Our guest this time is British bass music phenomenon Flava D. Renowned for her versatile music production across grime, garage, bassline house, and drum n bass, Flava D has collaborated with industry heavyweights like Wiley and Swindle and has been putting out her own music, remixes, and DJ mixes since 2012. Discover how she found the transition to DnB, how she made lockdown tracks in the desert powered by a solar panel and which softsynth she turns to for everything from bass to hi-hats. Can we upsell her synthesizer dreams? Find out in this episode.
Our guest this time is British bass music phenomenon Flava D. Renowned for her versatile music production across grime, garage, bassline house, and drum n bass, Flava D has collaborated with industry heavyweights like Wiley and Swindle and has been putting out her own music, remixes, and DJ mixes since 2012. Discover how she found the transition to DnB, how she made lockdown tracks in the desert powered by a solar panel and which softsynth she turns to for everything from bass to hi-hats. Can we upsell her synthesizer dreams? Find out in this episode.
Season 5 is sponsored by Audient: audient.com
STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD!)
https://www.instagram.com/flava_d/
https://www.hospitalityinthewoods.com/
https://flavadubs.bandcamp.com/album/all-we-ever-do-womp-machine
https://soundcloud.com/flava_d/desert-lights
https://www.vintagesynth.com/korg/m1.php
https://www.hospitalrecords.com/artist/london-elektricity
https://waldorfmusic.com/quantum-en/#ueberblick
https://xferrecords.com/products/serum
https://musictech.com/tutorials/weekend-workshop-sound-design-vital/
https://www.focal.com/en/pro-audio/monitoring-speakers/sm6
https://www.rme-audio.de/babyface-pro-fs.html
https://www.adam-audio.com/en/ax-series/a3x/
https://www.yamahamusiclondon.com/HS8-Monitor-Speaker/pidCHS8UK
https://rhodesmusic.com/rhodes-mk8/
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-massage-chairs/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WP69245/
https://djmag.com/news/jaguar-launches-new-record-label-utopia-van-damn-single
https://tqdukg.bandcamp.com/album/ukg
https://www.nme.com/news/music/glastonbury-2023-reveals-shangri-la-line-up-3442352
https://www.boomtownfair.co.uk/
Chris Barker
I'm Chris Barker.
Will Betts
And I'm Will Betts and this is the music tech my forever studio podcast brought to you in partnership with adient.
Chris Barker
In this podcast we speak with producers musicians, DJs engineers about their fantasy forever studio,
Will Betts
the imaginary studio that our guests dream up today will be one that they must live with for all eternity. But even in the world of studio forever them. We have some rules.
Chris Barker
Yes, the rules our guests will select a computer a DAW and an audio interface. Those are the three items everybody gets those. Then our guests will choose just six other bits of studio kit plus one non gear related luxury item.
Will Betts
But don't.
Chris Barker
No bustles Exactly. Choosing something sold as a package of separate software or hardware as a single item is not allowed.
Will Betts
This time we are joined by a British bass music producer who's been a master of reinvention making a name for herself across grain Garriage baseline house and drum and bass.
Chris Barker
Yes, our guest has collaborated with Wiley swindle, and has been prolific releasing her own music remixes and DJ mixes since 2012.
Will Betts
That's right. And since 2019, she has been signed to hospital records, but with such a breadth of styles to accommodate, how will she find nailing down the studio in just six items?
Chris Barker
Well, well, we are going to find out. This is my forever studio with flavor D Welcome. Welcome.
Flava D
Hello. Hello. Thank you for having me
Chris Barker
know. Thanks for joining us. This is great. So you heard some of the rules there.
Flava D
I mean, I did. Yeah. Just trying to make sure I remember the rules. Yeah.
Chris Barker
Well, if not, you'll hear the air horn or very various other interruptions. Great. Before we get into sort of building this fantasy studio, let's talk about how you got into music production and what were your first steps into making sort of electronic music and bass music?
Flava D
Yeah, so I was always quite musical as a child. Like, you know, remember those battery Casio keyboards, they were like tiny and so I think I was about six my mum bought me a Christmas present one day, it was one of those. And I think that really sort of ignited the spark for like my interest in music production and playing keys. And then, as the years go by, I just sort of graduated to more better quality since like, I'd go to Argos and I'd buy like 100 pound keyboard. I was like, wow, this is huge for me. So and then fast forward to when I was 16. I got my first copy of Ableton that was from my my boss at the time, actually, his name was DJ X rated. And he was a producer and I was working on a record shop. And that's what he was doing in sort of the office was making beats and I'd be sort of peering in the door. Like, what's going on here? Like, what's the stuff you've got up show me. And he didn't teach me it much. He sort of just gave me my own copy. So take it home and you know, have a play with it. So 16 years now I've been using Ableton self taught and still going strong.
Chris Barker
So you started off as like an instrument player. So were you were you like, self taught on keys? Or did you have like music lessons at schools, and it was always sort of keyboard focused. And then it led to electronic music, or it was
Flava D
self taught. So I don't know, a single bit of music theory. It's like, if you asked me what key my tuner is, I can't tell you. I just sort of just play by ear, I'm very good at just thinking of things in my head, and then trying to play what I hear in my head. That's pretty much how I make 90% of machines.
Chris Barker
So technology has been a real enabler for you that way. It's like, yeah, yeah, definitely. Tell us about those moments where you thought I can do this. I can make full cheese. Yeah, you know, because everybody has that moment where they're just not they're not messing around anymore. They're actually making something that they're willing to show other people like, tell us about that period.
Flava D
Well, the first sort of stuff I started making with Ableton when I was just sort of finding my way. I was a big hip hop fan, so I used to listen to a lot of J Dilla. Like NAS pete rock. So I like to make Hip Hop instrumentals. And because that's what I was into at the time, but I had no idea or like structure of a tune. I was just sort of freestyling probably looped, a 32. And it just it was four minutes of the same thing. And then when I started making grime music, I think that was around 2007 That's when I was starting to take it a bit more seriously like you know, I was thinking Wait tunes have like verses and chorus and outros intro this stuff. And I was trying to like, study tunes and think how can I go from the loop into an actual full structured song to send it to an emcee? So that for me it was a big learning curve. Because back then you didn't have like YouTube and tutorials explaining this stuff. There was none of that. It was a lot of like a good four years
Chris Barker
it's sometimes hard for people to realize like that. That is so huge, like, oh my god, yeah, like you know when I mean Well, we're learning you know, even longer ago but it was the same thing and like, you know, to get books or ask friends or Oh, yeah, seems like, Yeah, that's great. As long as an answer for everything now you can just type it in.
