An exciting force on the scene, we’re thrilled to be joined today by the talented Producer and DJ Cynthia Laclé to talk about her approach towards music production, learning more about her journey to becoming a music Producer and some of her go-to techniques for creating her signature hard-hitting music. With a career that has already seen several milestone moments, including a win of the Dutch DJ championship in 2017, this talented Producer and DJ remains a distinct rising star within Electronic Music today, one whose journey is sure to lead her to even higher heights as she continues producing unmissable music and delivering striking live shows.
Hi Cynthia Laclé! How are you?
Hola, all good here. Nice to meet you.
To start, tell us about your journey into Electronic Music production; what first inspired you to start producing?
I had been a DJ for a few years, and I discovered that I missed a part of me. I wanted to produce but didn’t even know where to start, which program or how to even project my mind into a production. I guess I would have to say that my life journey is my inspiration. I had and still have so many things going on in my life. Music is my way to express myself in a way I can’t with words. It’s literally liberating. And honestly, I don’t know what to do without music. It’s who I am.
What would you say is your most used piece of equipment?
A fully charged mouse, haha no just kidding but I think a lot of producers feel me on that one. I would say a keyboard. It’s so much faster than drawing all the notes in there and it helps with creativity. Sometimes you can just play, and you hear something that inspires a different creation.
Which DAW is your favourite?
This took me a while to figure out. I had used Ableton, Logic and now I work with Studio One. It’s so much easier to work with and now I have created a nice workflow with this program. Really happy to be using Studio One. Would recommend it to anyone.
How did you learn to produce music?
Basically, by just starting. After a few days of checking out the program first, I started to put some sounds in it. However, I didn’t have much patience because I wanted to produce so badly. I became frustrated and just started googling! After a while, I contacted a friend who also produces, and he helped me out in the beginning. That was really nice. But all producers have crazy lives, and I didn’t want to disturb too much. So, along the way I learned more and more by doing and googling, watching tutorials, going to seminars, and getting inspired by other DJs who also struggled in the beginning. Music is definitely not for everyone, and you need a lot of patience.
What does your usual production process look like? How do you approach creating a new track?
I get up and prep myself. Drive to the studio. Lock myself up in there and go offline. It’s so peaceful to produce. Makes me so happy, I think at this point I love to produce a bit more than to play. I love to perform but producing gives me the opportunity to put my feelings in it. I basically start with whatever mood I am in at that point. With all the drama that I have in my life, I want to use that negativity and make something positive out of it. Music gives me that liberation. However, when I approach producing, I will already have a certain sketch in my mind in terms of what I would like to make, and I will already know what kind of sound I would like. It’s the search for that right sound that takes a lot of time. The rest is easy, it just flows. With my upcoming releases, you can hear the difference in the tracks, and you can definitely hear my mood in all the new releases. I love to work with certain sounds, and in some of my tracks, the same sound can be heard.
What are your favourite plugins and effects?
Ooooh, several actual. I love Serum, Sylenth1. Red district. Of course, FabFilter EQ 3 is unmissable. Solid State, Nicky Kick 2, X-term, Endles Smile, Space Control, Maddix Rumble. So many more actually. These are compressors, synthesizers, frequenters, filters, and sidechains. They are essential plugins that complete your track and can be used later to make your music as dynamic as possible; there are certain sounds you want in the front and some that you don’t. Distortion is also useful for this…there are so many things needed to create the perfect balance for your track.
Which pieces of equipment would you say are essential to your production process?
You don’t need that much to produce. Of course, it’s epic to work with a lot more, but in the end, all you need is a good PC (I prefer to work with Mac) and a good pair of monitors – that is really important, you need to be able to hear all the layers so perfectly to produce well. A keyboard and a good chair, because you sit a long time in it – I’m still looking for a good one, so if anyone has any recommendations, let me know 😛
How do you find the inspiration to create and produce music?
Many things inspire me, but my life is my biggest inspiration. Of course, other artists inspire me like, Will Sparks, Hardwell, Tiësto, Maddix, and Deborah De Luca.
Which element of a track is your favourite to produce, and is there a part of the process that you find more challenging?
I love the drop in a track. That is mostly the part that I have finished first and then later on, I build the rest of the track. I really don’t have the best strategy, but it works for me. I find my kick pretty early on, which for me is the most important part because it gives me the right energy for the track, so, my drop is mostly really quickly finished. The more challenging part for me are vocals. The break can sometimes be a challenge, but vocals are a particularly hard thing for me. I love vocals in my track but usually I want a certain sound and therefore you need a good singer.
Thanks for your interest in my journey and music!
As our interview with Cynthia Laclé comes to an end, we thank her for her time and for sharing such an insightful insight into her creativity when it comes to music production. No doubt poised to bring even more captivating music to her listeners around the globe, Cynthia Laclé is surely one to keep watching closely and a name to keep on your radar today.
Cynthia Laclé Online
