R/D – A DJ With Vision

R/D is a DJ and producer. He recently wrote in to discuss his production methods, artists he would love to remix and almost dying in a plane crash.

R/D is playing the Kanrocksas Music Festival. For more info on R/D, check out http://www.rd-sound.com/

Do you remember your first time DJing?
I’ll never forget it!  I had only been spinning records for 4 months. I ditched every college class for two weeks and practiced all day, every day.  The gig was a day party in a park in Orange County and there were loads of my favorite West Coast DJ’s there.  I was so nervous my hands were shaking and I could barely put the needle on the record, but by the end of it I was getting hi-fives from my heroes. It kick-started everything for me.

Did you start DJing or producing tracks first? When did you first start producing tracks?
I didn’t start producing until a few years later. My buddy had an Akai MPC2000 with a bunch of zip disks loaded with sounds.  He was into 3D visual programming and wasn’t using it, so he dropped the gear off at my house and said ‘I think you need this’.  It took me months, but the first two songs I produced on that setup were later released on Andrea Parker’s UK label ‘Touchin’ Bass.’ I started producing with software shortly after that, but if it wasn’t for my buddy pushing me, I might have never started.

What do you look for in quality beats?
Most of the music I listen to (and love) is vocal based; indie, folk, singer-songwriter stuff, which I guess seems strange since I make electronic music with virtually no vocals.  I’m really inspired by good songwriting, melody and emotion, so the electronic  music I listen to usually has those qualities.

Who are some of your favorite producers and why?
I’ll be completely biased and say my favorite producers are my friends: Deru, edIT, Boreta, Ooah (The Glitch Mob).  We all appreciate a much wider variety of music than just electronic and our influences are similar, so when I hear one of their new tunes, it just clicks.  Not to mention, they’re all incredibly talented.

What is your setup in the studio?
As simple as it gets: just a Macbook Pro running Nuendo, extra monitor, Presonus Firebox and Central Station for I/O control and a pair of Event 20/20 speakers which I’ve had for years.  Everything else is software based.  Ironically though, I’m super into analog modeled plug-ins, so I’m constantly stacking those on every channel for warmth, specifically the Pultec Emulated plug-ins from Softube and Nomad Factory.

How do you approach a remix?
It depends on what I have to start with. If it’s a legit remix and I get stems of the original tune, I’ll pick a stem that inspires me, like the vocals, bassline, hook melody, etc.  Most of the bootleg remixes I’ve done are of vocal tunes that I couldn’t find the original stems for.  With the James Blake Remix, I EQ’d as much of the music out as possible and cut drum hits away from the vocals. Then, I looped the vocal and started writing.  Once I had the main hook underneath the vocal, the rest of the tune (verse, bridge, etc) fell into place.

What artists would you like to remix that you haven’t yet?
The Black Keys are one of my all-time favorites. I would’ve already done a bootleg remix of them but their music is hard to EQ away from the vocals, so I’m hoping for the miracle of a legit remix someday;)  Some others are Jamie Woon, Phantogram, Bon Iver….

How do you approach a DJ set differently than your work in the studio?
Now that I perform live it’s pretty symbiotic.  I write every song with the intention that I’m going to perform it live on keys and pads, and since I’m not a trained keyboardist it forces me to simplify the tunes I write, which has really helped my overall writing process.  The majority of my older music was insanely busy and hard to latch onto…I’m still struggling with keeping it simple, but this new process helps.

What have been some of your craziest moments on the road?
Oh man, they all involve screaming.  1.) Thinking I was going to die in an airplane crash because the jet was falling out of the sky sideways and the cabin crew were screaming.  2.) Playing for thousands of insane, screaming people after Bassnectar in the Nexus dome at Burning Man last year.   3.) Using a megaphone to wrangle a hundred cracked out people to the beach at this year’s Priceless Campout and, with the help of my producer buddy Ill Gates, screaming at them to jump into a giant pile of floaties….which they did, in record numbers.   The rest should go unsaid…..

What are the biggest challenges of touring a lot?
Proper sleep and eating healthy. Also, convincing people I’m dope without a light show…. that’s pretty challenging these days.

What advice would you give to DJs just getting started?
Be passionate to the point of obsession. Be relentless.  Be willing to work your ass off.  Don’t expect anyone to believe in you as much as you believe in yourself. Never stop believing in yourself.  Be patient.  Mix all that with a bit of talent and you’re good to go!