Student Spotlight: Markus Martinez
5/13/2024Tell us about yourself?
I'm Markus Martinez, a 27-year-old House DJ and Producer. I live in Monterrey, Mexico.
What inspired you to start DJ’ing and producing?
What initially inspired me on my music journey was David Guetta. When I first discovered his music in 2009, I fell in love with Electronic Dance Music. Since then, I began listening to the top EDM artists of that time, purchasing their CDs and music compilations. I started DJing at the age of 16, but it wasn't until four years ago that I began creating my own music. I locked myself in my room, spending countless hours learning everything from scratch. I had no musical or technical knowledge before, and now I feel truly happy with the progress I've made over the past few years.
What was your reaction when you heard you made the winning remix?
I was happy! I was confident I did a good job on the remix, but it was a nice surprise to know that I won the first Tomorrowland Academy remix contest and I'm releasing it via Hot Fuss Records.
How did you approach your remix?
I first listened to Sem's track and focused on finding what I could tweak in my style. Since I'm a Latin Tech House producer, I wanted to tweak something and make it more rhythmical. That's when I chose to tweak Sem's plucky lead. I did that and I added a groovy bassline, Latin percussions and more elements.
Share some of your producer tips with the students
My main production tip is this: When starting work on a new track, focus your initial session on quickly laying down your entire idea in your DAW. Don't worry if elements are in the wrong key, if EQ adjustments are needed, or if the synth preset doesn't quite fit. For instance, when sketching out my basslines and melodies, I often begin with a simple piano sound to capture the essence of the idea. Treat your first session like the preliminary sketch of a painting; you're not immediately adding color to the sun in the corner, but rather outlining everything with a pencil first. Once you have the 'skeleton,' you can then focus on the finer details. This approach has allowed me to work faster than ever on my tracks.
What advice would you give to aspiring DJs and producers?
Be part of a community. Don't try to be the 'lone wolf' who can do everything alone. Surround yourself with people who share the same goal as you and help each other to climb this ladder. Nobody is going to understand you better than another producer.
What is your vision for the future?
My dream for the future is touring all around the globe, playing my favorite tunes and making people have the best time ever.
When is the release coming out on Hot Fuss Records?
My Gonna Be Good Remix will be released on July 5th!