! I hope to one day release on labels like Hot Creations, Relief Records and Solid Grooves Records. My main goal right now would be to get to a point where I can live off anything music related like producing and performing in various events over the world. It will take quite some time and the pressure is definitely on, but it’s not impossible and I’m very patient. It’s going to be a challenging but rewarding journey!"
Who in the industry as a DJ/ producer do you admire the most?
"It’s impossible to name just one! But my absolute idol will have to be Latmun. He’s an artist that got real big real fast in recent years. He’s very down to earth and very supportive towards unknown artists. He has been playing my music a lot over the world and there’s talk about him starting a label and hopefully he’ll be in touch with me when that comes about."
FIND OUT MORE
www.twitter.com/MarcoStrous
www.soundcloud.com/marcostrous
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