In amongst all the challenges of the music industry, every so often you might come across someone who throws you a bone and helps you out, purely out of good nature. For me that was Ophanim (aka Ryan) giving me feedback on my music and going the extra mile through online production sessions to help me get to the next step.
Ryan's a super talented music producer with a growing number of releases (songs below - check them out!). I wanted to find out more about Ryan's journey from djing, to production and on to his recent releases with Colorize. So keep scrolling to hear more, to listen to some of his latest releases, and for anyone looking for some electronic music production tips then head over to his Instagram and get yourselves booked in!
Socials: @ophanimuk
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what projects are you currently working on?
Pretty busy at the moment Ben, I live in Sheffield (UK) and I’m currently working on a few collaborations that are spanning four tracks which will hopefully be released soon. My most recent news is that I’ve just released my feature track 'Nyra' on PRAANA’s mix of Colorscapes Volume 5 in collaboration with Colorize. Aside from that I’m constantly making music and I post snippets of my ideas of Instagram.
This is now your second release with Colorize, how did you initially get involved with them?
There is so much competition out there it’s unreal, but winning the Colorize worldwide producer competition with my track ‘Ytterligare’ most certainly helped with regards to getting on the radar for Colorize.This was definitely a turning point for me.
Colorize Colorscapes Volume 5, Part One (PRAANA Mix) ft. Ophanim with his latest track 'Nyra' (at 51:35 / secion 13 in the video)
So with all your new releases coming up, what motivates you to keep learning and producing music?
I have always listened to electronic music. The first album I bought was Gatecrasher Classics all the way back in 2005 (yes I’m ancient) and fell in love with the trance scene straight away. From there I’ve always followed the scene and watched it evolve and change over the years.
Colorize Vol.1 was when I first started to listen to more melodic/progressive house. Being more eclectic always helped with inspiration, and this in itself has always spurred me on to make my own music. I stepping into music production back in 2010 but didn’t really take it to the next level until a few years later in 2015/26.
Ever since I’ve been putting in the time week in week out to get my music to an acceptable standard. In no way does this mean that I rest on my laurels though as I am always learning new skills and gaining a broader understanding of the mechanics of electronic music production.
I bet it feels pretty crazy releasing music on the label that got you in to the melodic/progressive scene in the first place?
Yeah it's pretty surreal if I'm honest. I'm still questioning whether it's all just something I'm imagining (laughs). All in all it's a great feeling though.
"I found that consistency is one of the biggest factors in making music"
What’s been your biggest challenge so far within music?
Originally it was learning how to get my music sounding as clean and professional as the artists I have looked up to and listened to over the years. I soon learned however that that’s only really half of the equation.
I think getting your songs sounding professional is the first biggest challenge for most starting out producers. What helped you to get through this stage?
I found that consistency is one of the biggest factors in making music, so like I said earlier putting in the time week on week helped me to progress. After that the challenge became more that if you make one great track then you feel like you have to try and somehow better yourself and make the next one even better. There's loads of ways that you can do this though, such as exploring new genres or building on new sounds that you have discovered along the way.
Here's 'Ytterligare' - Orphanim's summer 2023 track released on Colorize
"Hard work and persistence has helped me a lot but I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my family, friends and musical peers across the world"
Has there been anyone in particular that has inspired you along your musical journey?
Over the years I’ve been inspired by the likes of Sean Tyas, Armin Van Buuren, Activia and PvD but as the trance genre has evolved more recent acts have been the likes of Franky Wah and Ben Bohmer. Franky Wah Revival Vol.1 album was a renaissance moment for me. His remix to Moby’s ‘In this world’ is on another level.
Hard work and persistence has helped me a lot but I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my family, friends and musical peers across the world. Music production started with my old friend Luke Sartain (shout out!) back in 2010. At the time I was djing a lot and he was already into music production. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be making music like I am today.
My other half Hannah has been an absolute rock as well. Every step of the way she’s shown an unwavering amount of support towards my music and I’m incredibly grateful.
What advice would you give to somebody who wants to pursue a career in electronic music?
Perseverance, continual learning, and treating it as a hobby has worked for me. I love making music but not because I expect a return out of it, I do it because I love to do it. Like anything you’ll always get better if you persevere over a period of time. And if anything comes out of it like a track release or you get to travel the world playing music, then that’s a huge bonus. If that doesn’t happen then you haven’t lost out. Asking for feedback is always really helpful too, social media can be a really effective tool for reaching out to other artists for advice.
Orphanim's live set from California, USA for Colorize
Thank you for your time Ryan, on a final note, what song have you been listening to most recently?
I have a progressive sounds playlist on Spotify that I've build up over the years, and I've recently added Franky Wahs new track - Call My Name ft. Rae Morris from Anjunadeep's latest album (14). Great song!
Three Takaway Tips
Consistency is key. If you're learning to produce electronic music then consistently putting in the hours is really going to help with progression. Consistency can also help when you start releasing songs and promoting your music on social platforms.
Remember those around you. Family, friends and peers are usually the people who will lift you up if you're having a tough day in the studio. If you don't have many people around you for support then reaching out to artists and building a network is another way to get peer support.
Consider what approach to music works best for you. Everyone is different and whereas some people may push music as a career, others enjoy it more by keeping it separate from the working environment. There is no right or wrong approach, the only thing that matters is what works best for you.
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