Flava D
I know, splice you had, you've got it all. Now he's spoilt for choice.
Chris Barker
I don't even like, learn music programs like I used to do now I'll get a new music program. And you'll just wait till you get to that point. I don't know how to do this, and then just Google it. Yeah. And then jump in. Like, whereas before you'd read the manual and get to know it. Yeah, just wait. I'll wait to find like that kind of war. Before I even think about learning.
Flava D
Honestly, like, I think I've got that so much years of just probably trial and error doing things back to front. I mean, I still do, but I think that is because I'm self taught.
Chris Barker
By can be a killer, like, asset though. True. I always think I always think honestly, like, for me personally, and I've seen it with other people, like a little bit of musical theory, knowledge and a little bit can be quite dangerous. You can kind of lose your edge. Yeah. Because you start questioning your decisions based on is it in the right key? Oh, yeah. You know, whatever. Or you start thinking about chords when you're not in, you're not just thinking about? Yeah, good. Is it good?
Flava D
Like minor or major? Like, all these stuff? Yeah, yeah, yeah. 100%. And I think, you know,
Chris Barker
it can be a distraction. Yeah, yeah.
Flava D
I so I kind of I don't think I would change what I've done. Because I think it does definitely give me that edge. And it's just, it's about the vibe of it, rather than thinking does it tick those boxes? But yeah, I mean, I'm the self taught of everything in my life. If it's a bit, you know, I don't know if it's my aid add or what, like, I get very hyper focused. And, yeah, for four years, I was just a hermit in my bedroom. I mean, thank God, my mom gave me the freedom of just letting me do. She didn't know what I was doing on this PC, she just know, that opened up my bedroom for about eight hours a day. And I mean, she's glad it all paid off in the end that, yeah, I mean, I've done like YouTube tutorials of track breakdowns. And the comments are just why didn't she do like that? Or does she not know there's a shortcut for this? And it's like, yeah, there's a lot of things. I do the slow way, but it's just the way I know.
Chris Barker
I think everybody has those, like, even when you're really trained, like, yeah, we're getting, especially in a type of music, like most electronic music, you know, working alone, you don't you don't, you don't even have things to bounce off people or watch how other people do things. Like, yeah, like, if you're in a band or something, you kind of get shown people know a little bit so but when you're just on your own, and then you get so far down the road that you never gonna change. It's like, well, this is the way I do it now.
Flava D
Yeah, exactly. If it works, it works. So
Chris Barker
well, let's let's, let's talk about the studio vibe. Like if you could put your studio anywhere in the world, and kind of describe to us what it would sort of feel like and be like in terms of decor and vibe. Like, let's let's let's start this fantasy studio build. Okay, well,
Flava D
for me, less is more. And I'm very, I am the most creative when I'm around nature. I mean, it would either be on a on a beach in Bali, or Joshua Tree in California, because I've got sort of attachments to both. I mean, in lockdown, I spent a lot of time in the desert. I had a camper van. So it was me sort of just making music in the middle of nowhere. No one inside, no Wi Fi nothing. Just my laptop. My headphones. Which does it was this it was Joshua Tree in California. Oh, okay. Yeah, it's about sort of four hour drive from Los Angeles.
Chris Barker
Did you do you get pandemic trapped? Or Did did you serve things coming and then go Right, I'm off to the desert.
Flava D
No. So I originally was sort of living in LA, my partner at the time lived in LA. So just before the pandemic hit, I was about to start a US tour. Talk about timing and then it got canceled and then everything started going all wrong. And I said Well, I'm just gonna stay here just ride it out. And then you couldn't really do much but thank goodness I had a van so I could drive and I thought well, yeah, I can go to the desert and then that's what I did. And I made a lot of music out just sort of in the wilderness nice
Will Betts
we just running a laptop then when you were out we just sitting in the van turned into your studio or what does that look like? Yeah,
Flava D
I did. I did. So I had a solar panel on the top of my van so I could had all my electronics that I could charge. So for me that was all I needed. Like as long as I can charge my laptop and power up a monitor or my sub pack it was I was all good to go. So yeah, I think it would be the desert.
Chris Barker
Did you have physical monitors because yeah, I did. Alright, so they went off the power of the van.
Flava D
Yeah, it was amazing. I had like one of these Adam A 3x things and I didn't I was actually surprised at how much I could power in this fan it was and I even had this pink light behind me this is all powered up I've got photos of it. It was wicked. I thought
Chris Barker
I thought they would run off like like the cigarette lighter style power you know like 12 volt. Yeah, like canal boat. Do I need an elbow once and got there and everything had to run off? 12 volts. So if you turned up slightly, the whole boat would shut down.
Flava D
So yeah, no, I had some proper like, big solar panel on the top. Nothing heavy one. So yeah, it was good.
Chris Barker
And do you see Do you still have that van? I guess not now, you
Flava D
know, it's a sore subject. So eventually, you know, when things opened up again, I'm back here in England. So I'm here full time living living here. And I just didn't have the use on my van or, you know, playing storage. And I mean, I miss it, but I'm just grateful that I had an amazing couple years with it. Yeah. And it got me through. Locked down. So yeah, yeah, it's got a special place in my heart
Chris Barker
and any of the songs that you made out or coming out?
Flava D
Yeah. So I did a track. I mean, a lot of my early DNB like, I've got song called all we ever do. That came on hospital records. A majority of that was made in the van. I've got an EP on hospital called Desert lights. Okay, and it's called Desert lights because it was pretty much made mostly in the desert. And does it lie It's just my view of the the evenings with all the stars above me so yeah, all that was made in there. I think they were the main tunes. I've got a couple of bits here and there, but they're the most prominent ones that stand out for me still pretty
Chris Barker
productive those matters. Yeah. Yeah. So are we thinking desert or Bali? And what what's kind of vibe then? I mean, are we have in some luxury VAT studio van or we have in a permanent place? Like, you know, kind of
Flava D
I mean, okay, if I'm talking more present my dream, I think it would be the beach on Bali, because Okay, okay, because January, I went to Bali for the first time and I had just this cliche story who who doesn't go to Bali and have an awakening but in touch with my spiritual sense, but I think I would just be sat cross legged on the beach, just you know, my my laptop obviously. And just a sunset in front of me that is always my sort of dream visual for me to make music.
