On the dynamic forefront of Binghamton’s music scene is the University’s up-and-coming Production and Mixing club (BPM). Leaders of the club are focused on creating a hub for artists to collaborate and explore new avenues of the music industry.
Marvel Tranquille, president of BPM and a senior double-majoring in biology and music, said the club is a space for multiple genres of music to come together.
“The main focus is to connect anybody who’s in the music space, so we try and link genres,” Tranquille said. “If someone’s into classical then they can work with a trap artist and we hope we can provide a space for an interaction like that.”
Although the club is primarily involved in the DJ scene, with weekly DJing sessions and meetings, they have also held events that serve to encourage and bring together the music community on campus, such as an open mic in Appalachian Dining Hall.
According to Tranquille, it can be tough to find others who are interested in producing beats using computer software.
“One obstacle that I’m pretty sure we all faced is trying to find people who are creating music with computers, as that’s something you do not see a lot of people doing, so we try and show that this is here and it’s present on the Binghamton campus,” Tranquille said.
The club also serves as a place of education for beginners, as lessons and speakers are invited to teach those who might have a background in music but aren’t versed in music software.
As opposed to other large music organizations, such as WHRW radio that has a focus more on discussing and analyzing music, BPM leans toward the production of music and gives members the tools to create their own tracks and beats.
With an abundance of classical, jazz, symphony and similar genres represented through the music department, Benjamin Shafner, vice president of BPM and a senior majoring in history, believes that modern art and music do not have the same appreciation on campus.
“I don’t think modern art and modern music are promoted on the campus as much; there’s a lot of classical, symphony, jazz, but you’re not going to find classic rap albums being made anywhere, so the club is a place where if a student is into something like Avicii-type bangers, they can do that,” Shafner said. “It’s a space for the modern music guru to explore the genre.”
Prior to the current executive board taking over the club, there was little being done to promote the club, with no events or advertisements around campus for BPM.
“No one was really doing much to promote the club or help it grow, so I wanted to come on and do the PR side of things,” Shafner said.
Barak Harari, a junior double-majoring in computer science and mathematics, said the idea of bringing together artists of starkly different genres to produce music is what drew him to the club.
“I think there’s a huge disconnect between vocalists and producers, especially in Binghamton, so that’s something we’re trying to promote,” Harari said. “Having something like an opera singer and [electronic dance music] producer come together for a collaboration is what we hope for with this club.”
BPM meets every Wednesday and Thursday with music production meetings on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and DJ meetings and sessions on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in Fine Arts 146.