A Cappella: Dan Farber

While some artists have become international sensations overnight, most have spent years in the studio and on the road, honing their skills and building their repertoire, before making a splash on the global scene. We discuss that process and the tools of the trade in our A Cappella series.

There is a glut of artists trying to get in on the action and catch a ride on the merging trend train of hip-hop and dance music. But only a few are firing off heat that can compete with what Dan Farber is capable of. The beat-smith from Tel Aviv has been gaining tremendous traction after hitting Mad Decent and Dim Mak with his thunderous trap boomers. The wheels haven’t stopped turning since, and the pace seems to be picking up as he shifts gears toward G-house via his forthcoming Gangsta Shit EP. Clearly, Dan Farber has what it takes to go the distance, so it felt only right to catch him on his climb and pick apart his production process.

What value do you place on environment as a creative springboard? Some people have very specific requirements, from weather, time and geography to office or studio setup.
The vibe in the room is everything. Most of the time, it’s the producer’s “job” to make the vibe right, especially when working with artists like writers, singers or instrumentalists; the producer hosts the session. As a producer, you need to make everyone feel comfortable so you can get the best out of who is in the session, whether it’s a dope guitar take or good lyrics. I tend to switch up lights or sitting positions a lot when I feel something weird about the vibe. Also, if the ambience is very sleepy and we are trying to write something uplifting, I tend to stand up get hyped and try to get the people around me as excited as I am about the record.

“I see music as something that needs to touch hearts.”

How does your music creative process begin?
I usually work a lot on the drums; I tend to spend hours on my rhythm section. I feel like the drums/bass are the spine of the production. They need to sit perfectly in order for everything to sound good.

From there, I go to the main melody, the chord progression, and the emotional factor. I work hard on my arrangements, trying to make the track give the listener an intense feeling when they play it, from going really loud to super chill and vibey. I do a lot of resampling… I find myself writing lines on a MIDI and sample the lead into a sampler to create something completely new. It’s definitely something I think about when I’m producing: how to create a sound or a specific move/drum hit that no one has ever thought about doing before. I’ll say, bottom line as a producer, arrangement is the key; know what you are making, and make sure it’s arranged well.

Is there a particular system or method that you adhere to in your work? How important is it for you to experiment and take on the risk of failure?
As an artist, it’s extremely important to take risks, but mainly just do what you love and get inspired—not really thinking if others will adore it or not. Let your crowd follow your ways. Worst case, you can always come back to what they know if you really want to. For me, music is a way to express myself and to take out a lot of emotions and frustrations. Instead of going to counseling, I’ll just sit for 10 hours and write… that’s why it’s always an experiment.

Is an artist just someone who does something better than most? What does being an artist mean to you?
No, an artist for me is creating. We are all artists with different aesthetics. It’s not about being better—more about bringing something new to the table, something others can relate to. When you are able to share your imagination and thoughts with other people through a piece of music or a painting, you are considered an artist to me.

Is there another genre of music that you’re tinkering with or would like to make?
I’ve actually been producing a lot outside of the boundaries of EDM. I started from producing hip-hop and evolved into writing and composing, and even scoring. I see music as something that needs to touch hearts. It’s not about doing a specific genre. So yes, I’ll make anything that will make me feel good.

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