Interview with Brand X Music
TMN: Can you introduce Brand X Music? When and how did you start the company?
Brand X Music: In 2002 we officially launched the catalogue, which consisted of volumes 1-3. This music was almost entirely the byproduct of custom trailer scores that we had written over the previous three years. We had a lot of really cool music that was just sitting around after the campaigns were over and Brand X Music became the perfect outlet for it.
TMN: Who are the composers behind this wonderful music?
Brand X Music: For the first ten years, every track was composed by John Sponsler and Tom Gire. In 2008 Josh Lynch came on board as our assistant and chief tech guru, but has grown to become another writer as well.
TMN: How did the two of you meet?
Brand X Music: John and Tom met through a mutual engineer friend. At that time, John was scoring “B” movies and TV shows and Tom had been doing re-mix and arranging work for the Asian pop market. John got a call from a guy who was producing a trailer for a ground breaking new film called The Matrix. At the time, there had never been a movie that looked like The Matrixand the filmmakers wanted a different musical approach for the campaign as well. This, our first big campaign together, was also one of the longest we have been on since. We spent countless hours in the studio mangling, reversing, pulsing, and processing to try and capture a sound that complemented the unique style of this film.
For the teaser trailer, the trailer’s producer had us create a sound design piece called “Eliminator”. The trailer was released with no dialogue or sound effects, just the music! You can view the teaser here.
TMN: What trailers have you worked on? Do you often do custom cues?
Brand X Music: Well, after the success of The Matrix campaign, the door to custom scoring movie trailers swung wide open. Since then we have scored over 100 major film campaigns including A Beautiful Mind, The Last Samurai, Terminator 3, Troy, The Polar Express, Batman Begins, 300, and all eight Harry Potter films. In recent years, we have cut back on the number of custom scores we do in order to devote more time to the library. However, we believe that it is important to do a certain amount of custom scoring just to stay current and on the cutting edge of our industry.
For a more complete list, you can lurk here.
TMN: Is all of your music recorded live? Where do you record it?
Brand X Music: Most of the music is created with a blend of samples and live musicians. We have three identical composing rigs. Our main writing room is located at Remote Control Productions in Santa Monica. In addition, we have identical writing rooms at our homes. All the tracks are written and fully realized using the synths, and then we decide what will be augmented or replaced. We are able to record overdubs and soloists at our Remote Control facility, and have recorded orchestra and choir in Seattle, Prague, and Los Angeles.
TMN: How is Brand X Music different from Magic Box Music?
Brand X Music: Brand X Music is the library entity. Magic Box Music is John and Tom’s production company. In addition to writing for and being partners in Brand X Music, we work as composers for film and other projects under the name of Magic Box Music.
TMN: Do you have particular sources of inspiration?
Brand X Music: Well, for sure the great film composers of our time: Williams, Zimmer, Newman, Elfman, Powell, Rabin, and so on. We have had an amazing opportunity to work with several of our heroes over the years, and their talents, sensibilities, and work ethics are an inspiration on so many levels. In addition to those guys, we are also influenced heavily by some of the more pop/rock guys. Trent Reznor is always writing something cool and innovative. Celldweller, Coldplay, and Linkin Park are bands that have a very cinematic appeal. We are also inspired by all of the young creative guys that are working from their bedrooms breaking all the rules and pushing music in new directions.
TMN: What is your biggest challenge when you compose?
Brand X Music: The biggest challenge to composing is breaking the silence. At the onset, every composer has the same challenge, and that is, we all start with a blank page. The process can be both agonizing and humbling because as deadlines loom, computers crash, and inspiration wanes, you wonder if you will ever get a decent idea off the ground. Perspective comes when you witness guys like John Williams and Hans Zimmer having self doubts and working really hard to do what they do. So you begin to empty yourself into the computer without thinking too much about what you are doing. When you run out of ideas, you clean it up and see if there’s anything left that’s worth developing. For each new Brand X volume we ultimately want to bring something fresh to the table. We try to give each new volume a unique sound, something that hasn’t been done before. It is a challenge that will never be met… a goal that can never be fully achieved; yet it’s what makes what we do so compelling and keeps us striving.
TMN: When did you decide to release an album to the public?