Chris Barker
So we think in the studio with maybe the monitors here, but like a big window behind where you can see the sunset. Yeah, yeah, okay. Yeah, definitely. Okay, and what what how'd you like your studios on the inside? Like? You said, less is more so quite minimal.
Flava D
I mean, I need my mood lighting is really important for me. Okay. mood lighting. Himalayan salt lamp that is I got to have one of those.
Chris Barker
We're getting there. Now. These are the kinds of details we love going
Flava D
any like my pinks. I need my orange lights. I'm basically it's like I'm recreating a sunset with my mood lighting. Okay, probably why just off the Bali sunset. Yeah, so things like that. I mean, I'm in my studio now. But it's funny. I don't make a lot of my music in this room because sometimes I get overwhelmed with clutter. There's too much in my view. I just I kind of get like claustrophobic
Chris Barker
but and what are you thinking of style wise? Is it like some shack on the beach in Bali? Or is it some kind of Villa?
Flava D
It's more like like a shack I'd say. Okay, with white interior on the inside that way I can get the most out of my mood lights you know you've got black cornice sunset lamp it's just you're not going to see it tried and tested Yeah, you know what the minimal room where it is just like my desk has to be there's nothing on it. Just my laptop, nothing around me nothing on the walls, just my lighting. So I had the space to think and then just the view I said very very simplistic for me.
Chris Barker
Well on that note let's move on to the computer, the audio interface and the DA W now these are the three free items that everybody gets. So talk us through that you keep mentioning laptop Are we still thinking laptop or would you go for some mega you know fantasy studio here we can we can upsell some dreams Can't We? Will we
Flava D
gosh the pressure to aim high it would be my MacBook Pro okay because it supports for cutting anywhere and it's just what I know. And Ableton as my door Yep. Till I die I mean that's all I've ever used I've tried other things but it's just for me it's I just know like the back of my hand
Chris Barker
yeah
Flava D
some cord interface it will be probably you ad Apollo twin. Okay, I'm gonna just kind of like start you're
Chris Barker
gonna upsell to some monster you ad
Flava D
well I would have if I could obviously I pick the best of the best
Chris Barker
well the the fantasy forever studio pick the best of the best
Flava D
I just do like the U ad. I do is I just I'm maybe I'm a creature of habit. And
Chris Barker
I suppose actually if you if you're going for laptop and you know you like to sit on the beach and move around. You might want the twin or something a bit more portable. Yeah. So you can break out of the room occasionally.
Flava D
That is all about me. But what I can do and just portable because I move places and yeah, yeah,
Chris Barker
that's fair. That's fair. Well, what do you reckon? I
Will Betts
think that's a reasonable choice. It's okay. Very solid.
Chris Barker
Well, then that brings us onto the most more challenging studio items with item number one of your actual kit now, so all you've got so far is your your, your shack in Bali, and your UID your Mac and Ableton, so you need whatever else you need. All right, in these in these items.
Flava D
Okay, so one thing I've always wanted is a Sub Phatty. The, you know, the Moog? Yeah, I've never I haven't, I haven't had the chance to actually like, touch one and play with one year. It's like everyone says to me, they're so sick for creating baselines. And a lot of people I look up to like Chris Lorenzo swears by them. And saying, DJ Q. I would love to have one of those.
Chris Barker
And mean, there's an easy upsell.
Will Betts
Do you want the sub bit the subsequent 37? Which is the latest? Are you thinking even bigger? Chris?
Chris Barker
I was thinking the MOOC one surely the MOOC one can do those subsequent tones. That's it. Was it a 10,000 pound moon? It's
Will Betts
a 10,000 pound MOOC. Yeah. Wow. Really? Mr. polysynth, as well. It's a polyphonic. So it has all of the sounds of the Sub Phatty. But is it times eight? Or 16? I can't remember.
Chris Barker
Who is 16. Anyway,
Will Betts
what do you think? Yes,
Chris Barker
we will go off on Nerdy tangents.
Flava D
I'm learning I'm learning along with ESA school. Good.
Chris Barker
But you know, if you've dreamt of the sub fie. It's not bad.
Flava D
Well, yeah, I'm very enthusiastic to like get one the
Chris Barker
subs, the subsequent one is split more one knob per function rather than the sub 40. Right?
Will Betts
Yes, there's more knobs on the subsequent 37. The Sub Phatty is there's a bit more menu. Work with that one, but a similar sounds I think that the same sound engine,
Flava D
sort of like how, why don't I know about this? I need this. Yeah, you guys are selling it to me?
Chris Barker
Yeah. So we thinking yeah, basically this the subsequent is the just the new version of the sub five, isn't it? Well, so you want the latest one? Oh, yeah.
Will Betts
Yeah, you can get anything in the Forever studio, whatever you want as your so if you want to get some fatty, that's complete,
Flava D
man. Any anything I wanted to dammit, I should have really done a bit more research diet. You know, there's these things that it's not very adventurous, but even like, you know, the profit. The certain things that a lot of people have got, I haven't actually just tried yet. You know, like, in terms of, like, hardware stuff, I've just used everything, mostly virtual VST.
Will Betts
So what are those VSTS then that you've loved the sound of because we can maybe we can look at getting some of those? Well,
Flava D
I mean, what do I use a lot that I haven't actually physically played on? It's like the M one. You know, just always my go to for the classic organ. Yeah, yeah. You know, who doesn't love that? Pianos as well? And then one? Yeah, yeah. Classic, just get that classic house piano. And people still say like, The VST is very close. But it's you just can't get it to sound like the actual, you know, I mean, what do you think?
Chris Barker
Yeah, I think it's just the AD DA, because the it's m one's like a digital synth, isn't it?
