Scene Zine Monthly for June 16th, 2003 [Issue #3]
Special Edition: Interview Month

Published By Scene Rep

The Monthly Ramble
By Patrick Groove

This month has very much been about challenges. Deadlines aren't always met and our greatest hopes are not always fulfilled. Those who have the strength to bear the burden carry on and the rest will follow. Sounds a tad bit biblical doesn't it?

I would like to thank Christofori for all his hard work for the last month. He published Scene Zine last month while I was drugged up from wisdom teeth removal. Also he has proven himself to be extremely dedicated to this project and to you, our reader. This month I dedicate this issue to you Chris. Cheers buddy. This one's on the house.

Also we should salute Infey for his contributions. Scene Rep has been involved in project work for the last month and soon we're going to roll out how involved we are in your community. Infey has become an amazing team player in helping us get the ball rolling.

Furthermore thanks to Network19 for finding solutions during crisis. You are the unsung and I bet you like it that way.

I'm very pleased and proud of my team, and my friends.

Back To Contents

Becoming A Professional Musician
By Vincent Fugère

As many scener's start their ramblings, i'll start mine with a quick nostalgic retrospection. I remember back in 1997 when i first logged on to a local BBS and found ''modules'' and a program called Cubic Player. Since that day, with each year that has passed, i have been more and more involved within the scene musically. The music I made fueled the ambition to one day live professionally of music. As i am sure i am not the only one with this ambition. You probably even want to follow in the footsteps of Bjorn Lynne, Necros, Distance, Virt or Esem to name a few. Here are a few steps to help you out in the process of joining the big leagues. Keep in mind this is an article based on advice. You may want or try to achieve what you will in any manner you want.

Step 1 : Are You Good Enough?

A great advantage we have in the scene is we can get feedback. Whether it be on the numerous review sites such as the Sounding Board or CTG, there is a large number of such sites who do just that, dismantle your track in every possible way and criticize it. Whether or not a reviewer is suited to actually give pointers is for you to decide. Another good advice is to try and release tracks with the high profile mp3 labels out there such as mono, kahvi, enough records, language labs, so on and so forth. Choose a net label that fits your style rather than trying to fit their style. It is not an easy task to release on these labels, so evaluate their response wisely, because the good labels filter the same way as the real life labels. ''...membership acceptations and invitations were always based on the capacity of the aspiring member of adding to the soul and variety of the group. not only do we desire talented, inspired people; we also want those people to be interesting, spiritual, sincere and basically different enough...'' says mv, boss man of Hellven which is one of the most popular scene groups of the last few years. One thing you can always do, but with caution, is submit your music to mp3.com, iuma.com, electronicscene and other online mp3 archives. It might be hard for you to be known sometimes because of style, but keep on searching, working hard and submitting, you'll end up somewhere where you will be accepted. Once you have successfully reached scene stardom with high reviews and tracks released on your favorite mp3 labels, it is time to go to step 2.

Step 2 : Research

”I really like releasing on net labels, and i will continue doing that but it's different when you hold a disc and you can say ”hey, i made this!”, says secede who has released on net labels such as Kahvi and Mono and has some professional work on Merck. ''So you've proven yourself to the internet scene. You think you're ready to cross the bridge. What should you do now? First of all ask yourself, ”what and how?”. Do some research and find out about your predecessors and how they got where they are. Ask yourself what you really want to do ; film scoring, records or game music for example. Start by making a demo and distribute it freely in your neighborhood, ask for feedback, play your cd at parties, annoy people with it. The internet scene is filled with people who make music, so once in a while its good to get some feedback from people who have no musical theory knowledge, because they will base their criticism on what they know, and that's strictly just the music. Try to contact local DJ’s and clubs. Try and find if there is a local scene, try and participate in local theaters, dance troupes, so on and so forth. As hard as it can be, try to become a household name in your neighborhood.

Step 3 : Send Out The Demos

You have some backing, you released on high profile net labels, the coolest Dj of your respective style is playing your music. You're now ready to jump the fence. First make a demo. You can decide to put your older tracks on there or to start a brand new album or ''concept''. If you want to be a game musician, make the soundtrack to an hypothetical game for example. In my opinion, you'll have to astonish the label. You're probably not the only one to send a demo, and if you're aiming for a big record company, you're probably one in a big pile. Find the means to have a nice cover and have that professional sound that'll distinguish you from the rest. Start by trying out the smaller labels and the local ones. Send away the demos, sit back and wait. And hope. Sometimes the selection can be completely out of luck, sometimes there's a real filtering process involved but you'll never truly know. I was playing my CD to a DJ at a record store and a record company rep passed by, grabbed my cd and I was called two days later.

Note that you can jump any of these processes. One thing is sure you'll need hard work to get by and need patience. Start by knowing that its an overly saturated business, with tons and tons of artists out there. Its a hard world with many many people who won't necessarily care about you. But that's a hole other issue on the pertinence of many different record labels.

”Hearing my track on a 12" and comparing it to the other 5 tracks on was a depressing experience, but i've found out that this happens every single time, it doesn't matter which track i do, it never holds its own when compared to the other tracks. so even if i would've personally wanted to wait at least 5 years before sending out a demo, this jumpstart from deFocus was a good thing.”, says lackluster a.k.a. distance about what he says is a rather premature recording career.”I've encountered people who enjoyed the music, so it doesn't matter what i produced it with, or when, or how sloppily, people still get vibes from the stuff so it was definitely worth it''

Here a few words of advice from some artists that crossed over to the professional world.

Distance: It seems to be very hard to find places that accept demos and actually listen to them. there are a lot of talented people out there who could easily fit on big labels, and sweep the floor on their current artists, yet these labels are either only interested in putting out records by their buddies/friends, or they just plain don't want to give anyone the time of day. New fledgling labels are more liable to listen to your demo. There's too much music on offer, and too many good unsigned artists languishing just because label bosses just don't bother listening to. There just isn't any helpful advice, unfortunately. Labels are going down from pressing 500 copies to 300, from 1000 to 500. its becoming harder to sell anything it seems. there's a market, but that market seems to be for big labels, not small fledglings

Secede: Ask fellow scenesters to hook em up. If your work is good, getting signed shouldn't be too hard and, oh yeah, don't be too picky.

Back To Contents

Interview With Virt
By Vincent Fugère

Virt is probably one of the most noticed and talented artists the scene has ever met. He's been producing Gameboy Color™ and Gameboy Advance™ for a few years now and has worked on such games as Disney's Atlantis™ and Master series tennis available on GBC and PS2.

Vincent Fugère: What made you go pro?

Virt: If I do not have a source of creative output in front of me constantly, I get extremely irritable. 40 hours a week away from my studio makes me incredibly upset, and I quickly burn out on any mundane day job, finding excuses to stay home and compose -- and eventually quitting. I lack a college education or much experience in any other field, so if I hope to make a substantial living, I have to face the odds in this field. Kind of pathetic, really, I live as more of an idiot-savant than a responsible adult. I can, however, make a MEAN lasagna.

Vincent Fugère: How did you do it?

Virt: My friend Chris introduced me to his friend Paul, who had contacts at game companies. My other friend Dan, who also had contacts at game companies, asked me to work with him. Through both partnerships, I got single low-paying game jobs, and the successful completion of each led to more lucrative jobs and more contacts. Recently we have been in discussions with an agent who can find work for us. It is still not nearly steady enough income to pay my bills by itself, and my biggest concern in life is that it won't progress any further. Of course, I'm continually proven wrong, but I still worry about being "just a kid". I don't doubt my musical abilities, I doubt my ability to market them into a career, especially considering that music is an afterthought for most game development teams.

