AAA - Ask Autechre Anything - Sean and Rob on WATMM!

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:40 PM, Rob Ae said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:14 PM, Jev said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:00 PM, Sean Ae said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 2:19 AM, limbae said:

how does one mix such complex tracks, so that various sounds don't nullify each other? simple eq?

 

i don't have a snappy sounding answer to this

i know a lot of producers would say something lame like 'turn everything down' or 'mix with your ears' but i can't go there

i read so many stupid posts on gear forums like that, it never actually works like that. every case is different

 

 

So do you mix while composing or you tend to separate it on composition and mixing stages? (Of course I don't mean mixing that is naturally involved in composing while making gradations/climax etc). Sometimes I mix a track even for a few weeks before it is really right - which make me often wonder if it's not a problem somewhere else in the track than in the mix (like bad composition or sound design not really working for the vibe or simply sobering from the enthusiasm for the track etc).

 

for me - something can just click into place after running it for days, then just changing one thing, and suddenly theres a moment of awareness like was just totally meant to be that way and it couldn't tell us.

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:20 PM, olo said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:14 PM, Sean Ae said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 6:56 PM, Ivan Ooze said:

do you like ween? it's 2 crazy musicians making a bunch of awesome tracks

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtovTIii2GU&feature=player_detailpage

 

yeah i fucking love ween

pure guava is in my all time top 10 most days

 

 

Ween is pure class. Went to a show in Pontiac (99'-00'?) where they played for at least 4 hours. Might have been longer. Knocked out some tunes that night.

 

sweet. found setlist.

• 1. Buckingham Green
  2. Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)
  5. Dr. Rock
  8. The Golden Eel
  9. Mutilated Lips
  10. Roses Are Free
  11. Sketches of Winkle
  12. Fat Lenny
  13. Mister, Would You Please Help My Pony?
  14. Voodoo Lady
  15. Back To Basom
  16. Frank
  17. Bananas and Blow
  18. The HIV Song
  19. Piss Up a Rope
  20. Booze Me Up and Get Me High
  21. Baby Bitch
  22. Mister Richard Smoker
  24. Ocean Man
  25. Puerto Rican Power
  26. You Fucked Up
  27. Reggaejunkiejew
  28. Buenos Tardes Amigo
  29. Encore:
  30. Ice Castles
  31. Stroker Ace
  32. Tick
  33. The Blarney Stone
  34. LMLYP
      (Prince cover)
  35. Encore 2:
  36. Hot for Teacher
      (Van Halen cover)
  37. Encore 3:
  38. Purple Rain
      (Prince cover)
  39. 1999
      (Prince cover)
  40. Fluffy
  42. Demon Sweat
  43. (Paul McCartney cover)
  44. Band on the Run
      (Wings cover)
  45. Captain Fantasy
  46. Poopship Destroyer

 

CHRIST!

 

now thats a show

 

actually some guy posted the flac/mp3s for some of it at the link below for anyone interested. God, memories. Thanks internets. The drummer was playing with Jack Daniels bottles by the end of the show.

https://archive.org/details/Ween2000-05-11

  On 11/4/2013 at 6:54 AM, Boxus said:

Could you tell me anything about what you like to do in Jitter? Have you used jit.repos much? Lately I've been trying to do these weird polar coordinate morphs in repos, I like to just set up the math, then get high staring into the webcam playing with settings.

 

Also do you ever draw/manipulate spectral data for visuals? I'm kind of obsessed with spectrograms. Actually the first thing I did when I got the Exai digital release was make a max patch to play the wavs through a spectrogram with some symmetries and stuff. Still one of my favorite ways to listen to the album!

i've never used jitter for spectrograms, might give it a go sometime. i've not used it for a bit, i don't have java se6 on here so i'm locked out for now

i was doing stuff with gl mostly, no video stuff just graphics

  On 11/4/2013 at 5:29 PM, Sean Ae said:

 

but i can see why someone who doesn't really listen to 80s hip hop but listens to scorn might think that

 

which is exactly me, thanks for answering. I think what made me think of Scorn wasn't so much the drums but that really nasty filtered pad sound kind of reminiscent of a Virus synth combined with the 80s hiphop vibes like Mick used a lot back on Plan B and his records in the early 00s

Awep I fucking told you it was 80's hip hop ages ago! You got fucking schooled, son! TIC TAC TOLD! Nice one Sean, gimme some skin brutha

Obel, I think it's only fitting that you now photoshop a speck of mud onto mike p in your avatar. in honor of sean's victory.

sorry if this has already been answered, but what is your opinion on developments in physical modeling synthesis? The Nord in particular has always had a great user library of physical modeling patches, specifically comb filter based string sounds that could be almost used like a squarewave lead and/or delay effect. Have you guys dabbled into the territory where you've created synthetic sounds that could be mistaken for samples like metal plate membranes, etc?
What do you think of the Yamaha Vl series or the original Korg Wavedrum? Have you tried Pianoteq? Do you think Oval's new stuff is actually sampling guitar and manipulating it or do you think it's all physical modeling synth creating those string sounds?
And most importantly do you guys use this type of synthesis often, not at all, plan to use it more? I ask because bringing FM synth into a totally new context has been something very unique to your music.

