Kicking off Season 3, we have Niles Hollowell-Dhar, aka superstar producer/DJ KSHMR. Before his KSHMR alias, Niles had huge hits with Like a G6 and Bass Down Low. Now, he's released a stack of EDM bangers and festival anthems and even his own samples and plug-ins used by producers worldwide. In this episode, learn why KSHMR doesn't test his mixes on club sound systems, why sample articulations are so important and which vocal plug-in he couldn't live without.
Kicking off Season 3, we have Niles Hollowell-Dhar, aka superstar producer/DJ KSHMR. Before his KSHMR alias, Niles had huge hits with Like a G6 and Bass Down Low. Now, he's released a stack of EDM bangers and festival anthems and even his own samples and plug-ins used by producers worldwide.
In this episode, learn why KSHMR doesn't test his mixes on club sound systems, why sample articulations are so important and which vocal plug-in he couldn't live without.
LINKS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cataracs
https://www.uaudio.com/audio-interfaces/apollo-x8.html
https://pro.sony/ue_US/products/studio-microphones/c-800g
https://www.adam-audio.com/en/s-series/s3h/
https://en-us.sennheiser.com/hd-25-plus
https://www.nordkeyboards.com/products/nord-stage-3
https://www.vsl.co.at/en/VI_Series/VI_Super_Package
https://www.samplemodeling.com/products
https://audiomodeling.com/swam-engine/solo-woodwinds/swam-saxophones/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_Final_Fantasy_VII_series
https://www.bestservice.com/ethno_world_6_complete.html
Chris Barker:
I'm Chris Barker.
Will Betts:
And I'm Will Betts and this is the MusicTech My Forever Studio Podcast.
Chris Barker:
In this podcast we speak with producers, engineers, DJs and industry insiders about their fantasy Forever Studio.
Will Betts:
It's a studio that our guests will dream up and they will have to live with it forever but even in fantasy forever land there are some rules totally acceptable and reasonable rules.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, the rules. Okay, so our guests can select a computer, a DAW and an audio interface, those are given, those are free. Then they have the challenging chore of choosing only six other bits of studio kit plus one non-studio related luxury item.
Will Betts:
But there is the most important rule of all isn't it Chris?
Chris Barker:
No bundles. Yeah, no bundles.
Will Betts:
That's right. A package is separate software or hardware has a single item, it's strictly prohibited.
Chris Barker:
Yes, that's right. And today we have Niles Hollowell-Dhar otherwise known as superstar DJ and producer Kshmr.
Will Betts:
Starting as a hip hop producer with a cataract, Niles had huge success with tracks such as like A G6, Base Down Low and went on to coproduce for Selena Gomez and Dubs before his Kshmr alias was launched.
Chris Barker:
As Kshmr Niles went on to superstar DJ status, smashing the DJMag top 100 and releasing multitudes of EDM club bangers festival anthems and more. His sample packs are also some of the most used sounds and lives for 1000s of music producers all over the world.
Will Betts:
I'm looking forward to hearing his choices.
Chris Barker:
Exactly. This is my Forever Studio with Kshmr. Welcome.
Will Betts:
Welcome.
KSHMR:
Thank you guys so much. Thank you. That was amazing introduction. And wow, you're really putting me on the spot, especially when it's forever, there will be no further what do they call it, the boxes you buy in video games, loot boxes, there's no loot boxes, you're just stuck with it.
Will Betts:
No expansion packs, that's it.
Chris Barker:
No in-studio app purchases, none of that. Let's launch straight into it though, talking about where you would put this studio if you could have a studio anywhere in the world, or we've even had in space before. But if you could have a studio anywhere in the world, where would you have that studio? And what would it look like? What's the vibe? What'd you love?
KSHMR:
Oh, man. I really love my hometown of Berkeley, California. That's where I was born and raised. There was one time over Christmas, where I just started, there was deejaying, things were going well and I wanted to do something sort of baller and I got this house that was perched up on the top of like the highest hill in Berkeley and it was really intended for weddings. But I got all my family for Christmas together and we had Christmas there.
KSHMR:
And it had just a huge panoramic view of all of Berkeley and you look down and just you're reminded of every place you ate food and grew up going to school. And that was a really beautiful experience, and just a beautiful view. And being a producer, if I'm being honest, I'll have a prison cell. And I basically work in a prison cell right now, it doesn't make the biggest difference to me.
KSHMR:
But it is quite nice when you have a view, when you have the luxury of having a view. And I guess that would be the space. So being Berkeley, maybe perched up on the hill, I guess that would be the location.
Chris Barker:
We can take that exact spot if you want to take that exact house, we can kick them out and we'll take that as a studio.
KSHMR:
Yes, absolutely. I will say as a caveat, it was really intended for weddings, so many of the appliances, signs that someone actually has lived there were not functional. That was something we had to contend with.
Chris Barker:
So we can strip all that out.
KSHMR:
We'll strip it out.
Chris Barker:
We can strip that out.
KSHMR:
We'll strip that out yeah.
Chris Barker:
And what about inside then? I mean, like in that same dream space what's the vibe inside? Because you must have seen many of the producer studios and commercial studios as well in your time now. And what do you love, and what do you hate when you walk into a studio? What are some turn offs and turn ons.
KSHMR:
So I've always had a bit of a phobia about really nice studios, where there's a nice person at the front, maybe they bake cookies in the studio, that seems to be a big thing here in LA. Everyone comes in with cookies every once in a while. And there's something about it that's like, this isn't how real music gets made. Like it's all too pretty and comfortable and it just always struck me as like, you're never going to make a good song here.
KSHMR:
So I always like being in a bedroom and now I have a studio inside my house, but it's a little more than a bedroom. But I will say I'd probably keep it simple. I would want it to be comfortable, like a really comfortable house is. Not comfortable like a new startup tech company. So it would be-
Chris Barker:
Not to corporate.
