DSF Q&A Sessions Vol.11 : IKONIKA (open)

[ikonika]

The answers may be similar to ones you've already given, and if they are then you can ignore this...but what are some do's and don't's to getting your tracks heard and developing a name for yourself? I don't really follow the dubstep scene, which is a blessing when making music and a curse when trying to figure out what to do with that music once it's finished.

Just send your tunes to DJs and labels you think would like them, research their sounds and sets and try and picture whether your tracks would fit.

Don't pester people to play your tunes.

Send streamed links if possible.

Know your worth, if people are responding in a good way, lock your shit down...people love leaking and ripping on the old myspace.

When it comes to signing..shop around first

[Okota]

Ok, this is guna seem like a very stupid question... but i'm young and naive and hopeful and all the rest of it...!

It's not about the money, i realize that... its putting your heart and soul into creating something that you love and get enjoyment from, but do you make a living out of your music? whether it be from your DJing, releases or other areas you work on.

Apologies for it not being to do with production!

Thanks,
Oli

[ikonika]

Thanks for taking the time out to answer all these questions.

You mentioned already that you used to over-compress your mixes, if you could go back in time what other mistakes would you avoid / what would you do differently?

It's hard to keep thinking of mistakes...but I will say the best thing I've ever done was to switch from FL to Logic, for me Logic allows me to work a lot faster...it took a few months to get to grips with it but all I really needed to know was how to translate FL to Logic language...But saying all of this, I miss FL's arpeggiator and the way you easily load samples.

Ok, this is guna seem like a very stupid question... but i'm young and naive and hopeful and all the rest of it...!

It's not about the money, i realize that... its putting your heart and soul into creating something that you love and get enjoyment from, but do you make a living out of your music? whether it be from your DJing, releases or other areas you work on.

Apologies for it not being to do with production!

Thanks,
Oli

I do make a living out of music, but only recenlty...I left my day job in the summer

[ayonic]

hey ikonika,

bigup for doing this thread! im always happy when big producers still find the time to snoop around dsf (thanks for id-ing your track in kode 9's set in unsound earlier ) 2010 looks to be huge with the album dropping, from the bits i've heard (the idiot, psoriasis), it's gonna be bonkers!

anyway to my question....

pretty basic..what do you use for your subbass? how many layers does it usually consist of? in tracks like please and sahara michael it seems like just one layer of sub-bass. i'm currently using an mpc to produce and i find it hard to get the low-end clear and tight especially for short eski-like bass hits (if you dont mind one of my tracks is in my sig so you can see for yourself). so any general advice on the sub aside from ditching the mpc and switching to logic?

[Ongelegen]

These days I tend to work better, if I open Logic I usually make 2-3 finished tunes that day.

Very impressive

[ikonika]

hey ikonika,

bigup for doing this thread! im always happy when big producers still find the time to snoop around dsf (thanks for id-ing your track in kode 9's set in unsound earlier ) 2010 looks to be huge with the album dropping, from the bits i've heard (the idiot, psoriasis), it's gonna be bonkers!

anyway to my question....

pretty basic..what do you use for your subbass? how many layers does it usually consist of? in tracks like please and sahara michael it seems like just one layer of sub-bass. i'm currently using an mpc to produce and i find it hard to get the low-end clear and tight especially for short eski-like bass hits (if you dont mind one of my tracks is in my sig so you can see for yourself). so any general advice on the sub aside from ditching the mpc and switching to logic?

Hi,

Glad your feeling.

I just use a standard sine bass, nothing fancy. On tunes like Millie and Idiot, I used one mid range fuzzy kind of bass (which could be any synth played at like c1), with a sub underneath.

I don't think your should layer subs as it should be heavy as it is and could make your entire track sound muddy...But the tune in your sig sounds like there is no sub at all, I wouldn't ditch your mpc, you can probably get a sine bass sample then just bang it out.

These days I tend to work better, if I open Logic I usually make 2-3 finished tunes that day.

Very impressive

This is only very recently since I quit my day job. Before that it was usually 1 or 2 tunes a month...

[ayonic]

thanks a lot! will try to get some sine subs goin in my tracks. looking forward to the album

[dblth1nk]

It's hard to keep thinking of mistakes...but I will say the best thing I've ever done was to switch from FL to Logic, for me Logic allows me to work a lot faster...it took a few months to get to grips with it but all I really needed to know was how to translate FL to Logic language...But saying all of this, I miss FL's arpeggiator and the way you easily load samples.