Do you still use the Yamaha FS-1R at all? How do / did you like to interact with it? Did you program via the front panel or did you have any sort of controller for it that you wrote or were using? Any general comments on it you'd like to add? Any examples in your music of something really bizarre you pulled off with it?

Name my FS1R, Rob pls, Sean pls?

Love you guys. Thanks for doing this.

  On 11/4/2013 at 5:23 PM, MisterE said:

related to your reply to i believe it was awe's question about the NSA to which you said it (spying) was a necessary phase-

 

so in the nearish future when brain implants, chips that allow you to connect your brain directly to your computer are available, will either/both of you say 'damn the torpedoes' (in this case the torpedoes being the american gov and possibly other govs recording every thought you have in a secret facility somewhere, and organizing all the data into various cross-referenced, instantly searchable databases, to be used in who knows what ways), and go ahead and get one so you can control your max patches directly with your brain waves? assuming you don't already. is that what you meant by saying the NSA stuff is part of a necessary phase? that all of this is inevitable, that all of our brains are going to be under direct monitoring by gov/commercial entities but that we have to accept that if we want the cool shit like robot servants that bring us our tea when we think about tea, or being able to compose tracks with our thoughts like raymond scott wanted to do?

they say they put a chip in your brain but once its in there who knows what its doing, it could be a whole bunch of nanobots free ranging around your body

do you like black metal? my mom told me it was krieg but yet years later i still love it and that counts also for autechre

Hi, Rob, Sean, Do you still use eurorack modules? I remember you said you use some doepfer modular in an early interview. Do you have any recommendation/favorite modules?

Thanks!

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:36 PM, Sean Ae said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 6:51 AM, RandySicko said:

-Any involvement with NMB? NWH20 seems like shoutout to Lego Feet track

 

-Also, about the Gescom track "G1" Darrel Fitton shared with the public a few years back (I imagine you guys had to be made aware he was doing that), is there any chance for a similar gesture of goodwill on your end during this ask you anything event or anytime in the near future? *wipes foam away from mouth*

 

Sean, regarding your answer to the question about the resonant structure in question... I remember reading somewhere a long time ago (interview maybe) that the sounds were infact from your rectum - the piece made as a joke or "statement" referencing the sort of rabid fan who would purchase their favorite artist's new album even if it was straight farting for 45 minutes. I won't ask to confirm or deny ...but I think it is hilarious if true.

 

nah that's not it

 

I have to do full disclosure on this one, and I apologize in advance because I mean no offense, but back when I worked in construction and it'd be a brutally long job without a porta-john or other socially-sanctioned urine receptacle around, there would always be some corrugated sheet metal shack set up as a temporary structure, and man, to pee on those things was fucking bliss because the sound was really beautiful and capable of all sorts of textural nuance. I mean, I know I'm pretty weird, but even your typical tough guy construction bloke loved to piss all over those things and serenade the vacant-lot skunks and pigeons with lovely resonant pee sounds.

So uh, were you peeing on something metallic? Or can I if nothing else get validation from someone respectable that peeing on metallic things is ok and normal?

/worst aaa question

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:49 PM, Alcofribas said:

Obel, I think it's only fitting that you now photoshop a speck of mud onto mike p in your avatar. in honor of sean's victory.

It depends on how good his Obel's photoshopping skills are. If he makes the brown the wrong shade it could be misconstrued as scat.

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:55 PM, baph said:

So uh, were you peeing on something metallic? Or can I if nothing else get validation from someone respectable that peeing on metallic things is ok and normal?

 

/worst best aaa question

fixed

Hello lads. Its a pleasure to ask you a couple of questions.

What is the earliest memory of listening to music when it gave you a sheer dose of Goosebumps so overwhelming that still to this day give's you the same feeling?

and will there ever be a Rakim collaboration?

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:55 PM, baph said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:36 PM, Sean Ae said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 6:51 AM, RandySicko said:

-Any involvement with NMB? NWH20 seems like shoutout to Lego Feet track

 

-Also, about the Gescom track "G1" Darrel Fitton shared with the public a few years back (I imagine you guys had to be made aware he was doing that), is there any chance for a similar gesture of goodwill on your end during this ask you anything event or anytime in the near future? *wipes foam away from mouth*

 

Sean, regarding your answer to the question about the resonant structure in question... I remember reading somewhere a long time ago (interview maybe) that the sounds were infact from your rectum - the piece made as a joke or "statement" referencing the sort of rabid fan who would purchase their favorite artist's new album even if it was straight farting for 45 minutes. I won't ask to confirm or deny ...but I think it is hilarious if true.

