Q: Practically Civilized is a complete DIY project. The production, mixing and mastering is impressive. How much experience with production, mixing and mastering did you have going into this EP and how much did you learn while creating Practically Civilized?
A: From the ages of twelve to seventeen, I spent a lot of my time playing with garageband, and was exposed to the basic elements of production without really understanding what they represented. For the most part, I was unknowingly playing with all the gadgets and buttons on Garageband until I was satisfied with my work. I wasn’t concerned with creating a professional sound. I was looking for a way to release my ideas and feelings, and all that mattered to me was that I had a microphone and a simple system that allowed me to layer different sounds until a song materialized.
It wasn’t until I got Logic Pro X this past summer that I was inspired to take my music a step further. The opportunities this software provided blew my mind. Using Garageband, my creativity was largely stifled by the system’s technological setbacks. There are many songs I never finished simply because I couldn’t translate what was in my head onto the computer. It was frustrating. With logic, however, the system was so intuitive and intelligent that it was genuinely fun to work with. Now that I could lay out my ideas much more easily, I had a lot more energy to devote to making my work sound “professional.” I became sensitive to the fact that most of the music I heard on Soundcloud was significantly louder and clearer than mine. I asked myself, “What are they doing that I’m not?” This was how I stepped into the world of production.
Until two months ago, I had never heard the term plug-in and I didn’t understand what an EQ was. It took many Youtube tutorials to get things sounding the way I pictured them in my head, but I still can’t say that I have a totally solid understanding of music production. The process pretty much consisted of me typing “How To” questions into Google or Youtube, watching a lot of videos of other people producing their music, and then trying my best to do as they did. So conceptually, I don’t think I have an informed understanding of it all. The way I see it, I was blindly searching through all my options with the help of the Internet, and continued testing them all out until I was satisfied with the way things were sounding. I have to say, I have gained a deep sense of reverence to the power of the Internet as a result of this endeavor.
Q: What’s your background in regards to music composition? Can you provide any insight into your songwriting process?
A: I have been playing the bass since I was eight years old, so this certainly has influenced the way I write. I was initially classically trained, and later ventured to different forms of music on the electric bass when I was in high school. Needless to say, I believe that the bass is the backbone of a song. This is why almost every song in the EP began with a lone-standing bass line. My process usually follows this chain of events:
A: From the ages of twelve to seventeen, I spent a lot of my time playing with garageband, and was exposed to the basic elements of production without really understanding what they represented. For the most part, I was unknowingly playing with all the gadgets and buttons on Garageband until I was satisfied with my work. I wasn’t concerned with creating a professional sound. I was looking for a way to release my ideas and feelings, and all that mattered to me was that I had a microphone and a simple system that allowed me to layer different sounds until a song materialized.
It wasn’t until I got Logic Pro X this past summer that I was inspired to take my music a step further. The opportunities this software provided blew my mind. Using Garageband, my creativity was largely stifled by the system’s technological setbacks. There are many songs I never finished simply because I couldn’t translate what was in my head onto the computer. It was frustrating. With logic, however, the system was so intuitive and intelligent that it was genuinely fun to work with. Now that I could lay out my ideas much more easily, I had a lot more energy to devote to making my work sound “professional.” I became sensitive to the fact that most of the music I heard on Soundcloud was significantly louder and clearer than mine. I asked myself, “What are they doing that I’m not?” This was how I stepped into the world of production.
Until two months ago, I had never heard the term plug-in and I didn’t understand what an EQ was. It took many Youtube tutorials to get things sounding the way I pictured them in my head, but I still can’t say that I have a totally solid understanding of music production. The process pretty much consisted of me typing “How To” questions into Google or Youtube, watching a lot of videos of other people producing their music, and then trying my best to do as they did. So conceptually, I don’t think I have an informed understanding of it all. The way I see it, I was blindly searching through all my options with the help of the Internet, and continued testing them all out until I was satisfied with the way things were sounding. I have to say, I have gained a deep sense of reverence to the power of the Internet as a result of this endeavor.
Q: What’s your background in regards to music composition? Can you provide any insight into your songwriting process?
A: I have been playing the bass since I was eight years old, so this certainly has influenced the way I write. I was initially classically trained, and later ventured to different forms of music on the electric bass when I was in high school. Needless to say, I believe that the bass is the backbone of a song. This is why almost every song in the EP began with a lone-standing bass line. My process usually follows this chain of events:
- Write a bass line with a good groove.