Vincent Fugère: How have you been received?

Virt: It's neat to send an e-mail to someone you've always admired, and find out that he's heard your work and likes it. There are lots of little ego perks and moments of disbelief, and it's of the utmost importance to take successes in stride and not let your head inflate, because overconfidence will stop your musical development cold. All that really matters is what potential clients think of you, and that's been pretty good for me so far. Having a strong demo (and I don't mean 9,125 RPG battle themes on a CDR, I mean a real demo demonstrating your versatility) helps when approaching new clients. In the end it's really all about networking, like any field in entertainment, which I'm sure everyone reading this has heard a million times. It's true. It's frustrating, too.

Vincent Fugère: Short retrospective on then and now?

Virt: Then I lived in my dad's house, was depressed and occasionally suicidal, did lots of drugs, and made lots of music. Now I live with an adorable girl, am extremely confident and happy, don't do drugs, and make lots of music.

My increased happiness is not because I've got commercial games released. It's because I am growing up and gaining perspective and getting tail on a regular basis. I was a stupid teenager. I'm a slightly less stupid twenty-something.

Vincent Fugère: Advice to aspiring game musicians?

Virt: Go to law school. If you're absolutely certain that you can do NOTHING else except game music, DO NOT expect to be Nobuo Uematsu 2.0, and DO NOT think freeware projects count on your resume. The same rules apply to game music as any other form of commercial composition like jingles or tv scoring. You absolutely must talk to anyone and everyone you can, and you certainly shouldn't expect to make a steady living for your first few years, maybe even your first decade. There are a lot of people who are more experienced than you who will out-bid you, out-finesse you, and out-compose you.

Don't think it's glorious and fun and filled with happy dancing cacti and magic butterfly pendants just because it is for your Japanese idols and C64 legend heroes. They were in the right place at the right time, and rode a phenomenon to success. Don't count on that happening to you, just keep plugging away and writing email until you land something. It's just like any other freelancing trade, and it really fucking sucks for beginners.

Also. Unsolicited demos get thrown out. Don't waste your time. Send them when asked.

Visit Virt's Website

Back To Contents

From Design to Function
By Patrick Groove

I have a hunch that if you asked every scener what kind of web page they would build you would receive anything from personal homepages to community centrals. While our hobby might be recognized by thousands, only a select few are actively building infrastructure to support it. I don’t have a problem with that. However I do have a problem with the dreamers who search out success with half an idea and no real plan. As a new media student I hope to shed some light on the web development thinking process by which you may gain practicality. Let us begin.

As I progress through my day I always think, daydream, and sometimes plain old scheme. It is important for any developer who is going to build the next best web site or the greatest newest application to spend at least a week brainstorming, calculating, and deciding on the details. Some of us have the privilege of having groups or teams while some of us are solitary in our pursuits. My preference leans more towards the team atmosphere as I decided long ago the community is really about all of us pitching in. In the business world focus groups can be expensive and outright impractical, but in our culture of demo savvy and music learned we can afford the input often at the price tag of zero dollars, euros, pounds, or whatever currency you hail from. Organizing your team is relatively easy. You can meet on IRC, send out carbon copied emails, setup a site particular to the project which can tally feed back, and even pick up the phone and call those who add value.

The questions you should ask are often harder to come up with than the answers. Trust me brother, the answer is in the details. Upon opening any project I ask who our audience is. You may have a similar experience if you’ve ever been in sales where you must evaluate the customer’s needs, make your suggestions based on those needs, then ultimately find a product that fits their needs. Your project must in the same fashion fit the needs of your target audience. For instance let us take Scene Rep. We began its development as a focus group we tried to envision our users. As most of us have come from the music side it was difficult to envision the entirety of the project. However as the week progressed and we explored the demoscene’s likes and dislikes it became clear that without the demo culture this project would not be worth while. What then came out of that is, “what do demoscener’s want from us”?

Once you have your question you must answer it. It is extremely important that you answer all the questions that you come up with during your evaluation of the master plan and leave none behind. You might have heard the stock answer that there are no stupid questions. It is true as well in this case. Here are some more questions you might want to ask:

• How often do we want our visitor to come back?
• What is the purpose of the site?
• Will the visitor want something more than you are providing?
• Are you providing too little?
• Are you providing too much?
• How many staff are you going to need to run this?
• Are you going to be able to complete this project?
• When is the deadline for the project?
• How is the user going to communicate with you?
• How are you going to communicate with the user?

Another question I try to ask is, “are there other sites out there like ours”? This is particularly important because if there are already half a dozen compo or news sites which are much like yours then you probably should rethink your strategy or come up with a quirk that makes you different. Let’s take No Error and Traxer for example. Can you point out what’s the same and what is different? Who uses them? Are they both easy to use? After some practice in picking out what makes a site unique from another it can become as easy as picking the difference between Pepsi and Coca-Cola.

Once you have these ideas sorted, you know that your project will be different enough, and people will use it, you now need to brand it. Hopefully in your brainstorming session the main ideas for this step will have come out. Are you rebellious? Are you good towards all? Are you corporate? Are you decentralized? Are you mysterious? Or are you perhaps bright and shiny? You will interpret your intent through logo development, color, and texture. The Hungary demoscene site for instance is cool and hot toned in color however the majority is cool toned. The artistic merit is in the street savvy approach of graffiti. The intent is obvious because it’s clearly a central site for Hungarian demoscener’s. You could look at it further and say what could be changed in order to serve its purpose better or take away something from it for your own site.

Take away something? Well yes of course. Welcome to the magical and amazing world of inspiration. Let’s face it. If you lack any inspiration for how it will look then you’re not going to reach any objectives. Take out your CD’s that remind you of why you want to do this project, look at lots of art, and try to build something organic and non-stale. Most importantly at this point don’t forget your team. I recommend that you either know or have someone on your team who knows the following software and web languages:

• Photoshop
• Dreamweaver or FrontPage (God forbid)
• HTML/CSS
• PHP

If you’re great at Photoshop but don’t know anything HTML then you’ll need a web developer. Or if you’re great as a web developer you’ll need a graphic “go to”. As you can see teams are very important. I imagine if you’ve ever been in a demo group you’ll see the similarities. Oh, and always get someone to head up your public relations. That’s a job for the literate and well spoken. If your project can’t speak then it won’t be heard.

Finally we’re at the point of no return. Make a logo and run it past your team. If they yawn then you need to rethink. The logo should be a reflection of you whether minimal or sizzle. If you find that in your design you are trying to hide your logo don’t ignore it. Say hello to 2 AM every morning and every weekend for as long as it takes to perfect the design. If something itches scratch it until it doesn’t itch anymore. Then when it’s finally done, you and your team love it, and it’s ready for the virtual market, set it free and let it be for at least a month.

After that brief pat on the back and the gazillion visitors that visit you in the first week (go ahead, keep dreaming) you’ll need to re-evaluate your project. Have you met your objectives? Does the design hold up? Could something be done better? Yes, troubleshooting will take on a new meaning. It’s never done until you don’t want to do it anymore.

