[HypeAudioHub Exclusive] An In-Depth Interview with Producer David Yousefi
Role
Producer
Additional Role
Topliner
Q. Please introduce yourself briefly
I am David Yousefi (DYAUDIO) I grew up in Germany and moved to USA in 2015 to study music at the Berklee College of Music. I am a piano player and have been producing music for 19 years
Q. What inspired you to pursue a career as a producer?
Watching movies and listening to a lot of music growing up always inspired me making music which tells a story. My dad introduced me to music at a young age and I always loved experimenting with new sounds and the ever evolving digital world of music and sound creation. I love exploring different cultures and countries and learning about their music. KPOP always stood out to me as it is very diverse and always pushes the boundaries. Thats why I decided to start producing KPOP music. With my composing background for Movies, Trailers and TV I am comfortable writing various different genres and using many different Instruments and electronic style sounds. I enjoy bringing those different elements into the KPOP world to create new, fresh and inspiring music which tells stories. Working with other Artists is also something I always enjoyed and I love how KPOP brings people together from all over the world.
Q. What was your first project, and what emotions or lessons did you experience during that time?
My first “paid” project was a TV commercial. I learned about Sonic Branding, understanding the visions and brief of a client and translating the story of the product into Music. In KPOP each Group or Solo Artist also tries to portray their story and working with Labels and A&Rs together to portray their vision into something musical is always a challenge I enjoy and it is what keeps producing interesting.
Q. Is there a person or work that has influenced you the most as a producer?
There are many people who inspired me from famous Artists to close friends I made in this Industry. It is important to me to connect with many people and to learn from them as well as to get inspired.
Q. Where or how do you usually find inspiration for your work?
By listening to both old and new music, learning a new instrument or even a new Virtual music plugin. I also love improvising and experimenting with sounds and chord progression to find new Ideas
Q. What process do you typically follow when starting a new project?
First thing I do is research the key elements of a brief. In case of a Kpop Lead/Brief I research the group and try understand who they are and what they are known for. Then I try and listen to reference songs and similar songs I know about in that genre. Then I usually start playing with some melodies on my piano and lay down a sketch. Then the major producing part starts. Crafting new sounds, finding cool instruments, making a fresh beat, collaborating with other producers or Artist to bring new colors and Ideas to the track. Then once a first draft is ready it usually goes back and forth between supervisors, friends and colleagues to get feedback and fine tweak elements as well as finding a topline. Once that is all done I mix and master the track and then it gets submitted to the client.
Q. Do you have any philosophies or principles that you prioritize in your work?
Be in a healthy mindset when writing music. Make sure you feel good, eat healthy, take breaks, go out, workout etc. It is a-lot nicer writing music if you don’t feel stressed and have a clean fresh mind.
Q. When collaborating with artists, what do you consider the most important aspect?
Communication is key! Try and find what the Artist you work with is best at and try to accomplish each other that way. If I know someone who is great with writing drum parts and making beats I usually try to come up with a melody and cool tonal instrumental ideas and have that other person take care of the drums in that case.
Q. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your career so far?
I think I speak for everyone here the biggest challenge as a professional musician is making a stable and solid income. In this field it takes a-lot of time, a-lot of connections, and a-lot of effort to be able to make a living out of this. Working with the right people and agencies is most important. Next you will need alot of patience! I had times where I made $0 for months even though I worked full time. And that was after I made already 6 figures the year prior. In this industry not only is it insanely competitive but also project can get delayed, payments take a long time, royalties only get paid quarterly or sometimes once half year. So yes making a stable and solid income is definitely the most challenging in my opinion.
Q. What are your thoughts on the current trends in the K-pop industry as a producer?
I like how it is always evolving and new genres and styles get added! It definitely is tending more towards the western side now but I hope it will keep growing and exploring new genres and styles. The thing I like about KPOP is that most of the times it strives for originality and uniqueness.
Q. What advice would you like to share with aspiring producers?
Start writing music, learn and practice a-lot, so many free resources out there! Join forums or discord groups for producers to connect with others. And learn to have patience. Don’t get too hung up with songs you work on or even projects you get. Especially in the KPOP scene the chances of placing a track are in most cases less than 1% and even somewhat established producers write 50-100 tracks and only land and place one out of those. So yes don’t get discouraged and just keep pushing out music and get better over time!
Contact Email
david@doscomp.com