- Build on that bass line until I feel a have a song that (in my opinion) is structurally sound.
- Improvise singing over the track (often in gibberish) until, through trial and error, I create a melody that I like.
- Writing lyrics that fit into said melody.
- Add harmonies in the areas that need enhancement
Q: The juxtaposition between the electronic elements and your soulful voice works very well throughout the EP. Was this a conscious decision?
A: Most of the decisions I make throughout the songwriting process are not conscious. I do what I can with the limited resources I have. One day, I would love to have a soundtrack filled with real instruments, however, I only had access to my voice and my computer. I didn’t see this as a setback. I think limitations are a catalyst to creativity. I worked with what I had and I did what felt right. I wasn’t aiming for anything specific.
Q: Have you performed live at this point? What does (what would) a live show look like?
A: I have performed a few times as a guest on other artists’ songs, but I’ve never had my own show. I need to develop a way of translating my music into a way that would make sense in a live setting, considering the fact that it’s all electronic. I’ve thought about getting a band to play my songs with me. My dad tells me I should learn to play all my songs on the guitar and play solo acoustic versions of my songs… I’m not yet sure of what direction I would take it, but I’m certainly going to experiment with that in the future.
Q: There seems to huge sphere of influence on this EP. I can hear elements of jazz to ’70s electronic. Where does this diverse range of style come from?
A: I grew up listening to D’Angelo, Kraftwerk, The Beatles, Lou Reed, Stevie Wonder, Eric Satie, Nina Simone and Chic (My little brother was named after Nile Rodgers). My earliest memories involve these artists. This exposure to a wide range of music taught me that there is no sense in having a favorite genre. They each serve a different purpose and offer their own, equally important, contributions to the music world (Except--need I even say it?--country rock). As I’ve grown older, newer artists have certainly entered my sphere of influence as well, the most major one probably being Hiatus Kaiyote. The way there are able to fuse so many different musical styles together is completely inspiring to me and totally unprecedented.
Q: Practically Civilized should certainly get you some fans. What else is on the horizon for you in this and next year?
A: I make music for myself, when the place and time is right, and I hope that something good can come of it afterwards. I don’t have any specific visions or plans for the future, but I don’t mind that. I can’t predict how I will feel or what I will create in the future; I simply look forward to what will come the next time I do so.
A: Most of the decisions I make throughout the songwriting process are not conscious. I do what I can with the limited resources I have. One day, I would love to have a soundtrack filled with real instruments, however, I only had access to my voice and my computer. I didn’t see this as a setback. I think limitations are a catalyst to creativity. I worked with what I had and I did what felt right. I wasn’t aiming for anything specific.
Q: Have you performed live at this point? What does (what would) a live show look like?
A: I have performed a few times as a guest on other artists’ songs, but I’ve never had my own show. I need to develop a way of translating my music into a way that would make sense in a live setting, considering the fact that it’s all electronic. I’ve thought about getting a band to play my songs with me. My dad tells me I should learn to play all my songs on the guitar and play solo acoustic versions of my songs… I’m not yet sure of what direction I would take it, but I’m certainly going to experiment with that in the future.
Q: There seems to huge sphere of influence on this EP. I can hear elements of jazz to ’70s electronic. Where does this diverse range of style come from?
A: I grew up listening to D’Angelo, Kraftwerk, The Beatles, Lou Reed, Stevie Wonder, Eric Satie, Nina Simone and Chic (My little brother was named after Nile Rodgers). My earliest memories involve these artists. This exposure to a wide range of music taught me that there is no sense in having a favorite genre. They each serve a different purpose and offer their own, equally important, contributions to the music world (Except--need I even say it?--country rock). As I’ve grown older, newer artists have certainly entered my sphere of influence as well, the most major one probably being Hiatus Kaiyote. The way there are able to fuse so many different musical styles together is completely inspiring to me and totally unprecedented.
Q: Practically Civilized should certainly get you some fans. What else is on the horizon for you in this and next year?
A: I make music for myself, when the place and time is right, and I hope that something good can come of it afterwards. I don’t have any specific visions or plans for the future, but I don’t mind that. I can’t predict how I will feel or what I will create in the future; I simply look forward to what will come the next time I do so.