1. Favourite knob/fader/switch on a piece of gear and why?
Easy- the filter cutoff knob on my Moog Subsequent 25. It’s huge, feels great, and what is does sonically is even better.
2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?
The Vermona PerFOURMer is 99% perfect. I do sometimes wish I could store presets, but I understand why they kept everything completely manual. It’s inspiring to explore and dial in new sounds, but it would also be fantastic to be able to quickly find my way back to a sound I’ve already incorporated in a song (say, if I’m doing pickups in studio
3. What setup do you bring on holiday/tour/commute etc.?
My most fun, expressive mobile music tool is the norns. It can almost fit in your back pocket, but its scope is pretty limitless.
4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?
I’d sell a kidney to get Sean Costello’s Valhalla Vintage Verb into pedal form. I’d love to see some of Tom Majeski of Cooper FX’s code (particularly the Generation Loss) make its way to plugin land.
5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?
Oof. This one hurts. When I was 17, I found an old keyboard looking thing in a closet at the local church my family attended. I messed around with it and dismissed it as some kind of work out garbage, and gave it to a friend. It was a Juno 60. That one pains me to this day.
[Editor: Damn!]
6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?
There are about 100 answers to this question, and the most honest answer I can give is “go check out my instagram”, because that’s where I document my adventures with inspiring gear. Lately, the most inspiring thing I’ve played is the Instruo Arbhar, which is this incredible musical granular processor. It’s really wonderful.
7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?
Wouldn’t change a thing! So the official answer is a Squier Stratocaster.
8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?
My tape decks. There’s always something to clean, maintain, or fix. But working with magnetic tape is something I don’t ever want to give up. The process itself helps me generate better ideas.
9. Most surprising tip/trick/technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?
Recently I found out I could trigger the gate on my Vongon Paragraphs pedal with midi note data, which lets me set up these super tight rhythmic filter opening sequences. Super cool.
Artist or Band name?
Matt Lowery
Genre?
Ambient/Electronic
Where are you from?
Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
How did you get into music?
I picked up guitar when I was 12, and have been at it ever since!
What still drives you to make music?
Music and art are the ways that I process the world. I have to be making something meaningful all the time. When I stop making things, I start having trouble in every area of my life.
How do you most often start a new track?
I try to spend time with music every day. So I’ll usually stumble upon a sound, a vibe, or a progression by accident, and that will be the seed for a track. Sometimes it works out, often it doesn’t. That’s the fun!
How do you know when a track is finished?
When I enjoy it as much as I enjoy other people’s music, I try to just walk away. There’s always more you can do, so it’s more that I put it down, rather than saying it’s done.
Show us your current studio
That would require me to clean my current studio 😀
Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?
Here’s the best advice I’ve ever read, period:
[Editor: Spectacularly good advice! If you feel it applies to you? TLDR: Find a balance between income and art by separating the two]
Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.
You can hear my latest LP “Voyager” as well as my newest single “Nearer Now” at my Bandcamp page (mattlowery.bandcamp.com), as well as on all major streaming platforms.
[Editor: Do you have a favorite tip, trick or way of working with any of the gear from this interview?
Then throw a comment below…]