1. Favorite knob/fader/switch on a piece of gear and why?
I love the various knobs in my 500 rack for mixing and tracking stuff, I really love the 4 knobs on the OP-1.
2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?
I think the MPC Live is a great blend of portability and a pro-grade DAW. I do wish it had portamento for the samples. Now i use the OP-Z for that bendy stuff and track it in.
3. What setup do you bring on holiday/tour/commute etc.?
I used to take the OP-1 everywhere, but now I pack even lighter. I always have my iPhone X and its loaded with lots of music apps. My favorite when on the go though is the T.E. PO-33. I take small earbuds and an old iPhone with the headphone jack for sampling on the go. I cooked up a few keepers in grocery lines etc..gas stations even lol
4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?
I still think the MPC can be like Ableton Live with a few more updates. Live is a really good and flexible DAW so that’s my target. I like emulations, but we don’t need all hardware to be cloned to software. Those knobs are way less fun.
5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?
I got the SP-808 when it came out (way back when) but I needed a good drum machine for hip-hop and it was not a good fit at all…I ended up sending it back and I got the MPC2000. That was a game changer for sure.
6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?
OP-1 and OP-Z are at the top of my list
7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?
Now, I’d get a macbook, MPC Live, and the SSL Six. Add in a decent mic and pre and its a whole studio.
8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?
The computer for sure. I hate being a repair tech but it makes mixing and finishing records soooo easy.
9. Most surprising tip/trick/technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?
My DOD envelope filter is used for reggae basslines a lot. When I heard that, I turned down the knobs to 0 and WOW!!! It’s like an 808 bass guitar.
Artist or Band name?
Dragonfly Bry at Mikromix Studio DMV
Genre?
Yes lol…..well mostly rnb and rap, but plenty of other stuff. I did a few electro albums that are still spinning out there, reggae too.
Selfie
Where are you from?
Maryland – The DC Metropolitan Area
How did you get into music?
Piano lessons in elementary, then drums and clarinet, then turntables (DJ-ing) and finally bass – all of that was before leaving high school. I later got my BS degree in Music Engineering Technology.
What still drives you to make music?
Creating music has been in my soul since I was a kid and never really left. Its like why I still breathe air, cuz I gotta 🙂
How do you most often start a new track?
Usually drums or melody but I also dig for samples using pretty much any source. I try to change it up often so I do not keep making the same songs over and over lol.
How do you know when a track is finished?
Usually I listen with fresh ears the next day and that is very revealing.
Show us your current studio.
Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?
When you are in the flow, stay there because it doesn’t always come so easily. Also, less is more. Those two help me still to this day.
Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.
Lately I have been shooting more videos for my music production course at Mikromix.com
I also have a Teenage Engineering 808 pack and an MPC Expansion pack for sale.
[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…]