 

nah that's not it

 

 

 

I have to do full disclosure on this one, and I apologize in advance because I mean no offense, but back when I worked in construction and it'd be a brutally long job without a porta-john or other socially-sanctioned urine receptacle around, there would always be some corrugated sheet metal shack set up as a temporary structure, and man, to pee on those things was fucking bliss because the sound was really beautiful and capable of all sorts of textural nuance. I mean, I know I'm pretty weird, but even your typical tough guy construction bloke loved to piss all over those things and serenade the vacant-lot skunks and pigeons with lovely resonant pee sounds.

 

So uh, were you peeing on something metallic? Or can I if nothing else get validation from someone respectable that peeing on metallic things is ok and normal?

 

/worst aaa question

 

nah we weren't

but i mean, sure m8, it's totally normal

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:57 PM, Schlitze said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:49 PM, Alcofribas said:

Obel, I think it's only fitting that you now photoshop a speck of mud onto mike p in your avatar. in honor of sean's victory.

It depends on how good his Obel's photoshopping skills are. If he makes the brown the wrong shade it could be misconstrued as scat.

 

oh my fucking lol

Is raster-noton interesting to you?

were your latest lps mixed on a desk, or was it all software?

Do you use microphones to record one-shots of some sort?

  On 11/4/2013 at 8:09 PM, oscillik said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:57 PM, Schlitze said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:49 PM, Alcofribas said:

Obel, I think it's only fitting that you now photoshop a speck of mud onto mike p in your avatar. in honor of sean's victory.

It depends on how good his Obel's photoshopping skills are. If he makes the brown the wrong shade it could be misconstrued as scat.

 

oh my fucking lol

perhaps with sean in the background laughing, and a speech bubble saying "I WIN"

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:44 PM, Sean Ae said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 6:54 AM, Boxus said:

Could you tell me anything about what you like to do in Jitter? Have you used jit.repos much? Lately I've been trying to do these weird polar coordinate morphs in repos, I like to just set up the math, then get high staring into the webcam playing with settings.

 

Also do you ever draw/manipulate spectral data for visuals? I'm kind of obsessed with spectrograms. Actually the first thing I did when I got the Exai digital release was make a max patch to play the wavs through a spectrogram with some symmetries and stuff. Still one of my favorite ways to listen to the album!

 

i've never used jitter for spectrograms, might give it a go sometime. i've not used it for a bit, i don't have java se6 on here so i'm locked out for now

i was doing stuff with gl mostly, no video stuff just graphics

 

Cheers! Would love to see you guys bust out some Rutterford-style GL glitchfest one of these days.

ps - uviol is the best track ever <3 sorry just had to say it, kthxbye

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:40 PM, Rob Ae said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:14 PM, Jev said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 7:00 PM, Sean Ae said:

 

  On 11/4/2013 at 2:19 AM, limbae said:

how does one mix such complex tracks, so that various sounds don't nullify each other? simple eq?

 

i don't have a snappy sounding answer to this

i know a lot of producers would say something lame like 'turn everything down' or 'mix with your ears' but i can't go there

i read so many stupid posts on gear forums like that, it never actually works like that. every case is different

 

 

So do you mix while composing or you tend to separate it on composition and mixing stages? (Of course I don't mean mixing that is naturally involved in composing while making gradations/climax etc). Sometimes I mix a track even for a few weeks before it is really right - which make me often wonder if it's not a problem somewhere else in the track than in the mix (like bad composition or sound design not really working for the vibe or simply sobering from the enthusiasm for the track etc).

 

for me - something can just click into place after running it for days, then just changing one thing, and suddenly theres a moment of awareness like was just totally meant to be that way and it couldn't tell us.

Yes, I know what you mean. Just yesterday I was doing this track which I wasn't able to lead somewhere really interesting for days. So, frustrated, I started to connect multiple clones of a sample into numerous delay lines with choruses and dub delays until it was all in ridiculous quantity (my CPU had problems) and it created this amazing colliding "splash" sounds. Liquid but really sharp and defined. So I used it as a kind of a snare and it completely changed the way I perceived the track. Suddenly I had all the inspiration I needed and really moved the track somewhere. It's really comforting to read from somebody of your calibre that we all experience similar things when doing music. It encourages my patience and diligence. Thank for that :-)

were you guys inspired by the production methods of older dub music for Exai? One of the distinct differences between that album and the other before it is the overwhelming use of various delays/flangers/reverbs. A good example is how at one point in Irlite the snare sounds almost like it's entirely made up of some kind of flanger noise from being automated at a quick rate. Also tons of cavernous reverb bursts, which you guys have been doing since Confield arguably, but on Exai there seems to be a distinct focus on some of these classic effects (but not being used in classic contexts always). Things being fed into the effects, especially the delays and then having the delay line suddenly stop (like in the ending of newbound) are techniques i've not heard in earlier autechre.

when i listen to cloudline it's like i'm stuck on an autobahn in da future did you guys plan it to be like this

Thanks to Sean, Rob, and JR for this opportunity!

What inspires you to continue to make music (beyond the practical or fun part of it)? And is there a specific experience (an event, realization, perception) in your life that you could pinpoint as being the initial spark or that smoldering ember that continues to drive you?

Thanks again!