#music studio

Chris recording guitar for my new country song “There’s Still Time” as Salty holds it down.

In a sea of guitars, I’ll be your surfelele, baby.

Moving Soundspace Studio to its new location.

Branden amidst analog.

I’m a sonic artist based in London. I like to play with electronic devices and experiment through different genres of music and forms of art, always trying to go a little bit further and finding new fields and techniques which are innovative. I compose electronica and ambient pieces at the moment and I also like to make sound design and film score.

➜Instagram

➜Youtube

What is that gamepad controlling?

Haha, that’s the most frequently asked question in my Instagram profile. Nerdseq’s midi expansion includes a slot for a Sega Megadrive controller, so you can control many things with it; the basic controls from the sequencer, mute/un-mute tracks, dropping solo sounds… everything really, depends how you configure it, it’s really useful and ergonomic. I also use the Nintendo DS or Switch to make music with them. I think electronic music and video games are strongly connected and I like to merge these two worlds whenever I can.

Why do you make music?

I guess it’s because it is the best way I express my creativity. I think that the kind of emotions music brings to our brains is unique, compared to any other sensations; it’s not only music itself but everything around it: fashion, ideologies, culture… I also love the “scientific” side of the sound, how waves are transferred in the air from vibrating objects and everything related to sound synthesis and acoustics. Since I was a kid I attended to music theory and piano lessons at a music academy. At the moment I’m finishing my digital media studies and next year I’ll be studying a sound degree at university.

What are your inspiration sources?

I usually get inspired by landscapes, feelings, travels, myths, flavours… Always mystical things that I experiment myself or either I read or see in documentaries. That will lead to create a concept in my head from which I’ll compose a track. Watching other people’s work in any field also inspires me, and I admire producers and bands that have been innovators in electronic music. We could start with Pierre Schaeffer or Stockhausen, and so on… What I really love is the live setups and studios full of electronic devices and that’s what has mainly influenced me to do what I do at the moment. But as I mentioned before in terms of music I get inspired by emotions or any other discipline of art. I like all the music really, I can find ideas in rock, jazz or world music, doesn’t need to be specifically electronic.

Tell us something about your workflow. 

Well, when I get hands-on on the equipment I come with a preconceived idea in my mind of how it’s gonna sound like. Sometimes it is hard to reach that idea as I might find dozens of things that I like during the process, the point is to be focused enough to continue manipulating the sound until I achieve it, (If I do) But when you do, it is really rewarding. The single one instrument I would take on an island I think it would be the OP1. It’s because goes away from the typical 16 step sequencing basics. It’s a synth but it also has options for rhythms, recording, randomness… is quite complete and it has a special touch that makes it unique.

How would creative rituals benefit your workflow? 

They really do, having a cup of tea or infusion is one of my favourites. Creating an atmosphere through lighting and decoration, tidying up the studio or simply a rainy day or a summer evening… 

How do you get in the zone? 

I think it comes after a couple of days of good work, you can’t go in the studio after one month of inactivity and get fully inspired in five minutes. It comes when I find a good area to explore and I’m involved in that research. It’s about ups and downs during the workflow, you need to find your momentum. 

How do you start a track? 

First I decide which will be the setup, which will be the best instruments for the kind of idea or the kind of sound I’m looking for, then I will start to play notes, beats or atmospheres that I like and then create sequences. 

Do you have a special template? 

Yes, I have an Ableton project where all the midi arrangement is done beforehand, I can sequence up to eight tracks in both the modular synth and the Digitakt as well as any instrument which is able to be sequenced via USB. I also have some recording tracks ready to record the sounds, this really helps as I don’t need to map the whole project every time. Sometimes I also use the built-in sequencers from the synths as well, the idea is to press play and put the whole machinery to work haha… 

What do you put on the master channel? 

EQ, compressor and limiter. 

How do you arrange and finish a track? 

This is a really complicated question as I don’t think there is a perfect equation that will work for every song. Every track is different, it will feature different tones, timbres and structures so here is where the job of the artist comes into stage and finds the best ways to make the track glow in all aspects. I normally start creating a nice loop that I like, then I think of the best structure which will work with this kind of sounds. Finally finding the best mastering options, balancing all levels and polishing the EQ to get the best dynamic ranges. 

How do you deal with unfinished projects? 

I normally finish all projects which I start, that doesn’t mean all these tracks are released or published. But I don’t like to start a new project without having finished the last one, this is something that I’ve trained during the years, before I used to leave more unfinished tracks. 

How do you store and organize your projects? 

I have loads of different folders divided by styles, date and kind of project. I like to keep records of cover artworks, contracts, masters or other documents. I also save all the videos and performances and everything is stored into a couple of USB drives. 

How do you take care of studio ergonomics? 

That’s important, you can’t work at an uncomfortable place. I like to keep attention to chairs, stands and gadgets. I also like to work with a main setup which is well organised so I can start producing things quickly. I have a top shelf where the modular synth and monitors are located so I can run the cables and the rest of the devices in the main desk, that helps a lot. 

Tell us something about your daily routine, how is your day structured, how do you make room for creativity? 

The perfect productive day would start in the morning, creating something, I think that’s the best time, before having done any other activity. That’s when I feel more motivated to start something which would take time. After I’d go out to walk or quick shopping in order to take some fresh air and then in the afternoon I would do some post-production, promotion or some kind of technical tasks. In the evening I would definitely experiment with new techniques or perform something live. 

Share a quick producing tip. 

Use random LFO’s on your chords and pads, this will lead to surprising effects and will give more dynamism to your melodies. 

Share a link to an interesting website (doesn’t have to be music related).

www.arte.tv

List ten sounds you are hearing right this moment : )

Cars, people laughing, birds, a little breeze of wind, some music from the neighbours, motorbikes, the radio from a car, notifications from my phone, vehicle horns, random people chatting…