After reading his "Buck the Biz" column in the September issue of Remix, I contacted Q of Uberzone and struck up a pretty interesting dialog. He wrote about crafting your own sounds and not worrying about chasing the newest trends. This is some very refreshing advice in the time of presets that we now live. Uberzone's newest album Ideology is out now on Nitrus Records. He took the time out to answer some questions and we thank him for that. It went like this:
Your new album is called “Ideology”. What is the concept behind the name?
*The name was intended to be a play on words; Idea-ology, or, “the study of ideas”. I was really cognoscente of the fact that a lot of the newer electronic music seemed to start with the focus on the dance floor and I wanted to start with strong ideas, hooks and melodies and work from there. I think it’s imperative to have strong ideas as the foundation for any creative endeavor. That being said, I still leave room for happy accidents.
How long did it take to complete?
*I had the tracks “Satisfaction”, “FUBAR” and “Vibrate” done a year earlier but the bulk of the rest of the record took about 8 months to complete once I got rolling. I can probably get a record done within 6 months at this point but I tour and do all the other Uberzone duties solo, so that takes up a lot of time and energy.
Your column in Remix talked about originality in sound design and composition. Tell us about your creative process.
*I usually start with an idea of what I’m trying to do in the studio before I turn on the gear. I do like to go in the studio just to experiment sometimes but I tend to meander very easily so I have to create some focus when I’m trying to move forward on a track.
I like to start with either the idea for the hook or the rhythms first; I very rarely start with anything that determines the key of the tracks before I have any melody or lead line in mind. As far as sound design, I usually start with fairly generic sounds when I’m coming up with melodies. It’s easier to hear a compelling melody when you’re not relying on the sound to help it along. There are instances, however, when the sound is essential to the overall hook. For instance, the middle melody in “4 Bit” wouldn’t have the same sentiment if it was played with a generic sound. That “sound” is essential to the overall effect of the line.
As far as rhythm goes, that tends to be the easiest part for me, being a drummer. I love to create polyrhythms and interplay between the drums and any other rhythmic elements in the tracks, whether it’s the bass line, lead line or anything else.
When I’m arranging the tracks I like to produce using a technique I call “combing”. I get a very basic rough arrangement down and then listen to the tracks over and over and refine it with each pass. This helps me focus on the big picture rather than getting caught up in the minutia. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture when you’re a solo artist so I always keep that in mind. Most of the time, I have all the elements and basic parts of a track in place in a day or two. The part that takes the longest comes next. The mix engineering and final tweaks to the sound design, effects and editing. I rely heavily on the UAD plugins for the mix stage and N.I. Reaktor and a host of other plugins for the sound design aspects of my tracks.
What is the ratio of tracks you start to tracks that get finished?
*About 90%. I think this is due to the fact that I try to always have a strong idea of what I’m trying to do before I start.
What gear is the most crucial to your studio?
*Steinberg Nuendo
*Universal Audio UAD-1 card and effects
*Native Instruments Reaktor
*Some of the hardware synths: Roland Jupiter 8 and 6, Roland VP-330 and the S.C.I Pro-One
*Tea
What is your musical background? How did you get into breaks and electronic music?
*I’m a graduate of the Uberheim School Of Hard Knocks; I majored in daydreaming with a minor in procrastination.
*I’ve played drums since I was a tot.
*I listened to a lot of electronic music growing up.
*I went to some of the very first “raves” in the world.
*I’m NOT classically trained
*I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth.
*I read every magazine and book I could get my hands on that had anything to do with electronic music, synthesis, production, engineering and songwriting.
What gear do you use when you perform?
*Ableton Live controlled by an Axiom 25 and a Trigger Finger
*Pioneer CDJ-1000 MK 3
*Pioneer DJM-800
*Roland V-Drums kit with a TD-8 brain
*Roland SPD-S
*More to come, I’m in the process of changing my set around.
What can a crowd expect at an Uberzone show?
I try to bring a lot of energy and intensity to a performance. Dave and I are doing quite a bit live up there so it gives it a bit of an improvisational feel. I think the audience sees that and can feed off of that. I’m getting ready to try and implement visuals back into my live show.
What have you learned on stage over the years that have made you a better performer?
The audience can see a lot more than most people give them credit for. I think it’s totally necessary to visually communicate with the audience and allow them to be a part of the show. You can’t fake the funk, people can read on your face whether or not you’re comfortable being there. I also think that I’ve learned to relax and really enjoy the moment, which translates to a better experience for everyone.
Are there any cities and venues you prefer?
I LOVE to play at Fabric in London. It just feels like it should on stage there; the sound system is wicked, the club’s always packed and the vibe is insane. I’ve played there many times and it’s always been amazing. I also love playing at all the House Of Blues in the States; they just totally have their shit together. As far as cities: London, Sydney, San Francisco, anywhere in Spain, Seattle, Dallas, New Orleans, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Denver and Toronto.
What old school legends have influenced you?
*Kraftwerk
*Depeche Mode
*The Beatles
*Vince Clarke
*Afrika Bambaataa
*Orbital (not old school but a huge influence)
*Leftfield (again, not old school but a huge influence)
*Public Enemy
Who are the newer producers that you listen to?
*Anything Nigel Godrich touches. He’s hands down my favorite producer at the moment.
*Trentemoller
*Switch (Dave Taylor)
uhhh…
This is a hard question because I think the term producer is misused these days. I consider a producer to be someone that’s more versatile than someone constrained by one style of music. I know this is somewhat controversial but… we do live in the age of mis-information. That’s why Mr. Godrich is so revered; from Radiohead to Air to Beck to McCartney, electronic or acoustic… he never fails.
Most younger (and even some experienced) producers/djs/electronic musicians are always wondering what they can do to get exposure for their music. What advice do you have for the hard-working techno freaks of the future?
Man… its HHHHAAAARD these days. The music business is like a field of white noise right now. Anyone who owns a laptop is now a producer, singer, songwriter, composer… No one wants to pay for music anymore because everyone is writing their own music. That being said, you really have to work the MySpace-type sites, blogs and the Internet in general. Touring live or Dj-ing is a MUST and it’s paramount that you try and release tracks on a regular basis… something I’ve failed miserably at. It’s sensory-overload theater out there right now, here today gone tomorrow. You HAVE to be persistent and consistent.
Right on, Q. If they're in your town, you hould check it out. These guys bring an amazing energy to the stage with their live electronic performance. Respect.
Sep 28 2007 Smart Bar Chicago, Illinois
Sep 29 2007 Nocturnal Wonderland Los Angeles, California
Oct 6 2007 Shampoo Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 7 2007 Guvernment Toronto, Ontario
Oct 12 2007 The Warehouse Calgary, Alberta
Oct 13 2007 Ampersand New Orleans, Louisiana
Oct 26 2007 TBC Las Vegas, Nevada
Oct 27 2007 TBC Vancouver, British Columbia
Nov 9 2007 TBC Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Nov 17 2007 TBC Austin, Texas
Dec 1 2007 TBC San Francisco, California
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