I currently use FL and have been experimenting with bouncing to reaper/logic.... it sounds like you have switched to Logic completely...

Are you using any type of sampler vst and sequencing with midi in logic or have you made the switch to laying out single hits in Logic and building your tracks that way? I find this is what is stopping me from making the switch...for some reason my head just doesn't want to get around laying out single hits on horizontal tracks...the piano roll and sampler is just so quick for me to get things done...guess it would just take some getting used to.

You also mention you finish 2-3 tracks a day now...totally finished tunes?...or do you mean a solid base?...because 2-3/day tunes seems super human hehehe...I work full time at an office Job...and finish a good 2-3 tunes/month . . . I can't see myself ever doing 2-3/day even If I did music full time.

Thanks again Ikonika for doing this

[crackf]

you wouldn't wanna go on a date with me, I would probably bore the hell out of you

ive been instructed to tell you this is nto a problem for my firend nicenice

anyways hoping to see more from you in the future saw you at deadly rhythms the other week and you played an awesome set not so much a question just passing by to show some respect as most of what i would have liked to ask has alreadybeen asked (Y)

loving the work keep it up

[cloak and dagger]

Once again thanks for all the useful insight. Also, thanks for being so open about listening to tunes...will hit you up on myspace next time I have the chance.


Any tips on drum arrangement? How much swing do you use, do you draw them in or play them live, use grooves from breaks, etc. I'm always interested to know the processes other people use when making tunes.

[Littlefoot]

How do you feel about this article...

http://rougesfoam.blogspot.com/2009/06/ ... wonky.html

?

[webstarr]

Apologies if these have been asked before.

What background do you have with regards to playing instruments & music theory?

What advice would you give to someone looking to learn to play melodies?

[norman swashbuckle]

first of all big up, been loving your stuff for a long time now, dont know if you'll remember i asked you for a 320 of afrotp years ago now i think haha well i've left a track in your pm box on here in case you wanted to swap one instead . first of all how do you think your style has changed since then? if any? what other artists interest you in production terms? how do you describe your sound? did you have a good new years ??

[mryevrah]

How do you make your beats in Logic? Ultrabeat? exs24? or just using the arrange window or whatever?
thanks in advance!

[batrobin]

Hey Ikonika just wanted to give a big shout out your way for the music you put out and for staying on your own path (doing your own thing). Such beautiful sounds.

Phonelines VIP, thank you thank you thank you

Still amazes me everytime I hear it. Any plans for this to see a vinyl release at some point?

Thanks for reading,

Jono

[kuklee]

Just 2 easy and simple questions. You said the best way to send you tunes is via myspace. Do you listen to every tune people send to you? Which is the better method for you, links to streaming sites(maybe soundcloud) or links to download sites from where you can download the files?

Big up to you...and much respect for doing this.

[ikonika]

It's hard to keep thinking of mistakes...but I will say the best thing I've ever done was to switch from FL to Logic, for me Logic allows me to work a lot faster...it took a few months to get to grips with it but all I really needed to know was how to translate FL to Logic language...But saying all of this, I miss FL's arpeggiator and the way you easily load samples.

I currently use FL and have been experimenting with bouncing to reaper/logic.... it sounds like you have switched to Logic completely...

Are you using any type of sampler vst and sequencing with midi in logic or have you made the switch to laying out single hits in Logic and building your tracks that way? I find this is what is stopping me from making the switch...for some reason my head just doesn't want to get around laying out single hits on horizontal tracks...the piano roll and sampler is just so quick for me to get things done...guess it would just take some getting used to.

You also mention you finish 2-3 tracks a day now...totally finished tunes?...or do you mean a solid base?...because 2-3/day tunes seems super human hehehe...I work full time at an office Job...and finish a good 2-3 tunes/month . . . I can't see myself ever doing 2-3/day even If I did music full time.

Thanks again Ikonika for doing this

Any tips on drum arrangement? How much swing do you use, do you draw them in or play them live, use grooves from breaks, etc. I'm always interested to know the processes other people use when making tunes.

I usually use a combination of drawing and playing, I feel better playing each component live then just quantising. I tend do the drums last...also a little thing I sometimes like to do is just listen to the drum track on its own, if its good on its own then the whole tune should be good right?

