Chris Joye – Joy of Crisynther

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.

Moog Mother-32 Cutoff knob
Moog Mother-32

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.

Pladask Elektrisk Tåken delay pedal
Pladask Elektrisk Tåken delay pedal

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.

Zoom H4N and a bunch of Pocket Operators
Zoom H4N and a bunch of Pocket Operators

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!

Omnichord OM-84
Omnichord OM-84

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.  

Warwick Infinity LTD 2000 bass and my Fender Telecaster
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.

Short cables

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.

Apple Logic Chase MIDI 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?

Chris En-Joye-ing himself in his studio

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.

No Joye in Chris’ studio

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


Joel Negus – Synthing Classics

1. Favourite knob or fader or switch on a piece of gear and why?

Cutoff on the Moog Sub25. Nothing like the ladder filter!

Moog Subsequent 25

2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?

The Vermona DRM-1 mkiii is amazing, but maaaan I wish the trigger inputs were on the front panel!

Vermona DRM-1 mkiii and Lyra-8

3. What setup do you bring on holiday or tour or commute etc.?

OP1 basically lives in my backpack if it’s not out in the studio. I’ll often develop ideas on it that end up staying on a track.

Teenage Engineering OP-1

4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?

Couldn’t come up with a direct answer to this question 😂 so decided to answer it by saying that the Arturia Polybrute beautifully blends software / hardware as a complete instrument.

A Strymon Zuma trying to hide an Arturia Polybrute

5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?

I used to own a Korg SV-1 until my dad passed his 1977 Rhodes down to me. I always enjoyed playing the sv-1 and realize I shouldn’t have sold it whenever I see one.

On the Rhodes again… I cain’t wait to get on the Rhodes again!

6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?

The Moog Subharmonicon!!! More ideas have started on that thing than any other instrument for me (except maybe the piano).

Moog Subharmonicon and friends

7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?

If I had known just how magical tape echo was, I probably would’ve wanted it sooner… but it probably wouldn’t have been first 😂

Echo Fix EF-X2

8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?

The helping hand for soldering!!!

A helping hand for soldering

9. Most surprising tip or trick or technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?

I recently learned about the tails mode on the Earthquakes Avalanche Run – haven’t used it yet, but I couldn’t believe I didn’t know about that before I bought it!

An avalanche of eurorack! Run!!!

Artist or Band name?

Joel Negus

Genre?

Various, often in classical / jazz / electro-acoustic worlds

Selfie?

Joel Negus

Where are you from?

Born and raised in Chicago IL, but I’ve been in Cleveland OH for 15 years.

How did you get into music?

Both of my parents are professional musicians. Growing up, I was a boy soprano 🤵 and my dad had me sing on a number of commercials on the jingle scene. Eventually I fell hard into the punk rock scene, which turned to metal – I was a part of starting the band Born of Osiris. Changed directions in high school and focused on classical / jazz upright bass.

What still drives you to make music?

Creativity cannot be severed from relationships. The very act of making itself is collaborative – this connection to others is a constant source of inspiration.

How do you most often start a new track?

Playing an instrument and a spark hits. Recently though, trying to think more in silence before jumping in – starting more in my head. Always looking for different ways to compose!

Korg MS-20

How do you know when a track is finished?

I rarely “feel” that it’s finished, but I suppose it’s when I’m at the height of my excitement over it. I’ve found it best to wrap it up somewhat quickly when I’m really excited about how things are sounding.

Show us your current studio

A solemn of guitars
Bass-synth, bass-ukulele, contra-bass

Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?

We can’t just think about what we’re making, but the social context in which we’re making.

Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.

I just released a score I did for a modern dance company in town called Inlet Dance Theater. The piece was called Red Tape and was a total joy to collaborate on. Cheers!

https://joelnegus.bandcamp.com/album/red-tape-original-score


Søren Dalsgaärd – Fairlighting Arpeggione-ist

1. Favourite knob or fader or switch on a piece of gear and why? 

Transformer Switch on Shadow Hills Mono Gama. One of the fastest ways to make a dynamic change to audio input is switching from Iron, Steel or Discrete.

Shadow Hills Mono Gama

2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?

