3 questions i have always wanted to ask

[MrSaf3ty]

first off, RJD2, i would like to say that you are the entire reason i am in to hip hop these days. your music changed my life.

I've always had some questions for you and these are a few of em:

1.) it seems that your style of music is completely separate from any other producers style of hip hop/funk/soul/trip hop/instumental. i was wondering what were your major influences when you were starting to make music? did you listen to hip hop?

2.) it has always been my dream to build my own synthesizer. i guess my question is how do you start and how do you get all of the pieces?

3.) on deadringer where all of the samples from vinyl? were all of the drums breaks from vinyl or were some recorded live or taken from sample packs?


and i think the last thing that i think everyone on FP is thinkin is do you have any secrets for up and coming producers on how to make our beats sound as tightly produced as yours?

thank you so much for your time if you do in fact check out this thread. i am nuthin but a fan and i got nuthin but love for your music. keep up the great work.

 

[rjd2? yes rjd2.]

hey mrsaf3ty, thanks for the kind words. good to hear. ok, on to the answers....

1-thanks for that. that's about the best compliment i could ever get. i started out as a dj, then a rap producer, then got into doing my solo type of music. i think there is one big thing that contributes to your perception of what i do being outside of the realm of "other producers":ive had the luxury to make 7 or 8 full length albums by now. if you were to look at one album at a time, it might not seem so "varied". this is one thing that i kind of realized along the way; not only do i WANT to have a varied catalog, but i also get bored doing the same thing over and over. ive always listened to hiphop, still do, but my palette has always been broad, and only gets broader the older i get. there is so much "groove" oriented music out there that all has contributed to hiphop from otis redding to bad brains. the groove has always been first and foremost my priority in making, and listening, to music.

2-it happened slowly. i got into fixing synths first(well, amps and instruments and stuff too). after a while, i started to understand more and more about circuitry. i then discovered a site(electro-music.com) that had alot of really helpful and smart people that were involved in DIY synth building. i just started hanging out, reading, and eventually trying some of the projects they were doing. it has been the culmination of years of dabbling, in short.

3-yes.yes. no sample packs(they didnt have those kinds of things TMK in the late 90's/early aughts).

last thing-HA! well thanks, but i dont think of what i do as that "tightly produced", compared to some people. thanks tho. i would say this; if there's anything "pro" sounding about what i do, its in the arrangement and layout of my songs, not the engineering and such. i guess the big secret we are all chasing is this: how do we make music that doesnt sound derivative, that sounds inspired? while i dont always achieve it, i know the answer to this is for all of us to be the best "us" we can. in other words, to have the most FUN while making music. find that thing that excites YOU, because it feels like something you've never heard before. good luck.

 

[MrSaf3ty]

that you so much for your response. you seem to be an immensely humble person. i hope one day all musicians can have a similar mentality.