2-3 Tunes in a day is not superhuman, I'm sure people like Joker, Zomby and Skream have been known to bang out maybe more in a day. It's all about knowing what a tune needs and how much of it. If I'm writing 64 bars of progression first, it's real easy for me to arrange and complete a tune. The other day I made a tune in 2 hours, I've heard Zomby can make a tune in like 30 mins. Obviously it's not about quantity and please don't feel like I'm showing off or anything...its just I usually have a lot of time now, I go to bed at like 4am and rarely leave the house.

How do you feel about this article...

http://rougesfoam.blogspot.com/2009/06/ ... wonky.html?

Yeah its great to be compared to Picasso and I think if your gonna use a term like 'Wonky' at least go into detail like this guy...although I don't really like the term wonky, but I guess you have label stuff so people can recognise it.

Hey Ikonika just wanted to give a big shout out your way for the music you put out and for staying on your own path (doing your own thing). Such beautiful sounds.

Phonelines VIP, thank you thank you thank you

Still amazes me everytime I hear it. Any plans for this to see a vinyl release at some point?

Thanks for reading,

Jono

Thanks for the props, it's always been my agenda to be different and do my own thing.

Phonelines will never see a release, it feels too weird to release an early tune like that...You still download here for free http://www.xlr8r.com/mp3/2009/07/phonelines-vip

Apologies if these have been asked before.

What background do you have with regards to playing instruments & music theory?

What advice would you give to someone looking to learn to play melodies?

I had drums lessons for a bout 2 years when I was 11.

I had a old Casio keyboard when I was about 8 and learnt some simple tunes like 'Jingle Bells' and 'I Will Be Right Here Waiting For You'. I pretty much learnt to read music on my own...but I've totally forgotten all of that now.

When the time came for me to start producing I just improvised. I had thought about producing for a long time, mapping out simple theories in my head, thinking about contrasts and colours. Arranging invisible tunes, thinking about what drums sounds I like from my favourite producers and so on...

[ikonika]

first of all big up, been loving your stuff for a long time now, dont know if you'll remember i asked you for a 320 of afrotp years ago now i think haha well i've left a track in your pm box on here in case you wanted to swap one instead . first of all how do you think your style has changed since then? if any? what other artists interest you in production terms? how do you describe your sound? did you have a good new years ??

I think back then I was just doing anything...Most of those early tunes were I think creative drafts...just seeing if people would dig them and getting some valued feedback. I think I'm a lot more comfortable in my producer skin now, when I made 'Please' I was so paranoid then everyone loved it...Then that made we even more paranoid because I felt I had to top that tune...there's no winning and you can't seem please everyone. I just make tunes for me and Kode9 really lol. If he likes them then I don't care about anyone else.

Just 2 easy and simple questions. You said the best way to send you tunes is via myspace. Do you listen to every tune people send to you? Which is the better method for you, links to streaming sites(maybe soundcloud) or links to download sites from where you can download the files?

Big up to you...and much respect for doing this.

Yes streaming is better. I don't download tunes any more because I am unfair like that. If someone sends me a download link I will usually hunt their myspace and listen there first.

PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ME TUNES, I HAVE A TIGHT JUNK MAIL FILTER AND I MIGHT NOT SEE THEM. PLEASE USE MYSPACE.

How do you make your beats in Logic? Ultrabeat? exs24? or just using the arrange window or whatever?
thanks in advance!

For drums I usually use EXS24

[batrobin]

Phonelines will never see a release, it feels too weird to release an early tune like that...You still download here for free http://www.xlr8r.com/mp3/2009/07/phonelines-vip

Been on regular rotation on my cd player for a while now

I already knew the answer, I just prefer mixing on vinyl is all *sob*

Anyway, may 2010 be a bright year for you. Hopefully we see you downunder sometime

[thomas edison]

Question i've been wanting to ask you since that night you played in amsterdam,

You quit your dayjob, huge step in my opinion, and cool offcourse, we'd all love to do that, lol

But, weren't you scared of making music too much?
Or do you have any worries on that matter at this time?

By quitting your dayjob you would get extra pressure to perform well, i assume. Wich can lead to crappy music, or other damaging stuff

And you've got mail, if you're still using that hotmail

cheers