Will Betts
I thought it's like, didn't have like a little bit of sampling in it.
Chris Barker
Yeah. Yeah. It has. Like it's has small samples. To them. They, you know, they loop and they synthesize, but it's not like waves, or whatever. It's, but it's what I mean is it's just a digital. So the VSTS should be pretty bang on but it's just, it's probably the outputs of the physical synths that make it sound good as as analog, rather than the actual engineer. So maybe if Yeah, I don't know. And when I'm staring at will on Zoom hard like
Will Betts
this. Yeah, that sounds but I don't actually know what the AD DA is on the M one. I'll have to do some digging. But would you go for an M one then the real thing?
Flava D
Oh, absolutely. Yeah, that's cool. Well, yeah,
Chris Barker
I mean, we're on to two items there. So I mean, do you want to lock in the Moog Yes. Subsequent studies Yeah. Lock lock in the Moog and we're going to lock in item number two. Okay. We're locking in the M one. Yes. Yep. Okay.
Flava D
Oh my god. Come on, like UK garage.
Chris Barker
We're racing through this.
Will Betts
Okay. You got into Drum and Bass relatively recently. Yeah. Some of the other jobs. Can you tell us about that transition then from from the other genres into Drum Bass because I know that some producers find that there's that transition can be difficult because it's so technical. What How did you find that?
Flava D
Oh, absolutely. It's I don't know why I did it make Drum and Bass earlier than I did, I think because I was so occupied with like garage and house and and those other stuff and just being so busy. So how did it happen? I just started sort of, for fun at home making a few like jungle loops. I think I just downloaded some sample packs. And then I was like, Oh, actually, you know what, let me just try some stuff. And then one day, I was at a festival, sharing an artist, transport van. So in this van was at London lectricity. So if you're Yeah, pick up, Tony. I mean, I being such a fan of hospital records. I was sort of a bit like, Oh, my God is Tony from hospital records. Like, should I say hi? Because he was going to different stage to the one I was playing. So it was only like a 15 minute van journey. And I remember texting my friend at that time. Like, should I like pitch my DB ideas. And I was I'm quite shy like that sometimes. And I thought, You know what, I'm just gonna say, hey, like, I'm flavored, he can I send you some DNB ideas that I've started? I don't know if they're any good, but
Chris Barker
he's is any head of a&r as well. Yeah. So let's Well,
Flava D
yeah, he was back then. And he was so lovely and welcoming. And he said, Absolutely, like, Here's my email, send me some stuff. And then the next week, I did that. And one of the tunes that I sent over was called Return to me. And that ended up being my debut. DNB release, like ever. And it was, I think he was expecting me to send like, jump up or something, because of the name flavor D being associated with bass. So when I sent him like a really melodic liquid piece, I think he was like, okay, like, now I'm interested. And he was send me more then eventually, that's what led to being signed. Nice, super cool. But like, yeah, so learning Drum and Bass coming from the other genres that I'm usually known for is I'm still to this day, trying to like get my mixdowns where I want them to be. It's like sonically complete, like rewiring your brain. And it's really fun. And it's is leveled me up so much as a producer, but it's like, it's like going to university almost. It's like we've studying the kick in the bass, the frequencies and making them compatible. It's like, insane, but it's so fun at the same time.
Chris Barker
Yeah, because of the tempo difference, as well as not as much room is there like bits, rounds and things. So like, you can end up with quite blurry muddy mixes if you're, yeah, it's quite forgiving once you're at that tempo, isn't it? Because, yeah, yeah. And, yeah,
Flava D
it's like,
Chris Barker
you realize how forgiving it is?
Flava D
Even with like, gay marriage.
Chris Barker
You know, Jared is even more forgiving, though. Because yeah, yeah, just even have a kick on every every one. So it's
Flava D
like, get away with a lot. And with DNB it's very much people pay attention to that stuff. But you can have a great idea. But if it doesn't bang in the club, and stand up next to these other productions that you're playing, it just you know, feels so flat and you need that punch.
Chris Barker
DNB has a huge audience of nerds as well, doesn't it? Yeah. Yeah. In like, in like a good way, you know, but like, a lot of producers are demby You know, the audience concepts. A lot of them are media DJs making more so than say, like, a disco house crowd or something like that. Maybe? Yeah, I feel like in my experience, anyway, you get a lot more chin scratching at Drum and Bass gigs.
Flava D
100% Like people analyze like, your snare no one's saying like, Oh, it's a shit hat. So you know.
Chris Barker
Well, maybe they are but yeah, I'd like I'd like that shoot if it wasn't for that snare.
Flava D
Yeah, I know. Right.
Chris Barker
Item number three.
Flava D
I liked the you know, the, I hope I pronounced this right, the walled off quantum MK to emote saying that one, right. I'm terrible at pronouncing things correct. But that is quite a beast. Everyone I know, talks highly off that haven't had a chance to go all through it. But you know, I've dabbled
Chris Barker
what, you know, I tried to do to the Waldorf. And what kinds of things do you think you'll use it for? Like, even if it's hypothetical, you know, because you know, you don't have one list?
Flava D
Yeah, I've Well, visually, I just love the look of it is very, like beefy, anything that's sort of, you know, all the the knobs and a huge bank of something like that. I mean, naturally, I just love that. I love my pads as well. Right? So I would use that a lot for my melodies, keys pads, or that spacey sort of Yeah, bit like, you know, like Omnisphere that sort of really rich sounding sound.
Chris Barker
Yeah, that totally makes sense. So we're stacking up the hardware here quite fast. I will point out that you don't have any speakers yet.
Flava D
Oh my god, right. Yeah. But before we get a speaker, that's important, isn't it?
Will Betts
Before we get to the speakers, do you have any tips for producing pads
Flava D
so for me, things I always add to my pads, I like a lot of Chorus like Flanger just modulating the LFOs here and there, like sort of on the end of phrases to keep it interesting. And I like to stick up my pads as well. And just, I think the way you EQ, say your top and stack the chorus and that top layer of that pad. And then like filters, that's just pretty much the three things I use the most is just
Chris Barker
movement to the stereo image like Cora. Yeah, and yeah, LFO movements, okay.
