Aside
Emerging German producer Aside is a hip-hop producer from Münster.
The 21 year old producer already acquired a solid catalogue in the music industry and produced several records such as the German hip-hop record “Barrio” by Silla (Ft. Julian Williams & Presto) as well as the r&b record “Get Out” by American singer/songwriter Cashmase.
Fusing elements of many genres, the German producer is shaping his own distinctive musical signature through heavy beats and well crafted melodies.
Aside’s versatility and creativity are leading him to be one of the most brilliant and promising producers in the German hip-hop market.
He recently produced the hip-hop track “Enemies” on the PA Sports & Kianush project, which will be released on January 12th.
Introduce yourself. What’s your story? Where are you from?
My name is Aside. I was born and raised in Münster. I‘m 21 years old and I love making music.
What made you want to create music in the first place?
Since I was a little kid there has always been music in my life. I took guitar lessons for 3 years but it wasn‘t that much fun to play songs that already existed. I wanted to create my own melodies and harmonies. I wanted to be creative.
Do you remember the first time you learned how to make a beat? What was the hardest thing about it?
Oh yes, I remember two first times making a beat. My parents got me this Software for Christmas called Magix Music Maker when I was 11 years old because I saw it on a magazine. It was a beginners software where you could lay some drum loops with melodies and other sounds. This was my first time creating digital music, but I got frustrated after a few months because there were no options where I could play my own melodies.
About a year later I luckily found FL Studio (back then it was FL 6) on the internet and I downloaded the free trial. With the help from tutorials, I finally composed my first beat.
I can‘t remember any “hard things” about it. I didn‘t even know it was a professional music software. Making beats was more like playing a computer game and watching tutorials to get better.
Listen to “T800″ by Silla. Produced by Aside.
Could you tell us about the track you produced on the PA Sports & Kianush project? How did it come about?
Yes, I produced a track on their new collaboration album Desperadoz 2. The track is called “Enemies” and it‘s a beast. Kianush is a rapper from my hometown Münster so I knew that he was working on a new project with PA Sports. I sent them a few of my beats and luckily one beat made it. I also produced a second track called “District” which is on one of their bonus CD‘s.
How do you get your tracks placed on projects like those?
This placement was really random. I didn‘t have a direct contact with PA or Kianush. But I knew another rapper from Münster who is a friend of them and featured on Kianush‘s last album. I contacted him via Facebook and coincidentally, he was in the studio with them. It was already 10 or 11pm but he told me I should send some beats right away. I think they recorded one song the same night and the other one the next day.
It‘s not always necessary to know the artists personally. You just need to know who they are with (producers, rappers, engineers, managers).
What do you like the most about making music?
First of all, I like to be creative, to explore new sounds, to improve my sound. The most satisfying thing about making music is a finished beat or even the final song.
Listen to “Get Out” by Cashmase. Produced by Aside.
What equipments and softwares do you use?
I‘m still using Fl Studio to make music. My equipment is still pretty minimalistic but at the moment there‘s no need for hardware. I‘m using a computer, a midi keyboard and my active monitor speakers.
Do you play any instrument?
I played guitar for 3 years and I teached myself some piano. I also played the electric guitar and the electric bass for a short time but without any lessons.
Any producer you look up to? Who and why?
I like the american sound. But it‘s hard to tell you a favorite producer nowadays because it‘s really weird over there. Producers are sending files to other producers and they are doing it again. In the end you can only see people like Metro Boomin or Murda in the credits and you don‘t really know who is behind these songs. I wouldn‘t say I‘m looking up to a specific producer but American producers are a big inspiration.
What are the key things a producer needs to do to make music?
First of all, you need the will to watch and learn all the time to become better at what you do. The most helpful long-time key is the right environment. To stay motivated, you need to surround yourself with people who believe in your craft. It doesn‘t matter if they are rappers, other producers or simply friends who support you.
Creating music can be an endless process. When do you know you’re done working on a beat?
This is a difficult question. I usually finish a beat by arranging and mixing it but sometimes I‘m still working on it a few days later adding or deleting some sounds or whole parts. From time to time, you get a good feeling for that but as you said, it can be an endless process.
In your opinion, what makes a good production?
Individual sounds and a comprehensible arrangement. Sometimes less is more because most of the time you want an artist to sing or rap on your production. I prefer crazy drums and fat 808‘s for hip hop beats. And in the end, every song needs the right mix and master to get its full potential.
Listen to “Barrio” by Silla (Ft. Julian Williams & Presto). Produced by Aside.
Hip-hop has a great importance in Germany. How do you distinguish yourself from others?
That‘s true. There has been a big change during the last years and it‘s a positive change for hip-hop music. There are even more producers on the market so I try to produce my beats as individual as possible. I don‘t know if there‘s a specific mark that you hear but I like to experiment a lot. I don’t like to produce the same type of beats all the time because nowadays, hip-hop is a multifaceted genre and only by trying out different things you can develop your sound.
Which songs or albums had the most impact in your life? Why?
I early started listening to hip-hop. I think I was about 8 years old when I first listened to American rap. 50 Cent (The Massacre, Get Rich Or Die Tryin), The Game (The Documentary) and German rappers like Bushido (Staatsfeind Nr. 1) and Sido (Ich) had the most impact. I always listened to hip-hop music til this day. I can‘t really tell you any specific songs that impacted my life but all the songs from these guys had a small share.
It‘s the attitude and the stories rappers tell in songs. Comparing to other genres, the feeling is completely different. It can be anything from aggressive and sad songs to club, cheerful or even ironic stuff. There are no limits in hip-hop (especially nowadays).
What did you learn in 2017?
Looking back, I would say in 2017 I learned as much as I never learned before. My first placements got me motivated as hell to keep working and improving my production quality and you can definitely hear that today. 2017 also teached me that if you do creative work you shouldn‘t lean back and think that your production is good. You can always get better if you want to.
What are your goals for 2018?
I didn‘t really set a goal for 2018 but I want to improve my sound as always. I want to work with new artists and produce as many songs as I can. One of my producer goal is to produce a certified gold single or album, but that‘s not a goal for 2018.
Connect with Aside: