From practice rooms to the release of a debut album, BA (Hons) Music: Popular Music and Recording graduate Connor Kaminski has been on an incredible journey. With over 80 thousand followers on Instagram, Connor has built a platform to share his work with likeminded people. We spoke to Connor about his time at the University of Salford, the creative projects he’s been involved in and his journey to releasing his first full-length album this year. Connor’s journey shows the importance of making the most of opportunities to turn a dream into reality.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re currently working on?
Sure thing. I’m a 28 year old guitarist (and I suppose, producer, composer, videographer, etc etc now!) from Preston. I started playing guitar at around 8, and have been trying to learn as much as I can about it ever since! At the moment I’m in-between a couple big projects that I’ve just wrapped but I’m about to head out to LA for my first ever NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants trade show), which will be a really cool experience!
What inspired you to pursue a career in music and recording?
Honestly, I’m not certain I know the answer to that! I’ve always been drawn towards guitar-centric music even from an extremely young age. I think it was a mixture of my Dad’s music taste (U2, The Verve, Red Hot Chilli Peppers etc) and video game music. Even as a kid, you could sit me in a room with a bunch of music genres to choose from, and I would always pick “rock” or “guitar” stuff! I think it just sounded cool to me, and I think my dad was always saying “guitarists are cool you know” (probably because he wanted to be one!). Back To The Future was one of my favourite movies, and my favourite scene was when Marty plays Johnny B. Goode. It was my parents that pushed me in the right direction when they bought me a starter Squier for Christmas in 2006. My first thought was wow this thing is heavy.
From there, I think I’ve slowly delved down the “guitar” iceberg and fostered my innate love for weird and wonderful music. I was drawn to Muse first, then Metallica, then Dream Theater at the age of 12. It was only when I went to college that I realised you could record yourself if you had a computer and an interface at home. I learned ProTools first, and I was obsessed with compression, EQ, the whole mixing thing really. I knew I wanted to go to University to study music further, and to hone my skills. That’s where Salford Uni comes in!
Why did you choose the Popular Music and Recording course at the University of Salford?
I wanted the best blend of playing music and recording music, and I found that the PMR course was the best fit for me! It had music tech lessons as well as performance/composition too. I think if applicants aren’t exactly sold on their musical direction just yet, and are still exploring their skills, I’d really recommend the PMR course.
What was the most valuable thing you learned during your time on the course?
I think I was humbled honestly. By the skill of my peers, by the knowledge of the lecturers, and that is no bad thing. Before Uni, I was only interested in “shredding” and technique. Through eye-opening lessons and work, I realised I was NOT a well-rounded musician, and Salford was going to change that. It was hard at first, because your ego takes a hit, but it made me so so much better as a whole. I remember in my very first Performance (session) lesson, I was the guitarist playing a song using a lead sheet with a band, and I didn’t know what “Maj7” was! Paul Cusick very kindly showed me how to play a Major 7th chord on guitar then and there, but I knew I had a lot of work to do. Sure, I could play, but I had NO idea what I was doing on my instrument. Music is a language and I didn’t know how to speak or communicate it. Those first year lessons were instrumental in shaping my future, and my interest in music theory (of which I knew zero before Uni).
How did your time at Salford help prepare you for a career in the music industry?
It gave me invaluable experience with like-minded peers, who are also interested in music. It gave me access to world-class recording studios filled with pristine outboard gear. Just being able to immerse myself and try and absorb as much as possible really helped me on my journey. The Friday Masterclasses were incredibly insightful and always had amazing guests, who were always more than happy to share their music advice, career tips, and how you can make it in the industry.
I just want to give a shout-out to Dr Nicola Spelman. Your composition lectures inspired me to shift my focus away from “shredding”, and into how I could actually write a SONG, or any piece of music. So, thank you.
What advice would you give to someone considering this course?
I would say, be open-minded. Be open to new music, new styles, humbling sessions where you don’t know what “Maj7” means on a lead sheet! If you end up in a room full of musicians that are better than you, perfect. Learn everything you can from them! And be kind. Kind to others, and kind to yourself, too. Music is a tough road to walk sometimes, but we choose it because we love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Are there any opportunities at Salford that you’d recommend students take full advantage of?
The practice rooms are amazingly well equipped with gear you WISH you had, so use them to their full potential. The same goes for all the recording studios, with desks filled with gear you don’t quite understand at first, but in time, you’ll come to appreciate just how coveted and incredible it all is. Once you leave Uni and look at the cost of a Neve preamp, you’ll look back and appreciate all that time you got to use one at the Uni studios. That goes for the mics, the monitors, the acoustic treatment, the drum kits, the amps, everything is world-class.
Do you have any memorable moments from your time at Salford that you’d like to share?
Two of my favourite memories are the end of year performances in 2nd and 3rd year. It was extremely fun to put on a show and a set list together of music that myself and a few peers wrote together. In 3rd year, the band was: Jordan Bates (drums), Kate Mason (vocals), Matt Williams (bass). Those three really made my last year very fulfilling and rewarding.
What’s one piece of advice you wish you’d known before starting the course?
I wish someone told me to start recording myself with a DAW (digital audio workstation) earlier. Not just at Uni in the amazing lessons, but at home as well, and as much as possible. Recording yourself is probably the strongest way to develop time feel, and the takes don’t lie. You see where you are as a musician. So that’s my advice to all of you too! It doesn’t have to be for any project or band, but just get used to hitting record and seeing what happens.
What does the future hold? Where would you like to take your career?
My debut full-length album is due to be released this year (just getting the final bits in place!) so I’m really excited about that. I’ve been lucky and fortunate enough to have a number of guests and friends feature on the album that I’m extremely excited about. I’ll keep it all under wraps for now! Other than that, I want to play live later this year too, and begin writing new music again for upcoming releases and focus on getting better and better as a guitarist, composer, producer… everything really!
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