Brand X Music: Well historically our industry has been for ‘insiders only’. As we became aware of more and more companies putting out public releases, it became obvious that it was time for us to do so as well. A fan (Derek Hendrickx) was really vocal in how and why we would release this album. We are in all reality ‘artists’. The down side of writing trailer music is that we make tracks that most people will never hear outside of the films they were created for. The anonymity of what we do can be very challenging at times. An entire career can be spent creating scores for billions of dollars worth of box office, without any track record or credit whatsoever. With the huge rise in the popularity of trailer music, putting out our music to you guys is an amazing opportunity to connect with a group of people who enjoy what we do, not just as users, but as aficionados!
TMN: How did you select cues for this album?
Brand X Music: We looked at all the fan made videos on YouTube and saw which tracks were the most popular, and balanced that with some of our own favorites. It was not easy, and no matter how hard you try, there is going to be someone who says: “Why isn’t ________ on there, it’s my favorite track!” We hope that we covered at least some of the essentials, but hey, there is always the next release!
TMN: Did you edit or rearrange tracks for The Best of Brand X Music?
Brand X Music: Yes, not drastically, but we wanted to make the CD a complete listening experience, not just a catalog. We spent lots of time on the sequencing of the album, and where needed, re-mixed and edited tracks to make them flow together. We are really proud of what is here, and hope that everyone really enjoys it!
TMN: What campaigns were the cues of The Best of Brand X Music used for?
Brand X Music: Well, most of these pieces have been used multiple times, but some of the custom scores on this release include: “Rise of the Avenger”, written for Batman Begins; “Spawn of the Dragon”, written for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince; and “Fearless”, written for 300 just to name a few. Then there are the catalogue pieces that have had multiples licenses like “Bring the Pain”, used on Fright Night, Inglorious Bastards, Taken, and Beowulf; “Inevitable”, used on Angels & Demons, Watchmen, Prince of Persia, Jonah Hex, and Season of the Witch; “Paradise Lost”, used on Hereafter, 300, The Kingdom, Hitman, and Rescue Dawn; “All or Nothing”, used onTwilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1; “Spawn”, used on Ides of March, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Hellboy 2, and Jumper. There are also cues on the CD that haven’t been used as much, but we love them for what they say musically, and wanted to include them as well.
TMN: Do you have particular plans for the future? Which albums will you release next?
Brand X Music: We are in the finishing stages of Brand X Volume 15, and are already planningVolume 16. As far as public releases, we will see how this one goes, and if it is received well, it is our intention to continue with public releases in the future!
TMN: Anything else you would like to share with us?
Brand X Music: We just want to thank everyone (TMN, and the fans at large) for your support and love of what we do. Although it is true that we have the greatest job ever, it is hard work that is really personal - a lot of ourselves go into the music. When it is appreciated and shared throughout the world, it makes it all that much sweeter for us to keep on writing! Also, we are new at the whole publicity side of this, and are thankful to the trailer music community for embracing and spreading the word of this release!
TMN: If a trailer music composer was a superhero, what kind of superpowers would he have?
Brand X Music: He must be impervious to rejection, able to survive on caffeine, sugar and catnaps, have ears of steel, and never – ever compose a melody that resolves down.
TMN: Thank you very much, guys!
Interview with Or Chausha
Let me introduce our latest interview with a very talented and young composer from Israel: Or Chausha. Know more about his work, his passion of composing and his idols who made the biggest impact on his work! Discover the production music industry through another path of life and work!
TMN: Hi, can you tell us more about yourself and your work?
Or Chausha: My first steps in Production Music for the media started when I used to collaborate closely with "Packotec Productions" which is a music production company based in Israel. Read more >>
Interview with Or Chausha
TMN: Hi, can you tell us more about yourself and your work?
Or Chausha: Hello TMN thank you for having me here for the interview. My name is Or i'm 24(it rhymes) Composer from Israel. My first steps in Production Music for the media started when I used to collaborate closely with "Packotec Productions" which is a music production company based in Israel. Our work together included music cues for some of the major titles such as "CSI:Miami" along TV Shows and various productions in and abroad Israel. My agenda toward my music is always search new original ideas and unique sound. My work varied from Orchestral hybrids to Industrial and Electronic elements aiming to achieve state of the art sound. That will fit naturally along Motion picture and video game.
