Monday, November 19, 2018
Electro Wow - Grant Saxena Delivers New EP ‘Synergist'
Much appreciation to Electro Wow for featuring this article:
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Faith Mark - Upcoming Storm (Grant Saxena Remix) [Graygoo Purple]
Faith Mark - Upcoming Storm (Grant Saxena Remix) is OUT NOW via Milan based @GrayGooRecords!
Download exclusively on @Beatport: http://btprt.dj/1KFSuig
Faith Mark is the first woman producer on GrayGoo Records! We are very proud to present the Dutch Faith Mark with her melodic uplift brand new track: if you love a high bpm rate and some kind of travelling melody you can't absolutely miss "Upcoming Storm"!
Grant Saxena's Remix is also included: a slower version, but it keeps the urgent growing of the Original Mix, inserting some typical club elements such as a more progressive drop. Elegance and an amazing aesthetic taste mix up on the main theme which soon restarts with the groove by the end of its development.
Grant Saxena - Backblast (Original Mix) incl. Nicologik Remix OUT NOW! [Graygoo Purple]
Available exclusively on Beatport: http://btprt.dj/1AcZnn9
After "Future Truth" Grant Saxena comes back to GrayGoo Purple with his brand new single "Backblast", followed by a Remix by Nicologik
Original Mix: the amazing drop is loaded in such a freaky way that makes the track explode with a powerful and fast kick and bass, both accompanied by a rising synth and a shifter pitch. The cheerful melody creates the perfect break which gradually turns itself into a more straight and intense sound during the second drop.
Nicologik Remix: pretty raw version with kick and bass right in the face of the listener. The drop is characterized by the add of a vocal which launches the groove. The theme is soft: overwhelming pads and plucked sounds rise till the opening of a filter revealing a strong trance synth which gives a boost to the melody through the restart.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Grant Saxena - Future Truth (Original Mix) [BEATPORT EXCLUSIVE]
http://btprt.dj/1BGs5y7
www.facebook.com/GrantSaxenaMusic
WWW.DJSAX.NET
#GraygooRecords #TranceFamily #GrantSaxenaMusic #AttackTheDancefloor
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Into The Musical Void :: Grant Saxena Extended Artist Bio
Today we're learning about Grant Saxena a.k.a. DJ Sax (Official)
Grant Mitchell Saxena, a.k.a. DJ Sax, was born in the USA in Denver, Colorado on November 28, 1983 to an American mother and an Indian immigrant father. Sax’s fascination with music and the possibilities of sound began in the early nineties after hearing Guns & Roses. Axl Rose’s high-octane vocals and Slash’s intricate guitar work sounded the death knell for the hair bands who were popular at the time, while also anticipating the angst-ridden wave of grunge.
Sax’s newly found fascination motivated him to learn to play guitar. He began studying under professional guitarist and instructor, Steve Shurack, at the age of twelve. Sax’s ear for electric sound led him to focus on lead electric guitar. He took artistic inspiration from other bands and legends, including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Santana, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, and Rage Against the Machine. While still in high school, he earned the role of lead electric guitarist for the Denver Police jazz band. He also interned at The DJ Guy, a professional DJ service in Denver.
Sax’s musical tastes transitioned from rock to electronic music in 2000. He became an eager participant in Colorado’s burgeoning rave scene. At first, he listened to Drum & Bass and Trance. In 2001, after being accepted into The United States Military Academy at West Point, Sax began experimenting with digital audio workstation (DAW) programs. The strict, regimented life of a West Pointer did not leave much room for guitar practice. Spending hours alone in a cramped barracks room, however, did allow him brief time to make music using computer programs. His favorite was Fruity Loops, a Belgian-made music production software program. With the help of the program he created what he now considers “basic beats,” which he later developed into forms that were sophisticated enough to play at house parties. Weekend trips to New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC offered him opportunities to attend underground parties. The larger cities also offered him a new view of the electronic music scene. The huge venues, expensive sound systems, and world-class Artists who frequently played venues like Avalon, Exit, and Webster Hall proved that this profession was not merely about entertainment; electronic music shined as a serious business. Sax realized that a music career was within reach.
