Warsaw, Poland – For the past 15 years, Marek Walaszek has been wearing many hats – DJ, producer, sound engineer and gear-maker. But, lucky for him and the music community, they all fit snugly.
Known professionally as Maro Music, the Polish talent runs a studio and record label – both called Addicted to Music – and he maintains a heavy schedule, crafting original productions and doing mixing/mastering work for internationally recognized artists. Over the years, he’s worked with some of the biggest names in EDM, reggae and hip-hop – from Sizzla to Wu-Tang Clan. In addition to creating music for video-gaming company Electronic Arts, he’s made music for a variety of advertising campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands – Coca-Cola, Absolut, Jaguar and BMW.
In 2011, Walaszek founded Bettermaker, an award-winning manufacturer of professional-grade mixing and mastering hardware and software built for musicians and audio engineers. Currently, Maro Music is making waves as a DJ in the U.S. with his radio broadcasts – his guest mixes have been heard on DASH Radio, Mix247EDM and the syndicated radio mixshow, “Earthquake Mix.”
Already an in-demand lecturer at universities and online schools, Walaszek will appear at DJ Expo next week in Atlantic City, N.J. – both as a seminar panelist and DJ/performer. On Aug. 15 at Eden Lounge in Harrah’s, Maro Music will open the BASSBOSS-sponsored “Skribble & Friends” afterparty, which will also feature DJ Skribble and DJ Scratch. Expect a versatile opening set of hip-hop, dance and trap. Earlier that day, he’ll speak on the Expo’s “Remixer/Producer” panel and he’ll be offering a giveaway to one lucky seminar attendee – one Bettermaker Mastering Limiter ($3,749 MSRP). Be there at DJ Expo to win.
Growing up in Poland, what music excited you?
Walaszek: I never had a specific genre taste. I could listen to 2 Unlimited, Anthrax and The Residents in the same hour. I always found that I liked music that’s straightforward and really dynamic. I never really listened to much Polish music – it was always something mostly in English.
What’s your main DAW? Favorite software?
Walaszek: I work 95-percent of the time in Logic. I just got used to it a lot throughout these years and, as I’m half-engineer and half-producer, this DAW is an ideal marriage of the functionalities for both areas. When it comes to making music, I often use Native Instruments Battery, Massive, Kontakt, Maschine, FM8. Sometimes I use Serum, generic instruments from Logic, and a lot of samples I have gathered through out these years.
And mixing plug-ins?
I’m a big Plugin Alliance fan – they have a lot of designs or emulations that sound just great like Maag EQ, Stereomaker, Vertigo VSM-3. I also use Universal Audio 1176 and Empirical Labs Arousor. And look out, as there might be my own plug-in coming out somewhere soon.
Which producers do admire?
Walaszek: Producers that are versatile. I like some producers that concentrate on one thing, but I really admire those that can morph between styles – to play around in the mainstream field, but also underground. So the obvious choices would be Diplo, Dr. Dre, Skrillex, Mike Dean, Tchami…
When did you come around to DJing?
Walaszek: I was 13 or 14 years old. Being a DJ was not so hype then, not as it is now. So, I saved up for my first Technics 1200 turntables, then a Gemini mixer and finally I had a full battle set – I was scratching for whole days. Then I started to play in hip-hop clubs and slowly morphed into electronic music, as it started to fascinate me more and more.
How would you describe your DJing style?
Walaszek: Quite fast, and hyped-up. I like a lot of changes, so I do something all the time, but also I take care that people will have something to dance to. I like big sounds and specific drops, combining different styles, changing tempos. As I have a wide range of musical knowledge, so I can accommodate to the crowd and play along, rather than have a fixed “Maro Music” set.
Which DJs do you appreciate?
Walaszek: I really like DJs that have heart and like to have fun on stage, A-Trak comes to mind, Skrillex again, Slushii… the guys that can interact and the crowd enjoys.
At DJ Expo, you’ll speak on a “Remixer/Producer” panel. What advice would you give to a DJ who aspires to make music?
Walaszek: Decide what you would like to do and why. If fame and money is the answer, I’m not the best person to give advice. My driving force is the music in the first place. My motivation is spreading it and making a career. It’s only dictated by two things: 1) Share my music to the people and gain listeners; 2) Earn enough money that I will not have to work in any other profession ever again. Also, I’d rather spend an hour more in the studio than an hour more on Instagram.
Tell us about the product you’re giving away at your seminar to one lucky Expo attendee.
Walaszek: I’ve decided to give away one of my best-sellers – the Bettermaker Mastering Limiter. It’s a total high-end, professional, mastering-grade analog limiter that you can recall with your DAW. The limiter has also a built-in saturation circuit to spice up the sound. You cannot go louder than this! It’s used on mixes and mastering by the best engineers in the world, including GRAMMY winners. Check out the seminar and take a chance to win.
DJ Expo, presented by DJ Times, will run Aug. 13-16 at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City, N.J. For more info, please visit www.thedjexpo.com
Maro Music Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/maro-music
