EDM Tips: Inside the Vision, the Community, and the ‘Rising Up’ Remix Collaboration

When Will Darling first began uploading blog posts and YouTube tutorials under the name EDM Tips, it wasn’t part of some grand plan. He just wanted to share what he had learned the hard way, helping new producers avoid the same frustrating obstacles he had stumbled through. From just a few initial blog posts, it quickly snowballed into one of the biggest online production communities in the world. Today, EDM Tips has become a trusted home for more than a quarter-million producers worldwide - everyone from beginners finishing their very first track to veterans looking for fresh inspiration.

Along the way, he’s built not just a platform, but a movement - one that balances the nuts and bolts of production with the spark of creativity that makes electronic music so endlessly exciting. At the heart of it all is Will’s love for electronic music. His mission has always stayed the same: to help artists unlock their sound, sharpen their skills, and actually complete music they’re proud to share.

Q: EDM Tips has become a go-to hub for producers all over the world. What was the vision when you first started the platform, and how has it grown since those early days?

A: First, that’s very kind of you to say! I just thought I’d start writing blog posts and posting videos to help new producers avoid some of the difficulties I’ve had. As with learning music production, I sought help from people who had already built successful online communities, and I have been learning every step of the way. COVID saw our biggest boom, as people were home all day, and from there it just kept on going! The crazy thing is, I’ve now been approached by some of my music production heroes who say they watch the channel! It felt surreal, but gratifying. Since then, we’ve also built a strong team and systems that keep the momentum going: three world-class production coaches (all with millions of streams themselves), plus community managers, video, and operations support. That structure means EDM Tips is no longer just me — it’s a whole ecosystem designed to help producers grow.

Q: You’ve built such a huge community online. How do you keep things fun and creative while still teaching the technical side of production?

A: It’s simple. I LOVE electronic music. It’s in every fibre of my being. It will never get boring for me, and I will always love listening to, creating it or learning new tricks from other producers. Of course, sometimes I feel off and have baddays - and I need to “get my head in the right space” before I “perform”. But that’s life. Anyone with a job will be able torelate to that. What keeps it really fun, though, is the mix of people and perspectives in the community. Our coaches and members bring their own spark, so there’s always something fresh to share. We’ve also designed frameworks that balance the technical side of things with creativity, so learning feels inspiring rather than boring or overwhelming. That way, the energy of the community carries things forward, not just one person’s mood or inspiration.

Q: A lot of your tutorials make production feel less intimidating for beginners. Why is keeping things accessible such an important part of your approach?

A: Again, thank you for your kind words! The reason it’s so important to me is that I believe in the pursuit of excellence and elegance. Our role as teachers is to help people get from A to B as quickly, simply and enjoyably as possible. This means we are constantly refining our system based on feedback from our coaches and students on what’s working and what can be improved.

Q: Beyond the lessons, what role do you see EDM Tips playing in the bigger picture of the electronic music scene?

A: Well, we also want to help connect new producers to the broader industry and give them opportunities to keep doing what they love to a larger audience. So playing gigs, getting released on labels they love, building their own audience of fans,etc. However, we also have a lot of older producers who join our programs, who simply want to make music they love and are proud of. Nothing more noble or heroic than that, I’m afraid. It’s all about music.

Q: In your opinion, what’s the biggest hurdle new producers face today and how does EDM Tips help them get past it?

A: There is SO much great educational content out there nowadays, and SO much great cheap software and hardware. So it’s not knowledge or equipment. It’s 100% mindset. Most people talk themselves out of success before they’ve even begun.We have built a community of people (including professional producers in their own right) who understand these pitfalls and offer guidance, feedback and support. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying, “Yeah, I felt like that yesterday, too. It sucks. You’re not alone”.

Q: Let’s talk about "Rising Up.” How did the collaboration between EDM Tips, Black Hole Recordings and Christina Novelli come together, and what sparked the idea for the remix contest?

A: Well, we have EDM Tips students who have released on Black Hole already, and - off the back of that connection - Mark and I met briefly in Amsterdam last year. We got chatting over WhatsApp and thought that a remix contest would be a great way to give an opportunity to new producers to “get their foot in the door”. After all, that's how I got my first break (and many others!). Mark came to me with the track a couple of months later, and the vocals were so strong that we knew people would be able to create some GREAT remixes. And we were right!

Q: Can you give us a peek behind the scenes of the contest—how many submissions came in, how were they judged, and what qualities were you looking for in a winning remix?

A: Oof….we had a LOT! I don’t know the exact amount - over 400 or 500, maybe? We listened to every single one. Some remix competitions run on a voting system (where participants get their friends and the audience to vote on their entry, and the one with the most votes wins), but we absolutely did not want to do it that way. We wanted it to be based on quality, so people with no audience (but a lot of skill) stood a chance. Having said that, there’s also personal taste to take into account, so we probably short-listed 20 between us (Mark and his team, Christina, and me and the EDM Tips team), so whittling it down was really hard. And that hurts, because there were a lot of very skilled people who entered who didn’t win.

Q: It must have been challenging to pick winners from a pool so diverse. Were you surprised by the creativity you heard, and what made the final tracks from Aquarius, Sebastian Park, and VVILLØ stand out?

A: It was not easy at all, and we were surprised and impressed by many of the entries! The three winners stood out, however, because they nailed both creativity and technical polish. We also wanted the release to feel diverse — representing different genres but still cohesive. That balance made Aquarius, Sebastian Park, and VVILLØ the perfect fit.

Q: You also jumped in with your own remix of “Rising Up.” What was your creative process like, and how did you put your own spin on it?

A: Well, I love the original track (so I felt inspired to make my own remix), but I thought I could approach it both as a creative challenge and a teaching opportunity. So I documented the whole process step-by-step in a YouTube video so producers could see not just the final track, but the systems and thought process behind it. You can watch it here if you are interested, so that is literally walking through my creative process!

Q: For producers dreaming of winning their next remix contest, what’s the one piece of advice you’d give them to really stand out?

A: Don’t settle. When I won my first remix competition (which got me my first label signing and manager), I worked for 48 hours straight until I had it sounding amazing. The second one I won (in Future Music Magazine, which got me about £5,000 worth of kit and a big release), I had finished, and then thought “no, this could be better” and spent another few hours on it before submitting. Competition is fierce. Treat each competition as a learning experience. Push your limits, and you’ll grow whether you win or not.