Have fun and give me a yell if you have any questions past this crash course!

Back To Contents

When Did "Good" Become An Insult?
By Novus

Once upon a time (okay, the year 2000) I decided it was time for me to once again become more involved in the tracking scene. I had experience as a reviewer and a standing invitation to review for one of the major archive sites, so I accepted the offer, rolled up my sleeves, and got to work. Early on, I played a song from my assigned list and decided it was fairly good, certainly above average, but was missing that certain spark that would truly make it worth keeping. On this site's reviewing scale, 7 meant "Good, but missing what it needs to be enjoyed," which seemed to fit. I wrote my review, tapped in a 7, and moved on. No big deal, right?

The next day, my e-mail box contained a response from the recipient of my 7, and he was livid. He took my rating as the gravest and most personal insult imaginable, questions my credentials as a reviewer, trumpeted his own 1337 tracking skills, and was overall just plain unpleasant. He was certain that he stood at the pinnacle of the tracking scene, and a mere 7 was unacceptable.

I was tempted to amend my rating to a 2 to see if I could trigger a thermonuclear reaction in his brain, purely in the interests of science of course. Instead, I pulled up his artist page on the archive and saw song after song with 9s and 10s from other reviewers. My 7 was the only exception. I sampled a few songs; not bad, actually, but far from perfect. It was hard to imagine any legitimate reviewer who would truly believe these songs were utterly flawless. I wrote it off as an isolated incident and soldiered on, but quickly discovered he was not the exception: he was very nearly the rule. Time after time, I passed out 6s and 7s to songs of similar quality, and watched the recipients throw hissy fits. And without fail, a quick check of their artist page showed a roster of mediocre songs with 9s and 10s from other reviewers.

These artists had long ago grown accustomed to that particular archive's untrained, inexperienced reviewers who rewarded mediocrity with perfect scores. It was not at all uncommon for a reviewer to point out several flaws in a song and yet give it a perfect-10 anyway. The official rating scale for this archive listed 5 as meaning "average.", yet the reviewers seemed to follow their own scale, giving 10s to anything they LIKED, which left them no room to differentiate a song they LOVED except to give it the same 10. Songs that were okay got an 8, and songs they didn't like at all have a 7. It was no wonder that so many people took my 7s as insults; coming from any other reviewer, a 7 WOULD be an insult. They had no way of knowing that a 7 from ME was meant to be a mild compliment. As a result, this archive took a sizable crop of moderately-skilled trackers with high potential but room for improvement, and morphed them into a bunch of egomaniacs with Necros -complexes, stewing in their own mediocrity. And it wasn't entirely the artists' fault; if reviewer after reviewer said that you were at the top of your game, wouldn't you start to believe it too?

Sadly, this situation has become epidemic in the tracking scene. Most archives that offer reviews use a 0-10 or 0-100 rating scale where either 5 or 50 means "average." And yet when you total up the actual average score given by the reviewing staffs of these archives, the average ends up way above 5. I recently found one archive's average was close to 8! I once angrily mentioned this problem on the message boards of another archive. Several reviewers retorted that their higher average wasn't their fault, because many artists who got lower ratings were using an option that allowed them to hide ratings on their songs from public view. Of course, that ignored the question of the poor quality of the still-visible reviews. But what kind of madness is this anyway? When a movie gets a 1-star rating from a newspaper reviewer, does the star of that movie get to run around with a pair of scissors, cutting out the offending review from all copies of the newspaper before allowing it to be sold?

If your archive offers reviews, you need to decide whether or not you're going to trust your reviewers to do their job. If you don't trust them, you shouldn't have reviewers to begin with. And if you do trust them, you shouldn't give some spoiled brat with an inflated musical ego the power to single-handedly veto a valid review. If the aggrieved artist can't face the reality of how bad their music is, that's their problem, not yours. And in true cases of reviewer abuse, simply deleting one bad review is hardly a solution anyway. If he's writing abusive reviews, you need to fire him. Now.

The cause of this problem actually stares you in the face on the index page of one archive, which brags about how many dozens of reviews were written that month. Every archive out there sets one of their goals as reviewing as many songs as possible, as quickly as possible. But the only way to keep up with the tsunami of incoming songs is to throw as many reviewers as you can into it. And with a large staff churning out tons of reviews, policing the quality of those reviews becomes impossible.

In short, quality is sacrificed on the altar of quantity.

Add to this the fact that we are a scene of musical amateurs. This is fact, not insult, and a painful truth is no less truthful. Face it: 99% of you who are reading my words right now will never be anything more than musical hobbyists. Only a handful of scener's have been hired even just as video game musicians for reputable companies, and only Bjorn "Dr. Awesome" Lynne has garnered even modest success as a professional recording artist. Among the rest of us, precious few have any formal musical education, and fewer still have decent skill at the written word. Yet among this rag-tag bunch of musical amateurs, archive webmasters cast a huge net, draw in as many of these amateurs as possible, dub them as "reviewers," and unleash them with little training and no oversight on an unsuspecting scene.

The phrase "the blind leading the blind" comes to mind.

Even worse, the existing system tends to chase away those very people who would actually make ideal reviewers. If you were a skilled, experienced reviewer, and you realized that the reviews of a total rookie who gives 10s to mediocre tunes carried just as much weight as your reviews, why would you even bother to keep reviewing? What we have now is almost Orwellian. War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Good is perfect. Bad is average. Perfect and near-perfect scores from archive reviewers have become meaningless. And more and more trackers are deluded by these inflated reviews into believing they're better than they truly are, and stop growing as musicians because they truly believe they no longer need to. Given the harm caused by this shoddy reviewing climate, I truly believe it's time for the archives to completely trash their reviewing systems. Completely. Erase every score. Fire every reviewer. Totally clean house. Having NO reviewing structure in the scene seems better to me than having a system that slowly turns us all into deluded, spoiled brats. Let the archives focus on what they do best: providing space and publicity for trackers who can't get them on their own. Let others fill the vacuum left by the annihilation of the archives' reviewing systems. People will step forward with fresh approaches and new ideas for how to evaluate tracker music. And by competing with each other, the best systems will be perfected and will rise to the top.

The tracking scene is full of innovative minds, and somebody out there can certainly come up with something better than what we have now. All we have to do is give them the chance to.

Back To Contents

Interview with Spoz
By Network19

Network19: The infamous Spoz who is well known for playing live gigs around his local city of Adelaide gives us some words of wisdom. Can you first tell us a bit about yourself (name, age, location)?

Spoz: Graham Reynolds.. aka "Spoz (The Electronic Idiot)”, age of 27, human (although. that is currently under investigation), Male (yup, just checked to make sure.. and whoaaa.. is IT cold today..). I live in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. population - 1 million, 1 square mile urban hub, surrounded by endless miles of sprawling suburbs - they officially call it the "city of churches", but it's more notorious as the "city of unsolved murders" it's got a quirky and ecclectic local electronic music scene.. plus a ridiculously overpopulated indie rock scene.. everyone's either (a) in a band (b) knows someone in a band.. real hard to get gigs here with venues disappearing at an increasing rate.. but everyone sort of knows everyone else here.. so, there's a definite family vibe to the scene.. all the electronic acts know the bands, all the bands know the mixers, the promoters, the venues, the radio DJ's.. etc..

Network19: How did you first get involved with tracking and writing music?