KSHMR:
Not to corporate. Even the fun new kind of corporate, no, none of that. It'd be a lot of pillows on the ground you could sit on, you know functional things, you'd smoke cuca over here. It would have a fridge that is stuck to the brim. I'm a big drinker, I go back and forth between like caffeine and a little nicotine, maybe you don't have to put that part in there. But for me that flux, I'm almost like a sine wave, I feel that's not... That was such a corny like trying to put [crosstalk 00:05:12].
Chris Barker:
I loved it, I loved it.
KSHMR:
But being right down the middle, the way that I stay stable sort of and get a good flow going is by having this up and down of sort of an upper like caffeine. And then something that brings it down like a little nicotine or something. And so that ends up being how I stay in sort of a straight line is actually by going up and down the whole time.
KSHMR:
So I guess I get half a lot of drinks, there'd be espresso machine, I think the view is really important. I think having a place to go just like sit and talk and be comfortable and get out of it is important. And a lot of nature if you can put plants in there, these things are important. That is sort of like the aesthetic thing, I guess, because we're not really talking about the equipment yet. We're just talking about the aesthetic.
Chris Barker:
No, we're talking the equipment, just the aesthetic. That was a fantastic description-
KSHMR:
Thank you.
Chris Barker:
... as well. Sometimes we really have to drag the aesthetic out of people. And a lot of people really don't care, like they really don't care. We've had people that literally don't want sunlight. They don't want any clock. They want, anyway-
KSHMR:
I think a little waterfall, you know those little waterfalls you see sometimes.
Chris Barker:
Funny you should say that, we have had a waterfall. So moving on, the first three bits of a gear you get for free, this is before we start checking off your six items. So is you get to choose a computer, you get to choose an audio interface, and you get to choose your door of choice. So first off, tell us about your computer. I mean, what would you choose for the dream studio and what have you used in the past?
KSHMR:
So generally, what I'm using is the highest end Mac laptop, I'll just max it out and the reason I've gone that way instead of a desktop computer is because I like to be able to undock and take it with me wherever I go. I've got a nice little dock, plug the thing. I'm sure this is pretty common, you've heard this. That's probably the route I stick with. When you say Forever Studio, am I like strapped in the studio? Because then I might go with the desktop.
Chris Barker:
A lot of people, they have this decision with the Forever studio. You could go for some fancy big maxed out desktop, but a lot of people still want that flexibility. I mean, do you feel like you ever hit the limits of the maxed out laptop now? Did you get to the limit of it?
KSHMR:
Not real... I mean, with music, you almost can't. I mean, if you're using the highest end Mac laptop. What it depends is sample you're in, things like that. But for me I'm working in, I guess, is Ableton, like a 32 float by default. It's mostly 24 bit at 44.1, so I'm okay. It's really I think the really high end Mac computers are for video people working in 4k, 8k, things like that. So I don't feel like I max it up too much.
KSHMR:
I mean, there are times where I have a really heavy sampler project, a lot of contact going on. And that is when you can run into it, but I've also found really nifty ways around that in contact where you offload the samples that you're not using things. So, I got to say, if you got the top Mac laptop, you're probably fine.
KSHMR:
So I would probably, look we said this place has a view, right? So we're going to take this laptop, even if we don't leave the studio, we're still going to want to work in front of a sunset maybe or something. So I would reserve the right with the laptop. Keep us here with the laptop.
Chris Barker:
That's cool. It would be nice to just sit and stare out the window for a bit when you're going through samples or something like that. For sure I like that vibe. And even a stick with Ableton, I mean, if you always used Ableton.
KSHMR:
Yeah, Ableton, I got to stick with it, because it's what I know. If they had not introduced comping in the latest version, I might have considered at least being a dual dog person. But with this comping, they've definitely kept me in. I've got a good friend who uses Cubase and he just rolls his eyes. I say we got comping now, he's just like, "And what's the big deal?" He's got all kinds of shortcuts that he's set up that really streamline his process.
KSHMR:
So I don't really know Cubase but from what I understand Cubase and Reaper, these things offer a lot more kind of customizability I guess, and a little bit more of, I always think about it like Windows compared to Apple, how Apple makes everything simple. But in Windows, you can get inside of things more and Ableton is a little bit more of an Apple product in that sense, I think.
Chris Barker:
And have you always used Ableton then right from the very start when you started producing?
KSHMR:
Oh, no, no, no. Oh, man. So I started messing around when I was 11, 12 years old then and I guess there was Cakewalk Sonar, there was FruityLoops back when it was still called FruityLoops and there was Acid.
Chris Barker:
Yep Sony Acid.
KSHMR:
Sony Acid. And I was mostly at this point in my career buying sample loop CDs that you'd buy that come in the mail. Oh my god I have a bunch of saxophones now, whatever and you try to make beats with that and in Acid I guess is when I started really working with Midi Moore and got okay, got pretty good in Acid and then eventually it became a mixture of Reason and Acid because at first I don't believe Reason was doing audio in there or-
Chris Barker:
No, only within a sampler maybe and I don't know when that came in but early reason was yeah.
KSHMR:
It's crazy that, that's crazy. Man, anyway it was such a pain, you're undoing cable, sticking it, you want a side chain something, you're twisting things around is really ridiculous. But I had some good success, reason I stuck with for a while, Like A G6 was on Reason, Tsunami which was a big dance track that was on Reason, and once they introduced audio, then it was pretty easy to stay within Reason. For a while with G6, I think I was making a loop in Reason and then bring it into Acid for like the arrangement.
Chris Barker:
Wow. Okay. Do you think that hacking together was part of the sound?
