Thursday March 28th, 2024
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11 Workshops & Discussions to Discover at Muzix

With Egypt's first true music expo hitting our city in days, we take a look at the educational elements that make Muzix more than a festival and meeting place for musicians, as they programme valuable workshops, debates and discussions with industry pros.

Staff Writer

More than expo and bigger than a music festival, Muzix has just announced that tickets are officially on sale for this first of its kind event, scheduled for October 23rd and 24th at the Greek Campus. Looking beyond making the latest gear available and showcasing the finest local talent, Muzix has programmed a series of innovative speakers, panel discussion and workshops that will provide valuable knowledge and interesting debates about the most pressing issues surrounding the industry. Catering to both those looking to enter the industry, as well as being informative for seasoned veterans, Muzix has brought together some of the biggest names in the music industry to engage in debates you won’t want to miss. 

Is Todays Shaabi Music Representing the True Egyptian Style of Music?

There are those who love Shaabi music and those who hate it, but no matter what side you are on, you can’t deny that it sounds definitively Egyptian. Leading this panel debate are three veterans with entirely different backgrounds: Mahmoud Refaat, founder of 100Copies and record label/organiser of 100Live Electronic Music Festival; legendary composer, producer and keyboardist Hani Mehanna; and platinum selling composer known best for his song Lowlaki, Samy El Hefnawy. These pros will discuss the evolution of the genre, and whether its sound lends itself well to Egyptian movies and commercials. By discussing the comparison between this musically hot export with the rise of Gangsta Hip Hop of the late 80s and early 90s in America, the industry leaders will debate if the genre benefits the industry and if it is truly representative of Egypt.

The Art of Film Scoring

One of the most important and sometimes over looked aspects to filmmaking is the importance of creating a strong soundtrack that appropriately complements the cinematography. The right score can bring you to tears and win awards, while the wrong score could leave some storming out of theatres making what could have been a good movie unwatchable. Leading a workshop on the process of scoring a film will be none other than award winning Egyptian composer Hesham Nazih. Scoring a plethora of Arabic blockbusters, this composer will not only be talking about the business behind film scoring, but will also demonstrate live on stage how to score a film highlighting the creative thought process behind making magnificent compositions for films.

How to Become an International Musician

 

Scheduled as one of the keynote speakers at Muzix, Al Sharif Marzeban will be giving a talk on his personal experience of creating success beyond Egyptian borders. As a passionate musician, entrepreneur and manager of the internationally renowned death metal band Scarab, Marzeban will be giving audience valuable insight into his successful journey of leading a niche genre in Egypt to sharing the international stage with Metal heavyweights. From Sepultra to Slayer, Lamb of God to Hatebreed, Marzeban has taken his band Scarab on huge tours throughout Europe and the Middle East proving that those who are passionate about their craft, no matter how niche a sound, can find international success with dedication and perseverance.

Methods of Musician Marketing

Some will argue that success in the industry has more to do with marketing than the music created. The world is filled with plenty of crappy bands that make tons of money, because they know how to market themselves. Holding a panel discussion on the best way to market musicians will be Al Sharif Marzeban of Scarab, co-founder of Epic 101 studios Hussein El Sherbini, co-founder of CairoScene Timmy Mowafi, and Abdel-Rahman Hussein owner/CEO of Dandin. By discussing the different tricks of the marketing trade these industry leaders will highlight what works and what doesn’t in terms of band branding, using examples like DeadMau5 and Daft Punk to the terrible yet successfully marketed Rebecca Black.

Creative Journey of Producing a Song

Running a unique workshop aimed at showing how to create the next big hit from scratch is internationally renowned producer Funky Pharoah. Having performed in over 15 countries in multiple festivals spanning the globe, this experienced DJ and producer is the perfect candidate to lead this workshop. Channeling his experience working with some of the biggest names in music including Enya, Tinie Tempah, Sisqo and Shola Ama, among others, this producer will demonstrate how to create a track from brainstorming to the final mix down.

