So did this interview after hearing the album "Russian Love" made with SunVox which I think is excellent and got curious about the artist. In the end of the interview it is possible to download the SunVox file for one of the tracks which is pretty exciting to see and hear up-close what is going on.
There is also an earlier track of his from the early nineties that can be fun to hear how things have changed.
Plus the possibilities to buy a four CD collection of earlier works...
What I understand is that you went to musical school in the end of the eighties. What did you study there?
I actually didn't go to musical school in the late 80s, but I went to a university and I studied music aesthetics there, the philosophical aspect of music and art.
How did you get into electronic music?
When I was 14 or so, I met some music of KITARO and YMO, and was attracted by their electronic sound and hypnotizing atmosphere. later on I knew KRAFTWERK, it made me crazy, and next Brian Eno, bla bla bla...
In the beginning what kind of equipment did you use?
I started making music with a small YAMAHA keyboard PS-3 and compact effects when I was 15. And I got my first synth Roland JX-8P when I was 19. At that time I was also using 80's digital/analog stuff such as TR-505, DEP-5, TX-81z, and a TASCAM multitrack cassette recorder.
What was the first software?
MuLab 3. I had been using hardware for long time, and got involved in the software world very lately.
Do you play any instruments?
Keyboards, and sometimes percussion.
How does that affect your composing and production?
I think many keyboard players are likely to be very chromatic, but I feel sometimes I need to get out of it. I was very lucky because I didn't became very good at playing keyboards in spite of 6 years education of playing the piano. I was very lazy and not so motivated to play instruments when I was a kid.
I understand that you was a DJ already back in the nineties how was the scene in Japan/Kyoto at that time?
At that time I was in Tokyo, that is a huge city and it has many groups of any kind of music. It is hard to know all of them. I think in the nineties there were many small groups of hard techno, drum'n bass, house, electronica, etc. By myself I was doing electronica, ambient, click and dub techno etc. using cds / groove box. And I also played classical music in techno parties as well.
Are you still DJ’ing?
I seldom DJ for parties recently, once or twice a year. Usually I do that just for myself or close friends in small parties.
How do you feel that the scene changed over the years where you live?
I think the club scene here itself became much smaller, because people do not spend their time in clubs any more. But some people still like to be in clubs, and they enjoy parties. I think club music is not so cool for many people any more, but it became a part of our usual lives.
How are the contact internationally and are there any collaboration with artists from other countries?
Japan is geometrically isolated and sometimes we feel difficulties in language, but some artists do international activities via internet.
For example, my music was released from some labels in other countries like Germany, US, etc., and remixed by other artists. I am also interested in artists abroad to release their music from my label.
There is also an earlier track of his from the early nineties that can be fun to hear how things have changed.
Plus the possibilities to buy a four CD collection of earlier works...
What I understand is that you went to musical school in the end of the eighties. What did you study there?
I actually didn't go to musical school in the late 80s, but I went to a university and I studied music aesthetics there, the philosophical aspect of music and art.
How did you get into electronic music?
When I was 14 or so, I met some music of KITARO and YMO, and was attracted by their electronic sound and hypnotizing atmosphere. later on I knew KRAFTWERK, it made me crazy, and next Brian Eno, bla bla bla...
In the beginning what kind of equipment did you use?
I started making music with a small YAMAHA keyboard PS-3 and compact effects when I was 15. And I got my first synth Roland JX-8P when I was 19. At that time I was also using 80's digital/analog stuff such as TR-505, DEP-5, TX-81z, and a TASCAM multitrack cassette recorder.
What was the first software?
MuLab 3. I had been using hardware for long time, and got involved in the software world very lately.
Do you play any instruments?
Keyboards, and sometimes percussion.
How does that affect your composing and production?
I think many keyboard players are likely to be very chromatic, but I feel sometimes I need to get out of it. I was very lucky because I didn't became very good at playing keyboards in spite of 6 years education of playing the piano. I was very lazy and not so motivated to play instruments when I was a kid.
I understand that you was a DJ already back in the nineties how was the scene in Japan/Kyoto at that time?
At that time I was in Tokyo, that is a huge city and it has many groups of any kind of music. It is hard to know all of them. I think in the nineties there were many small groups of hard techno, drum'n bass, house, electronica, etc. By myself I was doing electronica, ambient, click and dub techno etc. using cds / groove box. And I also played classical music in techno parties as well.
Are you still DJ’ing?
I seldom DJ for parties recently, once or twice a year. Usually I do that just for myself or close friends in small parties.
How do you feel that the scene changed over the years where you live?
I think the club scene here itself became much smaller, because people do not spend their time in clubs any more. But some people still like to be in clubs, and they enjoy parties. I think club music is not so cool for many people any more, but it became a part of our usual lives.
How are the contact internationally and are there any collaboration with artists from other countries?
Japan is geometrically isolated and sometimes we feel difficulties in language, but some artists do international activities via internet.
For example, my music was released from some labels in other countries like Germany, US, etc., and remixed by other artists. I am also interested in artists abroad to release their music from my label.
Are you using SunVox exclusively nowadays?
Not exclusively, but I use it mainly.
What other software/equipment do you use?
Mulab 5 to use other VST instruments / effects.
Studio One 2 for mastering / editing.
How did you get to know SunVox?
When I was looking for new tools to make music some years ago, I happened to meet a guy who showed me some tracker-type software. I was fascinated and tried to use some of them, and I came to like SunVox the most.
For the readers how would you describe the advantages of a tracker interface to the more common piano roll interface?