KSHMR:
Well-
Chris Barker:
Okay, good. I like it.
KSHMR:
I will say that the more options you have, it doesn't always lead you to more success and better songs. That is definitely true in the valid point, and when you are working with more restraints, and you're still making great songs, it does make you question, was there something good about having less to work with, and you making the most of it? And I think that is really valid, actually, and I think I'd still go if I had the choice with more options because we tend to be arrogantly optimistic as human beings. We're going to make the right decision next time-
Chris Barker:
Do you think maybe that's one thing about becoming a pro, though, once you get to the level you're at now, it's part of it is knowing when not to use an option, that's the biggest thing. It's like, knowing when to leave stuff alone becomes the most bit of experience that you draw on?
KSHMR:
Yes, definitely. And actually, one thing that I thought you were referring to about the process and why although it was crazy, it may have been beneficial, was the duality of reason going into Acid. I was constantly committing to audio. And that is definitely something that I try to do now more to make stems for myself once I pretty much like what's going on. Because suddenly, this project in the new stem next project is very simplified, and my brain is sort of back to where it was at the beginning of making this idea where there were only so many things that fit on one screen, you don't even have to scroll.
KSHMR:
So your brain is making creative decisions that are less about solving a Rubik's cube and more about feeling. And it's all right there in front of you and let's make big decisions. Let's cut out the drums here or do this and... So I think there's definitely a benefit to making stems and simplifying things and doing that kind of repeatedly throughout the process of a song.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, I think back in the day there was, you kind of felt as well, like you had to keep everything as raw as possible to have everything running live all the time. There was a period where computer power was getting strong enough that you could do that. So you felt you had to, but actually all the records before that out of samplers or onto tape were all getting committed and bounced all the time because of the limitations of the studio and search and then yeah I think you ended up with these crazy projects. I think there was that pinicola a now people are going back to hardware again, and just getting it in, getting it in and then hacking it and sampling it and yeah, committee.
KSHMR:
Yeah, I think at least my understanding this was before my time, but with tape, you had to be pretty sure about an idea. And then you put it down and you had to have like a tape master who's cutting the tape, and was really good at it and I think that mental obstacle will make you take it more seriously this idea of just throwing something new in the mix, whereas now it's almost like encouraged like, "Well, you know what, I have the synth and I haven't used it yet. Even though I like the song, I'll add some of this new synth that I got to it." Even though it was like already already good, you're constantly... It's so easy to add things and so there's just less of a price to pay and therefore it gets done more willy nilly.
KSHMR:
So, yes, I think that is scarcity and making things a little bit harder, and I'm starting to sound like an old person, everything was better when it was harder. But it's true. I think that if we're being honest about the way we work as humans, we appreciate things more when they took time to achieve and you see rich kids running around that don't appreciate anything and we all... It's a cliche.
Chris Barker:
Let's do some fist waving on those [inaudible 00:15:26]. So the final free item you get to start off the Forever Studio is the audio interface. So dream fantasy forever audio interface, I'm sure you've got a pretty nice one now. Is there anything that you haven't got audio interface wise that you wish you could go even more baller on?
KSHMR:
You know, I'm a slave to the whole Apollo Kool-Aid. I've been drinking it. The UAV plugins. So I think I'm stuck with you UAD. And it's good. I'm like a bird who loves his cage.
Will Betts:
It's fine. I'm just going to point something out here though. There are no bundles allowed in the Forever Studio.
KSHMR:
Oh.
Will Betts:
So all of the plugins you have already-
Chris Barker:
That come as on the basic package of the interface you buy. So I think there's a few that you get with the Apollo. But you don't get any fancy bundles as Will will point out one more time for us.
Will Betts:
No bundles.
KSHMR:
I can't say that changes things too much because I've been pretty happy with the quality of the Apollo interfaces. And I'm not recording orchestras or anything, so the inputs are fine for me. So yeah, I guess I'd still stick with the Apollo whatever the newest one is with a max core you can go with that one.
Chris Barker:
So what is that Will a 16 or?
Will Betts:
The 16 is all line inputs. So the X8P is one with eight pre-amps. And you could go octo I think with that octo cause.
Chris Barker:
Octo call [inaudible 00:16:57].
KSHMR:
Okay. It was always a bit confusing because the inputs were correlated with their cores. But it was hard to tell which they were talking about, because it would be like eight P and that usually meant eight inputs. But that also correlated with a bigger core thing. But if you pay more money you're getting more.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, we just want the most expensive one, I guess so.
KSHMR:
If it's on your dime definitely.
Chris Barker:
Yeah exactly.
Will Betts:
It is, we got deep pockets, it's fine.
Chris Barker:
Okay, well, we get those three out of the way and a bit of history about how it used to work. And now we move on to your first of your six Forever Studio items. So these are six bits of studio kit you have to live with forever. And they can be for whatever reason, it doesn't necessarily have to be studio items that mean that you're Kshmr forever. You know, you've changed aliases in the past, you've done different stuff. It can just be six bits of kit you would love to have. In your fantasy studio there in Berkeley on the hill. Item number one.
KSHMR:
I'll go with the Sony the C800 for the mic because I've fallen in love with it. And I think it sounds good on pretty much anything if you position it right.
Chris Barker:
So when was the first time you used that Sony and you were like, "Damn, this changes everything," because there's a lot of good mics in the world especially when you go to commercial studios.
KSHMR:
Yes. I went from... God, there was the, way back in the day it was on some piece of crap. Whatever I could get at Guitar Centre, I probably like some kind of dynamic mic and that worked. I mean, all of my recording sessions at my mom's house were all less rapping. So that was fun. And then I moved on, I think to the 49 Neumann makes a 49. Am I right about that? I eventually got the U87 but the TM49 does that sound right?
Will Betts:
There's a TLM49.
