Recently, I was introduced to the fine art of Dubstep. Dubstep is an art form. It truly is.
Dubstep is like audio thunder. It’s roots come from experimental UK garage sounds who sought out ways to incorporate elements of drum and bass in their sound in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. It’s basically instrumental music that has been crafted into an amazing arrangement of sounds. These sounds range in style from melodic instrumentals to a dark, techno distortion. There’s an entire subculture vocabulary that revolves around this growing industry. Wobble bass…rewinds…bass drops…Structure…four-to-the-floor…
It’s been around for over a decade but this middle aged lady just discovered how awesome it can truly be. Recently I was introduced to the sounds of a young up and coming artist called Terabyte Frenzy.
I recently had the privilege of getting to interview this artist and get a little background on his sound and where it comes from. Here’s that interview:
Cat: Thanks for taking time to give us a little insight in your sound. So tell us a little about your background.
TF: Well I was born in London but I've lived in a County called Devonshire in Southwest England most of my life. I'm heading off to University later on this year though in Bath.
Cat: What does your musical background consist, did you study music before?
TF: I've been playing the bass guitar since i was 10. I always loved the deep sounds of a bass and i think that's what attracted me to dubstep. I was the bass player and singer in several bands during my earlier teenage years but i disliked the whole idea of everyone having a say in everything. I'm a bit of a control freak, so working on my own is a must. a lot of the vocals in my tracks are sung by me and I enjoy the freedom to do whatever I want.
I've never studied music. I got bass guitar lessons for about a year but i didn't like being shown what to do so i taught myself. The same goes for my singing and my production skills."
Cat: How did you first get into this kind of music?
TF: I’ve been creating EDM (electronic dance music) for about a year now. I used to try my hand at some production in my old bands and found i had a bit of a talent for it. Soon i started experimenting with electronic music and this coincided with the rising popularity of dubstep so i suppose i just 'jumped on the band wagon'
Cat: Who are your musical influences?
TF: I used to be a fan of metal so I’m into my loud noises and aggressive sounds. I find metal too 'samey' and uninspiring recently and I find everyone grows out of that kind of music eventually.
The first dubstep artist I heard was Mt Eden who produces really mellow, relaxed dubstep so I didn't understand the whole concept of heavy dubstep at first. As I started to explore the genre I listened to artists like 16 bit and bar 9 and Bassnectar. Although I liked the traditional sound of dubstep it wasn’t until I heard Skrillex and his way of doing things that i decided 'right. This is what i want to do'. The hectic, aggressive energy to the music appealed to my old taste of metal and I felt excited about trying to create my own take on it.
Cat: What kind of mixing programs have you used?
TF: Cubase and Logic I’ve had a go at. I didn’t like them much though.
Cat: What kind of program do you use now?
TF: My first program was Ableton live and still is till this day. My brother introduced me to it around the age of 14 but it wasn’t until I was about 16 that I started to use it. I had no one to show me what to do and the tutorial videos confused me so I just worked it out over time. I probably would have benefitted from a music production course at school or something but I feel a sense of achievement that I taught myself.
Cat: Where do you get your ideas for mixing and remixing?
TF: This is gonna sound weird but my main inspiration is my shower. I don’t know what it is but there’s something crazy in that water. Whenever I have a shower I’ll start humming a tune or think of a beat and the second I get out I’ll have to record it. Most of my songs to this date have been created this way, no word of a lie!
Cat: How did the whole iTunes album come about?
TF: I wanted to understand the industry a little more so I got some advice from a few connections and released my first EP independently. I think I rushed into it a bit fast because my music is constantly progressing and I’ll look back at that EP in a years’ time and think "Why the hell did I release that" but it's all part of the learning process I guess.
Cat: So tell us about the album. What's the name of it? Is it available in the US as well as the UK?
TF: Well it's only an EP. It’s not a full length but it was my first set of songs that I felt I was happy to release to the public. The release is self-titled (Tetrabyte Frenzy) and its available through the iTunes store in the UK and the US.
Cat: Have you or do you plan to perform live?
TF:Using the sales from my first EP I’ve bought new equipment to help perform live. So yeah I’ll be playing anywhere and everywhere that i can.
Cat: Where do you want to go from here?
TF: Well, I have University ahead of me but I’m hoping that being 10 minutes away from Bristol (which has a really lively music scene) I will be able to focus on both my music and my studies.
Cat: What is your favorite mix that you've done so far?
TF: Every time I make a new song I think it’s my favorite and then I’ll hate it as soon as I’ve made a new one. It’s hard to say.
Cat: Thank you for taking the time to answer all my questions. Is there anything you'd like to add or say?
TF: Thank you for giving me the opportunity! All I’d like to say is keep listening to my music as I promise it will get better!
Terabyte Frenzy has some a great talent. If you get a chance check out his music on iTunes. This is a great music genre and I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I have.
2 comments:
I love all kinds of music as well. Great post, Cat!
Thank you Shelly. You should check this guy out He's got some great skills. I've started listening to him as my morning playlist. Makes for a great morning.
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