Spoz: I wasn't born into it.. that's for sure. Been an artist most my life ever since I could hold a crayon.. as an illustrator / cartoonist.. went to University on the strength of that and got myself a Visual Arts degree.. but, I wuz gettin' bored with it.. looking for a different direction.. so, been a fan of music all me life.. I soon latched onto these funny little "MODS" this friend of the family sent me on floppy discs.. downloaded thru his oldskool BBS (this was around '94 - '96). I never considered myself able to write music.. always thought it wuz too far out of reach.. too expensive.. but, as soon as I discovered that not only could I download and PLAY multitracked electronic music on me computer (this was in the days before MP3).. I could also WRITE it, (even if I wuz a clueless newbie).. I wuz hooked.. never been trained IN music, but always had an ear for it.. so I just took my instincts and lifetime experience as a visual artist.. to guide my way..

Network19: What software/hardware do you use to write your music?

Spoz: It's just a regular dust bucket of a computer with a crud load of software - an obsolete P2 400mHZ, 128meg RAM, Win98 (so it can DOS).. 2 sound cards - SB Live! and a SB16 (which I still use, so I can run Fast Tracker 2, my main sequencing software), crusty 'ol PC speakers, a 1/2 way decent pair of headphones and a PC mic.. I create / sample all my sounds using - REASON, REBIRTH, SIM SYNTH, SOUNDFORUM SYNTH, SOUNDFORGE + a few tricks of my own.. using a combination of microphone feedback and custom SBLive! environmental audio effects.. I don't have any hardware - no drum machines, samplers, synths, groove boxes or effects units.. only wot's found in the PC.. or, wot'ever the MC can blast out've his lungs.. it ain't cutting edge, it ain't rocket science.. but, it gets the job done in a kinda renegade grassroots / DIY / improv kinda way.. which I find really cool.. using homegrown methods to make sounds you'd think only an expensive pro setup could achieve..

Network19: What are the main styles/genres of music you write?

Spoz: We like to think that it's music for ya head.. as well as your feet.. part blind instinct, and part calculated intent.. All types of funkin' phat beats n bass.. all chopped up and mixed together in a evil yet comically sarcastic blend - drum n bass, industrial, electro, breakbeat, acid, triphop / hiphop - using it all to make something deeper than ya average funk jam.. tappin' into multiples levels of the mind.. we also regularly drop vocals into the mix - mostly hiphop freestylers, courtesy of MC Copie One (he's the ultimate chameleon for coming up with mad rhymes to any beat / rhythm / vibe) I like to pull tricks on him with different styles tho'.. just fer laughs, see if he can take 'em on.. and he knocks 'em dead everytime.. so, even tho' it sounds like we might have 5 or 6 different vocalists a lot of the time, it's just him.. soon we're also hoping to bring in a female vocalist into the mix just to bring in some more variance to the flavor. we never like to be stuck with the same stuff all the time.. dont wanna be our own cliches.. keep it fresh, keep the audience guessing.. as long as the beat is deep and the bass is rollin' we'll do it eventually.

Network19: Your very well known for playing many live sets, what setup do you use and how do you go about performing live?

Spoz: Since I write all the music on my PC, the live setup is real mini mal.. just a laptop, me, the MC.. and his microphone.. The laptop itself is only running Madtracker 2 + a live setlist of our songs.. to play the songs live (they're all mixed realtime in the gig) I reduce them all to a single looping pattern with 20 or so channels filled with all the instrument loops.. each of them with various realtime trigger filter variances I can work in.. and 2 free channels I can use for triggering notes live - so, to make my live mix I have all channels muted.. then just bring instrument loops in / out of the mix by unmute / mute for each channel.. tweakin' filter variances and triggering some vocal samples or simple melodies realtime.. We look kinda funny on stage.. we're much more random / chaotic and energetic compared to the average DJ set.. but, much more minimalistic than a 4 piece rock band.. so, we run between those extremes.. the MC really brings the energy.. really gets the crowds jumpin'.. and considering it's all mixed live.. there's that element of danger, that keeps the adrenaline buzzin'.. we do get worried occassionally that it's just 2 of us on stage.. so in future, we'd like to add more live elements.. a singer, a guitarist maybe.. really get a full-on random jamming funk explosion / fusion thing going on.

Network19: What do you think the best thing about the online music community is?

Spoz: The fact that it really FEELS like a community.. on a daily basis you're comparing notes and ideas with musicians from all over the world.. freeflowing trade of ideas / vibes / collaborations.. you meet all these cool dudes who inspire ya.. people are inspired by your music and send you remixes back.. I still get a buzz out've all the places out there that've listened to music I've wooped up just on this little 'ol computer stuck in me bedroom.. the fan mail I get really cracks me up laughing sometimes.. especially those wacky russians (they really LOVE their music). The online music community is our audience, our peers, our inspiration, our hunting ground for new tools to create and shape our music.. so, it's vital to our energy flow.. that freeflow of creativity..

Network19: What do you think the worst thing about the online music community is?

Spoz: The elitism - the great thing about the online music scene is it closes the gap between the artists and their audience, that freeform communication from your mind to their mind using the medium of ears and electricity is wot it's all about.. so when you come across people who hold themselves above all else just because they use the latest cutting edge software, hardware, they snub you because their post production mastering is more complex and superior to yours, elitists obssessing over how many channels they're running, how many VST effects they can run in a chain, this whole philosophy of technique over substance.. is just a load of utter bollocks.. music IS community, music is communication.. it's not an arms race or a contest in mathematically precise logical imperialism.. if you can use WOT'EVER you've got to make something that communicates over all levels / all barriers.. then that gains my respect above all else.. I don't care if you're running a C64 with a bucket bong and a hamster or a ILM supercomputer mixing AI beast with a ProTools setup.. just make something that SPEAKS to me.. and leave ya EGO at the door dammit!

Network19: Who are your favourite scene and commercial artists?

Spoz: Haven't really been tapped too much into listening to sceners lately.. not for the last few years since everyone shifted over to MP3 / OGG releases.. but I have noticed some cool stuff out there, Vowthorn's latest EP "deculture" is a brilliantly subtle and minimal mood piece.. so sparse, yet so deep.. so I'd highly recommend everyone pick that one up (it's a guest release). While you're on that site.. worth checkin' out BotB's releases (he does really full throttle Atari Teenage Riot / Asian Dub Foundation stuff.. but sometimes more freerange and chaotic expressive) and Meekins (really cool stuffed animal quirky music..) Also check out the experimental scene site Vowthorn runs - I-ON, he gets submissions from around the world, really bizarre stuff.. a real inspiration. As for commercial artists - latest stuff I've been buzzing on - DJ Krush, Mos Def + Talib Kweli (rare hiphop.. worth hunting up), Alec Empire, Deftones, The Roots, Red Snapper, Jurassic 5.. and this new Crystal Method DJ Mix I picked up -"Community Service" (released 2002)..

Network19: What other interests do you have other than tracking and writing music?

Spoz: I catch a LOT of live music on the weekends.. as stated above, a lot of my friends are in rock bands or electronic acts.. and play regular gigs.. also a big fan of those really warped sci-fi kinda intellectual mindfuck kinda films.. that bend ya notion of reality.. just off the top of me head - "Lost Highway", "The Game", "Memento", "Vanilla Sky", "The Sixth Sense" etc.. also, just a general fan of real cheesy TV - "The Simpsons", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "The Sopranos", "Alias".. lets face it I'm just a mass media fiend.. I'll listen to / watch / play it all.. if i have the chance.. and in one way or another I'm fascinated with philosophy, psychology, the nature of the human mind, the universe.. the nature of reality / surreality / the frontiers of understanding and comprehension of this puzzle of existence.. I also like a drinkin' LOT of beer and makin' an absolute twit of meself in public.

