Music Lover•DJ•Producer•Live Act•Musician•Composer•Entrepreneur | Henrik Schwarz | TEDxBerlinSalon

05 Aug 2024 (4 months ago)

Early Influences and Musical Beginnings

Henrik Schwarz's musical journey began with his fascination with hip-hop and the samples used in the music.
He started making music with a computer and a sound card, spending months figuring out how to produce sound.
He attributes his success to his perseverance, patience, and willingness to learn, which led him to collaborate with various artists and produce remixes.

Henrik Schwarz's musical journey began with him being a warm-up DJ for bigger DJs in the techno scene.
He started producing his own music in the basement of his parents' house for 10 years, despite receiving criticism from others who didn't consider it "real music."
A turning point came when Zas from Mood Music released one of his tracks, which was then played by Giles Peterson on his radio show, leading to a surge in recognition.

Schwarz emphasizes that his collaborations with artists like Mary J. Blige and Stevie Wonder didn't happen through direct contact but through management communication. He still feels a sense of disbelief and insecurity when receiving requests for collaborations.
Schwarz's interest in genres like jazz and classical music stems from his belief that he's not a traditional musician. He acknowledges his limitations in playing instruments but finds fulfillment in creating music through computers.
He highlights his remix of classical music for an Apple iPad Pro ad as an example of his foray into different genres, showcasing his versatility and ability to bridge musical worlds.

Henrik Schwarz met Boogie, a Norwegian pianist, through a mutual friend.
Boogie invited Schwarz to play at Babylon, a club, and Schwarz, despite having limited experience, agreed.
The impromptu performance with Boogie was a success, and the audience responded positively.
This experience marked a turning point for Schwarz, as it gave him confidence and led to a long-term collaboration with Boogie.

Schwarz's foray into classical music began with an invitation from the Stuttgart Orchestra, who wanted to incorporate electronic music into their performance.
Schwarz, however, was not interested in simply adding a kick drum to classical music and instead sought to collaborate with an arranger who understood his vision.
He worked with Johannes Bre to adapt his electronic music for an orchestra, avoiding the use of a kick drum.
The first performance with the Stuttgart Orchestra was canceled due to heavy rain, but Schwarz later performed with a young orchestra in Tokyo, which was a positive experience.
Schwarz learned a great deal from his experiences with classical music, particularly the challenges of working with a large ensemble.

Henrik Schwarz initially thought he would never work with an orchestra again due to the complexity and his lack of knowledge in writing for them.
He received a call from the Metropole Orchestra requesting him to write a piece for them, which he initially hesitated to accept due to his lack of experience.
He eventually accepted the challenge and received significant help from conductor Jules Buley, who taught him a lot about orchestral composition.
This experience led him to realize the importance of learning music theory and he began to study it more seriously.
He found that his understanding of music theory improved significantly, allowing him to create more complex and interesting music.

Schwarz believes that his journey is a continuous process of growth and learning, and he encourages others to embrace their diverse interests and not be afraid to explore new areas.