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{ diGitaLia }
digitalia : interview taken by velian staykov a.k.a. deflate
Hello, Digitalia
*bpm : What is ur name, whera are u from, how old are u [u can skip this one ;]
Digitalia : Joseph Byer, Toronto Canada, 23 (24 in april)
*bpm : What are ur music influences , like what u used to listen when u was a teeny?
Digitalia : In high school i went from hardcore metal/thrash type stuff and progressed thru the darker side of industrial music. NIN's "The Downward Spiral" did for me in high school what Faith No More's "The Real Thing" did a few years before. and eventually i was into the likes of Korn and Deftones. Basically, i listened to alot of stuff that had very real, organic sounds mixed with synthetic elements, and a constant interest in classical music, too.
*bpm : How did u started in the music scene, making musing, working with sound?
Digitalia : Got a guitar and 4-track in high school. If i go back far enough, i site everytime i played with a toy keyboard as early experiences with music. In fact, i remember fooling around with my great-grandma's organ alot when i was little. Took recorder lessons in grade school, i guess that counts too. But my first sense of experimentation came from messing with one of those toy keyboard sampler things, i believe the one i had my hands on was a Concertmate. So i had alot of fun with that, laying down stuff on the 4-track and eventually started collecting gear. And today i use a computer...
*bpm : Artist hate this question...but if should define/describe ur style... what would it be?
Digitalia : Dark electrambiendustrial drum'n'break core/sound - yes i made that genre up myself.
*bpm : What computer platform do u use... for creating muzix ?
Digitalia : Windows 98se on an Athlon 700.
*bpm : What software do u use ?
Digitalia : Mostly Cakewalk and Soundforge and a handful of pluggins.
*bpm : What hardware do u use ?
Digitalia : Technics WSA1r physical modelling synth, Roland S 550 sampler, Korg MS 2000 synth, Roland S 10 sampler (as a MIDI keyboard only nowadays), Alesis Quadraverb effects processor, and the Buchla Modular at my school when i get into the soundlab there...
*bpm : Do u think that nowadays.. audio software is good enough to replace hardware for some things?
Digitalia : I think for some reasons, like affordability and lack of space for gear, software is very handy. But i don't see it totally replacing hardware. What it comes down to is : do you think most people would pay to see a concert where guys are just playing computers? In theory, yes, hardware synths can be replaced with software synths on really fast computers, but most people still want to see some one play a keyboard rather than a computer. I find software most handy for sequencing, mixing, finicky wave editting and some effects processing. And nothing beats being able to see the waveform in a track and how it lines up with other sounds - i really dont miss the 4-track much (well, i still have it...)
*bpm : Lets talk now about the music. On what project u have taken part or u take now part.
Digitalia :
diGitaLia : http://www.mp3.com/011001
: instrumental industrial/ambient/electronica
v01d : http://www.mp3.com/v01d
: industrial/hardcore electro cyberpunk
pseudosonix : http://www.mp3.com/pseudosonix
: experimental electroacoustic sonic art
*bpm : How do u act with ur own music performance. Are u djing, or are
u performing live?
Digitalia : Most of my stuff is studio based, but i have attempted to do some live tweakings with a Roland MC 500 running the show. But for now, im concentration on getting good studio mixes together.
*bpm : What do u think about DJz, who play only 2 cdz, or 2 vinils ?
Digitalia : This is a touchy issue. The problem people have with DJs is they don't think that they are musicians - and they arent. They are artists. Ok, there are some DJs that do actually make music, but those who just mix records have a special skill as well. It takes a good deal of creativity to craft a mix that ebbs and flows with the mood of the crowd. And musicians, of electronic genres anyway, owe DJs some gratitude for getting the music out there. But one thing to remember is that music would exist without the DJs, but DJs would not exist without the music. So i have alot of respect for DJs that do what they do, and do it well, but some need to be reminded that what they do isnt the be-all end-all of the music scene.
*bpm : Tell me some of ur favourite artists nowadays. What are u musical favourites now.
Digitalia : right now, i am listening to alot of other artists on mp3.com. ive always liked the DiY approach to music, granted there is alot of crap out there, tho... but i am listening to some DJ Shadow, Panacea, Talvin Singh, Meat Beat Manifesto, Architect. and if i turn on the radio, it's usually tuned to a jazz station. that's all i can think of right now, really been listening to alot of amatuer artists.
*bpm : Digitalia, 10x for the interview
Digitalia : anytime! ps : my homesite is http://www.dcn.ryerson.ca/~sgoetz/digitalia
peace
2000-02-10