Fairlight Series 30A. Peter Vogel is the father of sampling and his vision culminated in the last iteration of the 30th anniversary systems. The only thing I would change would be the ability to rack mount the main frame. I appreciate the retro design but a standard rack mount setup would make the Fairlights easier to transport. 

Fairlight Series 30A

3. What setup do you bring on holiday or tour or commute etc.?

If I’m on holiday I will always bring a MacBook Pro with UAD Apollo Interface, SM7B with Soyuz Launcher, Roli seaboard and my Parker Fretless.

Arpeggione

Touring is a cargo company dream! I tour with my Arpeggione, Fairlight 30A, Roli, racked dual Mac mini’s with custom summing mixer built by Travis Schuster, Bricasti, Electronaut M63, isolated power and battery backup, Remic C5300 microphones. 

Arpeggione

4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?

I immediately wished the U-He Diva was actual hardware keyboard and someone made a controller that was an exact replica of the GUI. I need to find that company and see if they still manufacture it. 

U-He Diva

There isn’t an analogue device that I would want as software. There are so many digital renditions of hardware already. I have so many plugins I never use because it’s a case of too many choices. The sound of a studio was always based around its design, set of outboard equipment, tape machine and its console. You either liked the room and brought in a few pieces of outboard gear, or you went to a different studio that was more conducive to your taste. I have been selectively archiving all plugins that I rarely use. My analogue gear mixes with specific plugins and creates a set system so that my room consistently produces a signature sound. Too many choices leads to the lounge and XBox 😉

5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?

I sold my brothers Prophet 5 when I was a kid. I looked at it as this old, clunky wood trimmed synth with three knobs missing. Big mistake. I bought a vintage unit to replace it and kicked myself for having to spend that much money when I could have simply kept my brother’s unit and replaced the three missing knobs. 

Prophet 5

I honestly haven’t regretted buying any piece of gear. I always think about the effort that people put into the design and development of a product. There is always something interesting locked inside of equipment. Many of the coolest sounds have come from unexpected products. 

6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?

A Realistic brand digital voice recorder. I now use my smartphone the same way I used to carry around these recorders.

Voice Recorders

7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?

I started out on my grandparents piano. If I had to start over I wouldn’t change a thing.

8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?

I couldn’t do without my computer systems. They are a constant source of “analogue” upkeep to stay current on software and hardware. Apple has been heading towards a more closed system which is not conducive to studios because it can cripple your entire infrastructure if you upgrade your ecosystem due to “end of life” hardware decisions made by third parties. Stability is the most important aspect for productivity. Occasionally my system will make me wish that I was 100% analogue, but then I remember how much of a hassle that world used to be and I’m happy that I work with a hybrid system.

9. Most surprising tip or trick or technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?

I didn’t bother to fully read the manual for the DA-3000 DSD Mastering recorder. I found out that you could cascade the units together to create a multi-track unit. You can’t record individual tracks, but you can mixdown and archive 7.1 surround stems at 5.6Mhz DSD. I have created an 8 track mastering machine that (with a few custom bits of kit) is equivalent to mix down to tape.


Artist or Band name?

Søren Mikkel Dalsgaärd

Genre?

Contemporary Classical 

Selfie?

Søren Mikkel Dalsgaärd

Where are you from?

Yellow Springs, Ohio.
[Editor: Ha! I was certain you were Scandinavian, with your name]

How did you get into music?

My Grandfather was a professional musician and he spotted my abilities at an early age. I was guided through my early music career by my family.

What still drives you to make music?

Music is the reason I am alive. I try to honor that gift by creating art everyday. 

How do you most often start a new track?

Currently, I have commenced new tracks by drawing a waveform on the Fairlight. Once I hear a sound that is inspiring I form the music around that design.

How do you know when a track is finished?

At the point that it feels like the next thing added will ruin the piece… it’s finished.

Show us your current studio

Søren Mikkel Dalsgaärd Studio
Studio Desk

Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?

“Sometimes your worst work to you, is the most favored by everyone else” -quote from Johnny Frigo.

Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.

https://www.sorendalsgaard.com


[Editor: Do you have a favorite tip, trick or way of working with any of the gear from this interview?
Then throw us a comment below…
]