TMN: How and why did you decide to become a professional composer?
Or Chausha: It's actually an old story of me as a teenager when friend introduced me to the possibilities of creating music with computers. Needless to say I got enchanted by it right away; as days went by I've discover the world of soundtracks and movies scores later on then came video games. Most of my inspiration comes from it. Understanding my passion helped me come to the conclusion I want to compose soundtracks professionally.
TMN: Which composers had a significant impact on your musical style? Who is your favorite composer?
Or Chausha: Orchestration wise I would say that John Williams has the most significant impact on my style and inspiration. He is so versatile. Nevertheless my favorite composer is Harry Gregson-Williams who took the modern elements and sound to a whole new level with a great diversity and uniqueness.
TMN: What tools do you use to compose music? Do you play any instrument?
Or Chausha: I Play the Piano. I compose my music mostly with computers. I use Cubase as my main sequencer. In addition I work with the highest quality sample libraries for my Orchestrations. Synthesizing my own sound patches and creating my own percussion loops.
TMN: In your opinion, which instrument or tune should accompany orchestra to boost its sound on a new unique way?
Or Chausha: To my opinion, combining Industrial Cutting edge elements and fresh electronic sounds will boost the Classical Orchestra as we know it to new ways of sound and strength. You recall it nowadays in Video Games and mostly in Trailers. The challenge is to search for your own stamp of color and sound that will divide you from the others. but taking in mind the capabilities of Synthesis and Sound Processing. Sky is the limit.
TMN: What was your most remarkable success in your career so far?
Or Chausha: Professionally wise my most remarkable success so far was getting recognition for my work from some of the major production houses in UK and Hollywood such as"RedCola" and "RedArc" commissioned to collaborate and compose music. Simultaneously working on projects closely with Fantasy Productions from the UK. As well as a lead role in composing the soundtrack for the "Fall Of Nations" Video Game Title by Madiba 127 Studio. Personally the biggest achievement so far is getting kind and warm feedbacks from people outside the Industry. For me it's Cherry on top Ice Cream.
TMN: Who would you mostly work with and why?
Or Chausha: Currently i'm working mostly with Production houses and Video Games Studios. I like the interaction with people involved with Production Houses and Video Games studios Creative and Audio Directors, Music Supervisors. You can learn a lot from these people sometimes they varied depending on the project so its eclectic all the time. It makes the work interesting. Having the opportunity of being involved in major projects that are challenging and ultimately establishing me as a Film, Trailers and Video Games Composer.
TMN: Which is your favorite Videogame or movie score and why?
Or Chausha: This is a tough question there is no Favorite. There are Favorites! A Video Games soundtrack that I really liked is "Dragon Age 2" by Inon Zur. I think Inon did a great job creating a beautiful atmosphere with remarkable Themes. a recent favorite movie score is "Unstoppable" by Harry Gregson-Williams I really like the way he combined Electronic and Industrial elements with Orchestration. Sound wise the mix is very tight everything is open. You can hear the smallest elements. In addition I find that "Bed Time Stories" movie score by Rupert Gregson-Willams, it's a magnificent Orchestration Work.
TMN: As you are currently working in Israel: Can you tell us more about the music industry in Israel? Which are the biggest pitfalls if someone wants to make a living there as a composer?
Or Chausha: The Commercials and Advertisement industry is very developed in Israel from all aspects. nevertheless music wise we have the biggest names composing for commercials in and abroad Israel. I would say that the industry for video games is more established in the US. We have a growing Film industry that starting to take place in the world. with that said we have some of the best musicians in the world from Jazz to Rock to Classic and Avant-garde. In my opinion every person regardless to his location needs to over come the challenges ahead of him. thanks to the internet and communication nowadays things are more flexible. I think the key is determination, persistence and equanimity.
TMN: What are your plans for the future?
Or Chausha: My future plans, currently i'm completing the full soundtrack for "Fall of Nations" video game title from Madiba 127 Studios. Ss well as Trailer music commissioned by some of the major production houses in Hollywood and UK and few project I can't reveal right now. But most important is getting acquainted with the industry, meeting new people such as you, interviewing me :)
TMN: Manu Chao or Lady Gaga?