In 2006, however, he was forced to take a break from his work to serve in Iraq. Sax was deployed to Mosul and Baghdad as a Stryker Infantry platoon leader. During his downtime, he wrote songs. While on mid-tour leave in Denver, he attended a house party and played some of his tracks. His work impressed the partygoers and their reaction solidified his confidence. After a 12-month deployment, he returned to Fort Lewis in Washington state. He began working on house music demos which he passed out at local shows and clubs in Seattle and Denver. Ten months later, Sax got his first major gig headlining in Seattle’s Blue Room at Trinity Nightclub. During the subsequent year, his roster expanded to include Club Contour, Last Supper Club, Phase 3 Events, Tap-Tap Productions, and a year-long residency at Noc-Noc, the Emerald City’s most notorious after-hours club.
In 2008, Sax received orders to be promoted to Captain and Company Commander at Fort Benning, Georgia. Before his assignment, he spent a month in New Delhi, India where he headlined at an ultra-lounge called RPM. After returning to Georgia, Sax spent weekends in Atlanta where he continued to solicit gigs and pass out demos. Two notable events were spinning for Poplife Entertainment’s Haunted Hotel 2K9 at the Glenn Hotel in downtown Atlanta, as well as being featured on Defl0 Radio. Otherwise, he continued to focus on production and played several shows in Seattle and Denver.
In 2010, Sax left the army for good. He moved to Las Vegas, NV and took a job as a warehouse manager. He also began taking electronic dance music (EDM) production and engineering classes online through Point Blank, a London-based music academy. Sax soon achieved his first global track release, titled “Trajik,” through Televisionary Records in Seattle. Sax eventually gave up his day job to work full-time in nightclub promotions. While promoting for various clubs in Vegas, he secured slots to spin twice at Gold Boutique Nightclub & Lounge, created by Cirque du Soleil, inside ARIA Resort and Casino.
Sax returned to Denver in 2012 and accepted a DJ/Producer position with a local promotions company. He also gained management with Stellar Artist Management & Promotions LLC. Since his return, Sax has headlined and performed, most notably, at The Church Nightclub, NORAD Dance Bar, Club Vinyl, and The Lounge at Beta Nightclub (recently named the #1 nightclub in North America by Rolling Stone and DJ Mag’s Top 100).
In 2013, Sax won The Floorbangr's Digital Circus “In the Mix” DJ Battle. The grand prize included a slot to spin at Colorado's historic festival, Triad Dragons Entertainment & Floorbangr's present Caffeine: The Digital Circus. In the same year, Sax traveled to spin in Las Vegas at the Artisan and Rumor Boutique Hotels, also Wyoming for the outdoor music festival, Compound Sound. By the end of 2013, Sax aired three live mixes of separate genres, including brand new unreleased originals, on Digitally Imported Radio – the world’s largest EDM radio site.
Sax spent four years building a professional recording studio which he now uses to produce singers, songwriters, musicians and bands. He still manages to continuously hone his skills in the lab, shaping his sound, and releasing his own productions. In 2013 Sax remixed a progressive house track for an Ultra Records official contest on Beatport.com which was voted #12 out of 488 submissions. In 2014 Sax achieved two top 100 releases on Beatport.com Trance releases chart for Grant Saxena - Future Truth (Original Mix) #57 and Grant Saxena - Backblast (Original Mix) #11.
With his range of performances, a growing discography of remixes and original productions, and a new alliance with A.M.P. Management, Sax shows no signs of slowing his musical quest. The future looks bright as Sax continues to build momentum as a global up and coming Electronic Music Artist to watch.
WWW.DJSAX.NET
www.twitter.com/TheRealDJSax
www.facebook.com/djsax
www.mixcloud.com/djsax
www.soundcloud.com/djsax
dj.beatport.com/djsax
www.reverbnation.com/djsaxmusic
djsaxmusic.blogspot.com
www.youtube.com/djsaxvideos
www.annmitchellproductions.com
Co-written with Mary Sutton
Grant Mitchell Saxena, a.k.a. DJ Sax, was born in the USA in Denver, Colorado on November 28, 1983 to an American mother and an Indian immigrant father. Sax’s fascination with music and the possibilities of sound began in the early nineties after hearing Guns & Roses. Axl Rose’s high-octane vocals and Slash’s intricate guitar work sounded the death knell for the hair bands who were popular at the time, while also anticipating the angst-ridden wave of grunge.
