Decoding Arpee Ong: Code, Creativity, and the Art of DJing
Many people are fortunate enough to find careers that align with their passions. Others find jobs that may not directly relate to their passions, but allow them to use their skills and expand their knowledge while earning a living. Arpee Ong, our featured artist this week, seems to bridge this gap perfectly.
As George Bernard Shaw wrote, “Happy is the man who can make a living from his hobby.” This certainly holds true for Arpee Ong, a code developer and music connoisseur.
A Day in the Life
Arpee doesn’t adhere to a strict schedule; some days he sleeps until 5 a.m., others he wakes at the same time as the previous day. His flexible approach suits his on-call job, where problem-solving is paramount. He aims for 8 hours of work for his main job, 4 hours on freelance projects, and another 4 hours on personal pursuits, such as creating music performances, exercise, watching series, and spending time with his family. Sleep and recovery are prioritized whenever possible.
Coding Languages and Continuous Learning
Arpee doesn’t favor particular coding languages; he sees each as a valuable tool. His work involves PHP, Python, backend JavaScript, shell/bash, and others. Continuous learning is essential in his field; whether it is new technology, stacks, or standards, keeping up-to-date is a constant requirement.
Read also: How to Build a Successful DJ Brand from Scratch?
Past Projects and Current Ventures
Arpee was part of the core team behind Sulit.com.ph, which transitioned into OLX and subsequently Carousell (Carousell). Currently, he is involved in building a real estate platform (onepropertee.com) with former Sulit and OLX colleagues.
Favorite Projects and Approach to Work
Arpee enjoys the ad-hoc freelance jobs, describing them as low-commitment alternatives. These range from complex infrastructure tasks to simple automation processes, allowing him to earn quickly without substantial time investment.
Balancing Coding, DJing, and Family Life
Arpee often uses several streaming services while coding, noting down interesting tracks as he goes. His flexible work-from-home schedule facilitates balancing family time during the day. He avoids strict time management, allowing work to flow naturally, and finds that multi-tasking allows him to efficiently juggle his commitments.
DJing: A Passion Alongside Programming
Arpee started coding before he began DJing. His initial foray into DJing came around 2011. He purchased a DJ controller to create a scratch for a company presentation. He enjoyed the process of mixing songs after completing the presentation.
Creating a DJing Software Plugin
Arpee envisions a software tool that analyzes and quantizes song files, generating new files with meta data that can be imported into or exported from popular DJ software. This would facilitate easier manipulation of older tracks with inconsistent beats, allowing for seamless mixing with modern tracks. Such technology, he believes, shifts the focus from mundane tasks to creative aspects of the workflow.
Favorite Mashup and Song Selection
His favorite mashup combines “Roots Bloody Roots (Sepultura)”, “Right Here, Right Now (Fatboy Slim)”, and “Alabang Girls (Andrew E.)”, representing diverse genres that reflect his musical preference. His song selection process is spontaneous and intuitive. Songs pop into his head and if multiple songs form a cohesive blend, he tries it out.
The Future of DJing and Work From Home
Arpee notes many DJs successfully utilize platforms like Twitch and Kumu, but acknowledges these are different from traditional nightlife experiences; they are complementary rather than replacing each other. Live performances retain irreplaceable value for DJs and audiences.
Following Arpee
* generate randomized username
- COMMENT_FIRST
- #1 Lord_Nikon [12]
- #2 Void_Reaper [10]
- #3 Cereal_Killer [10]
- #4 Dark_Pulse [9]
- #5 Void_Strike [8]
- #6 Phantom_Phreak [7]
- #7 Data_Drifter [7]
- #8 Zero_Cool [7]