Network19: Anything else i've missed or comments you would like to add?

Spoz: Cheers for readin' all my aimless rambling answers... Oh, and come check out our music at http://www.subwoofer.32k.org and http://www.mp3.com.au/subwoofer

Back To Content

Interview With Gopher
By Libris

Libris: Ok, for starters would you like to reveal to the readers your real name, age and rough location?

Gopher: My real name is Kevin Chow, I'm at the tender age of 20.9, and I hail from the concrete suburbs of North London. No spectacular scenery here I'm afraid.

Libris: Do you like living there? Any travel aspirations?

Gopher: It's not a bad place to live, house prices are a bit high but since I'm living with parents it isn't so bad. As for travelling, I'm a weekly commuter since my workplace is about 40 miles north of here. As for the big picture I wouldn't mind going to America.

Libris: America? Really, why america over some exotic beach with fruit laden trees and dancing girls? (or do they have them in America too?)

Gopher: Oh yeah, I've been assured by many that the US has quite a lot of stuff... depends on where you go really. I just want to go there so I have a chance for a decent career, and cheap fuel.

Libris: Speaking of career, what do you do?

Gopher: My real life sees me as a fledgling engineer in the aerospace engineer - specifically I want to be an aerodyamicist, but that might be a bit difficult, so really any job that pays well is fair game...as long as it has planes in it anyway.

Libris: Certainly an interesting career choice! Now on to some of your hobbies, what are they?

Gopher: Well, I'm kinda lucky since my job is actually a hobby too, but I'll spare you the majority of that crap. As well as writing music, I do a little bit of writing, and more recently, drawing.

Libris: What got you interested in drawing? And what keeps you interested?

Gopher: I really don't know what got me started... I guess it's the kid in me that used to watch a lot of cartoons - I've always had this strange aspiration to make a cartoon strip, although my aspiration didn't really say about what, which didn't help. I've always sketched a lot (usualy airplanes, coincidentally) but only within the last year when I went on industrial placement that I've really had time to actually draw something that doesn't have two wings and a fuselage.

Libris: When was it that you first discovered tracking?

Gopher: Hmm... thats a tough one.... I think it was somewhere between 1992 and 1994 when I first became aware of the scene and tracking and all of that.... I remember that about the same time that we bought 3D construction kit back then, we also started getting things like the really early demos, as simple polygon 3D stuff was being made instead of the usual scrollers

Libris: What platform was this on?

Gopher: All on PC. PC all the way :o) Even though I had a C-64 I never knew about the scene on that until about a decade later.

Libris: What was the first tracker that you used on the PC then?

Gopher: The VERY first tracker was called MODEDIT. It was a really awkward looking DOS text-based thing, nowhere near as complex as FT2 or IT. I remember I had a bit of fun on that using all four channels and getting to grips with it... that was way back in about 93 or 94 I think.

Libris: And now which tracker are you using?

Gopher: Well, the funny thing is that after a few months I stopped using it and only when I discovered FT2 in about early 97 I started tracking again. And it's kinda been FT2 all of the way ever since.

Libris: Have you been, or are you in any tracking crews?

Gopher: Well... I've never ever been in a demo team, but right now I am part of a pretty large tracking group called DimLight Alley Crew.

Libris: Have you ever wanted to be involved in the demoscene specifically?

Gopher: I guess I did have a few ideas about getting in with a group in the time when the Future Crew were around (and the scene was going into decline), but now I don't really think about the demoscene as much, maybe because I know that I can't write that sort of music very well... Although if the opportunity came and I wasn't busy I might...

Libris: How often do you track? Is it a once-a-week kind of thing? A little every day, or just when you have a few hours to kill?

Gopher: When I began it was whenever I felt I had something to track, usually a few times a week. Now though, because I'm actually writing for other people, I end up trying to track SOMETHING once every weekday night on pretty poor equipment.

Libris: Writing for other people?

Gopher: Yeah, at the moment I'm writing the backtrack to a Dungeon Siege total conversion called Copperhead. I've also got another job coming up that I need to negociate on too.

Libris: What else do you do musically, play any instruments? Know any theory?

Gopher: Yeah... I play the piano, have been doing so for at least a decade now (although it doesn't show - I still suck) and I am "qualified" as a grade 6 pianist. I also learned music theory during this time, being "qualified" to grade 5 in music theory (the highest grade is 8). Mind you I've forgotten most of it now.

Libris: You seem pretty cluey from your later compositions, do you think that your musical background helps your tracking? And do you find it easy to sit down and just write a tune, or does 'inspiration' play a large role in when you can produce music?

Gopher: Interesting question! When I write, I don't think of having to align myself with whats right and wrong in terms of musical theory... instead I think that it's like a language that helps you channel your mind and streamlines the way you think, and also helps you explain things to other chaps too. However, inspiration and the ability to express myself (assuming I have the right instruments, which I usually don't) is pretty critical.

Libris: Walk us through your basic tracking routine, do you set out with a clear idea of what you are going to write from the beginning (eg: a tune in your head), or is it more spontaneous?

Gopher: Sometimes when I go to track, I normally have an "Idea" - really it's more of a feeling. I then need to find instruments which expresses the idea well (and most experiments normally fall flat on their face at this point) and then I just sit there and... well, track. In the majority of times, I work in chord progressions rather than from the melody itself, some times, like when I write demostyle I do the percussion, then the harmony, then then the melody. Usually the basic "idea" lasts for about 1 to three patterns. After that I need to try and figure out some kind of direction to go next, which I'm not very good at. Consequently I have lots of 10mb files of about 3 patterns of music lying around on my harddrive.

Libris: Many of your tunes have a 'fantasy' element to them, what are some of the ideas and inspirations for these? Do you write, or are you interested in exporing any other musical styles?

Gopher: I guess I've always been a little bit of a fantasy freak. Not in any hardcore way (Okay so I did to a little AD&D a while back) but I still "draw" some fantasy elements. I guess I just like writing orchestral things with nice melodies, although I don't actually listen to a lot of classical music - I think I'm trying to emulate modern "film music scores". However, very recently I've been doing a lot of pretty high-energy stuff using breakbeats which I haven't released (it was for the aforementioned total conversion). I've always liked Demostyle though, just because of the freestyling mix of percussion and lead and harmony... it's just so kickarse.

Libris: Name a few of your favourite trackers, who do you listen to (if anybody) in the scene?

Gopher: Ahhh... I always start with Purple Motion and Skaven simply because they were so kick arse in the Future Crew days. Jogeir L. is pretty good; Necros is damned good also (ala Ascent of the Cloud Eagle). More recently, Awesome did some pretty good fantasy work that was pretty inspiring. Nowadays though I kinda listen to a fair amount of commercial rock along with a few nice oldies. There are a lot more trackers that I really like but I don't have the space to put all of them down here.

Libris: Commercial rock then, what's sitting in your CD player or XMPlay tracklist at the moment?

