#Showoff the visualizer pro

I like to create a lot of sketches, and usually, if a track isn’t clicking in around two hours, it’s just not going to work. Has your approach to sound design changed since exploring sonics for this album? You amassed over a dozen hours of audio when creating the album. I also use a lot of the Echoplex tape delay, the Binson Echorec by Pulsar and Valhalla DSP plug-ins on the drums to mangle them and get strange textures. I used the Juno 106 plug-in a lot, which sounds very similar to the hardware. Moog Minitaur, Roland TR-8 for the drums, particularly the hats, and Pultec EQ on everything – it makes everything sound better. Is there a particular synth or effect that can be heard a lot throughout Beings of Light? But I think that will have to wait until I move out of the bedroom!

For me, it’s the holy grail of synthesis and versatile enough to earn its keep. I would like to get a well-restored early Minimoog. It’s a simple little unit but it sounds great – I’ve always been a fan of that big, juicy Moog low-end. What is your favourite piece of gear and why? I do a lot of audio editing and building songs directly with samples inside the DAW so an environment like Live just makes the most sense for me.

#Showoff the visualizer pro

I have friends whose workflow is 90 per cent tracking and 10 per cent editing so Pro Tools makes sense for them. I also think it depends on what you’re using the DAW for. I’ve been using it since 2005 and I’ve developed such fluency with it now that I’d need an extremely compelling reason to migrate to a different DAW. I use Ableton Live, principally because it’s what I know. To be honest, the older I get and the more experienced I am with making music, I realise that good ideas are what counts and having a great space with all the fancy gear is a luxury and not a necessity. I also have some Grado hi-fi cans that are a dream to listen to but a nightmare to mix on, so they are more of a secondary point of reference. The Neumann headphones are the best I’ve tried for giving you something approaching a flat clear presentation, but it’s not the same as a properly calibrated speaker set up clearly. Realistically, in a domestic location, you have to rely on headphones for 99 per cent of the work, which can be a real challenge. The main downside for me is the monitoring environment. The main advantage is I can work quickly and at any time of day or night – it’s very convenient. Such a small intimate setup comes with its advantages and disadvantages. How has the studio environment allowed your album-writing process to flourish? Do you try to create a specific atmosphere when working in the space?

Generally, these pieces are more freeform and generative in their creation than the more meticulously organised club tracks. This is interesting and has its own challenges but, with an LP, I want to express a broader sound and bring in different points of reference. Club sound systems and audiences have certain demands and expectations about how the music should be mixed. It’s important for me to explore different sides of the electronic process. How does your process for these pieces differ from your dance-focused tracks? There are some interesting changes in pace throughout the tracklist. If I’m comparing a track I’m making to another musician’s, I’ll end up worrying about how the snare drum sounds or that it doesn’t have a strong enough kick drum instead of concentrating on the more important issue of feeling. With pictures, I can get ideas about sound palettes or moods but, as it’s an abstract interpretation, there’s no right or wrong way to do it. I struggle to use other music as a starting point, as there’s always too direct a reference point. I like using images as a starting point for making music. You were heavily inspired by a particular Steven Arnold photograph for this one… Hey Fort Romeau! Congrats on Beings Of Light.