Mathieu Gingrass grew up in Sturgeon Falls and went to school in Sudbury
Content of the article
Born in Sturgeon Falls, Mathieu Gingrass now lives in Ottawa, but Northern Ontario will always have a place in his heart.
Advertisement 2
Content of the article
Now 28, the producer and EDM (electronic dance music) artist has been producing music since he was just 16 years old. He recently released a series of singles on Spotify, YouTube, Amazon and Apple Music.
“I’m also in the process of signing a recording and publishing deal with a label in Los Angeles and looking to promote my music locally, since that’s where I started,” Gingrass told The Star. .
To listen to Gingrass’ melodic music, head over to his artist page on ReverbNation (reverbnation.com/mattgingrass), or check him out on YouTube (tinyurl.com/54xxee44) or SoundCloud (tinyurl.com/yd6hjxwt). For more information, check out his Facebook page at facebook.com/MattX2022.
Q: Describe your sound in seven words.
A: Melodic, energetic, dance, progressive house style, electronic pop, house music, that’s how I describe my sound and my type of music.
Q: You say you grew up near Sudbury (and now live in Ottawa). Where exactly did you grow up and what impact did that have on your musical aspirations?
A: I grew up in the town of Sturgeon Falls. I lived there all my life before moving to Sudbury to go to college. Sudbury and Sturgeon had an impact on my musical aspirations because being a small town they have a lot of local art and artists who started there. Sudbury and Sturgeon have many great showcases of local talent and art; it gave me a great starting point for my music career and the support has been amazing. It really gave me a great starting point to be able to show my work to local artists and producers, as well as local fans.
Advertisement 3
Content of the article
It definitely gave me the courage to pursue bigger dreams, which led to me signing with a record company.
There’s a lot of talent in Sturgeon Falls and Sudbury, which is a great place for nightclubs. It really gave me the opportunity to learn more about the music scene.
Many people might say that small towns don’t really have much for artists; I disagree. An artist can have a good starting point in his career; for me, it gave me this great opportunity to be where I am now and to continue growing every day and chasing my dreams.
Q: What inspired you to make music?
A: It should be the ability to show my creative side and be able to create different sounds and turn them into positive and energetic music for everyone to enjoy.
I have been producing for a long time and feel like I can showcase my art. It’s about expressing yourself and being able to expose music fans and EDM fans to a variety of music.
The musical creations not only invite everyone to the dance floor, but also evoke the deepest emotions of listeners around the world and during crazy times.
Q: What draws you to EDM music?
A: I should say the musical arrangements, the rhythms and the energy that electronic music brings; and the ability to really change an individual’s mood.
What I find appealing about EDM music is how much a musical track can lift your spirits when you’re feeling down. Personally, I love when I can put on an EDM track while listening to it or producing it.
Advertisement 4
Content of the article
EDM music has so many different styles; there are no restrictions on track style, there are so many different styles to choose from and the selection is just endless.
Q: Tell us about the songwriting process.
A: Well, the first step is to choose the EDM track style; I sat down and thought about how I feel.
Bringing musical ideas together to form a larger structure of cohesive melody, harmony and rhythm, and how I want to approach it would be the first step for me.
The second step would be to make sure that the melody (what the singer sings) will match the harmony (what the guitars, bass and synths mostly play) in a way that’s pleasing to the ear, using different musical models.
A good song will have a good sense of rhythm. From there, I can decide how to approach vocals that suit my lyrics and genre.
After completing the chord progressions, I will produce the lyrics – something I feel connected to; if I can feel any emotions, that’s validation that it would fit right in with the production.
The third step is mixing. Mixing is the process of combining all the instruments I’ve recorded into a two-track stereo mix. A good mix will allow you to hear all instruments clearly and in detail. It will have depth and movement. It will sound great and support the intent of the music and that specific track.
The last step would be mastering, which is when I think my track is right for me and it’s ready to be polished and ready to be sent for release.
Advertisement 5
Content of the article
Q: How do you stay motivated?
A: It’s hard to say what motivates me because EDM production is something I really enjoy. I don’t see it as a job but as something that is part of my life.
I guess I’d say being able to hear how my music has helped people and getting messages from fans saying they like my music and that a certain song has motivated them to do something – if that helps them in any way or another, for me, it’s satisfying to know that I was able to play a game. It really motivates me to do what I do and to be able to be part of it, it gives me pleasure in doing what I do.
Q: What role has COVID-19 played in shaping your sound?
A: I would say COVID has given me more time to create and produce, but also to experiment with different styles. I think it gave me the opportunity to really perfect my tracks, since I was always rushing to meet deadlines and jumping from project to project; however, during the lockdown, it really gave me time to really focus on finishing projects and being able to try new things and get out of my comfort zone.
Q: Do you have a favorite gig memory you’d like to share?
A: Escaped, an EDM music festival, is a memory I remember well. I remember seeing amazing music producers and DJs performing some of their music and just being inspired by them. Some performances were just out of this world. I had the great pleasure of having the chance to go behind the scenes to meet a few artists and producers who have just started their careers, and I was able to listen and get advice on their journeys in the music scene.
Q: Name an influence that might surprise readers.
A: Some of my influences would be Tiesto and Martin Garrix. Avicii would definitely be one of my biggest influences since his music changed the world of EDM forever.
Q: What are you reading these days?
A: I currently read music blogs, listen to podcasts, and probably news and newspaper articles.
Twitter: @SudburyStar