Flava D
Yeah, and even like, I love the Valhalla reverb. And you know, you can just really crank that up and make your own pad out of like the tail of a pad, and then export that tail and then I just, I couldn't even turn that to record itself.
Chris Barker
Sounds quite like an important piece of gear for your six items maybe.
Flava D
Nice. Who knows?
Chris Barker
The music tech my forever studio podcast is supported by audience, makers of the EVO 16 and EVO SBA interface, as well as the EVO expanded system.
Will Betts
Yes, building on audience 25 years of design heritage, the EVO range of audio interfaces and preamps. Provide stacks of IO and professional level audio performance alongside innovative new features like smart gain, and motion UI designed to make recording easy, and to enable you to focus on the creative process. And all of that is without breaking the bank.
Chris Barker
Yes, multi channel smart game means you can dial in microphone gain automatically for up to 24 microphones at once, and all in less than 20 seconds. Great for drummers or full band recordings.
Will Betts
That's right, the EVO 16 interface serves up a massive 24 ins and outs, including eight preamps with smart gain, and each SP eight provides another eight intelligent EVO preamps Advanced AD DA converter Tech and a versatile range of I O connectivity including two J FET. Instrument inputs. The EVO
Chris Barker
SBA is designed to be the perfect partner for your existing audio interface and rounds out the EVO expanded system
Will Betts
Visit adient.com for more information and to explore the EVO expanded system
Chris Barker
so yeah, so far we've gotten three epic since and yeah, item number four. Okay, well, we're gonna go for item four.
Flava D
Well, well for my baselines, I would have to pick serum. Okay. Because most of my baselines have been made on that and but it's not just good for baselines you can actually use you can make high hats up that kicks percussions rises, like white noise instruments, all that kind of stuff. So I would get a lot out of that. But yeah, all my baselines serum, love it. Nice.
Will Betts
Have you found yourself being more drawn to serum for making drum sounds when with the drum and bass versus
Flava D
Yeah, yeah, so I had never used serum to make anything from my drums until I did Drum and Bass because I noticed with d&b, like if I was to duplicate my drums, John's Buss and then I really high pass that and I synced it to white noise and serum. It just added like that rhythm in white noise and I was like hang on a minute, if I stack this on the top layer of my drums, it just adds crunch and and then that's how I was like, I can make a high house this and I can make a shaker. And then it just stemmed like a whole new way of my working that I hadn't done before with like garage or house.
Will Betts
How do you find that in terms of the control you can get as well with this style of production?
Flava D
Oh, absolutely. I mean, like, with the white noise, just LFO showing it and creating certain things and I just the control of how fast I can have it hit with certain sounds and the drums it's like, and it's just so nerdy. I could sit there for hours and play with a single bit of white noise. And I'm so content. So yeah, I mean, I could get lost in the vortex of that. But yeah, I'd say serum is my love serum
Chris Barker
is kind of well known in drum bass for being a go to tool. I mean, do you think they'll what would you say it was before that maybe silence a little bit or maybe massive, I guess before massive, massive because it got to a point with massive where it felt like a lot of producers in that genre might have exhausted you get you could tell off yeah, it was massive. And you can kind of start telling now it's serum on things I think. Do you think? Oh yeah, I think there's always like people are always looking for what that next thing is. I mean, do you have any?
Flava D
Well yes I started off using massive and then I think it was 2016. I moved on to serum. And I thought I'd never leave massive because it was, you know, had everything I needed. But serum like, it was a lot more visual, visually clear with the LFOs. And the envelopes for me then what I found when massive, but recently I've been using vital, which is, it's free, funny enough, and it's like, it's like another serum and I think some of the sounds you can get out of vital, have a much more beefier sound to it. It's really powerful. And lately I've been using that quite a lot. Okay. And that's, I mean, I wouldn't say it can't replace serum, but it's the closest thing that if I had to replace it, it would be vitally
Chris Barker
a good tip though for people to check out especially if it's free. Yeah, exactly. Yeah,
Flava D
I definitely recommend that. Okay,
Will Betts
that's a really cool synth. We did a few tutorials on music tech a couple of years ago on vital and it's it's incredible to created by a guy called Matt title who made Hell yeah. Do you remember Helm? Yep. Same guy. Nice. Yeah, another another. But yeah, good choice.
Chris Barker
So let's lock in serum. And we're on to item number five, two more items left.
Flava D
Oh, God, if I well, I need some good headphones. What can I can I use headphones as well?
Chris Barker
As well as you haven't got anything to hear anything on at the moment?
Flava D
Oh, okay. Well, first off, we need speakers then obviously. Oh, I really like the phone calls. I'm trying to think the exact ones that I mean, I've got six B's or the SMS, I think yeah, they're they're quite the big beefy ones like the bigger than these. Some nines, maybe? Yeah, I think I think it might be those. Yeah, so my friend had these. And I mean, a lot of the people I look up to they're always talking about these vocals, and how great they are and the frequencies are just perfect. So I would definitely have those.
Chris Barker
Those are the most bombastic sort of phone calls you can get right? Well without going to a big install,
Will Betts
I think without going to a giant monitor. Yes, I'm nice.
Chris Barker
That the ones that you can separate them turn the turn one off current news.
Flava D
That's yeah, that's
Will Betts
not sure. The financial they make the SM nines anymore. The SM six is iyc it's the Rangers SM six. So then the trio 11 B would be the biggest of those. But that's all within the same sort of family as
Chris Barker
we want to go for the biggest best one you want to get absorbed. Yeah, okay.
Flava D
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Only the best.
Chris Barker
Nice So which ones are those? Sorry, will the 611
Will Betts
trio Trio 11 V in the SM six Ray names?
Chris Barker
Trio 11 B. I mean, they started well with trio to give us something memorable. And then it's just all numbers and letters like they always do it with monos hate it is Christmas
Will Betts
pet peeve. Oh really? This is the Monroe
Chris Barker
good because they looked like an egg and they call them an egg keep this simple don't give me like these are the phone calls 77321 xs. So who cares? A column like these are the focal base destroyers.
Flava D
I totally agree or base masters. Whatever Yeah. Base destroyers.
Chris Barker
But face melters these the focal face melters. I want them already.
Flava D
Some selling point. Yeah. I click on that. Yeah.
