Soundwave Scholars: Kai FitzGerald

“Soundwave Scholars” is a series in which we highlight original music created by Electronic Music Production students.

This month, we are shining the spotlight on Kai FitzGerald, an EMP student who was nominated by his instructor, Jason Cohen.

Read on to learn about his influences, goals, and experience with Electronic Music Production at Stages, and check out his track, “court“, below!

Can you share a few memories or highlights from your Electronic Music Production courses? 

A time when I got everyone to contribute some very confused-sounding vocals for a track is definitely one I’ll remember, along with the first time I got to see and use an OP-1.

Which artists or producers have inspired your work?

I’m very much inspired by 100 gecs and They Might Be Giants.

Are there any specific genres you would like to explore?

I want to get into oscilloscope/vectorscope music, which is music designed to make cool visuals when seen through an oscilloscope, usually with the left audio channel mapped to horizontal position and the right to vertical.

What is your dream collaboration or future project? 

The music I’ve released so far isn’t really the same kind of genre, but I’d really love to someday work with They Might Be Giants.

What are some key technical or creative skills you’ve gained through your lessons?

I’ve learned some good tricks for EQing tracks, like using a really sharp peak to find frequencies that are too strong and dialing them down.

Are there non-musical influences that find their way into your music? 

Definitely. One of my favorite tracks I’ve done (from a long time ago, which I still haven’t released) was inspired by a type of muffin!

How do you overcome creative blocks or challenges during production? 

When I don’t know what to do with a song, I often open up a new instrument plugin and tweak the settings a bit while playing random things to see if I can find anything cool.

Can you share any platforms where people can stream your music?

I’m on most major music platforms under the name Massive Frog Guy. You can also hear songs on my SoundCloud and Bandcamp that aren’t available anywhere else.