KSHMR:
Okay. Just want to make sure I don't get back checked later. So that was a big achievement for me. I remember we had just come into a little bit of money. I said everybody, can we put our money together? Could we get this microphone and we all chipped and we got the 49, then eventually we had more success. I went with the U87.
KSHMR:
Now I'm not sure if maybe we're just letting it get a bit dirty. But eventually I found that the U87 was not as clean as other mic sounded to me, I guess. Sometimes I felt like I was having to boost the high end quite a bit to get that same polish. And now once I really said, "Hey, fuck it I'm just going to buy my dream mic." I went with the Sony C800. And that's got more than enough high end.
KSHMR:
In fact a high end is sometimes a problem and sometimes with the C800 again... By the way, the the foam pop filter that they give you. You look at this thing and you're like, "This is going to kill my sound. I would never want anybody to sing through this big foam. It looks like one of those Russian hats you put over it." But it sounds great. It sounds great and things are getting so much high end you're not getting a muffled sound so anyone who has the chance to work with the C800 don't overlook the Russian hat that it comes with. It's impressive honestly, you see this big thing of foam, how does the get through but it does.
Chris Barker:
But when did you discover it? Like why was that your dream mic, did somebody recommend it? Or did you use it at a session or?
KSHMR:
I think that it may have... I probably saw it at a studio, didn't think anything. I mean, I was working with guys like, Oh God, I've been out of the pop world for so long. Who did diamonds with Benny Blanco? That was Stargate. Stargate.
Chris Barker:
Yes Stargate.
KSHMR:
So those guys had the top of the line everything, I saw that they had this unbelievable baby bottle like by blue I had one of those the small one back in the day but they had a huge one. It looked like a four gallon soda thing or something, it was unbelievable. And that sounded great. So I was like, "Well, maybe one day that'll be it," and then I think I was in a studio with enough rappers or something that kept requesting to the C800 and that put [inaudible 00:21:31] and then I believe Kara who is a dear friend of mine a great singer she had one that they had to fix up.
KSHMR:
I think Cruella had bought it and then it sort of broke... Something needs to get fixed in it and then Kara they went and fixed it and then wound up with this $10,000 microphone and they just raved about it and I also would rave about it I would just say that if you're using it sometimes you might need RX to go and do what's the mouth declicking which is really fantastic in RX because you'll get so much at every little thing. But that Sony C800 in combination with the RX mouth to clicking is absolutely perfect.
Chris Barker:
So we just get the Sony as your first time if you want the RX you're going to have to get to that later. So let's move on to item-
KSHMR:
Oh, right.
Chris Barker:
Yep, no bundles, no bundles. Here we go. We got six items. This is when it gets a bit saucy as we get down the list. You have to start making compromises. Item number two them what do you think?
KSHMR:
Ableton was included already?
Chris Barker:
Ableton was included?
Will Betts:
It was included. You get that yeah.
Chris Barker:
So you're on item number two at the moment. So you've got Ableton, an audience face, your spicy laptop and the Sony mic. So item number two.
KSHMR:
So there's no goddamn bundles. So if I get KontaKt, I got nothing to do [crosstalk 00:22:59].
Chris Barker:
You can't get Kontakt.
Will Betts:
You can make your own samples.
Chris Barker:
And you don't have any monitors or headphones yet as well. Don't forget.
KSHMR:
Oh, right. Don't have any microphones or headphones.
Chris Barker:
What monitors are you choosing, we might as well get to that as item number two, what monitors are you going to choose for, for your Fantasy Forever studio.
KSHMR:
I would just go with the ones I'm familiar with because they've been working for me. So that's the S3H by Adam. And I started off on the A77X, these big boombox things and I said louder the better must be. And then they made a new fancier version, I'm assuming is better, cost more that was the S3H, and I said well I'm a big producer now so I'm going to buy the more expensive one and I think they're pretty great. Because they're sort of a midfield I'm not sure if I really need to sub so that'll save me a slot.
Chris Barker:
Have you always had ribbon tweeters then before? What was the first serious pair of monitors you bought that felt serious?
KSHMR:
The first serious... It felt serious with the Genelec 1031.
Will Betts:
Classics.
KSHMR:
Which were great. I think they were great. Now I'm thinking back... It's hard to say because there wasn't always the most low end representation and I think I guess it kind of depends on the music that you're working on. Those would overload also which was frustrating if you liked things loud. So yeah 1031s and then I went to... Eventually I got to the Adams and just stuck with the Adams. But I would like a second pair, not for this but-
Chris Barker:
In real world land then what's your second pair?
KSHMR:
Well, if it were just in life, I'd probably go with whatever Jenna is pushing out these days. I'd have to do more research, but they have a nice sleek egg looking grey thing. It looks nice and I trust Genelec, it's from my earlier days.
Chris Barker:
I'm looking at some right now.
KSHMR:
You are. Nice.
Chris Barker:
Only little, well mid ones but yeah.
KSHMR:
What do you think about the little... What did they call the accutones or something.
Chris Barker:
Aura tones.
KSHMR:
Okay the pieces of shit, people swear by.
Chris Barker:
They're called aura tones often it's because they sound horrible but that's the kind of point I think.
Will Betts:
Just on monitoring there, we're talking about the aura tones. What do you use for making sure that there's better translation for your mixes? Are you checking on other sources?
KSHMR:
Sometimes I'll play out of the laptop speaker and then I have a couple of headphones that I use.
Will Betts:
Which ones?
KSHMR:
So I use... Oh my god, what are the classic guys with a nice little fur around the ears.
Chris Barker:
HD 25s?
KSHMR:
I think those must be it. Yeah.
Chris Barker:
With the double headband kind of thing.
KSHMR:
Yeah, exactly.
Chris Barker:
Sennheiser HD 25s.