Sax’s newly found fascination motivated him to learn to play guitar. He began studying under professional guitarist and instructor, Steve Shurack, at the age of twelve. Sax’s ear for electric sound led him to focus on lead electric guitar. He took artistic inspiration from other bands and legends, including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Santana, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, and Rage Against the Machine. While still in high school, he earned the role of lead electric guitarist for the Denver Police jazz band. He also interned at The DJ Guy, a professional DJ service in Denver.
Sax’s musical tastes transitioned from rock to electronic music in 2000. He became an eager participant in Colorado’s burgeoning rave scene. At first, he listened to Drum & Bass and Trance. In 2001, after being accepted into The United States Military Academy at West Point, Sax began experimenting with digital audio workstation (DAW) programs. The strict, regimented life of a West Pointer did not leave much room for guitar practice. Spending hours alone in a cramped barracks room, however, did allow him brief time to make music using computer programs. His favorite was Fruity Loops, a Belgian-made music production software program. With the help of the program he created what he now considers “basic beats,” which he later developed into forms that were sophisticated enough to play at house parties. Weekend trips to New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC offered him opportunities to attend underground parties. The larger cities also offered him a new view of the electronic music scene. The huge venues, expensive sound systems, and world-class Artists who frequently played venues like Avalon, Exit, and Webster Hall proved that this profession was not merely about entertainment; electronic music shined as a serious business. Sax realized that a music career was within reach.
In 2006, however, he was forced to take a break from his work to serve in Iraq. Sax was deployed to Mosul and Baghdad as a Stryker Infantry platoon leader. During his downtime, he wrote songs. While on mid-tour leave in Denver, he attended a house party and played some of his tracks. His work impressed the partygoers and their reaction solidified his confidence. After a 12-month deployment, he returned to Fort Lewis in Washington state. He began working on house music demos which he passed out at local shows and clubs in Seattle and Denver. Ten months later, Sax got his first major gig headlining in Seattle’s Blue Room at Trinity Nightclub. During the subsequent year, his roster expanded to include Club Contour, Last Supper Club, Phase 3 Events, Tap-Tap Productions, and a year-long residency at Noc-Noc, the Emerald City’s most notorious after-hours club.
In 2008, Sax received orders to be promoted to Captain and Company Commander at Fort Benning, Georgia. Before his assignment, he spent a month in New Delhi, India where he headlined at an ultra-lounge called RPM. After returning to Georgia, Sax spent weekends in Atlanta where he continued to solicit gigs and pass out demos. Two notable events were spinning for Poplife Entertainment’s Haunted Hotel 2K9 at the Glenn Hotel in downtown Atlanta, as well as being featured on Defl0 Radio. Otherwise, he continued to focus on production and played several shows in Seattle and Denver.
In 2010, Sax left the army for good. He moved to Las Vegas, NV and took a job as a warehouse manager. He also began taking electronic dance music (EDM) production and engineering classes online through Point Blank, a London-based music academy. Sax soon achieved his first global track release, titled “Trajik,” through Televisionary Records in Seattle. Sax eventually gave up his day job to work full-time in nightclub promotions. While promoting for various clubs in Vegas, he secured slots to spin twice at Gold Boutique Nightclub & Lounge, created by Cirque du Soleil, inside ARIA Resort and Casino.
Sax returned to Denver in 2012 and accepted a DJ/Producer position with a local promotions company. He also gained management with Stellar Artist Management & Promotions LLC. Since his return, Sax has headlined and performed, most notably, at The Church Nightclub, NORAD Dance Bar, Club Vinyl, and The Lounge at Beta Nightclub (recently named the #1 nightclub in North America by Rolling Stone and DJ Mag’s Top 100).
