SoundGym Hero: Olivier Arntz
How did you first find your way into making music?
I've been a DJ since 1985 and started my career as a resident DJ. Nowadays, I mainly
perform at private parties and events, though that might change to more public events as
an artist in the future—who knows what the future holds.
For a long time, I had a dream of making my own music, but I always postponed it due to
other priorities. I bought an Ableton Live license in 2015, but it wasn’t until the early COVID
lockdown in 2020 that I finally started producing—a beautiful example of 5 years of
procrastination before finally making that dream a reality.
Aside from music, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy?
I enjoy reading, going to the movies, and fitness. I also love science fiction and activities
that challenge my mental being and inspire learning, often in a creative corner of life. I’m
drawn to pursuits that involve dreaming big, discipline, overcoming procrastination, and
tackling my perfectionism.
What’s something you're surprisingly good at that has nothing to do with music?
I run my own company, Online Expert, which specializes in Search Engine Optimization
(SEO) and Google Ads. I'm also skilled at using automation to reduce everyday business
tasks, organizing, and planning— all skills that help me stay efficient and creative in my
music and business.
If you could play or create with any artist, who would it be and why?
This is a difficult question, as there are so many truly inspiring artists. Spontaneously, I
would choose Quincy Jones, who sadly passed away at the age of 91 as I was preparing
these answers. It’s very sad news, though he lived a beautiful and very inspiring life. I
recommend his book "12 Notes: On Life and Creativity" which shares invaluable insights
and lessons drawn from his incredible career. I would also suggest watching the Netflix
documentary about his life to truly understand his impact.
On the other hand, Black Coffee has also greatly inspired me. I find his music captivating,
and his ability to perform and play as a DJ while only being able to use one arm is a
testament to overcoming challenges and obstacles to achieve your goals.
What piece of music gear do you love the most, and what makes it irreplaceable in your creative process?
The piano - whether as a real instrument or in digital form - always manages to touch me
deeply in whatever context or music it appears. I love using software synths like Serum,
Diva, and Knifonium, which I can manipulate to add unique character and versatility to my
productions.
What daily or weekly habits do you have in place to keep you creating?
Keith Mills' Finish More Music coaching and community taught me to define a
non-negotiable "One Thing" to achieve each week, broken down into three daily actions. I
track these tasks with the Todoist App, which has been invaluable in maintaining
consistent progress.
While this might sound simple, balancing priorities, focus, and overcoming procrastination
is an everyday challenge. Although progress sometimes feels slow, those small, steady
steps build up to meaningful results.
Music-making, for me, requires balancing skill and mental resilience—nurturing
self-discipline, creativity, and managing self-doubt. The key is moving forward, even with
the smallest steps.
What keeps you motivated to continue making music?
The drive to create an emotional connection with the listener and touch their hearts fuels
my motivation. If my music could move others as deeply as music has impacted me, it
would be a profound honor.
I’m not motivated by money or fame; instead, I value the satisfaction and recognition of my
work. I’m passionate about continuous learning—the more you know, the more you realize
there’s an infinite path of discovery, which excites me.
One dream I hold close is to create a piece that resonates with listeners long after I’m
gone. It feels like leaving a part of myself behind, almost like having a legacy, much like
leaving behind children (I do have one lovely daughter).
What song would you choose as the soundtrack of your life?
“Human” by The Killers. I first discovered this track during an extremely sad and intense
funeral, and it has become my partner’s and my absolute favorite ever since. I love the
philosophy of the lyrics and how it's open to different interpretations.
The band’s co-founder Brandon Flowers said about the "are we dancer" line:
"I guess it bothers people that it’s not grammatically correct, but I think I’m allowed to do whatever I want."
which resonates with me as an artist.
I’d also choose “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” by Simply Red, which is our favorite
romantic song. I often bring it up when introducing myself or answering questions about
who I am—hoping that my answers and presentation help people better understand me, or
at least make them wonder, "Is he human, or is he prancer?".
What's your favorite feature on SoundGym, and how has it helped you in your musical journey?
I love all the exercises, but Peak Master and EQ Cheetah are probably my favorites. Peak
Master gives me a great sense of satisfaction when I hit the right frequencies, while EQ
Cheetah is a challenging test that pushes me to earn as many points as possible within the
time limit.
One funny quirk I’ve developed over time is that, whenever I’m uncertain in Peak Master
and don’t hear any difference, I always choose around 12kHz because of my tinnitus, and
it surprisingly works!
I’m also intrigued by how, as I improve, the exercises involving saturation and compression
become more about “feeling” the difference than just “hearing” it.
My daily SoundGym practice has definitely made me more conscious of frequencies and
has also helped me get better at recognizing differences in compression, distortion, and
reverb, which improves my sound development as an artist and label owner.
What’s something exciting you're working on or looking forward to?
Besides working on new music from nOzart, I’m excited to be launching a new record
label, Antigoon Records , with a very first release from Darkly A.M. end of November 2024.
Launching a music label has been interesting and exciting so far and a great learning
experience.
My main goal with the label is to help emerging or lesser-known artists release their
music, with a focus on progressive melodic electronic music, often featuring piano and
synth elements, though it’s not a strict requirement.
The key for me, both as an artist and a label, is to release and create music with a story
and emotion.
If you're curious about the label’s taste, its “Chill Electronic Breeze” playlist on Spotify is a
great reference, and artists are more than welcome to submit their music via the Antigoon
Records website.
So SoundGym is not only valuable for me as an artist but definitely also as a label
owner—it helps me develop a better ear for evaluating submissions and refining my mixing
and mastering skills.
You can follow Olivier on his Instagram, website, and his Spotify, Youtube, and Beatport. You can also follow Olivier's lable on its Instagram, and website!
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