1. Favourite knob or fader or switch on a piece of gear and why?
Probably the Cutoff knob on my Moog Mother-32. I just love how dramatically it opens or closes the sound.
2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?
Pladask Elektrisk Tåken delay pedal. I would put three together (a Triple Tåken?) similar to my TC Electronics Triple Flashback delay.
3. What setup do you bring on holiday or tour or commute etc.?
It depends where I’m going, but I usually end up bringing the wrong kit and then get an e-mail request to create something entirely different. I’ve been trying to bring my Zoom H4N to capture sounds or found instruments and usually a Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator or three.
4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?
My Omnichord OM-84 as a playable plug-in would be cool. Conversely, putting the complete Soundtoys plug-in suite into a pedal would be amazing!
5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?
I sold an Ibanez Gary Willis signature 5-string fretless bass for a Fender Jazz copy and cry every time I remember. I’m pretty careful what gear I buy now, generally, but there have definitely been a few pedals I questioned and re-sold rather quickly.
6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?
Probably a tie between my Warwick Infinity LTD 2000 bass and my Fender Telecaster.
7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?
First, a sufficient room to compose and mix in… but that’s not gear, so maybe proper room treatments… ok, ok, a nice set of monitors.
8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?
The short guitar pedal connector cables that always seem to break or crackle.
9. Most surprising tip or trick or technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?
Maybe not a bit of kit, but in Apple Logic, the “Chase MIDI Note” option so that it triggers the MIDI note even if you start the playhead in the middle of the note.
Artist or Band name?
Chris Joye (but, I also created a handful of albums under the moniker Cue, and then also as Christopher Joye, before settling into my actual name)
Genre?
Typically a blend of indie rock with classical/soundtrack elements
Selfie?
Where are you from?
I live near Seattle, Washington.
How did you get into music?
My dad always played classical music on his big sound system and my mom listened to Oldies. I took piano lessons as a kid, but quit for sports until one of my brothers bought an electric guitar as a teenager and I decided to play it. Eventually, a friend convinced me to try out bass guitar and I was sold on that!
What still drives you to make music?
The endless options of blending sounds and textures. This can also be a hinderance, too, when you hit a creative block, but it still makes me come back to experiment more.
How do you most often start a new track?
Most of the music I create for myself, I’m still writing with the intention that it may be used in sync to video or a video game or some sort of storyful project later on. So, I guess, I usually start with a concept, maybe it’s a mood, or a theme, or a character or something. However, sometimes, I just mess around with sounds or chords and find an interesting combination.
How do you know when a track is finished?
I’m always intrigued by how a simple melody or chord or texture turns into a full piece. Something usually clicks at some point in the process where I feel like I’ve found the direction to take, I can never pinpoint it, but usually after the 4,000th time of playback, that I can generally feel when a song is done and ready to mix. Sometimes, I’ll add another element or two and if it sounds too cluttered or muddy, then I know I’ve nearly reached this point.
Show us your current studio.
Here it is, more or less.
Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?
One of my Film Scoring instructors at Berklee said something once that I always remember, “Just finish it and move on.” That may not motivate some people, but it resonates with me!
Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.
I released my 14th album, “Reposition”, which is an album of spacious ambient tracks that I wrote thinking of dialogue- or emotionally-heavy film scenes that just need a slow-moving “mood” for a backdrop. It’s available everywhere and here https://chrisjoye.bandcamp.com/album/reposition