Music Gear
Sónar Istanbul: Connecting the Dots Between Artists and Mediums
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I had the opportunity to host a vocal production workshop at this year’s Sónar Istanbul festival.
In the workshop, I was asked to discuss and demonstrate the strategies I’ve developed over the years to process my vocals.
From recording to editing and mixing, I shared my step-by-step approach. I even gave a few examples from my Logic sessions.
As part of my workshop, I did five 15-minute-long, one-on-one mentorship sessions with the first five people who signed up.
Something special caught my attention during the mentorship sessions.
The musicians who attended became friends! Seeing them leave the event together, chatting excitedly, made me feel so proud.
That’s when I realized what I created was so much more than an educational opportunity. I had just played a part in bringing burgeoning music producers together.
Teaching isn’t new to me, but what the Sónar Istanbul 2020 team helped me put together was on another level.
It was one of my favorite events that I’ve ever been a part of.
What is Sónar?
Sónar is about bringing science, technology, and all art mediums into the world of music. During the day, there are panels and exhibits where you can explore and discuss the latest innovations in technology and art. At night, you get to experience live performances and DJ sets with striking light shows and projections.
At this point in its existence, Sónar is an annual event in Barcelona, Istanbul, Mexico, Hong Kong, and Athens.
The slots to perform at the festival are reserved for artists who are invited by the curation team. However, Sónar+D welcomes applications from musical and visual content creators alike.
The festival is an opportunity to acquire a whole new set of connections that may prove beneficial for many years to come.
The festival is an opportunity to acquire a whole new set of connections that may prove beneficial for many years to come.
If you have an idea or a project that would be a good fit for Sónar+D, you can pitch it to claim your spot in this prestigious global community.
What is Sónar+D?
Sónar+D is the interactive portion of art installations, workshops, and networking events that are hosted during the daytime part of the Sonar festival.
The workshop I hosted was one of many Sónar+D workshops.
When I walked around in the open area to see the rest of Sónar+D, I initially felt like I was at a NAMM-like convention. I spotted booths representing major music brands and there were musical instruments everywhere.
Then I saw some amazing interactive audiovisual pieces, virtual reality games and animations.
The creators were inviting us all in to participate, not just witness.
It was perfect because I’m a sucker for immersive experiences. I’ll sign up for any event where I can experience art in multiple forms at once.
Many of the pieces I saw are not available online yet. But to give you a taste of what it was like to be there here’s “Kreuzberg Shedding” by oddviz from this year’s Sónar+D Istanbul collection.
Kreuzberg Shedding from oddviz on Vimeo.
Why you should consider applying to Sónar+D
As a musical artist, I’ve always felt disconnected from the world of visual arts. I know many musicians but not nearly enough filmmakers, designers or programmers.
Sónar+D is special because it brings all types of creators together and opens the door for conversations about future collaboration.
Sónar+D is special because it brings all types of creators together and opens the door for conversations about future collaboration.
I’ve already made a list of my favorite pieces from this year’s collection. Who knows? Maybe I’ll reach out to the creators of some of those pieces in the future to invite them to partake in my project.
I’m sure the fact that I was in the same program as them will be a solid conversation starter!
Even if it’s done online instead of in-person, connecting and creating with new artists is always valuable since you share audiences and expand your reach.
The Sónar brand carries a lot of weight in the global music industry. It’s a great way to network, boost your bio and even start a conversation about performing as part of the festival.
Keeping up with Sónar+D open calls
Currently, Sónar+D is an annual part of Sónar Barcelona and Sónar Istanbul. Both teams announce open calls every year, so be sure to keep an eye out.
Sónar is a rapidly expanding global community, so make sure to keep up with Sónar’s other worldwide events too!
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