I think piano roll is too much like music score, and it reminds you the academic way of making music. And when you use it, your brain automatically tries to figure out how the melodies are like. Sometimes it is annoying because you have to see the eternal chromatic scale there, and your brain might get tired seeing it.
In case of a tracker, it looks like a program, not like music score at all. If you have an allergy to music score, as your music teacher in your infant time was mean, it is good for you a tracker does not remind that experience. You just can get into how the music sounds, and can edit it as you correct word sentences.
What is the most common instruments and effects you use in SunVox?
Definitely Echo.
And what instruments /effects makes you most confused?
To me SpectraVoice is kind of complicating and I can't expect how it sounds when editing, but I like it anyway.
What is your favorite trick/s in SunVox?
1C Cut note
20 Note probability
The album russian love, did that get mixed and mastered in SunVox?
It was mixed in SunVox, and mastered in Studio One 2.
I usually record songs via line out of the audio interface in real time, and give the recorded file back to my PC via usb cable, and master the file in PC.
Is there any other musicians that you know that use SunVox?
I sometimes recommend it to my friends, and I think some of them are trying to use it.
But I don't think it's very famous here compared to other tools like Ableton Live or Reason.
Can you talk a Little bit of your record label Easy + Nice?
I founded "Easy + Nice" last year to introduce any kind of interesting alternative music. It treats electronic, ambient, world, dance, field recordings, and other experiments. I try to make it experimental and cozy at the same time.
The symbol for the label looks occult. Is magick something you are interested in?
You noticed that...
It was made with sigil, that is the only magick I can use consciously.
I am not interested in magick a lot, but this time I used it, as I didn't think of other ways to make symbols.
And what does the sigil stand for?
an easy and nice life.
What is your future plan for the record label and your private music?
Basically same. I have released one album every month for the first several months since the label started, but now, as 5 albums have been released, I think I can make the pace slower.
Recently I am making techno for myself, and some music for movies.
Any last words?
Life is the sense of continuing, and the gradual / sudden change bring it. Music is the way to make it.
Thank you for reading this interview, and if you get interested in my activities, please visit Easy and Nice web page and my youtube channel.
https://easyandnice.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5fZDjPUmQeEP14COqba74g
loveburger.jp
Not exclusively, but I use it mainly.
What other software/equipment do you use?
Mulab 5 to use other VST instruments / effects.
Studio One 2 for mastering / editing.
How did you get to know SunVox?
When I was looking for new tools to make music some years ago, I happened to meet a guy who showed me some tracker-type software. I was fascinated and tried to use some of them, and I came to like SunVox the most.
For the readers how would you describe the advantages of a tracker interface to the more common piano roll interface?
I think piano roll is too much like music score, and it reminds you the academic way of making music. And when you use it, your brain automatically tries to figure out how the melodies are like. Sometimes it is annoying because you have to see the eternal chromatic scale there, and your brain might get tired seeing it.
In case of a tracker, it looks like a program, not like music score at all. If you have an allergy to music score, as your music teacher in your infant time was mean, it is good for you a tracker does not remind that experience. You just can get into how the music sounds, and can edit it as you correct word sentences.
What is the most common instruments and effects you use in SunVox?
Definitely Echo.
And what instruments /effects makes you most confused?
To me SpectraVoice is kind of complicating and I can't expect how it sounds when editing, but I like it anyway.
What is your favorite trick/s in SunVox?
1C Cut note
20 Note probability
The album russian love, did that get mixed and mastered in SunVox?
It was mixed in SunVox, and mastered in Studio One 2.
I usually record songs via line out of the audio interface in real time, and give the recorded file back to my PC via usb cable, and master the file in PC.
Is there any other musicians that you know that use SunVox?
I sometimes recommend it to my friends, and I think some of them are trying to use it.
But I don't think it's very famous here compared to other tools like Ableton Live or Reason.
Can you talk a Little bit of your record label Easy + Nice?
I founded "Easy + Nice" last year to introduce any kind of interesting alternative music. It treats electronic, ambient, world, dance, field recordings, and other experiments. I try to make it experimental and cozy at the same time.
The symbol for the label looks occult. Is magick something you are interested in?
You noticed that...
It was made with sigil, that is the only magick I can use consciously.
I am not interested in magick a lot, but this time I used it, as I didn't think of other ways to make symbols.
And what does the sigil stand for?
an easy and nice life.
What is your future plan for the record label and your private music?
Basically same. I have released one album every month for the first several months since the label started, but now, as 5 albums have been released, I think I can make the pace slower.
Recently I am making techno for myself, and some music for movies.
Any last words?
Life is the sense of continuing, and the gradual / sudden change bring it. Music is the way to make it.
Thank you for reading this interview, and if you get interested in my activities, please visit Easy and Nice web page and my youtube channel.
https://easyandnice.bandcamp.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5fZDjPUmQeEP14COqba74g
loveburger.jp
| snowboard.sunvox |
There is also a collection of four CD's that can be ordered and here is what is said about it:
This 4CD box contains 3 CD's of the earlier work of Waki over the period 1995-2004. "Take you to the bottom" (1995), "Shuku" (2002) and "Life and space" (2003) were only released in Japan. The last CD "Special" is a bonus disc. The four CD's came along in a nice orange handbag.
https://www.discogs.com/es/Waki-Special-4cd-box/release/580087
This 4CD box contains 3 CD's of the earlier work of Waki over the period 1995-2004. "Take you to the bottom" (1995), "Shuku" (2002) and "Life and space" (2003) were only released in Japan. The last CD "Special" is a bonus disc. The four CD's came along in a nice orange handbag.
https://www.discogs.com/es/Waki-Special-4cd-box/release/580087
