EDM Producer & DJ Alvido discusses his passion for making emotionally-charged electronic music

While electronic dance music (EDM) is most commonly associated with high-energy party vibes, there are artists like Croatian/German Producer and DJ Alen ‘Alvido’ Vidovic who also evoke a deeper ranger of emotions with their music. Alvido has an impressive catalogue of self-produced music, and his latest track ‘Afraid Of You’ is a real treat for deep house fans.

Alen answered a few questions about his journey and music production process.

Hi Alen, how did you first discover your love for electronic music? Are there any early producers you listened to early on that inspired you?

I discovered my love for electronic music when I was about 13 years old. In my clique, there was a DJ who was producing on a C64 and mixing on turntables. After that, I played in various youth facilities and organized parties. This captivated me so much and never let me go. Sometime around 10 years ago I took a closer look at a DAW and so a hobby became much more. I have always been particularly inspired by Rene Bourgeois and the legendary AVICII.

At what age did you start to mix as a DJ and get your first gigs?

As I said when asked the first question, I started when I was about 13 years old. The first gigs took place in various youth facilities that we organized ourselves. The Höhenpubnt were then inquiries from various schools and other youth institutions, where I then hung up in the days of Insomnia.

How did you get the artist name Alvido?

My previous name was Vidovic with my last name, and I came to Germany at the age of 11 as a refugee from the civil war in Yugoslavia. I was adopted as a teenager, which changed my birth name to Gruber. ALVIDO stands for Alen Vido-vic.

When did you start to move into producing EDM? What kinds of equipment did you use?

I started producing my own tracks about 10 years ago. However, these were very amateurish. I quickly learned to use the DAW and always tried to improve. I almost always use FL Studio with various VST plugins such as the Synth Sylenth1, Kickstart and various filters and mastering tools.

What kind of process do you go through for writing the percussion, cords, and melodies in your tracks?

It often starts with an idea that emerges from everyday life. Then I try to compose it on the MIDI piano and build a simple sequence from the interplay of drums and add the melody. And so I can imagine the next steps. Often old unfinished projects and compositions also help to take the right path.

Your songs span many different sub-genres including electro-pop and deep house, are there any other styles you have experimented with or want to try in the future?

I personally like RnB and Hip Hop very much. I would like to produce an EDM track with hip hop touch. But so far, I have no idea how to implement it, and I lack the inspiration.

Your tracks are very emotional; how do you make sure they resonate with listeners?

I have to feel something about a track. I try to convey that when producing. When the track is finished after a while, of course, I always hope that the listeners feel the same way.

Are you spending more time producing music since the COVID-19 outbreak?

Absolutely. I made a couple of my favorite tracks during that time. This time also had something positive. I’ve spent almost every day making music and trying things out. During this time, I have produced tracks like Afraid of You, Close to Me, Supernova, Together.

Thank you Alvido for your time!