KSHMR:
The sennheisers. Yeah, that's exactly right. So I use those, and then I'll use, I might even use these, these are like noise cancelling headphones. I've also got... I haven't used it in a while to be fair, but I had the sonar works reference. And that would say, "Okay, we're working with these headphones, and we're going to do this EQ setting on it, and it will emulate, well it will compensate for the bias of your headphones, basically." And that's interesting, that I think helped in some cases, and in my room sometimes that would help, we're not going to get that there. It's a bit of a luxury.
KSHMR:
But yeah, I guess that's where... And then test in the car, and then I test... At home, I've got a TV with a sort of a surround sound system, which of course I don't use for listening to music. I mean, it's fun sometimes as a gimmick, but when you really want to listen to music, you just use the two mains in the front. And that's good for testing as well and we got a sub here. So I test it in these different environments and I can't say it's like a great strategy or anything, but that's what I do.
Chris Barker:
I guess the major test for you is when you were DJing out, playing things out in clubs and festivals and things like that right?
KSHMR:
Yes, and people always say that, but how the hell are you hearing it when you're the guy up there DJ-ing? You've got some little monitor playing, I never understood that. You know what, I think it's total bullshit. And here's what I think. I think you play a song, on a good night where people are rowdy, and you think it sounded great, and you're totally swept up by the night, the moment of the night. And then you play on a night when the crowd wasn't so good, or they just weren't as receptive to a song like that.
KSHMR:
And you think the song the shit or the the mix is bad. And so unless you're out there, and you've got a good ear, you've been listening to other songs, how do other songs sound and then you get to hear your song, which is you just can't be in two places at once. So you can't do it.
Chris Barker:
That is a fair point, that is a fair point, actually.
KSHMR:
What you're hearing in a booth is awful. I mean most of the time, they make no effort to make that a good listening experience whatsoever. And even if it is a good listening experience, it's these speakers that they've done a good job of isolating from those speakers, that you're hearing a completely different thing than the people in the crowd are hearing. Yeah, that's true.
Chris Barker:
And yeah, usually DJ [inaudible 00:28:33] is a kind of screwed because somebody's turned them up too loud at some point.
KSHMR:
They get beat up. Definitely.
Chris Barker:
So let's move on to what is this? Item number three? Well, item four?
Will Betts:
Three. Item number three.
KSHMR:
Right, item number three. Okay, well I'm going to need a MIDI controller of some sort. I guess if I'm going to be stuck here forever I'd go with something waited. I forget, which is the one that I bought. But I got a nice weighted keyboard that has worked out really well when I have piano players over. The thing is so damn big that I can't fit it in the desk, the little tray that comes out.
Chris Barker:
So you're a fan of the kind of piano style hammer action rather than the sin faction?
KSHMR:
Yes. And that would save me I think from having a piano in the studio, which would be important to me. But if I could get a nice weighted hammer, then that would do it. So I guess I would go, let's just call it a heavy-weighted piano.
Chris Barker:
Well, we can try-
Speaker 4:
Upsell your dream.
Chris Barker:
We have a jingle for that as well, of course.
KSHMR:
That is very smart.
Chris Barker:
Because you can get like synth that have weighted keys that you could also use as a MIDI controller and then you get the bonus of that.
KSHMR:
Yes.
Chris Barker:
So you could do that. I mean, you could get like, I don't know Will what could we get here? We could get some big... Like hat the keyboard player for I don't know some pop star plays on stage where they have those ones that, a big, big, big cronus or something?
KSHMR:
Yes, yes, there was a... Is there a keyboard that's called stage something or I forget it. The Nord stage I believe.
Chris Barker:
Yeah. There you go.
Will Betts:
Oh nine that's a good choice.
KSHMR:
And that one I think would be, I'd maybe go with that - I've heard that's good.
Chris Barker:
There you go, that's a great upsell I think there because you got a great MIDI controller in the in the Nord and you get the bonus of those Nord piano sounds. And they've got some synth sounds in there as well?
Will Betts:
Yes.
Chris Barker:
I can see Will frantically googling.
Will Betts:
They've got like an organ, like a drawbar organ thing and it's got a synth engine as well. And it's also got sample memory, so it's got great pianos there as well.
KSHMR:
Oh, it's got a... Look at this.
Chris Barker:
There you go. Dreams have been successfully up sold. We're doing our job.
KSHMR:
I'm such a in-the-box guy that it's times like these where I get exposed because I'm no big collector of synths or anything. I am sparing the box.
Chris Barker:
That's fine. I mean, even if you just use it as a MIDI controller, it's just there is an option. If you have people over to the studio with a view one night and you want somebody to play piano it's there. It's there for you.
KSHMR:
I love that. Always such a beautiful picture.
Chris Barker:
We'll get to the rundown as it gets to the item. So let's bag that in and lets bag the Nord Will yeah?
Will Betts:
Yeah, it's in.
Chris Barker:
Okay, we're all happy with that. Mainly, are you happy Kshmr because it's your fantasy studio?
KSHMR:
Yeah. Yeah, this is great.
Chris Barker:
The Music Tech My Forever Studio podcast is supported by EVO by audience. The fantastic EVO start recording bundle and the EVO 4 an EVO 8 interfaces.
Will Betts:
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Chris Barker:
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Will Betts:
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Chris Barker:
EVO start recording bundle is suggested to retail at 199 pounds, 220 euros and $249 in the USA.
Will Betts:
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Chris Barker:
So, item number four.
KSHMR:
Item number four.
Will Betts:
Item number four. Okay, so we've got the speakers, we've got the computer, got your microphone-
Chris Barker:
Got your microphone. You've got your MIDI controller.
Will Betts:
I got to say the screen on the laptop is not that big.
