The West Bend Current

Behind every chart-topping song, there’s a sonic architect that most listeners overlook: the music producer, and there’s one right here at the West Bend High Schools.

Sterling Schatz, a West senior, has harnessed his passion for music production by producing for an artist across the country.

Producing on a desk in his room with little equipment other than a Macbook Air and MIDI Keyboard may not sound like the recipe for success, but Schatz has put in the time and work to form real connections with real musicians. ZANE, a musician from Texas, got in contact with Schatz through Instagram, where he messaged Schatz to produce an incredibly unserious song, which turned out to be the foundation for a creative partnership.

“He DM’d me to make a dumb song sampling ‘Cocomelon’ just for fun, and it was genuinely a horrible song, but he used it and it was fun, and we (have) worked with each other ever since,” Schatz said. “He liked the stuff I had posted, I sent him stuff, and we saw each other’s talent and started working together.”

At the moment, Schatz is an executive producer for one of ZANE’s work-in-progress albums, and the two also have a collaborative album in the works.

“I try and make things that fit his style, but a part of being a producer is also pushing an artist to different places, so I send ZANE lots of different stuff to try out, to expand his horizons,” Schatz said.

His recent accomplishments in music production did not happen overnight. Although he can’t pinpoint the exact moment he was struck to start producing, Schatz has had an interest in music since his early childhood. 

“I had a cheap green ukulele and would strum random stuff as a toddler would do and sing nursery rhymes to the old folks at the nursing home my grandma worked at,” Schatz said.

After learning the piano at five, playing in a band before high school, and teaching himself guitar, music became an integral part of Schatz’s life. His interest in music production started near the end of his sophomore year when he experimented with mixing beats on applications like BandLab and Digital Audio Workspace on his school Chromebook. His production started off simple as he mainly re-made songs from other artists, as well as listening to a broad range of genres, something he advises all aspiring musicians to do.

“There is so much great music out there that can inspire you to try and do different things in the music you make,” Schatz said. “You don’t make a cake with just flour, you need all different sorts of ingredients from all different sorts of places. Make your own kind of cake, find your style of music that you enjoy.

When BandLab was blocked on school devices, Schatz was forced to take a break from producing. He rediscovered his passion for music production when he saved up enough money for a laptop, and ever since he has been working on FL Studio, a more advanced Digital Audio Space.

Being an executive music producer is a feat on its own, let alone being a high school student at the same time. Balancing his schoolwork and music production has proven to be a challenge for Schatz.

“There are only so many hours in a day, so it really comes to my personal priorities,” Schatz said.

Despite having to balance the responsibilities of both a student and a producer, Schatz has found a way to create music that pushes his creative process. On Nov. 27, he released a collection of beats titled “Paragon” on Spotify under the name VNM.

“I think it’s some of my better work, but I am highly critical of my music and don’t like posting much of anything,” Schatz said. “I do look back to the earlier stuff I’ve made and can see how much I’ve grown.”

Schatz does not pursue music as a means for fame, but he does have major aspirations for his career. While even the producers of big-name pop stars do not get as much public recognition as other musicians, Schatz would like to get to the point of recognition among other professionals in the music scene.

“My goals for my music is to be well-known enough by artists to get some big placements in the future, and make this something sustainable and make money from it,” Schatz said. “I feel it’s most people’s dream to have their hobby be their job, and that’s my goal, too.”

For any young person with a passion for music, take it from Schatz: It takes time, dedication and a lot of “unlistenable” songs. However, his advice is to network, take advantage of any available resources and to keep making music until it becomes something you are proud of.

“Music is an art to be experienced,” Schatz said. “Go into it and see where all the different paths take you. Either way it is a fun journey.”