Gopher: Being a skint person I don't have many CDs. Being a lazy person I dont even bother to download much either :o) However, I do like this one track called "Who Needs Enemies" by a British band called Cooper Temple Clause. And Radiohead is good too.

Libris: Are there any musical genres and mainstream artists that you dislike?

Gopher: I generally avoid things like electropop, trance, RnB, garage and stuff like that - just not my cup of tea. As for commercial artists... hmm... Living in Britain, I would have to say most of them, considering how much pop crap is in the charts.

Libris: Ok, you've GOT to tell us about your interesting handle! Where does it come from, have you ever had any others?

Gopher: Haha! Firstly, I've always used this handle, though usually just plain "Gopher" (the "De_" part was a throwback to being on DALNet where "Gopher" was already registered). As for it's derivation, it was originally used as a moniker for flight sims, like for call signs and things like that. I'm just too lazy to think of another one.

Libris: Are you fond of gophers then?

Gopher: Actually I've never ever seen a gopher in my entire life. I'm pretty sure they don't exist on continential Europe, and I'm told they're pests in the US It makes for an interesting conversation anyhow.

Libris: Of the songs that you have written and released, do you have a favourite?

Gopher: All time favourite is probably Return to Nebula 9, one my "demostyle-inspired" tracks. I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to use a lead instrument that was so nifty either.

Libris: Do you ever see yourself using hardware such as synthesizers, midi interfaces etc?

Gopher: If you asked me that a year ago I would have just laughed, but now that I have a job, I've been reading Future Music which has opened my eyes to the synth world. I guess it would be very nice to own a few synths and midi bits just so I can write a really good orchestral track that epitomises what I've been trying to do so far, but... it's still a long way off - I'll have to stick to FT2 for the time being.

Libris: What do you think a suitable punishment would be for people who rip off others' tunes and claim them as their own?

Gopher: Really, right now I think a good idea would be to shoot them in the back. Seriously though, more mildly, a jail sentence or a big fine should be withstanding, but that means going through the legal system. Most of the time rippers just get a slap on the wrist, since, all things internet, everyone is anonymous, and I imagine that the majority of trackers don't have any proof of copyright, which really doesn't help, so really it just "happens", the ripper and tracker exchange a few heated emails or even phone calls, and it blows over.

Libris: Lastly,the cliche question - if you were extremely rich, what would you do with the money?

Gopher: Probably something like split it with charities, friends and family. As long as I can buy an F-16 block 30, a Spitfire IXc and flying lessons to boot. Oh yeah and I'd probably buy a synth too just to see what it's all about.

Libris: OK, we're done! unless there's anything extremely important you think I've missed out.

Gopher: No, i think that more or less covered my pretty mundane life. Unless you want me to start going on about airplanes... I can do that all day.

Libris: *Cough* Nah, it's ok.

Here are some of my personal favourite Gopher tunes... these tunes and other ones can also be found at The Mod Archive and at Gopher's Page.

Conquest of Farakhan - A sprawling orchestral/fantasy epic of over 7 minutes. (XM format)

Of Myth and Legend - Over 10 minutes of ambient fantasy music ranging from the relaxing to the invigorating. (XM Format)

Return to Nebula 9 - Catchy and well executed demostyle track, the lead is at times slightly reminiscent of the days of Elwood. (XM Format)

Enemy Engaged - Nice demostyle track with a hint of metal. (XM Format)

The Sorceror's Tale - Another excellent orchestral/fantasy piece, gopher style! (Xm Format)

The Corsair's Voyage - Silky electronic ambience sets up a watery, starlit scene which leads into a thoroughly satisfying tune. (XM Format)

Gopher also has a collection of tunes done for the Copperhead project, they are in MP3 format and can be downloaded here.

Thanks to Kev for participating in the interview, if you wish to send him love letters, project proposals or scanned pictures of your next door neighbour in the shower, give him a yell!

Back To Contents

Monthly Scene Music Reviews
By Drq

I’m going to deal with the work of one particular group of trackers for this issue, namely Funky Brains. I wasn’t really familiar with their output and there’s not too much of it one their site, so I downloaded all of it. Finding good review material wasn’t difficult. First out is Gargoyle’s composition “Djinn”.

Gargoyle – Djinn

Gargoyle’s songs tend to be a bit tricky to classify, and that’s the case here as well. After a suggestive intro, a distorted guitar riffing kicks in, providing a rough and thick bottom, and on top of that some rather subdued but effective drums. There is a definite ethnic/oriental feel to it, emphasizes by the flute theme.

Well, so far so good. Now the song takes an unexpected turn, introducing the verse, delivered by the composer himself in the form of rap vocals. It works rather well though. Adding vocals to your tracked piece of music is always risky business, and the result can be quite embarrassing unless you know what you’re doing. But Gargoyle pulls it off nicely. He seems to know what he’s doing. And he has something to say as well – have a look at the song comments for more details. The vocals fit quite nicely in the mix (although there are some volume issues, making some words just barely discernable), and is supported by a persistent beat and a hypnotic guitar sequence. The chorus is a tad bit awkward, to be honest, but it’s pretty short and doesn’t ruin your impression of the song. That wonderful flute melody towards the end makes up for it.

Everyone might not like this tune as much as I do – some people will probably be put off by the vocals – but it will certainly leave an impression, and that’s always a good thing. I for one like it when an artist takes risks and explores new territory. If you don’t enjoy this piece at first, give it a few spins. It might grow on you.

Download .it (4.31 MB zipped)

Download .mp3 (3.58 MB)

Crimson King – Northern Call

Here’s another song that probably isn’t for everyone. It’s intense and aggressive metal, although still fairly melodic at times. Without hesitation or foreplay, the song kicks off with the main riff – menacing guitars that sound pretty good for being tracked. Good use of the offset effect here. A harpsichord soon joins in, adding another harmonic dimension to the piece. This type of keyboard arrangements is Crimson King’s forte, if you will: fast-paced sequences of wisely chosen notes, the result being a carpet of sound that is both solid and dynamic at the same time. Yes, it sounds a bit muddy at times – too much going on within a fairly limited frequency range perhaps – but the nuances are there if you listen intently.

Rhythmically this piece is interesting and packed with surprises. Crimson King is not afraid to sacrifice a beat or two here and add a few beats there in order to improve the flow of the music and retain the listener’s attention. Fills and breaks are nicely done. I just wish the drumming sounded a bit thicker and fuller, but I guess you can’t have it all. The synth lead towards the end is a bit on the quiet side as well, but the melody is wonderful – it just feels so right at that point in the song, a logical consequence of the tension that’s been building up.

Although the intro might sound harsh and unfriendly, this is metal with a lot of emotion in it. Don’t let the first impression scare you away.

Download .it (2.41 MB zipped)

D Fast – Funkaholix

Now for something a bit more lighthearted. “D Fast is doing the funk”, a synthetic voice announces at the beginning of this track, and it turns out to be a very true statement. This is fun, straightforward and uncomplicated funk music. It starts out with a wah-wah rhythm guitar that sounds very tracked, but that’s all right – there’s still a great live jamming vibe in the song, much thanks to the brilliant electric piano and a solid rhythm section. On top of this we are presented with several solos; mostly live electric guitar (not played by D Fast himself however) and what sounds like a marimba. The solos are fun and easy to follow. Big sweeping pads add some more texture to the song, and there’s the occasional robot voice sample to spice it up. D Fast is doing the funk, and he’s doing it well. The mixing is very good too, although D Fast doesn’t take the credit for it.

