With releases on Cocoon, Get Physical and Playhouse, collaborations with Jamie Jones and remixes for artists as varied as Simian Mobile Disco, Radio Slave and Crazy P, Leeds lad Simon Baker is a man in demand. And rightly so. Since rising to prominence in 2007 with a string of acclaimed releases, he has consistently proved himself to be one of the most original producers to emerge from the UK underground. 2010 is shaping up to be another exceptional year, with his debut album due for release on 2020Vision and an extensive DJ schedule in full swing. We caught up with him during some rare downtime to talk tech.
What’s been the highlight of your year so far and what have you got coming up?
2010 has been great so far. I haven’t spent much time on home soil this year. I started in Mexico then swung by the US, Singapore and now I’m in Ibiza enjoying the party season in full swing. When I’ve not been touring I’ve been busy working on my debut album due to be released later this year on 2020Vision.
Who’s currently rocking your world as a producer and why?
There are lots of great producers around at the moment. I’m liking dOP a lot: their production is mint and I love the deepness of what they do. I’m also enjoying Pezzner, Shur-i-kan, The Revenge and Glimpse. In fact I’ve just been in the studio with Glimpse on the back of remixing each other on Crosstown Rebels and 2020Vision.
Any advice on monitoring? Quiet? Loud? Do you prefer flat and boring speakers, headphones or big, phat and chunky monitors?
I am considering changing my monitors soon as I think I’ve have had my time with the Mackie 624s I currently use. I find them a little harsh so I’ve been looking to upgrade to some Adams or possibly Genelics. However, the ones I want cost a few thousand quid so we’ll see! I’ve just upgraded my studio considerably, including investing in an SSL X-Desk, so I feel I need to do the same with my monitors. I use Pro AKG monitoring reference headphones for their flat sound. I move between monitoring loud and quiet as I find both are useful. It’s also important to protect your ears against fatigue which can happen at loud levels.
What is the key ingredient in a track? Breakdown? Style of production? Bassline?
That’s easy: it’s all about the groove. Nothing matters if the groove doesn’t sit right. After the groove it’s the production that matters. The simplest track can sound ten times better if it’s produced well.
Describe your typical workflow on a track.
I don’t stick to the same formula, but I often start with drums and percussion, then add bass, and build above that. My tracks usually have a breakdown of some sort and have various energy changes throughout. Sometimes I think I introduce too many changes in my music but I like the element of surprise.
What sounds do you find are the hardest to create from scratch?
Good basslines are hard to make. So many sound the same. I love it when I hear great sub bass in a track. Not everyone gets the sub right, me included!
Any advice for aspiring producers out there?
Practice, learn, practice, read music technology magazines/books, practice, make mistakes, then practice some more. I learned my trade through blood, sweat and tears, reading a lot and never giving up. I think if you put enough into your music, you will get there one day. Obviously having some talent helps too.
Do you use mainly analogue or digital soft synth sources? Do you think analogue really makes a difference?
I use a mix of both. I started out with analogue outboard stuff but now I use that kit alongside Logic and various digital plugins. I bought the SSL X-Desk because purely digital mixing can feel a bit sterile: the X-Desk introduces a warm, rounded finish to mixes. So I guess I do believe that analogue introduces something important to the mix – even though it has taken me a while to get round to doing anything about it.
What technological advances can you foresee in the dance music industry and how do you see that affecting artists, labels, clubbing and DJs?
I would love to see the whole file-sharing thing sorted, but I’m not sure how or even if that will happen. Labels are screwed right now. Vinyl sales have quartered in the past few years and labels struggle because the digital market isn’t making amends for the loss of that market.
In Sweden they’ve started a three strikes and you’re out rule for file-sharers. It will mean you are banned from the internet and fined (or possibly jailed) if caught file-sharing three times. It’s worked there and I think it would be good to have a deterrent here for those kids who stick our music on free sites.
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?
It has to be done professionally in my opinion. Some very talented producers are able to master their own mixes, but you need the right kit and it doesn’t come cheap. For me, there’s nothing worse than a badly mastered track. Unfortunately you hear bad mastering a lot on Beatport: there should be rules against it.
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More from Simon Baker: www.myspace.com/simonbakerinfantrecords