Chris Barker:
We'll give you a screen, let's not talk about screens. I mean you say you're in the box game and you're going to need some plugins, you're going to need some software right?
KSHMR:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
So what are your go-to synths. Where do you get your sounds from?
KSHMR:
Okay, so go-to synths, I'm often opening CRM in silence and I aspire I use them all but we're going to have to narrow this down. So, oh geez.
Chris Barker:
I think this Forever Studio is harder for guys that work in the box actually, because you take all of your software for granted, we all do because you just open a plugin folder and-
KSHMR:
Do I ever.
Chris Barker:
Whereas I think if you're a hardware you kind of every object has its place whereas software we duck and dive between them very easily.
KSHMR:
I believe I was never big on this, but Vienna has like an orchestra all in one thing, right? That's not exactly a bundle, but you still get the whole orchestra.
Will Betts:
VSL yeah. I think you can have that. Yeah we'll allow that.
KSHMR:
Okay, I'm tiptoeing right now because-
Chris Barker:
You don't want to hear that air horn.
KSHMR:
Yeah, that's right. The thing is abrasive. So let's go with that then and I'll figure out how to use it and because I just can't deal with like some cheap sampler in emulation of orchestra stuff. I love it. I just care about the strings and brass too much. So okay, that good. That solves that and then... Okay, you know what, I might kind of cheat here and that cheat but Omnisphere has just an ungodly amount of sounds.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so we're going VSL 4 and item number five, we're going to go for Omnisphere, which is a popular choice. You're right, I think yeah.
Will Betts:
Before we get to Omnisphere, though, can you tell us a bit more about the strings then because I don't have that many strings in your productions. Why are you going for the orchestral?
KSHMR:
Orchestral stuff has definitely been a part of the songs, but definitely on some less than others if you come to the live show, you might notice that there is this animated story in the live show that it happens at the beginning in a chapter and then about 20 minutes in my set there's another chapter, 20 minutes later another chapter, and at the end, there's this finale, and we get it animated by animation studio, and then I score it or more recently, I've done it with my friend Daniel, who's an amazing composer.
KSHMR:
But that was an opportunity for me to do more of the orchestral stuff. I did this EP called the line across the field that it was almost just like a kid story with music to it in all the kids story I orchestrated and played the music to. I guess I'd have to go through the catalogue and show you what songs but I do love orchestral stuff quite a lot.
Chris Barker:
And what do you use at the moment?
KSHMR:
I am a big contact guy of course. If it were, it really depends on the situation. I really like Spitfires, if you just want a simple string patch, I would go with Albion ONE, the strings there. I just love how those sound, if what you're looking for is just a simple sustain. And in staccato and spiccato they've got that. Now if you want like the most sampled, most articulated libraries, I've got two for you.
KSHMR:
One is the Chris Hein. So Chris Hein does a solo series for strings and an ensemble series for strings, the amount of articulations that you get is unbelievable. Not only do you have spiccato, you have spiccato one, two, three, four, five they're all round robin. So they're just all just incredibly detailed and well sampled. And if you want control over the legato, and the bend of it, just incredible amount of control over that as well.
KSHMR:
So that's Chris Hein and then the other one that I really love is the session strings that I believe is a Native Instruments product. And that is an incredibly intuitive interface and lots of great articulations, fun stuff like bending into the note. They have three different I believe, they have legato, they have portamento and they have glissando, which is really wonderful, and they have an accented sustain.
KSHMR:
Now one thing you'll run into in strings a lot is you want to play a fast sort of disco string passage and you're just not getting the attack that you're looking for. So the accented articulation is really nice for that. I love doing those disco sort of strings. So there's that and by the way another thing people overlook a lot is this business of like I guess what would you... It's like sample synthesis where I think they did it for, I don't want to get this wrong. They're called sample modelling is what it is.
KSHMR:
And the saxophone they have on there, boy, I could play you a sax solo you wouldn't know it wasn't a real saxophone. And you are controlling everything, I mean, you are controlling the air that goes into the saxophone, you are controlling the graul, the overblow, just everything and so it's really up to you and how much automation you want to do. But you can make such a believable saxophone and I've been meaning to try. They have strings and things like that as well.
Chris Barker:
And why VSL then, is that just do you hear it's a big one or have you actually tried it?
KSHMR:
Well, I got scared that I can only have one thing and I heard that it's a all-in-one package. So that's-
Will Betts:
Okay, but hang on a second, we're sailing dangerously close to a-
Chris Barker:
A bundle. Is it a bundle?
Will Betts:
A bundle. Yeah.
KSHMR:
I thought that when you just buy the Vienna orchestra you get... Or are they separate products?
Will Betts:
I think on this occasion we'll allow it because it is one thing, but I'm not...
KSHMR:
Okay.
Will Betts:
It is called a super package, which I feel that's dangerous.
KSHMR:
Oh shit. Okay. Okay, okay.
Chris Barker:
I think that's treading into bundles territory. One of the ones you said there you can choose one of those libraries surely.
KSHMR:
Yes. Now is there a library that offers nice legato and also a big orchestra? Okay, I guess if it were one I would go with... But there's not going to be any brass, but I will go with session strings. Wait, hold on, is there with Native Instruments, oh there's a Symphony Series, and it's Symphony Series strings and Symphony Series [inaudible 00:40:18]. But they're not very responsive, they're like big, wet orchestras, so I guess I would go with the session strings. And then if I'm being honest-
Chris Barker:
You've got more items, you could always...
KSHMR:
I know jeez. I think I'll go with session strings. And then I'm going to need a lot of ethnic instruments, because that's a big part. Now, I'm sort of saved here. Because, wait, if I get a contact instrument, does that mean I have to have, have bought contact as a separate product.
Will Betts:
So with session strings, it works within player right in Kontakt player, so we'll allow that. I think we'll allow that.