Download .mp3 (3.25 MB)

I think these three songs demonstrate the quality and variety of Funky Brains’ releases rather well. They are obviously musicians who are confident in their respective styles of music, and who won’t compromise artistically. More of their stuff can be found at their site.

Back To Contents

Monthly Demo Reviews
By Christofori

It's time once again for the monthly demo reviews! This time I've picked two and have accepted a request. I'd like to mention that anyone can request a demo for me to review; I keep a list of requests and will get to each and every one, even if it means reviewing more than three demos a month!

It might be worth mentioning that you should keep your system configuration in mind when you decide to watch demos; especially if you want to see the newer-faster-bigger-harder-better ones that many people are making these days. A lot of coders are doing quite a good job coding for a range of systems, from low-end to the high-end monsters; however, some groups are out to push the envelope in demo design and production. I'll try to make a distinction in the demo reviews if a demo seems to cater to those of you with high-end systems; but, keep in mind that a demo might look 10 times better on higher quality hardware.

Also, please bear with me on the scoring of demos in this segment. Our primary goal at Scene Rep is to showcase scener's; but I also want to provide a meaningful system that might help some users decide which demos they want to see. So, take from the "scores" what you will; after all, realize that they represent an opinion, and are not really a definitive measure of the overall quality of demos.

All that being said, let's get on with this month's demos! It would be hard to find selections that are more diverse, so I believe everyone will find something close to their liking.

My System Information: AMD Athlon XP 2100+ system with 512MB of RAM, a GeForce 4 MX-440 video card, Sound Blaster Live! Platinum, and Windows XP Professional.

La Petit Prince by kolor

This one's a 3D-cartoonish piece of work which shows evidence of considerable skill throughout most of the demo. The music is great, though there are a few effects and samples I don't think fit quite well. The artwork in the demo is wonderful, with only a few areas where there could be some improvement. The concept of a demo like this one is also a great one, and it helps to tell the overall story of the little prince on his adventures; probably my favorite part is where he throws the apple around the world; I had forgotten about that "memory" from my childhood (wondering about the story of the guy who threw the apple around the world... or was that just me?) :-)

Technically, this is a pretty strong piece of work. We're presented with a few choices on startup to customize the playback of the demo, which is great. There are a few places where lines flicker, and also some texture bleeding. The effect showing the prince going around the world, especially when seen through water or ice, is great. At times, there are some really funky camera angles that almost look like mistakes. Overall, I'd give this demo a score of 7.8/10.

Cuatro by Threepixels

Cuatro is an above-average demo which features a really nice soundtrack and some cool effects. The music is probably the best aspect of this demo, and the synchronization between it and the effects is handled quite well; though one or two times I played it, the effects were a fraction ahead of the music (the timing was off). However, cudos to Threepixels for giving the end user a useful menu; you can select the resolution, as well as several performance factors (including either 16 or 32-bit mode) for your demo viewing enjoyment. Another thing I liked was the layout of the demo; it is broken into four sections, each with it's own theme or colour. The music also reflects this, quite well I might add. The only thing I find myself thinking after watching the demo each time is "that's it??" Really good work.

On the technical side, the overall performance of the demo is quite good. I had read some stability issues on the user comments at Pouët, but as for me, I couldn't get the demo to crash. Perhaps the hardware is a factor in stability while watching this demo; something which should always be kept in mind. At any rate, the effects are all well designed, though I still would like to see more. It would also be nice if the demo had a faster pace; once you get to each part and see what there is to see, you might find yourself saying "okay, what's next?" At any rate, the music does wonders for this demo; it is a very good and balanced mix, and is quite creative. I'd give this demo a score of 7.2/10.

.Insanity. by Nithril & Isterm, et. al.

This one's got a great balance of music and graphics, though it seems a little buggy at times. Many of the graphics are outstanding in this one, but I can't help but feel the flowing lava and flames could both have been done better. The lighting is superb, and the light effect through the stained glass windows is also outstanding. The quality of the music is great; it's definitely stuff that's not boring or stale. There are some good stereo moments in the music, though I feel some of the samples almost stand out a bit too much at times. Another "gripe" is that the text (save the title and some credits) has all been done in French; I guess I can't get everything I want in just one demo, eh?

Granted, I know I don't have the best system out there, but I'd like to think that I do have what could be seen as (at the least) an average box. This being said, this demo is a resource hog! I don't know if it's a driver issue or not, but each and every time a scene fades in or out, the music lags. Also there are a few moments when lighting isn't handled correctly; say for example when the figure at the beginning bows, his head and hands come outside of the halo of light, instead of just dimming out more realistically like you would expect. With all that said, this demo definitely packs a punch; it's got some really cool figures, effects, and overall some outstanding moments. This one gets a score of 8.7/10.

That wraps it up for this issue! Please keep checking back for more up-and-comers in the realm of PC demos. I'll keep reviewing them as long as you keep reading. Oh, and don't forget, I'm accepting requests! All I need is the URL where the demo can be downloaded from. Don't forget that I'm just reviewing PC/Windows demos. :-) Until next time, have fun!

Back To Contents

Farb-Rausch Interview: RP
By Christofori

I've gotten the opportunity to interview a key member of Farb-Rausch, arguably one of the most outstanding demoscene groups of all time. Their work has continually shocked and amazed us, and they somehow manage to keep pushing the envelope in demo development. Their work is highly influential, and it still serves as inspiration for many members of the demoscene. Read on to find out what makes RP/Ronny Pries tick!

Christo: Let's start with the basics, if we could. Tell our readers your full name, age, where you live, and a little bit more about yourself (likes, hobbies, etc.).

RP: My name is Ronny Pries, born July 1976 in Henstedt Ulzburg (north of Hamburg/Germany), raised in Norderstedt; and I'm now living in Hamburg itself, together with my girlfriend and my 2 1/2 year old son. I'm working as Sound & Level designer for VCC Entertainment, a small game development team. Throughout a usual day, I spend 9 hours at work, 3 hours with my family,
and approximately 3-4 at my "studio" making music, being creative in other ways or simply killing time on IRC (can anybody hook me up with some therapy?).

Christo: You're involved with the music of Farb-rausch. Tell our readers how you got started in music, and how you got to be where you are today. How do you compose your music? How long have you been making music? Please add as much detail as you would like.

RP: As far as I can remember, I was listening to music. It was just a matter of time until I started trying to make music (around 1986 or '87) on a Commodore 64. Those first tries failed because all of that 'hexeditor-like' tracker stuff was just too irritating for my 10 year-old brain. Luckily, Sidmon never stopped trying to entice me, so I kept trying and trying and trying... and I think it was 1988 when I finally made something one could listen to for a minute. Until today I used Sidmon (C-64), Protracker (Amiga 500 & 1200), FastrackerII, Logic Audio and Buzztracker (PC). Buzz is still my weapon of choice.

When I start to work on a new track it depends if I'm just trying to make music for making music, or if it's music for a demo or intro. If it's "just" a track, I used to throw everything I could find into a big bowl and stir it -- as long as something useful was happening. If the ingredients (Drums, Loops, Synth's) fit, I soon arrive to a point I where know where the track is heading to. In very few cases I also have an idea what I want to produce before I start, but that's not very often. The good thing about this way of production is that I end up making various styles; the bad, well, in many cases I don't record anything.

