DSF Q&A Sessions 1: Breakage (closed)

[Disco Nutter]

"The music is what it's all about. I love it just like you love it, that's why you're here. I'm here cause I love to play."



That's just a quote from one of Breakage's recently uploaded tunes in Myspace ("Together"). A bangin tune.

Before reading further on, you'll probably want to get to know who is up for doing our first DubstepForum Q&A Session. You can do that here (myspace's player or the beatport player down below):

Breakage @ MYSPACE

Labels behind our guy are Digital Soundboy, Bassbin, Scientific Wax, Critical, Reinforced, Emcee Recordings, Shogun Audio, Planet Mu, Inperspective Records so you know we're not talking just about any guy.

Furthermore, you've probably heard more than one of his tunes, since his official releases are quite a few.
From 2000 to now:
Numbers EP (Reinforced Records)
Breakage & Threshold EP (Reinforced Records)
The Break Age EP (Reinforced Records)
Disco45 / Mother Earth (Bassbin)
So Vain / Mars (Bassbin)
Spiritualism / Trans Bohemian (Breakin)
Disco 45 Remix (Bassbin)
Out Of Reach / Who What Where (Breakin)
Plum Fairy (Critical Recordings)
So Mars / Bring Back Remix (Bassbin)
Stoneheart / Bring Back (Bassbin)
Ask Me / Cosmos (Bassbin)
Rise (Taken From The "Rare Grooves" compilation LP) (Bassbin)
Prophecy / Wheezer (Scientific Wax)
Staggered Dub / 4 Me (Inperspective Records)
Blue Mountain / Astro (Inperspective Records)
Drowning / The 9th Hand (Planet Mu)
Forgot The Name / The Look (Scientific Wax)
Harvester / Still There (Emcee Recordings)
Trance / Comatose / Aw Yeah! (Inperspective Records)
This Too Shall Pass 3xLP (Bassbin)
This Too Shall Pass 2xCD (Bassbin)
Panic Room / Circumference (Inperspective Records)
Loved You So / I N I (Digital Soundboy)
Clarendon / The Shroud (Digital Soundboy)
Hinds Sight E.P (Bassbin)
Rebel Creations / Cooper (Critical)
Callahan / Untitled (Digital Soundboy)

REMIXES:
Doc Scott - Here Come The Drums (Breakage Remix) (Reinforced Records)
Equinox - Acid Rain (Breakage Remix) (Inperspective Records)
Equinox - Acid Rain (Breakage V.I.P) (Planet Mu)
Heist - Sprout (Breakage Remix) (Progress)
Benga & Coki - Night (breakage's Digital Soundboy Remix) (Tempa)
TRG - Generation (Breakage Remix) (Naked Lunch)
DLX - Matter Of Facts (Breakage's Relatively Speaking Remix) (Smog)

Breakage & DJ Flight
One To Another (Taken from "Kingz Of The Rollers EP: Volume 4") (31 Records)
Plum Fairy / Admit To Love (Critical Recordings)
Ask Me / Cosmos (Bassbin)
Can I / Van Cleef (Critical Recordings)
Long Time (Taken From The "Rare Grooves" compilation LP) (Bassbin)

SOLAR MOTION (Breakage & DSYFA):
So Bad / Get Dread (Reinforced Records)
Abduct-e / D247 (Reinforced Records)

So, now you know a bit about Breakage. If you haven't listened to any tracks go and listen to the MySpace player, really nothing less then heavy and really good sounding in the player.

Nominated for DJ MAG's British Producer of the Year 2008, and also Best Remix (Benga & Coki "Night" Digital Soundboy Remix).
Link for non-believers

Now, it's your turn to ask away. Bear in mind that only serious questions will be answered. No "how do you make wobble" and "what sneakers you wearin" type of questions.

If this proves to be working well, expect more stuff like this from your lovely hosts FSTZ and Johnny Beat.

Cheers.

[james fox]

win.

[Disco Nutter]

One general question to get the things rollin - what's your setup/workstation like? Software and hardware wise?

Cheers

[james fox]

what reverb plugs do you use, and have you got any tips for the use of reverb in general?

[wub]

How do you start programming your beats? Do you have a clear pattern in mind, or is it a case of setting down and just letting it flow?


What's the strangest sample you've ever used in a release, and where did it come from?



In your experience, what's the most underrated place to sample from?

[FSTZ1]

when you are doing a remix of someone elses tune...

about what percentage of the original song do you use?

[Pada]

First of big up to you breakage making lovely music!

Now question time...

Any tips on keeping dark minimal beats rolling and to give them some energy?..
Callahan & Together perfect examples of this, really minimal but still keep you moving

[detuneproductions]

For your drum tracks are you working with sample based kits or chopping up wav breaks? Or both together?
For example, untitled jungle sounds like a kit with hihat break beneath, whereas, bring back has got to be chopped breaks?

Also, where to go in manchester to find an Audiosalad style vibe?

[kani]

is any of your audio wizardry due to some Jimmy Page like pact with the the dark lord..



but in all seriouslyness. big tunes from the get-go, i own all but three out of that list on vinyl. ill be checking back here daily.

[legend4ry]

Your favorite part of making music?

[eshscramble]

how do you approach basic track arrangement? i.e. build ups/drop/breakdown etc... do you have a method, or do you build each track differently?

[chrish]

What is your favorite, or most often used plug in effect?

Thought of another 2....

What is your favorite music outside of electronic dance music?

Was there one tune back in the day that really made you fall in love with dance music?

[djrobyn]

was the remix for doc scotts "here comes the drumz" the first tune you released?
it is good to get a career started with a remix?

i once read there is a special bass note at the end of "so vain" you only can hear on some big systems with enough bass power, is that true?

what is more fun to produce: dubstep or drum & bass?

[absense]

When does he answer?

[whineo]

How did you get in to producing Dubstep? Which tunes caught your ear?
I get the impression that it came quite naturally but were there any production habits that you had to adapt?

[-dubson-]

with a view of dubstep from more of a dnb background, how do u see the scene progressing. Do u think more exposure and publicity is a good thing?

[dlx]

Any chance that were ever gonna hear some really choppy breaks from you at 140bpm? acid rain 140 remix please

I know Ive probably asked you this before but, can you share some tips on the way you process your drums (panning, reverb, eq)?

[breakage]

One general question to get the things rollin - what's your setup/workstation like? Software and hardware wise?

Cheers

i use a 2.4ghz 17 MacBook Pro, with Logic Studio 8, Recycle, Sound Studio 3 and Audiofinder
i also have a M-Audio Oxygen 8 controller...
no hardware, i had a Korg Trinity once, but sold it to Equinox after a year or so because it just became a touch screen tshirt shelve

[breakage]

what reverb plugs do you use, and have you got any tips for the use of reverb in general?

mostly i use Space Designer, i highly recommend the spring verbs!

my only tip for using reverb is to not add too much, it an be a disaster

oh, and eq your reverbs (some reverbs have it built in, or you can just eq the reverb send) i dont know if a lot of people do it, but i like to get all the bottom end out them, especially for reverbed claps and stuff, makes it nice and snappy

[breakage]

How do you start programming your beats? Do you have a clear pattern in mind, or is it a case of setting down and just letting it flow?


What's the strangest sample you've ever used in a release, and where did it come from?



In your experience, what's the most underrated place to sample from?

it changes all the time, but most times a load up a break and (for dubstep mostly) rearrange it to a half time sort of feel and then just switch and swap bits around for a couple of hours or so

if i have a sample or music down first though, i think of a pattern in my head and lay it down