Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mitch Fairchild. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mitch, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Honestly, I’ve learned most of what I know about making music on my own, just by watching videos on YouTube and a lot of just messing around in Ableton and seeing what works. I still feel like I hardly know what I’m doing sometimes and definitely feel like I have a long way to go, but I’m at least at a point now where I can say that I can see the direction I want to head as a producer and know that I can make it there if I really am dedicated.

I’m not sure if there is one specific thing I could do to speed up the learning process, but I think one of the most important things is to learn the basics before you dive into the “deep end” so to speak. Don’t worry about buying all of the expensive analog gear and fancy VSTs, learn the basics and use the stock plugins and you’ll have more than enough to make high-quality music with that alone. To this day, I still use an old version of Ableton and only a handful of third-party plugins for all my tracks.

One of the most important skills when producing that not a lot of people talk about is being a huge fan of the type of music you make. It’s easy to say you should know your DAW and be an expert on the technical aspects of production, but I’ve discovered that by being a fan of house music for over a decade now, you know what sounds good and what doesn’t. Naturally, you just know how a certain track should be structured, what type of elements may be missing, or what needs to change in order for a track to really become next level. The only obstacles really standing in your way is your own dedication. If you’re not lazy and really put in the work, nothing will truly stop you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a DJ and I make house music under the name “SPEKTER.” I started DJing in high school pretty much, just messing around and recording mixes in my bedroom. In college, I started playing at house parties and would livestream a lot of DJ sets under the name “DJ Glitched Mitch” on an app called Periscope before it got shut down. I gained somewhat of a following on there and would sometimes be playing to 50+ people every weekend online. Eventually, I started playing gigs at some clubs in Hollywood and Downtown LA and it just grew from there.

During quarantine in 2020, I decided to get serious about producing and making my own music. I knew that you could only get so far by playing other people’s tracks, and this was something I was way too invested in to only put in half of the effort. I really focused heavy on the production and actually started to feel like I sort-of knew what I was doing when it came to making music. In February 2021, I released a tune called “Orca” on Spira Music which was my first official label release. That really gave me a confidence boost and it proved to myself that I had what it takes to make music that actual labels thought was good enough for them to release.

Fast forward to today, I’ve released music on labels like Hood Politics, Wyldcard, We Are Freaks, RIM, and Backroom to name a few. I’m proud of how far I’ve come so far, but I have a lot more goals I’ve set for myself in terms of labels I want to release on and places I want to DJ at, so there’s no time to slow down now.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Honestly, just seeing people listen to my music. I don’t care if I release a song and only ten people hear it; if one person out there really likes it, adds it to their playlist and becomes a fan, that’s all that matters to me. I make music I want to make, it’s not for anyone but me. If someone else out there also likes it, that’s just a bonus.

Same thing applies when I’m DJing and playing a show. If just one person out there in the crowd is vibing and enjoying my set, that’s good enough for me.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’ve been very passionate about house music since middle school when I first discovered Daft Punk and Deadmau5, so I’ve known for quite a while now that this is my thing. My journey and passion has grown and changed a lot since then, but overall has remained the same. It’s always been about the music and it’s as simple as that. I didn’t become a DJ to try and look cool or to party at clubs every week, I did it because I am truly a fan and I think that love of the music is what keeps driving me with the same passion today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://soundcloud.com/itsspektermusic
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spektermusic/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsspektermusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2tmeV8y7o2yddvgrNxU1X6?si=diuGIDHtTxessoizwUEQmg

Image Credits
Photo Credits: instagram.com/foureyedvision_ instagram.com/boda.pv instagram.com/mr.photograph.chi