If I start making the score for an intro/demo, the designer tells me what he needs, shows me designs or parts and I try to get inspired by those. I communicate a lot with the designer and frequently check his opinion about my music. In many cases, I threw my work away and restarted from scratch because what I had wasn't working out to fit the demo.

Christo: What do you consider to be the most important aspect of creating music? What things inspire you?

RP: I think the most important thing about making music is enjoying it yourself whilst making it. The more I have fun producing a track, the earlier it's done and the better it works out.

I find inspiration in music by other artists (too many to list here, but it also depends on my mood).

Christo: You've been involved in several projects with Farb-rausch. Please tell us how you came to be a part of the group, and tell us some history of the group, like how it started, who founded it, how it has changed since it began, etc. And, is it Farb-rausch or Farbrausch? Is there a story behind the name?

RP: Farb-rausch was founded by Yoda (fb, felix bohmann), KB (th, tammo hinrichs) and myself on the way back from Dialogos'99. We simply wanted to make a new group because our former groups didn't offer the creative environment we were looking for. I remember that we were thinking about technoish names like 'schleudertrauma' and 'rohformat' - but we didn't come up with a good name at the time. A few days later, fb introduced 'Farbrausch' and we were like "Hey - that's it!" Too bad farbrausch.de was already taken - so we registered farb-rausch.de. There is absolutely no story behind the name, other than the fact that we thought it was cool.

I'm very happy that Farb-rausch is still following the same directives it has held since the very beginning: fun and creativity - aka "DEMO OR DIE!" (chaos/ex-sanity/farb-rausch).

Christo: Take a moment to introduce us all to the members of Farb-rausch - please give us some idea as to who does what for the group.

RP: Oh damn, we are about 25 people, please consult our website for information about our members. But basically, we have only got coders, graphicians and musicians - such as any other group. And yes, I know our website needs an update. :)

Christo: A lot of the work you've done for Farb-rausch has really caught the attention of many sceners worldwide. What do you feel has been the best part of working with Farb-rausch?

RP: The best part about Farb-rausch is that we don't care about anything. Besides the intros you mentioned above, we have already released real bullshit and hey, we liked it!

Christo: The group has been very involved in scene parties and events. What can you tell us of upcoming plans with Farb-rausch?

RP: The scene can expect that we won't stop penetrating it with our releases. As usual, there will be good and less good productions. Besides that, there are no real plans. We are open for anything and everything, as long as it doesn't conflict with our attitude. Please, don't ask us to make a video for you, or to sell our technology or whatever. We are not willing to sell ourselves out.

Christo: Along the same lines, where do you see yourself in the future? What new and exciting things should the scene be looking for from rp?

RP: I just started a techno label with a friend of mine (loki/weltherrschaft), and the first 12" will be released this month. Besides that, I've got some tracks coming up at a Berlin-based techno label, I'm still doing _rohformat & .schleudertrauma., and new tracks for rktic/thinner are in the making.... I try to keep myself busy as you can see. :) And last but not least, I'm working on a few FR related things.

Christo: Let's focus for a moment on the demos. Farb-rausch has made several, and you've been part of some spectacular work. How long does it take to make the demos we've seen from Farb-rausch? Please walk our readers through the steps that the demos take, from the beginning (planning stages) to the end (final releases). Again, go into as much detail as you would like!

RP: Well, regarding the "big" FR productions, they take quite long to develop. The most time is spent coding & improving the actual tools, and then of course creating the scenes for the demo. The music mostly consumes the least time, but looking back on making the track for FR-019, it took about 3 months to come up with something Fiver2 liked - OK, I was pretty slow as well! :) We try to work as closely together as possible in order to fit all parts together perfectly. For example, Chaos codes on a tool, Fiver2 creates some models, he recommends that Chaos implement something, and then he'll continue working. At a certain point, Fiver2 will decide he has enough material to show me, and then I start making the music. As soon as I've got something to show, I let them hear it; from there, I'll either continue working on it or throw it away. The process requires a lot of communication with each other until we've got a "product" to show.

Christo: Many of the demos use synth engines to generate the music that is heard in the final product. What can you tell us of the development of the synth engines?

RP: Our synth by KB entitled "ViruzII" (according to Access' Virus synth) is available as standalone program and as a VST plugin. It's been developed over quite some time now (I think it's been about 2 years of unsteady coding) and can already
do some nice things:

* 3 Oscilloscopes including the standard waveforms, ring & frequency modulation
* 2 envelope generators
* 2 LFO's
* 2 filters with all standard filter types
* 2 distortions with different modes (for example: clipping, bit crushing, and wave shaping) which can also be used as filters
* A real time speech engine that works like a oscillator, so you can route it through all possible things and modulate it
* A modulation matrix with up to 255 modulations
* A chorus/flanger/simple EQ/compressor per channel
* Delay & reverb send
* Sum compressor

Right now KB is working on a VSTi function that uses incoming midi events to render the score file we need to play in our demos. Pretty straight forward I think - enough techtalk! :)

Christo: What, if any, computer science or programming related coursework have you had?

RP: I've been using computers since my childhood (I got a Commodore 64 at the age of 8 or 9). Besides that, I've never studied anything computer related.

Christo: What is your favorite memory of your time with Farb-rausch?

RP: Every time Fiver2 introduces the first scenes for a new production - those moments are always 101% memorable. In my case, the first time I saw a few scenes for FR-019 I was absolutely blown away. Another thing I'll never forget was the beer donation for MFX at MS 2002. And finally, ranking first place at Ambience 2000 with a demo that didn't exist, that might also be the most uncomfortable moment in my life.

Christo: What has been the most challenging thing about being part of the group?

RP: Coping with the Jones' inside FR.

Christo: What would you consider to be your best work? What would you consider to be Farb-rausch's best?

RP: Ranking 1st place at Ambience 2000 with a demo that didn't exist, that was almost Copperfield-ish :) Nah, seriously spoken - I always like the newest production most. Now it's FR-025 and 030 but my all-time top favorite is still FR-05:Konsum.

Christo: Farb-rausch - and to an extent, you (as a musician and composer) - seem to be pushing the envelope in design and creativity in your projects. What drives you to strive to be the on the leading edge? Why is this important to you and the group?

RP: We do because we can. By the way, we don't only do that top notch stuff like FR-025. People weren't used to seeing that.

Christo: How much time, per week, would you say you spend making music?

RP: As much as possible, but depends on my family situation. Maybe 3-4 hours a day in the late evening?

Christo: Now on to the scene. Please tell us what you envision "The Scene" to be - how do you see the scene?

RP: It's a big bunch of more-or-less creative nerds that has its own rituals like any other scene has. I love going to parties because I'm always meeting friends I wouldn't otherwise get to see often. Anyway, I'm definitely not one of the "die-hard" scener's.

Christo: What do you think the best points of the Scene are? Where do you sense it could use some improvement?

RP: It recently lacks on Scenewars and good discmags! :) Verdict: more of both, please!

Christo: Do you have any favorite groups or musicians?

RP: I adore MFX.

Christo: Is there anything you feel we've not covered that you'd like the scene to know about you and/or Farb-rausch?

RP: We would not like to take part in any "we make your website known" programs, we do not wish to enlarge our penises and we don't sell any products! Thanks for listening :)

Back To Contents