Or Chausha: ; Lady Gaga
Interview with Sencit Music (Part 1) is here!
Last November I sat down with Mike Zarin and Tony Hajjar of Sencit Music. Here is part 1 of that interview (finally!):
In the interview owner/composer Mike Zarin and composer Tony Hajjar talk about the beginning of Sencit Music, and Mike gives a fun tour of their laid back LA studio. Sencit's music has been featured in many major motion picture ad campaigns, and if you aren't familiar with them, be sure to check out their website at www.sencit.net.
Sencit recently released Tenth Dimension: Vol. 3 featuring live orchestra and choir, as well as Vol. 3.5 which showcased the talents of ace percussionist MB Gordy.
You can follow Sencit Music on Facebook and Twitter.
A huge thank you to Mike, Tony, and Lauren at Sencit. Sorry it's taken so long.
[Part 2 of the Audiomachine interview will be next, followed by part 2 of the Sencit interview.]
Interview with Steven R. Gilmore
Hoy, hoy! It's time to see trailer music world from a different angle and cover a topic we not really talk about here at TMN. I am not alone if I say Two Steps From Hell is not just an outstanding library musically, but visually as well. So we made a short interview with Steven R. Gilmore the designer of the cover arts of Two Steps From Hell's albums.
"I don't consciously set out to make TSFH "stand out", I just try and do the best job that I possibly can."
Interview with Steven R. Gilmore
TMN: We were really taken by the cover art you have created for the Two Steps From Hell albums. Of course this is only one aspect of your output as a designer, as we can see on your website you have participated in constituting the image of very recognizable brands (Coca-cola, Miramax, Twenty Century Fox, etc). Which one of these was the most memorable?
With that being said, what I'm usually most enthusiastic about is the project that I'm working on in the moment. The process of trying new things and learning from my mistakes is something I truly get excited about.
TMN: How did you get involved with Two Steps From Hell?
SRG: I originally got involved with TSFH through Nick Phoenix. We have worked together on his Quantum Leap projects with Doug Rogers at East West Sounds for over a decade now.
TMN: How did you approach creating the visual identity of this music library?
SRG: When I first started working on TSFH I didn't know that they were going to end up having so many releases or that it would evolve into an identity per se. My approach was the same as I would approach any single project, I was inspired by the name and any suggestions that TSFH may have had.
Steven: It varies for each release as the themes are always different but I do keep in mind that this music is mainly going to be used for trailers so I take more of a cinematic approach to the graphics as opposed to a musical one.
TMN: There are many production music libraries; what do you think about the images associated with them? What is the most important part of the image-creation, and how do you make Two Steps From Hell stand out?
SRG: I haven't seen any other production music libraries so I can't comment on those.
What is great about working with TSFH is that for the most part they give me free reign to do what I think is best for the project (unless of course they have a specific idea in mind).
I prefer to work with a few key descriptive words such as dynamic, foreboding, romantic, uplifting or words of that nature. Then I start scouring my brain for ideas that fit those descriptions. I usually start with an obvious idea then I slowly abstract it to a point where I'm happy with it. For instance with "Illumina" my original ideas revolved around the middle ages and stained glass, which you can still see a hint of with the ghosted type in the background. But then my mind starting wandering which got me thinking about light in general, particularly in Tokyo with all the neon and super sized LED screens. But the lights of Tokyo were too garish for the airiness I wanted to portray so I started thinking about Japanese gardens. Eventually I ended up with what you see, a Japanese woman floating in a light luminous atmosphere of flowers and clouds with a hint of the middle ages.
I don't consciously set out to make TSFH "stand out", I just try and do the best job that I possibly can.
TMN: What is the process behind creating a brand identity? What is your method? :)
SRG: As I mentioned before I didn't start out thinking of TSFH as a brand identity or perhaps I would have taken a different approach. But now that they have several releases under their belt and are revered by so many people in the industry it has turned into an identity. I'm just happy knowing that perhaps my packaging has helped them along the way.
TMN: One philosophical question: Where are the borders of branding? Nowadays everything is connected to a brand, and it seems like even a person can sell himself as a brand.
SRG: I don't believe there are any borders in regards to branding. Some people inherently want to stand out and they are going to do it in any way that they possibly can if that is their goal. Whether it is with subtlety or a big bang.
