Late last August, Robert Moog died at the age of 71. As the inventor of the first popular, user-friendly synthesizer, Moog's impact has left an undeniable mark on modern music production.
Coupled with sampling, analog and digital synthesizers gave musicians an entirely new set of tools to work with. Hip-hop and electronic music was fueled by these technologies. And since Moog's invention, relatively inexpensive home-recording gear has created a new generation of producer/songwriters that employ the studio as an instrument in and of itself.
So how do modern producers work all this shiny technology into their songwriting? Since Kanye West was unavailable for comment, I discussed this with UW-Madison graduate Brandon Schreiner, who, along with his bandmate Jordan Parker, makes up the most tech-savvy indie-rock duo in town, if_thenelse.
If_thenelse, in a nutshell, fills its innovative, very catchy tunes with hyper-kinetic, danceable beats, epic washes of synth, melodic vocals and guitars. All of these elements are liable to be chopped up, filtered and reconstructed by their gear into music that sounds unlike much else that's out there right now. And they put on a kick-ass live show, to boot.
\Different songs start out different ways. Sometimes you've got this jumble of samples, maybe a small guitar idea, and then you develop it part by part ... that's a slow process,"" Schreiner explained. ""Other times we'll start with a piano loop we really like, which gives a framework to build with ... even other times the whole song is basically completed before we start recording, working the tracks, and finding the samples.""
Regarding sampling and generally getting their music onto a hard drive, the band uses digital recording software. Parker uses Acid Pro, a loop-based music composition and production tool, while Schreiner employs ProTools, the industry standard in home and professional recording.
""We like to make our own samples ... also pulling samples ourselves. Listening to CDs and finding spots we like and taking them out of context, putting them into our own context,"" Schreiner described. ""It's sort of a different way of making music because you attack it from a different angle.""
On the topic of synths, Schreiner was enthusiastic. ""I love the sound of electronic noises that you can't make with any other sort of instrument.""
As far as synthesized sounds are concerned, Brandon and Jordan mostly use their MicroKorg, a very popular little synthesizer that uses what's called DSP analog modeling to generate sounds. For those who aren't audio engineers, that means this thing does a good job of sounding like old-school analog synthesizers of the Moog variety, producing very warm and thick tones.
Once the framework of the song is recorded, it's time for mixing '?- the musical equivalent of a film's post-production. Effects are applied and additional musical elements get added via ""overdubs."" The final step is mastering, or getting the track's various elements balanced out to make sure each sound gets heard.
Now that the song is done, what's an indie band to do? Play a killer live show for the kids, obviously. But, with all the electronic, sampled, and programmed ingredients in the if_thenelse sound, how do Schreiner and Parker make it work live?
""It's kind of difficult, actually,"" Schreiner conceded. ""We have a live track and we play over it in the background ... we don't have to [tend] to all the electronic stuff; we can play our guitars and keyboards and sing and jump around and not have to worry about pressing buttons.""
Schreiner admitted that he'd like more interaction with the electronic elements live. In response to this, if_thenelse's songwriting method has gradually changed.
""Before it was an electronic base, and then throwing the guitars over that. Now we're writing more with a live instrumentation base,"" with electronic instruments and effects added next, Schreiner explained.
Regardless of the means of production, though, good music is good music. All of this new equipment would be useless if it weren't fueled by creative, innovative minds. It's all just a means to new, interesting musical ends. It's exciting to be a music fan at a time when, whether you like your music acoustic, analog or pixelated, there's something out there for everyone.
Adam Dylewski is a junior majoring in Genetics. His new avant-garde band will feature theremins, jaw-harps and a vocoder. Send your letters to adylewski@wisc.edu.
