Top 5 Takeaways from Gramatik, Nifty Gateway AMA
Yesterday, Gramatik posted that he was doing an #AMA (Ask Me Anything) in Nifty Gateway, an NFT marketplace and poppin’ community on Discord, so we joined the chat. What followed was an incredible conversation about art, music, and tech.
The channel was pretty lit and it’s clear all of artists Gramatik works with are homies. Everyone chimed in on the channel after Gramatik’s initial posts and shared favorite songs, memories, advice, and more as Discord users posted questions and shared their appreciation for the EDM-producer and fellow visual artists and musical artists.
Starting today, on the Nifty Gateway NFT Marketplace, Gramatik's NFT drop includes 8 pieces of artwork in two collections, “Cinematik” and “The G Drops”, created by EDM producer and genius, Gramatik, and his closest friends, including visual artists and wizards @Nofotos & @DarkPxl, plus musical artists @Stehreorecords & @Luxas.music.
Here are my Top 5 Takeaways from the Chat and some of The Best Advice I’ve Ever Heard.
1. All of the sounds for “Tales From The Red Planet” are created from the first sounds ever recorded on Mars by the Perseverance Rover. 🤯 <mic drop>
The 18-second recording of wind on Mars from Perseverance Rover was used to develop the drums, strings, and synth bass that make up the entire song that Gramatik and Luxas co-produced. Listen to the preview of the song here .
Gramatik answered my question and said it himself: this song is his favorite. “Mainly because I’ve never produced anything by limiting myself to using only the Mars recording as the wavetable for all sounds, it was challenging and also super fun!”. The visuals are done by DarkPxl who is Gramatik’s VJ and video content manager. He’s been touring with Gramatik, building stage rigs, and running visuals for over 10 years! What’s really cool is just how “homie” this whole squad is: all three of these artists rep Slovenia! Balkan pride ran deep in the chat today and some even wrote in Slovenian! 🥃
2. “Gramatik Stehreo” are two best friends, sitting on an entire album of new music, RECORDED THROUGH A TAPE MACHINE.
It’s the recording on a tape machine for me. I love that guitarist, Adam Stehr, and Gramatik spent their COVID-lockdown creating music and celebrating friendship. Gramatik commented on the process of recording instruments through a tape machine to get the authentic era sound and that detail alone is what distinguishes these creative geniuses from other producers in the EDM world. I’m really looking forward to what DarkPxl has created for the animation of this gem! I’m just imagining it live at Red Rocks now… Listen to a preview of Jewslim Funk here.
3. There is an entire collection of NFTs (dropping TODAY!) that recreates the energy, experience, emotions, and intensity of a Gramatik show at a music festival? Say less.
I’m a writer; I can’t say “less”. The electro-swing struck me but the hip hop, funk, dubstep, and future bass kept me listening. I’ve previewed the collection of drops and these are literally his signature compositions and top drops. I’m shook. And for any music nerds tryna compare favorite tour dates or stats? My first Gramatik show was at Bonnaroo in 2015 and my favorite sets are Philly 2017, Chicago 2019, Summer Camp Music Festival (2017 and 2019!), Bonnaroo 2019, and the Chicago Drive-In in 2020. I’m looking forward to the sub-genre exploration myself.
4. Gramatik and team are building a VR world. And it’s for Gramatik’s next album, “Future City Blues”. 🤩
So yes, there’s another album dropping soon and we’ll be able to experience it in a virtual reality!
5. Gramatik Red Rocks 2022.
That is all. <mic drop>
Some of The Best Advice I’ve Ever Heard
Major shouts to all the artists who popped up in the channel to chat today, but major props to @nofotos for saying some of the realest-ish I’ve heard in a minute. Thanks again to all the artists for chatting today!
- “Advice for new music makers: Get a really good chair. […] Also a huge fan of heating pads…” @nofotos
- “Sometimes an idea for a song title is all you need to flesh out the other creative avenues.” @nofotos
- “Sometimes, when I’m not certain where to go with a project, all I do is drop a Gramatik track into my timeline and start chopping up random visuals … — then I let the project tell me what it wants to be.” @nofotos
- “My advice is find the software that you like the most and just keep making music in it until you die of old age.” @gramatik
- “Anyone out there who hasn’t experience Red Rocks yet… YOU MUST FIND A WAY!! It’s an essential life experience whether it’s a Gramatik show or something else. It’ll change your world” @nofotos
- “My mental health improves when I don’t have to go to a single airport for a year.” @Gramatik
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