Chris Barker
Yeah, we want more click, click bait monitor titles, please. Manufacturers.
Will Betts
What's your journey through monitoring been then? Would you want to talk us through what that's been for
Flava D
you? Well, because I've made most of my music on the go. It's kind of been I've got so used to working like with headphones on trains or in cars. So I've never like splashed out on the best of the best monitors purely because I know that I'm just not always home to like, use it. But so my first because I did get where can I guess? Oh God, is it black and yellow? Yes.
Chris Barker
Is it okay, okay. Yeah, yeah. Hey, no one was good. Was your first interface the scarlet red interface as well?
Flava D
Yes. Yes, it was. Oh, the first I had was the the baby face. I've got it in my wardrobe actually. But you know what, I have still been using my scarf. Just for convenience. Yeah, because you know, just know I mean, I have my UHD but
Chris Barker
we are not dissing these items. It's just like, I don't know they just were great. Get the job done. They were great at marketing this stuff like red in space yellow yeah because on you go my first production studio
Flava D
exactly it's just like McDonald's you know it's funny nugget meal No, I can't it gets the job done and sometimes like I just need my audio to sound loud it's not gonna make it sound the best but
Chris Barker
we can see you've got the Yamaha HS eight so the
Flava D
fees, were my first real upgrade I think 2016 where I felt like I can I've got real professional monitors now. And so I've had these ever since and then recently I actually just got the Adam a 3x just to sort of compare and because these Yamaha's they're very like sub heavy and I did like how you can't really say if it's like midnight and I want to crank it, I can't because of this my neighbor off with these I can just sort of get my volume and it's not as like aggressive. It's just more for monitoring and not really for the perfect mix down. But like I like to just sort of like flick between the two. I mean, I have like six different things to compare my mixes on my the phone test, the car test, all that sort of stuff.
Chris Barker
Do we want to give nicknames to the monitors instead of HSH and a three axis, Yamaha, Yamaha creamy coned Doom
Flava D
Yamaha basic niche and then we've got the Adam. Adam, plain Jane, I don't know.
Chris Barker
We're working on it. Feel free listeners to email us at editors at music tech.com With your suggestions for rebranding and renaming or monitoring on the market. We would appreciate that we'll forward them on to Yamaha and Adam as the best ones we'll get through. Okay, so that leaves you with one more item one more studio item
Flava D
god okay, that's so hard. I mean, I can think of three realistically I mean, I love my robes it's always my go to sing when I'm playing on the keys. I love lounge lizard.
Chris Barker
Okay to get in the new roads Mark eight eight grand actual real roads.
Flava D
Oh, wow. For me, I should Yes, I should be actually
Chris Barker
that's it's just so fully analog analog effects. Is it the market? Well, that was
Will Betts
Yeah, it is the market it's the new year but the lounge lizard because this is something very attainable for for listeners as well. What's the lizard? What is that?
Flava D
Larger lizard? It's just a basic Rhodes Plug-in with a few variations of stuff that you can really tweak. It's always been my go to it's a little bit like have slept on one. I don't feel like not everybody knows about that. But I still feel you get the richest roads in terms of like, you know, in built in VST and whatnot.
Chris Barker
It was one of the original like quite an old Plug-in Isn't it like the lounge?
Flava D
Yeah, recognize
Will Betts
it now I see it Yeah,
Chris Barker
but roads themselves have just launched a plugin like roads actually have have have their own plugin now I think launched a few months ago. Maybe they launched it in Nam. Well, I don't know.
Flava D
Well, that I'm buying that tonight then.
Chris Barker
There was a Rhodes plugin. I I haven't checked it out. I've checked out the actual hardware the mark a keyboard and it was absolutely phenomenal. Like wow, I really actually would prefer that over like getting a vintage 70s road. I know some people will be like, you know 70s ones. Yeah, but yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Flava D
The enthusiast of like, you know, that older sound and and I could see so preference isn't it? Yeah,
Chris Barker
but lounge lizard. Yeah, I remember I remember when it's launched. It was it was a real step up in sort of the electric piano sounds because yeah, did it have physical modeling or something? Or was it just really great sampling? Because it it sounded a lot better than a lot of ROM players and libraries.
Flava D
That it's unreal. That roads Yeah. Oh my god. I've been living under a rock.
Chris Barker
Is this the physical hardware? Yeah, yeah. The market? Yeah.
Flava D
Oh, absolutely. Well, I've got that on the list then. Yes.
Will Betts
Amazing.
Chris Barker
It's got it's got proper analog I think it's got like analog drive and analog effects. I need that it's quite the beast. Not cheap but you know it's proper instrument.
Flava D
I've got this like big to buy list now because if God
Chris Barker
it's the upselling dream like like we'll just like regional sales. Yeah.
Will Betts
So why is it the roads then tell us about your your background with the rose quite
Chris Barker
guarantee thing, isn't it? Yeah,
Flava D
that's exactly where it MJ Cole style. Yeah, MJ Cole, sort of Booker T. You know, all those old school speak Garriage with that, sort of like, edgy chord steps. That's to my interests, sort of as like how do they make Make the sort of sound like these really Skippy sort of things. And I thought, oh, it's literally just one no. And then obviously, this is my really early days of like learning really basic stuff. But yeah, that's really just, I will always gravitate towards that flange II roadie sort of sound. And yeah, um Jay Cole being a massive inspiration. He just that I think he was actually one of the first producers that I listened to in terms of UKG just instantly fell in love and even early Artful Dodger, Steve Gurley a lot a lot of them so yeah, it's just he was
Chris Barker
a bit of a magician with the roads and I think it is near Yeah, classically trained or jazz keyboardist anyway. Yeah. called like, so I think all of that stuff is really him just roads. Yeah, you know, yeah, fake stuff. Every time is so good. You can
Flava D
just hear it in his music like he knows what he's doing. And everything chord wise just works and it's got like a system to it
Chris Barker
and just had a bit more of a jazzy or edge to it. No, I had more soulful jazz with that garbage vibe rather than it be Yeah, aggressive. Yeah, exactly. Okay, so we'll lock in the roads. But now Will's going to talk you through the studio. So how to sit back and have a listen and then okay, we can make some changes if you want to. Or we can then go on and think about your luxury item which is something that isn't a piece of gear for the studio but something luxury that you want in there. So have a think about that. Well, we'll something in luxury. Yeah, that isn't studio gear. So have a think about that. Well, we'll runs down the studio. So let's have a listen. Well,
Will Betts
we're in Bali, by the sea. You're in a white walled beach huts with the beach extending out in front of you. We have a Himalayan salt lamp, mood lighting with pink and orange lights. The desk is clear nothing on the walls, just the sunset view. Your computer is a MacBook Pro. Your interface is Universal Audio Apollo twin. your DAW is Ableton 11 suite till you die. Your six items. The first one is the Moog subsequent 37. Item number two is the Korg M one and nod to house. Your third item is the Waldorf quantum for your pads. Item number four is serum for bass and drum sound design. Your fifth item for monitoring you've chosen the SM six Trio 11 B monitors. And your final item is the Rhodes Mark eight. How is that going to work for you? Do you think?
