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10 questions with Format:B
The Bugged Out Berliners talk to us about what sounds they struggle to create, how it takes years to become a mixing pro and why third-party mastering matters
Comprising of Berliners Franziskus and Jakob, Format:B have released on some of the most forward-thinking techno labels of the past decade, such as Great Stuff and Stil Vor Talent. They have collaborated with the likes of M.A.N.D.Y, recorded a compilation for the seminal Bugged Out and had a recent Beatport top 10 with their Sebastien Leger remix. Best of all they recently co-produced the number 1 charted Riemann 3 sample collection for Florian Meindl's Riemann Kollektion, exclusively on Sounds/To/Sample. We caught up with the Teutonic Techno Twins for a quick chinwag.
Any arrangement secrets you want to share with us?
Keep things simple. When developing the track keep fresh sounds and ideas coming in all the time without having too many different ones in a single track. Before you start arranging create a series of variations of the main beat, from stripped groove to full. This makes it easy to pull on different versions when you're arranging and to to get a feeling for what the arrangement is asking for and what might be missing.
What sounds do you find are the hardest to create from scratch?
A great pumping bass sound is always hard to make, and the search for a new-sounding and exciting lead is always a challenge. But the perfect sound in one track is very rarely the perfect sound in another - context is everything and often luck plays a huge part too.
What is the key ingredient for a track? Breakdown? Style of production? Bassline?
It depends on the track in question. In our productions it's often the bass for the groove and an uplifting breakdown. Production plays a key role too: a five per cent increase in the quality of production can make a track work 80 per cent better on the dancefloor.
Do you mainly use analogue or digital soft synth sources? Do you think analogue really makes a difference?
Aside from the Waldorf Pulse we only use digital sound sources. Plugins have became so much better in the last few years that ironically producers are now spending their time time trying to mess up the perfectly clean sounds that they offer! At the moment we're loving the Empirical Labs Fatso for the UAD platform.
Any advice on monitoring? Quiet? Loud? Do you prefer flat and boring speakers, headphones or big, phat and chunky monitors?
We always use both methods. For our mains we use ADAM speakers, which are rich in tone and make mixing lots of fun. We also use a pair of cheap speakers that more readily reveal problems in levels and mid and high-end EQ. If you make dance music you have to check your work loud regularly to see which sounds are coming out most and which might cause problems on big PA systems.
How important do you think it is to have your music mastered commercially? Can you do it yourself as effectively and what tools would you recommend?
We never master our own stuff. We could do but I believe a third party opinion on your material is important because a mastering engineer comes to your track with fresh ears and is able to spot any mixing problems that you night have missed after two weeks on the production process. That said, a lazy mastering engineer can also fuck up everything in seconds as well. For that reason it's good to be there in person to double check the changes they're making.
How do you see the dance music industry developing over the next two to three years?
It's hard to say, although the trend towards digital sales will certainly grow.
Any advice for aspiring producers out there?
Follow every idea that comes to you. Don't reject ones that are a bit unusual or that don't follow the sound of the moment. You never know - your new sound may be the start of a new trend.
What barriers do you think they may face? Anything you can draw on from your own personal experience?
Don't get frustrated if you're not getting the results you want. Outstanding production skills take years to develop. If you expect to become a well-rounded producer in two years you'll be disappointed. But if you keep refining your skills over five or six years you'll get to a place where you are finally able to get the sounds in the studio that before had only been in your head.
What do you believe is the secret to your success as a producer?
A combination of technical knowledge, talent and inspiration alongside social attributes.
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