KSHMR:
So anything that's free is okay.
Chris Barker:
Well, I think if it's to playback, you can't buy session strings without the thing.
Will Betts:
We're not having contact yet.
Chris Barker:
That's why we give the computer a new audio interface for free because it's like, you can't play any software without computer. I think we've got to allow, if you want the rumbly, you have to have the...
KSHMR:
So I'm just going to say that I think there's probably an okay enough approximation of brass in Omnisphere. It's not going to be great, but I'll roll with it. They probably got some kind of tutti thing that I could go with.
Will Betts:
It's not a technical term then, is tutti a technical term?
KSHMR:
Tutti. Tutti is like full... Now I got to look it up. It's when the full orchestra plays together.
Will Betts:
Sorry. I thought you're describing the sound being a "Tooty" sound of a horn. Not like the actual term.
Chris Barker:
[inaudible 00:42:01].
Will Betts:
Not tutti, the Italian... No. Okay. I understand that.
KSHMR:
Tutti as in all the instruments together, which I think for most cases is going to be like, okay, and maybe a tutti, fruity brass. Little Richard reference, right? That was Little Richard. Right?
Will Betts:
Yep.
KSHMR:
I think we've covered that. Now the ethnic instruments, there's two routes I could go is either Ethno worlds, or you UVI workstation makes a nice one called their world suite. But I think in terms of what I've seen in legato and what I've been impressed by, I think I'd have to go with Ethno world.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so that's item number five is Ethno world. We've got session strings, no this is item number six.
Will Betts:
Yeah, so four was session strings, five is Omnisphere and six-
KSHMR:
Oh my God, I bet I forgot something incredibly fucking important.
Chris Barker:
Well, let's do the rundown Will of the studio so far. And then you can make a change if you want. Before we talk about the final item, which is a luxury item. It's not a bit of kit. It's a separate thing, which we'll talk about at the end. But take a listen to this. Well, take us through what we're dealing with.
Will Betts:
We're on a hill in Berkeley, California with views over the town. No cookies permitted. There's nature all around, cushions on the floor with a bubbling indoor waterfall. Your computer is a maxed out MacBook Pro, your DAW is Ableton Live 11 suite, specifically for the comping options. Your audio interface is a Universal Audio Apollo x8p HEXA Core. Which is the maximum that's permitted I discovered. Your studio items begin with a Sony C-800G microphone, a true luxury choice.
Will Betts:
Adam audios S3H midfield monitors for listening back. You have a node stage 388 key controller and synthesiser and of course it has the piano for when you have friends around to put a little candle lit piano for you. Number four is Native Instruments session strings for since and for all the tutti Omnisphere to and you've also selected Ethno world sample library. Is there anything you want to change at this point?
KSHMR:
Okay, yes, so Omnisphere I'm going to say probably has some okay, strings. I'm going to live with it because I got to have Melodyne, there's no way I can live without Melodyne. So we're going to take out session strings and put Melodyne in there.
Will Betts:
Melodyne.
KSHMR:
And now it allows a bum like me to sing.
Chris Barker:
This is where your Cubase friend would be saying, "Oh well, if you had Cubase, it's sort of fill in." Okay, Melodyne did that change things a lot when you started using it? I mean, did you start using it at the very beginning because at the very beginning it was quite clunky. I mean, it did work, but it was a pain to you.
KSHMR:
Yes. So, if I'm being honest, I probably had a crack of Melodyne like the first Melodyne. I was obsessed with being able to put down a singing idea, even if it wasn't going to be me. And I was just the worst singer ever. So if I'm remembering correctly, it was at that point, I was bouncing out something and then putting it into a standalone Melodyne and then exporting and putting it back in. So yes, I believe I was on it since number one, I believe...
Will Betts:
Wow.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so we've got Melodyne. So that's the final studio, the gear, it's still pretty good. I think you can still make some bangers in that studio, especially without microphone and those speakers. That's nice.
KSHMR:
Do I have samples by the way?
Chris Barker:
I guess we'll give you your own sample libraries.
KSHMR:
Yeah, I've made my own.
Chris Barker:
I think we made your own. So that's okay. That puts you in a different league to other guests who you've got [crosstalk 00:46:10].
KSHMR:
Yeah thank you.
Chris Barker:
A hugely popular sample library, by the way, like nearly everybody I've ever interviewed over the last three or four years. Yeah, nearly every producer is dragging in those samples to start their projects off. So there you go.
KSHMR:
That is awesome. That is so cool. That is awesome.
Chris Barker:
So let's round this off with the luxury item. Now the luxury item is something that you want in your studio, that isn't gear related. So it's not software, it's not hardware, it's not samples. Is there anything that you've always taken to a studio or you have in the studio, or you would love to have in the studio, where you just think, "Man, that would make things so much better?"
KSHMR:
Oh, that's a great question. We've already got a couch and stuff.
Chris Barker:
Unless it's a very specific interesting one that you want from a movie of your childhood dreams or something like...
KSHMR:
It should be some something sort of exotic. I see. It's always good to take a break. And so the things that pop into my head are like a ping pong table or but you know what I'm a big... I love video games. And I started on video games when I was very young. So you can get arcades now that are actually basically a computer inside of the arcade and they have every game that was made. So it's kind of a button though a little bit. It's on the fence. But these days where technology is at, there's no one who's going to sell you a single game if you buy one of these things. It would I think by nature just have a lot of games.
Chris Barker:
Are they called MAME, M-A-M-E MAME emulators. They're the ones on there yeah.
KSHMR:
Yeah. So MAME is like the platform for arcades. Yeah and so it will be a MAME emulator. That's right.
Chris Barker:
They have like the four joysticks on the front. You get everything from the old Simpsons games to everything on there.