In 2013, Sax won The Floorbangr's Digital Circus “In the Mix” DJ Battle. The grand prize included a slot to spin at Colorado's historic festival, Triad Dragons Entertainment & Floorbangr's present Caffeine: The Digital Circus. In the same year, Sax traveled to spin in Las Vegas at the Artisan and Rumor Boutique Hotels, also Wyoming for the outdoor music festival, Compound Sound. By the end of 2013, Sax aired three live mixes of separate genres, including brand new unreleased originals, on Digitally Imported Radio – the world’s largest EDM radio site.
Sax spent four years building a professional recording studio which he now uses to produce singers, songwriters, musicians and bands. He still manages to continuously hone his skills in the lab, shaping his sound, and releasing his own productions. In 2013 Sax remixed a progressive house track for an Ultra Records official contest on Beatport.com which was voted #12 out of 488 submissions. In 2014 Sax achieved two top 100 releases on Beatport.com Trance releases chart for Grant Saxena - Future Truth (Original Mix) #57 and Grant Saxena - Backblast (Original Mix) #11.
With his range of performances, a growing discography of remixes and original productions, and a new alliance with A.M.P. Management, Sax shows no signs of slowing his musical quest. The future looks bright as Sax continues to build momentum as a global up and coming Electronic Music Artist to watch.
WWW.DJSAX.NET
www.twitter.com/TheRealDJSax
www.facebook.com/djsax
www.mixcloud.com/djsax
www.soundcloud.com/djsax
dj.beatport.com/djsax
www.reverbnation.com/djsaxmusic
djsaxmusic.blogspot.com
www.youtube.com/djsaxvideos
www.annmitchellproductions.com
Co-written with Mary Sutton
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
ReverbNation: 'The War of Art' by Steven Pressfield
I was recently asked by a comrade in arms this question: "How did Ranger School best prepare you for a career in the music industry?"
I don't get to share much with many fans about my previous life as a US Army Infantry Officer, so I wanted to make an honest attempt at answering this one:
Really good question, we should post this up on Reverb Nation:
http://www.reverbnation.com/djsaxmusic
At first I never really thought there was a harmony that existed, because it doesn't seem logical that the two worlds of highly intensive military training and creative songwriting/music production mesh together. A good friend of mine and fellow electronic music artist Anomaly (US) recently shared a great book titled 'The War of Art by Steven Pressfield' that changed my mind on this particular subject. Pressfield is a bestselling author and his second major novel was 'Gates of Fire,' which oddly enough, I believe all cadets are still exposed to at my alma mater: The United States Military Academy at West Point.
'The War of Art' focuses on the "examination of internal obstacles to success," then shows how to "identify, defeat and unlock the inner barriers to creativity." Within that construct, Pressfield also talks a lot about the differences between amateurs and professionals, then explains how to properly transition to a higher pro level. As it pertains to Ranger School, there is a chapter in the book titled 'How to Be Miserable' that struck home with me. Pressfield spent some time in the Marines; this is an excerpt where Pressfield shares his experiences and how they made him a better author:
"The Marine Corps teaches you how to be miserable.
This is invaluable for an artist.
The Artist committing himself to his calling has volunteered for hell, whether he knows it or not. He will be dining for the duration on a diet of isolation, rejection, self-doubt, despair, ridicule, contempt, and humiliation.
The artist must be like that Marine. He has to know how to be miserable. He has to love being miserable. He has to take pride in being more miserable than any soldier or swabbie or jet jockey. Because this is war, baby. And war is hell."
There's never a finite path or easy road to establish yourself in the music biz, that's for sure. Somehow I will always think back to those 8 months I spent battling to earn my tab (normally a 2 month course) and say to myself "as bad as things seem, surely they won't get as bad as Ranger School..." Beyond that, I believe earning the tab gave me a solid measure of my mental and physical limits - so now I am able to draw strength and inspiration from the positive aspects of that brutal scenario.
It's a difficult transition and a unique fit, but understanding both worlds can creatively work to the artist's advantage. Thanks for reading!