TMN: What is your opinion of Two Steps From Hell's music? Do you like trailer music?
Of course, who doesn't like trailer music? It sets the tone and gets you excited about a movie or product.
TMN: What are your plans for the future?
SRG: To finally get my new website up! Kidding aside, there are so many choices for me right now that I can't answer that question with any kind of certainty. For the time being I'm concentrating on my paintings (which has been sadly neglected over the years) while still working on a few commercial projects. There is a link to a PDF of my personal work on my website along with my commercial work.
SRG: I don't really have a favorite font. I either design a title from scratch or use a type style that I think is appropriate for the job at hand. But there are fonts that I come back to time and again, which are, Trade Gothic, Bell Gothic and DIN (FontShop version) but these are mainly for body copy. And as boring as this may sound, I've been really getting into Helvetica and Times New Roman these days. Perhaps because they don't make a statement which leaves me open to concentrate more on pure visual imagery and not so much on the typography side of things.
audiomachine: the video interview
It's finally here. The interview we've all been waiting for. Last October, I sat down with Paul Dinletir (co-owner and composer), and Kevin Rix (composer) of audiomachine. audiomachine is a music production house for television and motion picture advertising campaigns. It was fantastic meeting them at their beautiful studio, and having the opportunity to ask them a few questions. I will let the interview speak for itself.
It took longer than I anticipated, and considering I did this one on my own, I think it came out quite well. I hope you enjoy it. If you like it, please spread the word about it.
You can watch part 1 above, or on YouTube. For the best sound quality I recommend watching it in HD. Part 2 will go live in February.
Interview conducted, produced, & edited by Michael Morone.
Video interview with Paul Dinletir & Kevin Rix of audiomachine
Last October, I sat down with Paul Dinletir (co-owner and composer), and Kevin Rix (composer) of audiomachine. It was fantastic meeting them at their beautiful studio, and having the opportunity to ask them a few questions.
Interview with Paul Dinletir & Kevin Rix of audiomachine
(Part 1 of 2)
• Part 2 coming soon •
Interview conducted, produced, and edited by Michael Morone.
Interview with Erik Ekholm, of Brickwall Audio!
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Erik Ekholm, composer and owner of Brickwall Audio, was kind enough to do an interview with us. Check it out via the link below, and since Erik visits this site, you might be able to get your own questions answered in the comments! Sorry to put you on the spot there Erik. :)
Michael Morone for TMN: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? How did you get into music?
Erik Ekholm: Oh, start of with the big one right away! :D
I have always, for as long as I can remember, had an interest in music. When I was 13 I got a copy of a truly horrible music program for the PC called "Techno Maker". This was an 8 track sequencer, locked at 180BPM (!) with 128 ready made loops sampled from some God-awful General MIDI device.
For the full interview click here!
Interview with Erik Ekholm
Michael Morone for TMN: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? How did you get into music?
Erik Ekholm: Oh, start of with the big one right away! :D
I have always, for as long as I can remember, had an interest in music. When I was 13 I got a copy of a truly horrible music program for the PC called "Techno Maker". This was an 8 track sequencer, locked at 180BPM (!) with 128 ready made loops sampled from some God-awful General MIDI device.
Basic as this application was, it was amazing at the time for me. I began exploring the possibilities of computer-music, mainly focusing on little techno-trance tracks in the style of mid 90's rave records. Mind you, I was pretty much the only kid on the block into this kind of music, so I spent an awful lot of time in record shops, music stores, and on the internet 1.0 browsing sites like http://www.synthzone.com looking for bits of information and the odd free midi app!
My first real peace of music gear was Propellerheads Reason v2 - an arcane software emulation of two TB-303's, one TR-808 and 1 TR-909. This was like, one of the super high-end of software synthesizers back then. It still sounds pretty good but for anyone starting out in computer music today it would seem to be nothing more than a toy!
I gradually improved my skills, writing techno-trance, house, drum'n bass - all that sort of music I was into (and still am). I remember when I first bought Emagic (now Apple) Logic Audio 5. By today's standards it's a hugely underpowered DAW, but then, for me, it was amazing. It had 48 audio tracks, 16 instrument tracks (VST) and some 30 odd plugins!
