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10 questions with The Nextmen
Uk hip-hop gurus The Nextmen take to the S2S hotseat and share the secrets of their sound, inspirations and an intriguing step-by-step approach to making a track...
This fortnight's 10 questions features something a little special: from the inner core of the UK hip-hop scene we bring you an exclusive insight into the production methods of seasoned Cambridge beat-merchants The Nextmen. Comprising Brad Baloo and Dom Search, the dynamic duo have worked with names as diverse as Public Enemy, Rodney P, Sway and Faithless. With two critically acclaimed LPs under their belts, the chaps can be spotted these days larging it by the pool, hamming up their residency at Jade Jagger's A-list parties on the hedonistic island paradise of Ibiza. We managed to catch a quick word with main Nextman Dom over a few seasonal mince pies.
Who's currently rocking your world as a producer and why?
Commix are really doing it for us on the D&B front - the way they're bringing back and updating the 90s sound is wicked. Loving Flying Lotus, Gotye and Giom too.
What is the key ingredient to a great track? Breakdown? Style of production? Bassline?
It's rarely one thing, but one aspect of recordings that always impresses me is when a producer uses space to great effect - making a track that is so perfectly balanced that if you added one more thing it would be too much, and if you took one away it would be too little. It's not easy to achieve. The best production usually consists of a few carefully chosen ingredients. Replacing sounds rather than adding them is often a good starting point when trying to strengthen a track.
Do you mainly use analogue or digital soft synth sources? Do you think analogue really makes a difference?
We use both and aren't kit snobs. We've got very few hardware synths. A lot of our more recent bass sounds come from a Micro-Korg, but the majority are generated by Spectrasonics' Trilogy and the set of synths in the Native Instruments suite. When I use the Korg I do think I can hear a difference - a depth and three-dimensional trait that is a bit elusive when it comes to soft-synths, but I'd never recommend shunning a synth just because it's digital.
How do you see the dance music industry developing over the next two years?
One thing that won't change much, at least from a punter's point of view, is clubbing. People will always want to dance so they're always going to need loud music. The whole technology side will change completely - it pretty much already has. DJs will come and go, genres will come and go, the equipment used will change, but at the heart of clubbing lies one central premise and that is that you have a room full of people dancing.
In the wider market, it's harder than ever to make a living out of music. We're seeing labels only offering contracts that entitle them to a share of an artist's live income, which is probably a reasonable business model considering how little can be made from sales, especially in niche markets.
When building a track, how do you normally work? Do you start with the drums and build your way up from there?
The inspiration can come from anywhere. I write a lot of lyrics so I'm always jotting stuff down and creating stories. Production-wise it is often the drums that come first, with other elements, whether samples, synth sounds or acoustic instruments, filling up the space afterwards. Arrangement-wise we'll often cover the arc of a song with guitar or piano and work from there.
Any advice for aspiring young producers out there?
Find a sound and develop it. Take inspiration and influence from anywhere you like but do your best not to directly emulate another producer's music: it'll never be as good as theirs if you do that. Secondly, learn how to take knocks. Some people will like what you do and others won't. Don't be sensitive, don't get put off - just keep doing what you do and play your tunes to people. You could be making the best music in the world, but if no-one hears it then no-one will be able to tell.
Any advice on monitoring? Quiet? Loud? Do you prefer flat and boring speakers, headphones or big, phat and chunky monitors?
We use Yamaha HS80s. They're decent and sound exactly as they look: like big NS-10s. The sound makes some people feel sick, but we rely on them for accuracy. We monitor both loud and quiet - you can definitely hear more detail when the volume is low. As important as the monitors is your listening environment. Before splashing out on monitors, spend some of your budget on getting the room right. Get a pro in if you can, or if you're working in a room at home take some advice on where to put things: it's invaluable. Then you need to 'learn your monitors'. It's great when you can make adjustments to bass in a mix and know that it's going to translate well on any system. Use a set of cheap PC monitors as a second pair. Your music is going to be played on speakers that size a lot.
Describe your typical workflow on a track
Song idea > Guitar + co-writer > Arrangement + melody + lyrics > Sequenced drums + tempo > Bassline > Other bits > Record vocal > Um and ah for few weeks > Change a few things > Listen to too many opinions > Realise it's finished > Mix it down > Forget it and repeat on a nother new song idea (return to start).
Loops or programming your own beats from single hits and why?
Both. Sometimes you just can't beat a well recorded drummer who was sitting right in a groove, but other times you need the sparse, electronic feel of tight programming. Usually, a mix of both works. Get a good loop running then place a carefully chosen kick and snare on it to give it some club value.
What is the secret to being a successful producer?
Being able to do it in the first place is handy. Being musical is invaluable too. There's a big difference between a producer and a beat-maker. The former has to be good at a range of things; your role is essentially to take something from nothing to a finished production, so it's not just about creating heavy kick-drums - it's about working with others and creating a finished piece. Stick to your guns, don't worry about negative comments, work with people who you have a good chemistry with. We've made three artist albums and are doing our fourth right now. We've learned a lot, but the one thing you can never substitute is the combination of ability and hard work.
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More on The Nextmen: www.myspace.com/thenextmen
(c) 2008 Sounds/To/Sample