Peace,
Sax
I don't get to share much with many fans about my previous life as a US Army Infantry Officer, so I wanted to make an honest attempt at answering this one:
Really good question, we should post this up on Reverb Nation:
http://www.reverbnation.com/djsaxmusic
At first I never really thought there was a harmony that existed, because it doesn't seem logical that the two worlds of highly intensive military training and creative songwriting/music production mesh together. A good friend of mine and fellow electronic music artist Anomaly (US) recently shared a great book titled 'The War of Art by Steven Pressfield' that changed my mind on this particular subject. Pressfield is a bestselling author and his second major novel was 'Gates of Fire,' which oddly enough, I believe all cadets are still exposed to at my alma mater: The United States Military Academy at West Point.
'The War of Art' focuses on the "examination of internal obstacles to success," then shows how to "identify, defeat and unlock the inner barriers to creativity." Within that construct, Pressfield also talks a lot about the differences between amateurs and professionals, then explains how to properly transition to a higher pro level. As it pertains to Ranger School, there is a chapter in the book titled 'How to Be Miserable' that struck home with me. Pressfield spent some time in the Marines; this is an excerpt where Pressfield shares his experiences and how they made him a better author:
"The Marine Corps teaches you how to be miserable.
This is invaluable for an artist.
The Artist committing himself to his calling has volunteered for hell, whether he knows it or not. He will be dining for the duration on a diet of isolation, rejection, self-doubt, despair, ridicule, contempt, and humiliation.
The artist must be like that Marine. He has to know how to be miserable. He has to love being miserable. He has to take pride in being more miserable than any soldier or swabbie or jet jockey. Because this is war, baby. And war is hell."
There's never a finite path or easy road to establish yourself in the music biz, that's for sure. Somehow I will always think back to those 8 months I spent battling to earn my tab (normally a 2 month course) and say to myself "as bad as things seem, surely they won't get as bad as Ranger School..." Beyond that, I believe earning the tab gave me a solid measure of my mental and physical limits - so now I am able to draw strength and inspiration from the positive aspects of that brutal scenario.
It's a difficult transition and a unique fit, but understanding both worlds can creatively work to the artist's advantage. Thanks for reading!
Peace,
Sax
Saturday, January 19, 2013
ReverbNation: Newcomer EDM Producer Tips/Advice
I was recently asked on Reverb Nation: "What newcomer advice would you give to a person that would be interested in taking his/her first step to EDM music production?"
I thought this would make for a good first blog and wrote down a few of my ideas. Read below:
Thanks for your question! Everyone starts out in music differently, so this exact answer will vary from person to person:
I like to think of producing electronic music in two components; creative and technical. In a traditional sense of putting out a record, most bands would not move beyond the recorded performance of their track in a studio, which would ultimately be mixed down and mastered aka 'produced' by an engineer. In the world of electronic music, the producer is really bridging the gap between creative songwriting and technically mixing down and possibly mastering the track, so creation involves all three processes. The main reason for this I believe, is the advancement in computer processing power and accessibility of software emulations of expensive and rare hardware outboard gear. Today on a laptop, we have the power and capabilities in terms of music production technology that would have previously existed in the form of large machines taking up an entire studio not that long ago.
I thought this would make for a good first blog and wrote down a few of my ideas. Read below:
Thanks for your question! Everyone starts out in music differently, so this exact answer will vary from person to person:
I like to think of producing electronic music in two components; creative and technical. In a traditional sense of putting out a record, most bands would not move beyond the recorded performance of their track in a studio, which would ultimately be mixed down and mastered aka 'produced' by an engineer. In the world of electronic music, the producer is really bridging the gap between creative songwriting and technically mixing down and possibly mastering the track, so creation involves all three processes. The main reason for this I believe, is the advancement in computer processing power and accessibility of software emulations of expensive and rare hardware outboard gear. Today on a laptop, we have the power and capabilities in terms of music production technology that would have previously existed in the form of large machines taking up an entire studio not that long ago.
Creatively there are a few suggestions I would give a newcomer:
- Learn to play an instrument. Hopefully this person may have had some previous experience with an instrument, which is extremely valuable; particularly in the realm of music theory. If not then you would want to pursuit playing an instrument while you were working on production simultaneously. Piano would obviously be a great choice since it transcribes very well with synths and MIDI controllers. I grew up playing guitar and must say it would be hard to song-write well without the help I gain from my axe experience.