My music had progressed into a more mature sound at this time - it was much more melodic trance, house, and I also started to do DJ mixes. I was hangin' around local underground rave clubs, soaking up the ambience's and the feeling of the pumping music and when I got home, I would imagine myself at the DJ booth, blasting my tracks to the crowd! I still do that - I imagine every beat and how it will affect the listener.
In 2007 I had been churning out techno tracks for almost 11 years, and it was at this time I put my skills into action. I went under the alias "Lacuna Origin" - an amalgamation of my favorite artists (Lacuna Coil, Rammstein, Charlie Clouser, Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor, hard synth acts like Combichrist, and of course the huge influence from the sound of Trimada)
The light trance-type sounds had turned into all dark techno music - fast beats, rumbling atmospheres, big breakdowns and build-ups. As Lacuna Origin I managed to release a number of singles on some big record labels such as Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Ministry Of Sound, EMI Music, Blutonium Media and Tunnel Records!
I also did radio shows at this time - 1 hour shows on on-line stations, and a couple of local live gigs. It all climaxed with a performance in Germany in 2008 at a huge festival event with around 25,000 visitors or something crazy like that!
At the start of 2009 I began to explore new ways of expressing myself. For me, techno music had stagnated, becoming an undifferentiated mass of blippy-bloppy noise. This was probably a result of the feared "growing-up" syndrome... I just wasn't into the juvenile hardcore partying like I had used to be. I still loved extremely climactic music though, but I didn't want to be constricted by styles or genres - trailer music fitted perfectly!
Here was this style of music, condensed into 1 or 2 minutes with huge power and an endless buildup! It's like taking the best "hands-in-the-air" part of a really good techno song, making it 10x more intense and I was like...I remember running around my project studio like I crazy - the fast drums, screaming choirs, the orchestra playing like it was no tomorrow.
I fell instantly in love.
I actually had explored soundtracks and trailer type music before that as Lacuna Origin, but taking the step and REALLY listening to it was huge for me!
Now you might think - "But hey, where's the many hard years at music school, the long sleepless nights studying Bach, the teachers whip of the ruler when you missed a note in the piano lessons?"
The truth is - I have only really been composing for close to 2 years. Before that I was mainly focusing on the SOUND of music, the actually building blocks. It wasn't until I really got into composing that I took up learning classical theory.
Music always came naturally and easy for me, so it has been a really rewarding experience studying classical composition. The harmonies, scales, modulations, all that stuff is really great tools once you understand them! As regulars of TMN will know, I try to improve on every song I do - when you hear something new and cool on my youtube it's probably me having learned about a new piece of music theory!
Right now though - I never focus only one one part of the creative processes. I always incorporate everything I did as a techno artist - I focus deeply on the sounds, the mix and I combine that with classical compositional techniques to create my sound. I try to put all my influences into every cue I do!
TMN: What is Brickwall Audio? Where does the name come from?
Erik: Brickwall Audio was originally intended as an online portfolio showcasing my music. I wanted a name that worked internationally, and as a reference to the kind of music I did!
The name "Brickwall Audio" has many layers. The main idea though, is to take the ULTIMATE rock n roll cliché - the brickwall poser photo... You know, some guys with long hair standing against a brick wall trying to look hard. I think it's really funny taking something like that and turning it into something cool!
Also, if you're into sound production, you'll know that in audio processing there's a tool known as a "brick wall limiter". This thing basically takes your signal, puts a lid on the loudest peaks and lets you push up the sound from below, making it as loud and powerful as it can be!
TMN: Why did you choose to set up your own imprint?
Erik: The reason I decided to convert my musical portfolio into a fully blown trailer music company was simply due to the fact that as I launched my website, put up some music and sent some emails to a number of publishers and others in the industry, the response was so HUGE I couldn't believe it - really, here I was, a total no one with a few tracks combining my techno music with some cinematic type stuff, and suddenly I had a full in box every day with people wanting music for this and that project.
I really didn't know how to handle it, so I put a couple of tracks together into an album, slapped on a title, sent it to some publishers and also put it out on iTunes and bandcamp and BWA001 Epic Trailer Impact had seen the light of day!
