1. Favourite knob/fader/switch on a piece of gear and why?
This is the varispeed pitch control on the Tascam 424. My favorite knob. I like that you can use it to get a completely different song.
[Editor: This is a classic machine and that knob is a personal fave too]
2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?
I really like to shoot music videos on the street and I’m missing some kind of rig/stand for my kit.
3. What setup do you bring on holiday/tour/commute etc.?
This is 3x po33 po-32 po-35, two reverb pedals, a bunch of wires, sony TCS-580V stereo cassette-corder and zoom recorder. Everything fits in one backpack
4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?
This is a stereo extender for mono devices
5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?
Yes, this is rk004 by retrokits. Great device, but I didn’t need it
6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?
This is po-33. I don’t know how it works, but every time when I pick it up, I create a new track.
7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?
I think it’s a modular synthesis. Although it’s not too late to get to know it better.
8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?
Ahahahah great question. This is a po-400. It really helps to understand the principles of working with sound, but sometimes I don’t understand anything at all.
9. Most surprising tip/trick/technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?
On the PO33KO, if you select the filter mode, turn the encoder in different directions and hold the record button, you can get an amazing result. An example can be found here https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt3cRKzlq8y/
Artist or Band name?
samplik prost / In Russian it means a “simple sample”.
Genre?
Disco house chill hop.
Where are you from?
Moscow, Russia
How did you get into music?
In middle school, my friend taught me how to play the guitar. He’s left-handed and I’m right-handed.It was fun. After that, I couldn’t stop making music.It’s always been a hobby. We played punk rock and alternative. It was a long time ago.But 3 years ago when I got my first pocket operator, I became interested in electronic music. I realized that there are no genres and that you can experiment as you want.
What still drives you to make music?
Most likely, this is a search for new ideas and solutions. It’s like searching for diamonds.You know they are there, but you need to dig a lot. But sometimes you find them right away.
How do you most often start a new track?
I start by searching for a nice chord, then drums and of course vocal samples.
How do you know when a track is finished?
When I feel that everything is in its place and I can start making the next track.
Show us your current studio
I want to move some of my stuff to the wall to free up my workspace.
Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?
Steal Like an Artist / True, I haven’t read this book, but I like the title.
Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.
My first experience in creating music in this style https://youtu.be/X5oRReeCTMQ
But my main experiments I am posting here:
https://www.instagram.com/samplikprost/
[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…]