KSHMR:
Yes.
Chris Barker:
That's a cool choice, actually.
Will Betts:
In terms of gaming then what's your... What were those games that you love growing up? And what are those games that you would want to have on this machine?
Chris Barker:
What's the game that you would beat us as well? What's the game that you would definitely beat us at?
KSHMR:
Oh beat you at? How much time you got?
Will Betts:
Confidence.
KSHMR:
Let's see I'm a big FIFA guy. I do pretty well in FIFA, I'm division one online. So top, top tier baby and I do play Mortal Kombat now. And me and my friend are very competitive with one another at Mortal Kombat, Mario Kart we've gotten into recently, the game that started me off, I remember, I had two sisters growing up. And the house was like a hotel sometimes like they'd have boyfriends coming and staying there. And there was this guy named Jason and was living at our house and walked down. And he's got something on the TV in their room like what the hell is this and he's moving this little plumber guy around Super Mario and my life changed at that point.
KSHMR:
This was Super Mario World, and I couldn't get enough of it. And I insisted that we had to buy one of these things, and eventually got it and got into the original Mortal Kombat and got into just playing anything really so that changed my life. And then I guess if there was one game that really changed my life, it was a game called Final Fantasy VI. And this game made me cry at points. I mean, it was just a beautiful story and the music is ingrained in my head, most of the songs that I first when I was learning were Final Fantasy songs because those songs really just make me think of my childhood and I went to go see the composer recently at the Dolby Theatre here in LA Angeles just recently a year ago or something. And he did with the orchestra and choir the whole Final Fantasy VI suite.
Chris Barker:
What? That's amazing.
KSHMR:
Yeah, it was great.
Chris Barker:
Oh, wow. That's great. So we basically want an arcade machine that has all of those things built into it that you can have some breakout time to play on.
KSHMR:
Perfect world. Yeah.
Chris Barker:
Nice. Well, that brings us to the end of the my Forever Studio Podcast. Thank you so, so much for joining us. It's been a blast. Thanks for joining in and having some fun with us. We know it's a bit silly at times, but great to find out about how you work and your production techniques and the gear you love as well. What is coming up for you? Let's finish on that. Like, I mean, we're in a pandemic, it's all a bit crazy. But have you got releases coming out? You've got new tracks, what have you been up to? And what do you hope this year is going to bring?
KSHMR:
Sure. Before that, I just want to say you said it was silly. But this stood out in a sea of boring interviews as really fun and just stellar. So yeah, I just want to mention that but-
Chris Barker:
We really appreciate, thank you. Tell your friends, tell your friends.
KSHMR:
I will. This has honestly made my day better. Whereas most interviews are a bit of a grind again through the same questions. But coming up, I've got this album that I just could not be more excited about. It's called a Harmonica Andromeda. And it's on March 19th, the first single came out, it's called the World We Left Behind. And the next single is coming soon and that's called Around the World.
KSHMR:
So these are two of the more I guess nicely structured songs, making them singles. But the album is quite experimental in the sense that songs take lots of turns and start in one place and wind up in a whole different one. And it was fun in each song to get a feel of what the world is supposed to be. And then explore it with all the sounds that are pertinent to that world and sometimes take really severe turns.
KSHMR:
Like there's one song that I really love that's called the little voice that's at the end of the album. And it starts off with this little vocal sample... And he keeps going and keeps going. And then the melodies starts to get a little more minor and serious. And then it has this uplifting... And then we bring in like this African, get these African chant guys, so comes in and they start [inaudible 00:52:33].
KSHMR:
And by the end of it, it's almost like the Lion King, it's grown into this big thing. It's quite fun. And there's even a song with me singing, I wrote a song about my mom and I did it, it's like a little ukulele song. And I do that there so that was a... Will be a pretty random one for KSHMR fan. But hey I love my mom. So I put that one in there. And yeah, so that's Harmonica Andromeda, March 19th. That's what's coming up.
Chris Barker:
Lovely well, that should be out right now. And what about the rest of year. I mean, are you planning tools or are you just waiting to see.
KSHMR:
The touring thing is very hazy right now. So typically, over the summer, I would be into Europe and spending really my whole summer in Europe. But I don't think that will be the case this year, I did have a show in Japan we thought was going to happen. Not happening anymore, I am doing a driving show, which will already be done by the time this airs, but I'm going to be debuting a lot of the new music at a space here in Los Angeles in the Inland Empire where people drive in with their cars and we've got a big stage.
KSHMR:
So that will hopefully be fun. That'll be a new experience for me. I've been a little... The streaming acting like there's a big crowd when it's just my friend with a camera and my dog roaming around ideally just kind of staring at me, it's not quite been the same. So it all feels a bit silly though all the hand DJ movements, all feel a bit silly in that environment. But I've been putting on my best game face and-
Chris Barker:
It keeps a dog excited though if you're doing all this, a dog's like, "What's going on?"
KSHMR:
Sometimes the dogs would just start barking when they hear loud noises. He's excited. I'm excited.
Chris Barker:
Well, that's season three started thanks once again to Kshmr for sharing his my Forever Studio favourites.
Will Betts:
Yes, some fine choices there to kick us off to season three. Remember if you're a fan of our my Forever Studio Podcast, make sure you subscribe using your favourite podcasting app. And if you're feeling generous, maybe even leave us a rating.
Chris Barker:
Yes five stars though please. Review and share really does help us. Next week we're being joined by the excellent UK dance talent of Shift K3y.
Will Betts:
Indeed we will be once again upselling dreams and banning the bundle.
Chris Barker:
Yes, no bundles. It's going to be a good one.
Will Betts:
Thanks so much for listening. Catch you next time for more adventures into Studio Foreverdom.
Chris Barker:
Bye-bye.