- Know your genre; understand the implications of genre on making music. Once you've decided what genre inspires you and ultimately is something you want to produce, you'll have to really get to know that genre in the aspects of composition, sound design, and production techniques. By understanding the way the music of the genre is made up, you will then be able to understand the impact that genre will have on your productions. Certain sounds or techniques these days are drifting between genres and so the restrictiveness of years past is probably a little less, but still relevant. The main take-away is that your productions will be validated and judged based on previous "genre canons," meaning tracks that really define a certain sound and genre. Think of Wolfgang Gartner's electro house sound when he dropped 'Front to Back' or 'Montezuma.'
Next think about how to shape and mold that genre into your own purposes, how to make it yours, how to put your signature on it. A wise-man once told me that it's not simply enough to contribute to a genre if you want to make an impact. By designing productions with your style, intent, or artistic purposes - you are then moving in a progressive fashion, which is very important in the music biz! The industry and fans are always looking for the freshest sound and possibly the next big thing. In this light, its not necessarily about technically accomplishing this, but more about figuring yourself out and artistic direction.
If you are able to know your genre, and its implications - you are now in a place where you can successfully make some music.
Technically, these are some ideas to share:
Build up your studio slowly over time. Most folks won't have the coin to drop on getting everything immediately that they need to accomplish the ultimate goal of building up a studio/sound-area. The idea is that you have a plan of attack though, know where you are at and then what materials and tools you will need. These are four important things to consider:
Room Control - If your room isn't under control and you're not mixing everything directly in HD headphones, it's going to be hard to get your tracks to translate well in and out of the lab. There are ways around this, and mixing can be done entirely "in the box," however if you're actually using monitors then you will want to invest in this stuff. I won't get into what types are better versus their competitors; I will say that I have a combination of small amounts of Auralex and fiberglass room control from GIK Acoustics - I'm pretty happy!
Monitors - You will want to consider how big your area is, versus how big your monitors are. These speakers are something you will want to spring for, get the best ones you can afford. Avantone makes a nice mono reference monitor that is great for quick mix comparisons as an extra. Check out the sites below to get an idea of how to correctly manage your physical setup, it will make a difference.
DAW (Reason/Recycle) - Next is the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), you are going to need one of these, unless you are trying to go "out of the box," then you can possibly do everything you need on say a beefed up analogue synth, Akai MPC or Native Instrument's Maschine. Propellerhead's Reason is recommended because it's relatively inexpensive to get into and has some good basic effects and synths - from there it can become a very powerful workhorse and rewire intro programs like Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase, Ableton, FL Studio and many more. You will want to grab Recycle, it is an awesome sampling tool and very easy to use once you understand the parameters.
MIDI controller - I mentioned before playing an instrument or piano. With a MIDI controller you will not only be able to get a lot of creatives ideas transcribed quickly, but also be able to control a variety of instruments and parameters in your DAW, like synths and samplers - and a lot more depending on the map-ability of the MIDI controller. I use a combination of MIDI controller, virtual analogue synth, and a control surface.
With these tools and materials in your sonic arsenal... you will have a solid basis from which to begin the creative process.
With these tools and materials in your sonic arsenal... you will have a solid basis from which to begin the creative process.
I paraphrased a lot of info from a book I like called: 'Composition for Computer Musicians' by Michael Hewitt - so I can't take all the credit! Grab a copy it is worth the read.
I would point you in the direction of a couple websites:
http://www.sonicacademy.com - Sonic Academy has a lot of great info on both music theory and production sides. Subscriptions are reasonable.
http://www.dubspot.com - An online and brick and mortar state-side school. They also have a lot of great videos on www.youtube.com
http://www.pointblankonline.net - Personally taken a few classes here and they are on point! ;)
http://www.tweakheadz.com - Absolutely great resource to understand many different aspects of making music. Spend some time on this site really reading through the articles. I run something close to the Dream Mac Studio and first got the idea from Tweak (RIP).
There is a lot more information you can get into from there, and some of this may have even been overkill - still this should be a good start. Hope that answered your question! Feel free to hit me back.
Peace,
Sax
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