Paul van Dyk discusses how he turned hairspray into hi-hats: Watch

Post date: 14 December 2023

Reading time 2 minutes

Written by Chris Vuoncino

14 December 2023

2 minutes · By Chris Vuoncino

The esteemed German producer has had a long career and has certainly witnessed the evolution of electronic music production and technology. In an exclusive interview with the team at We Rave You, Paul van Dyk details how things have evolved throughout his career and the ups and downs that come with being an artist and musician. Discussing his career and the changing landscape of the electronic music landscape, he reveals his excitement over having witnessed the growth of the genre into the mainstream contrasted with the underground elements of it that existed when he began.

While the evolution of music creation has been largely defined by the growth of home studios, sound design, and sample packs, artists are still finding unique means to help finish their productions. Paul van Dyke reveals how he used a common household product to create the hi-hat sound in one of his singles.

From there, Paul van Dyk discusses the evolution of technology and how it has both expanded the ability to create but also the importance of still being creative and inserting oneself into the process. One of the most exciting revelations from the video is how he crafted the hi-hats from his early single, For An Angel. van Dyk discusses how he didn’t have a drum machine at the time and actually utilized a can of hairspray to flesh out the track.

The whole interview offers plenty of incredible insights into Paul van Dyk’s thoughts on creating music, the evolution of the music scene, as well as the highs and lows of performing. It is an incredible insight into one of the genre’s most enduring talents. Check out the full video below.