Chris Barker
How's that sound?
Flava D
That's quite a lot of gear. Isn't it?
Chris Barker
46 items it feels weighty, doesn't it? It does. It's a broad selection as well as quite masculine.
Flava D
Hmm. I mean, I feel like I want to change one. Okay, change one. Yeah, of course. Okay. i Okay. I guess I want to add the Ableton Push to Oh, okay. Because for me, that will just tie it up. And then I have that more it's just more you using your hands more, aren't you? And just experimenting a bit more
Chris Barker
people that get on with that really get on with that, don't they? They're like, yeah, it's quite phenomenal. watching somebody use it. So great. Yeah.
Flava D
Yeah, I've like literally been glued to it the last couple of weeks, even live looping. I mean, that's something that I've never tried before. And I've just fallen in love with it. So I would, I would add that in the list, and I would take out
Chris Barker
this is where it gets difficult. Oh, God. It's like,
Will Betts
oh, choosing your children at this point.
Flava D
Maybe the roads only because if I've got the other gear for the pads and the melodies and stuff, it's like
Chris Barker
probably craft some kind of roadie style sound with the Waldorf and some Yeah,
Flava D
and I've got the M one as well when it's Oh, yeah, there'll be some. Okay, taking off the road and we're adding a person pitch to you.
Chris Barker
That's going to break the hearts of all the team when they found out after after 10 years of research and development reinvented this hardware instrument. I know I was just so you know what I think I think the sounds the road sounds in the end one will be fine. Yeah. Got it saved myself.
Flava D
Yeah, I have some fish too. Sorry. It's got to be done.
Chris Barker
Nice. Okay, well lock that in.
Will Betts
So recently just got into the into the push or have you been using time?
Flava D
I have only sort of Yeah, the last three weeks is too small. Like, I just didn't have an idea of like live looping and something I've never done before. So yeah, lately I've just been trying to learn it and I I'm just realizing like, there's too many functions. It's quite like a Rubik's Cube. Yeah. And it's very complex, but but loving it.
Chris Barker
Nice.
Will Betts
Amazing. Okay, so
Chris Barker
that takes us to the final luxury item. Now, this isn't a piece of studio gear, you're not allowed to have any more gain on that set. But is there something else that you would live in the studio? And you know, you can go big here. It's fantasy. It doesn't even have to exist. Technically. We've had some wild answers on the show before so QA which would be nice in the studio.
Flava D
I mean, I would say, a kitten and a bottle of Jack Daniels, but
Chris Barker
that's two items.
Flava D
I mean, I bet No, I never said that before kitten
Chris Barker
that never grows old. Just a little chaotic cat that never grows old.
Flava D
I know. I just Yeah, I mean, I would have my cats.
Will Betts
You're allowed to bring cats with you. Yes.
Chris Barker
You can bring pets and people you know, it's a normal place. You got all
Flava D
I'd ever a massage chair. That's what I'd have a good choice. You know, those really big expensive, like Japanese massage chairs. They're like, five grand and they're amazing. They had to kind
Chris Barker
of like the next level of the ones they have in the airport. Yeah, like the Turbo version of that.
Flava D
Yeah. And you sit in them and they sort of like, they go back and you're almost like upside down and oh my god, I'd have
Chris Barker
any kind of slot into it, don't you like yeah, like it's got gaps for your legs and everything. Yeah.
Flava D
And it's like, got your arms and you're locked in snowscape and that I would have one of those.
Chris Barker
If he was like really, really rich. He's definitely have one of those. You'd never leave the house. I know. Like they I kind of have you ever seen one? Well, I have. Yeah. They're amazing.
Will Betts
Yeah, they are. There's one there's a company called a sarchi. The Osaki OS champ according
Chris Barker
to your champ. It's called the OS champ. Os champ
Will Betts
is according to New York Times the closest thing you can get to a real massage.
Flava D
Oh, wow.
Chris Barker
There we go. How much is it?
Flava D
Last time I alert me? I was a marketplace.
Will Betts
Looking on Facebook marketplace near me said
Flava D
I love a bargain.
Chris Barker
Is it only me it feels a bit weird getting a secondhand massage chair. It feels like
Flava D
I mean, realistically I wouldn't but I think I was just curious because I was just got impulsive with the idea of owning one.
Chris Barker
I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm sure it's fine. You would buy a secondhand sofa or anything but like, I don't know, it just feels like it's done stuff to people. No,
Flava D
you're right. Yeah, I mean, skin particles, like trapped in there.
Chris Barker
Or it's just like it was for somebody else. And like, you know, yeah,
Flava D
yeah. Yeah. No, you'd have to get that brand new. I mean, I'm getting 8k They're going.
Will Betts
Okay. Yeah, no,
Chris Barker
that doesn't look that comfortable. Oh, and that looks quite like medical.
Will Betts
I mean, they are kind of medical devices. Are they not? Oh, yeah.
Chris Barker
I'm not anti this. I love this idea. By the way, just like
Flava D
it would get me into the zen mode before I go and have a big Ableton binge. Yeah. Which makes no sense but
Chris Barker
eight 8k massager
Will Betts
Do you want to put a sub pack into it? All's well
Chris Barker
oh and some speakers? Yeah, just like sit there
Flava D
and see I can sort of test the mix down and see if it's if it's the go good to go or not?
