Ever wondered how Apashe crafts those massive, cinematic bangers?
This article is your backstage pass to the mind of the Montreal-based maestro himself.
Whether you're an aspiring producer, a genre-bending DJ, or just a music nerd—this one's for you.
🎻 Fuse Genres Like a Boss: Orchestras & Basslines
Apashe doesn't just sample strings—he hires a whole orchestra.
For his album Renaissance, he recorded a 65-piece orchestra in Prague. For Antagonist, he went even bigger: the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra + a children’s choir!
His trick?
Start with MIDI demos using tools like Kontakt and Orchestral Tools → Send them to a pro orchestrator → Record live → Chop, remix, and flip your own sounds like a DJ.
"It's kind of like remixing my own compositions."
Pro tip: Can’t hire an orchestra? Layer strings from Kontakt, blend with cinematic brass, and get creative with resampling.
🎶 Sound Design: It’s Not a Tutorial, It’s an Obsession
Apashe learned sound design the old-school way—messing around for hours.
Forget one-size-fits-all tutorials. He dove deep into DogsOnAcid forum, dissected plugins, and experimented until sounds clicked.
Example: That fat bassline in "No Twerk"?
Not a synth. It's over-processed horns—EQed, saturated, and compressed into oblivion.
"There are no magic tricks... it's trial and error."
Try this:
- Load a brass sample
- Saturate it
- EQ aggressively
- Resample it into a totally new sound
Experiment until you surprise yourself.
🎛️ Mixing While You Compose: Apashe’s Flow
Forget endless back-and-forth between DAWs.
Apashe mixes as he composes—all inside Ableton Live.
He believes in staying in the moment:
- Add EQs, compressors, and reverbs as you build
- Sleep on a track, come back with fresh ears
- Don’t get stuck—he leaves demos for months and revisits them
"If a demo still gives you chills after six months, it’s worth finishing."
🔌Plugins & Gear Apashe Swears By
Here’s a peek into Apashe’s studio:
🎛️ DAW: Ableton Live
🎛️ Orchestral Mockups: Kontakt, Orchestral Tools
🎛️ Sound Design: Melodyne, bx_subsynth, iZotope, Waves, Melda Production
🎛️ Monitoring: Neumann Speakers
🎛️ Hardware: Access Virus C, Korg Electribe, Push
🎛️ Vocal Processing: EQ, Compression, Old Reverbs, and Delays
💭 Philosophy: Do It for the Love, Not the Hype
Apashe’s golden rule?
Make music because you love it. Fame and gigs? That’s extra.
"When I made music to chase bookings, it never worked. When I did it for fun, that's when things clicked."
Don't overthink it. Try new ideas. Blend genres. Create something you love.
🔥 Quickfire Apashe Tips
✅ Keep it fresh: Step away from your track, return later
✅ Layer real instruments: Orchestras + synths = fire
✅ Test new tools: Don't fear plugins, but don't chase FOMO
✅ Chop your own recordings: Remix yourself
✅ Mix as you go: Don’t save it all for the end
✅ Focus on the vibe: Technicals matter, but emotion drives the track
✅ Have fun: It’s a creative playground, not a grind
🚀 Final Words: Create Your Own Epic
Apashe’s approach is simple yet powerful:
- Blend worlds (classical + electronic)
- Experiment relentlessly
- Stay true to your vision
- Trust your gut, not the hype
Now, it’s your turn.
Open your DAW. Mess around. Get weird. Push the limits.
Maybe one day, your tracks will land in a movie trailer too. 🎬