A little while later I registered Brickwall Audio as a publisher company and now I have publishers distributing my music in close to 24 countries... I'm still gob smacked as to how this happened! :D
TMN: Do you play any instruments, and does that influence your music?
Erik: My main instrument is the piano/keyboard. I wouldn't say I'm a master at it by any means, but it's how I work. I also play guitar, but not to the same extent as the piano.
In my studio I have a number of drums - frame drums, tom-toms, random percussion toys I make myself and stuff like that. I can play them all, but I'm especially good with the frame drums.
I always, always add live instruments to my arrangements - this just take it to a whole other level. When you're working extensively with computers and samples, the human touch can really give things a life of it's own. There's no way around it.
TMN: What drives you to create music? How do you approach a cue?
Erik: This is a tough one. What drives me - I say it's an obsession really. I don't think about why I make music, I just do it. Regarding my approach of a song, it usually starts with a basic idea, often influenced by a movie I seen, a new game, another piece of music I heard - I do things like that to "charge" my creative energy until I feel it's ready to be let out in a new song.
TMN: What tools do you use to create your music?
Erik: I compose, mix and master primarily in Reaper. Reaper is one of those applications that just "clicks" with me. Everything is very logically laid out, extremely customizable, and it's users drive the development so it has all the benefits of the major DAW's out there. You tell the developers what they want, and next week's it's in an update! Amazing stuff really!
In regards to sounds, I'm a Native Instruments fan! Kontakt is the premiere sampling platform out there and most of the tools I work with are in the Kontakt formats.
I go in depth about my actual work flow in my tutorials on the blog: http://erikekholm.com/tutorials
TMN: You also do custom sound design. What role does sound design play in your music?
Erik: It's one of the main parts of my music. As I said earlier, I come from a background where the sounds are the main point, and it's not unusual that I spend half the production time just creating sounds.
For the actual sources, there's nothing quite like recording stuff you may have around - drums, kitchen gear or a field trip to the nearby industrial complex! Anything that goes "bang" is a great starting point for a new sound!
I process my sound with a variety of sources but a little know but hugely useful toy is Paulstretch! This thing can take a sound and through some weird and wonderful FFT algorithm stretch a simple "click" into a pad playing over 200 years!!!
http://hypermammut.sourceforge.net/paulstretch/
TMN: Your use of social media is extensive, and you really try to communicate with your fans. Why do you take this approach?
Erik: Before I set up Brickwall Audio as a publisher company, I studied business economics for 6 months. I had the opportunity to take part of some great lectures regarding the new social currency - engagement. I knew this to be true, since the companies I follow and devote my time to are those who regular come up with new stuff, give away free products and are really cool guys to hang around!
Also, when I started listening to more trailer type music and soundtracks, I always went to Youtube looking for music - I still do that. There I saw this community of people who uploaded their favorite tracks as videos and it was great! I wanted to do the same thing and to this day, one year after the launch my company, I'm absolutely amazed at the response my music has gotten!
I think, that at this time it's around 300,000 views of videos by me and those of friends and fans, with my music. Lol, I didn't even reach 25k on my myspace. Youtube is the number 1 platform for spreading your work, and I tell that to anyone asking how to build a rep.
Most of my current clients have seen one or two videos with my music on YouTube, Facebook or similar so to me social media is a key in "getting it out there".
TMN: Where do you go from here?
Erik: Currently I am working as the lead audio designer / composer in Space Cowboys Studio, on an undisclosed title, a AAA game production for PC and Xbox360.
I am also in the final stages of a new epic album, BWA005, to be released early next year and I'm also writing music for other publishers as well, it's mainly hard hitting trailer music type of stuff and sound design. Besides this, I'm working on two new sample libraries for Kontakt, one which will be released FREE to the public around the time of x-mas. The success of my current sample libraries has been great, so this is a path I really want to continue exploring!
TMN: Do you have any comments for your fans?
Erik: Just one... YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111one
No really, the TMN community, the followers on facebook, youtube and everything - it's super awesome and not one day goes by without me thinking about what new music you guys want to listen to! It's also fantastic the support I get on my public edition albums - they're actually selling better than the big-label times when I was an artist. I can't begin to thank you guys enough!
This last year has been a real pleasure and I'm looking forward super-excited to the coming year! :D
TMN: You rock too Erik! Thanks!
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