Chris Barker
Yeah, well the sub packs like a massage anyway you know yeah if the sub packs not massaging you the tracking working that's what I've always said
Flava D
aiming for the heart palpitations. Yeah,
Chris Barker
that's that's why I lost my job in that studio. Right neatly and awkwardly brings us towards the end of the podcast I feel but like that's a great luxury item though. We I don't think we've had a massage chair before have we it's fantastic. Yeah, I think we've had a misuse before though. But that all feels a bit creepy now having like an actual person there Yeah, a little bit. Yeah. How does that dream studio sound to you?
Flava D
I think you're asking me Yeah, of course I'm asking you well for me that's that's where I want to be right now if I could that sounds amazing to me. Yeah. And then you know with the sunset oh my god my massage chair. Straight onto this. The Moog Yeah, yeah. I'm ready to go.
Chris Barker
And as a desert roads in a skip outside as our
Flava D
sorry road. Fair enough.
Will Betts
What's coming up for you now because we're midway at this point. What's what's happening rest of the year. Have you got releases live dates? Yeah,
Flava D
I do. So I've got a lot of shows a lot of festivals. I think I've got 24 festivals locked in Yeah, I've just wrapped up a single that's coming out on utopia, which is Jaguars label. If you're familiar with her, it's quite different this tune it's, it's a bit different to anything I've released previously. So this one's a bit like a speed Garriage, colorful sort of summer vibe with a vocalist by Paige Eliza. So that's just just getting wrapped up. I'm really, really excited about that. It's something I made in Bali. And it was it's just one of those expression tracks. I'm also just wrapping up my net single hospital records, which is a jungle. Jungle, she's talking about cats actually. So typical, to very favorably. Again, not not anything I've released previously. Because it's very, very jungle inspired this one. So really excited about that. And then got the Tickity album coming out next month. So if you're not aware of Tickity it's myself roti and DJ Q. And then my hospital records album. So there's, there's a lot going on that I'm sort of multitasking all these different sounds so cool.
Chris Barker
You get to switch genres, though, must be make much more. So I know a lot of ice sometimes feel like they get typecast into a certain genre. And obviously, yeah, most producers are aware of lots of different styles. And then you kind of get known for this thing. And you kind of
Flava D
Yeah, yeah, I think it helps because I've since my early days, I've kind of always like shape shifted a bit in what I do. So people aren't as shocked when I do something different. And it's just my personality. I don't like sticking to one thing anyway.
Chris Barker
Your DJ sets reflect that as well.
Flava D
Yeah, I would say so. Because I like to do more of a journey set, if I can with the longer ones. And like so now what I do, what I didn't do before is I would usually start on Garriage sort of go through the BPM, and then I would end on DNB. And then I'm playing like my own productions as well. So it's, it's interesting, because when I go play now I've got people in the crowd that want to hear my DNB. But then people want to hear my garbage. So it's like, I've got a couple audiences here to satisfy with my selection. bid is also like really great as well that yeah, people still locked in. It makes
Chris Barker
your sets really exciting as well, because nobody knows what's coming. And like, you know, you can switch between these styles and jump to loads of different venues and styles of festival as well. You're not just in this kind of Yeah, Drum and Bass, garish festival or whatever, you know, exactly.
Will Betts
So which one are you most excited about? Which festival appearance?
Flava D
Oh, I'm looking forward to Glastonbury as always that, you know, such a great festival, but I'm really looking forward to be in town as well, because I played there a few years ago. And I was just blown away by the stage production and the lighting. It was just incredible. And the sound system as well. Like visually I've I haven't seen anything like that. It's just crazy. So yeah, excited to be back. Final
Chris Barker
question for me then who's your sort of hero that you haven't met yet in the music industry? Or who would you love to collaborate with? It's a cliche question, but actually quite interesting when you've got these different genres that you're oh
Flava D
gosh you know what, I've never met disclosure and I've always loved that stuff you've probably hear a lot of influence in what I've done. Because they they heavily influenced like with their sort of 2011 sort of sounds back then with a gay marriage. I would love to collab with them. That would be a dream
Chris Barker
very similar and so they kind of hop around styles quite a little bit as well as things like between different yeah nice excellent what a great end to podcast thank you so much flavor D well, we'll another great episode some obvious choices at the start but then it got pretty exciting.
Will Betts
Yeah, we whistled through those first three and then we were really into it some fantastic choices there. The Quantum loved it serum. M one we've only had that I think once before and then got that luxury item.
Chris Barker
Yeah, we all want one of those don't we? Yeah,
Will Betts
but do you have a Do you have a grand knocking about Chris to just get one though?
Chris Barker
I don't I don't have that. And I would like I'd if I did have that. I probably wouldn't buy a massage chair. But yeah, that would be it'd be nice.
Will Betts
Just sipping a pina colada looking out over the sunset and boiling
Chris Barker
it all over yourself. As it vibrates you. I don't know. I don't know about eating or drinking. It might be a bit horrific, but I think I am up for trying.
Will Betts
Never let it be said for trying.
Chris Barker
Yeah, it's on the bucket list. Now drink Margarita from robot massage chair. Okay, another another addition to this very long list of weird things. Don't number one on my list as well. Was that having a bath on an aeroplane?
Will Betts
Shut up. Is that Even if that's not even a thing is it
Chris Barker
it's on the list somebody's making it happen. I wish I was a famous enough influence to be to think that by me even mentioned it on this podcast that I will get an email from British Airways saying Chris we'd love to make your dreams come true. We just want you to tweet about it. Anyway,
Will Betts
I love the idea of so that you might they might cancel that flight if there's any turbulence expected because it will be it could go from dream to nightmare very quickly
Chris Barker
sorry, I laughed really hard because I just pictured myself with turbulence bubbles and was flashing and trying to get out and slipping.
Will Betts
And you're live streaming the whole thing? Yeah.
Chris Barker
Yeah. And then you come out to find the pilot in the back in the other bathroom in the bathroom. I was I was flying this thing. Anyway, luxury. I think all that's left to say now well is
Will Betts
all that's left to say is thank you so much for listening, and we will catch you next time for another adventure into studio for revenue. Baba. Goodbye.