Mastering 101

Creating a track requires an artist, but mastering that track requires an engineer. Covering the basics of mastering in a workshop is none other than award winning sound engineer Mohamed Sakr. Having worked with the biggest names in Egyptian music including Mohamed Mounir, Amr Diab and Nancy Agram, this talented engineer is as big as it gets in his field, and will have plenty to teach at this workshop no aspiring sound engineer should miss.

Guitar Making with Jean Paul Haggar

With the world becoming more digitalised and purchasing power increasing online, the art of handmade instruments is becoming lost to the next generation of artists. Hoping to reignite the passion of using your hands to create your signature sound is none other than the great Jean Paul Haggar, who will be running a workshop on how to make your very own guitar. Highlighting the differences between commercial and custom made guitars, Haggar will demonstrate the variation in sound quality. From the guitar's anatomy to the difference between types and brands, this workshop will leave you with a unique understanding of why this instrument is arguably the most popular in the world.

Should DJs be Considered Musicians?

If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Parodying this existential question is Muzix who will be hosting a debate to ask; if a DJ doesn’t know how to play an instrument are they really a musician? The short answer is no, but with the rise in music making software and digital tools, the line has become blurred, as it is easier than ever to become a bedroom DJ and producer that finds success in the industry. Sharing the stage is in this panel discussion is musician Hassan Ramzy, platinum selling composer Samy El Hefnawy, DJ/Producer Amir Farag, and international DJ sensation Zeina, who will discuss their experience in the industry and express their opinions on the controversial matter that will be educational to hear and engaging to watch.

100Copies: Creating a Record Label from Scratch

Billed as one of the keynote speakers and a Muzix innovation award nominee, Mahmoud Refaat is a man that needs no introduction, as anyone who has heard Electro Shaabi before has likely heard about this influential industry innovator. As the founder of 100Copies, Refaat will share his insights how one can making something out of nothing. Often credited with helping Electro Shaabi find an audience abroad, this Jack of all trades knows the industry both inside and out of Egypt, making it a valuable talk to attend for anyone looking to drastically impact the industry.

Piracy + Copyright Infringement

How does one talk about the music industry without mentioning the elephant in the room.? That’s right, we are talking about piracy and copyright infringement, a crime that is continuing to rob the industry of billions. From sampling to Peer to Peer sharing there are no shortages of important issues that need to be discussed if the industry hopes to remain profitable. With the Jay-Z trial set to take place over Big Pimpin’ alleged illegal use of the sample of Abdel Halim Hafez’s classic track Khosara, Khosara (composed by Baligh Hamdi), this is definitely the right time to have this discussion as its outcome will have implications on the global industry. Leading the discussion is none other than Hany Mehenna and Samy El Hefnawy, who will discuss the changes they have noticed in the decades spent adapting to an ever evolving industry. Seeing as though this issue is one of the most important topics to be addressed at Muzix, it will be supported with a second panel discussion revolving around Music and Money, which will discuss obsolete models of making money like attempting to sell CDs in an ever growing streaming market. Lead by Mohamed Sakr, and manager of Electrum records, Anis Abdel Mageed, this discussion will also investigate alternative ways to make money for non artists in the industry.

Impressively this is just some of the educational talks, panel discussions, and workshops scheduled to be at this one of a kind event. With tickets being offered at an affordable 100LE/day, this special happening is perfect for anyone looking to enter the industry or flourish within it. Shaping to be the one event this year that will give you the knowledge, gear, and inspiration, to create, discover and innovate within the music industry, Muzix will be a worthwhile experience that any music lover won’t want to miss.

For ticket information click here.

To stay up to date with the latest details from this growing expo visit Muzix at their official website or Facebook, or check out their new YouTube Channel hosting videos of artists who will be attending the event as well as demonstration of them using their favourite musical gear.