When and why did you start to make spectrum music?
I got involved in music making in 1997. It was the fisrt time I
heard the sound of AY, and then together with Poisoned
Cyberjack, after seeing the big amount of demos that appeared
at that time, we decided to create or own ZX team. Though I
knew nothing about music, I decided to devote myself to it -
the team without a musician can't exist for long.
I suppose, the first technical experience you gained exploring
someone's tunes for samples, ornaments and other tricks. Who
was that spectrum musician who influenced your music and whom
you can call your teacher?
Yes, of course. At the beginning I tried to comprehend the
peculiarities of the composing process by exploring tracks from
Phantom Lord, Dj Cont and some other authors, whose music was
available in Perm on the disks with editors at that time (Xpeh
and some other local guys). Later their place took Andy Fer,
Mast and Mm<M. However, there were many other authors whose
tracks had something that I couldn't reach by myself...
I think teachers are Mm<M and Mast... Though there are a lot of
things I invented by my own efforts...
What was the first music editor that you used?
The first editor I've ever seen was either Soundtracker, or
Soundtracker Pro, though there are some doubts that it could be
Pro Sound Maker, which had no more or less working version...
I chose Pro Tracker 2.101. This was the first editor where I
began my composing.
What do you think about your past as a spectrum musician, what
important moments in your progression can you note?
Looking back on my past, I can note, that till 1999 I just
stored and accumulated the experience for the further
breakthru... I built up the progress until the moment when I
got the call-up papers from military registration office. So
now I just try to recover and to return on a level that I
reached two years ago. I reckon 1999 as the most important
year, when my tracks appeared on a different parties and in
various progs...
How do you think, do you have any fans, and what do you think
they particularly like in your music? Would you like to say
some words for them?
Fans? Of course they are... Maybe were... What they like in my
music I can't even imagine. Maybe they just like the
tranquility that presents in the majority of my tracks.
Moreover, I think my technique is not so bad...
What musical instruments do you use (if you ever used) during
composing prosess? Do you have any experience of musicmaking on
other platforms? What do you think about it?
I've never used one. I don't even play them, anyway, I think
that it is more easy to build up a melody with computer.
Sometimes I start FLStudio on pc... Sometimes I try to make
music in trackers. But I'm not fond of pc music making, cos it
more easy and interesting for me to work with AY. You see, to
put the beautiful composition in 3 channels is much more
interesting than in 64...
Do you like to criticize yourself? What is the weakest spot in
your techniques (rythm, melody, arrangement or something else)?
I guess so... I try to criticize myself to make me hold on a
level which doesn't let me to feel myself ashamed. For this
sake I can even erase a module that I don't like...
My weakest spot is that I work with the sound not very well...
And that I make pop music.
What kind of music do you listen, what bands/projects affect
you, what moods and feelings you try to put in your own
compositions? Remixes: what do you think of this?
I listen different music, AY music I listen often enough in
particular, because I deal with it almost every day. However, I
prefer foreign music and without vocals (i.e. I don't like to
listen songs).
I often listen Delerium, Jean Michelle Jarre, Crystal Method,
BT, Hybrid, Junki XL. Sometimes trance, drum'n'bass, jungle and
other electronic music.
My approach to music in different periods of time was affected
by Banco de Gaia, Delerium and Jean Michelle Jarre, but it is
almost unnoticeable... In my music I do not try to deliver any
feelings, only some certain emotions that I have while making a
melody - I prefer to improvise. But some compositions have the
pre-defined mood and idea...
I'm not a fan of remixes. I guess it's because people who make
them often have hands attached wrong or much worse ear than I.
But if it was made by Nik-O or Andy Fer - it's worth listening.
And I don't like that most of remixes are covers of the
well-known compositions...
What music compos did you participate in, what was the highest
rate and what do you think about your achievements?
I took part in almost every party since 1999. Exceptions - the
parties which I didn't know about or I didn't believe they are
worth of participation. And I took various places: from the
last on Forever'2003, to the first on Ascii'2002. The only
thing I think about it is that virtual compos usually have more
exact results than real... And I can be proud only of the 3rd
place on Phat1 and two 2nd places on Nuo and CAFe'2002...
What do you feel when your track is playing on a party? Are you
concerned with sound equipment, people that vote or it doesn't
bother you much?
When I listen to my track playing on a party curiosity appears.
I'm very interested in what sound is gonna be with organizer's
audio stuff and will audience shout 'sucks!!!' or not...
Although it's not so important. I understand that everybody's
got used to the sound he has at home with his own sound system.
Often they don't even know how does the real AY sound. Even I
for some time had very bad reproductor and a mono signal from
my Speccy :))
So, the most important is the opinion of a man, who have
listened to my track at home, with his sound adjustments that
he prefer and in proper mood. And it's great if he like my
music...
Do you have any interesting ideas about the future of spectrum
music? Maybe there are some hardware or software innovations
that you would like to have?
I have such ideas. Many. But I think it will take a lot of time
to discuss them all. The main, as I reckon, is to abandon all
GS and DMA, cos these technologies can't amaze anybody,
moreover, Spectrum has not enough of memory for digital sound.
While AY is something unique and unexacting.
And there's a need in a new music format, that can afford to
work with sound more convinient and make it more flexible. And
of course a new editor.
What is the most interesting aspect in spectrum music composing
for you - to perfect your skills within the bounds of one
'style' or 'genre', or to continue the thorny path of
experiments with sound and techniques?
Of course, the most interesting are the experiments. Though,
often it makes me arrange such tracks in more comprehensible
way and they turn similar to their predecessors.
Can you tell us some your original ideas that you want to
realize in your music, maybe you want to make a demo or a game
soundtrack, maybe just to try what you have never tried yet,
the new field of applying your talent?
I only have to release an album, but I don't think it's a good
idea... I don't want...
What do you think about co-operative composing, is it
interesting for you, whom would you like to make music with?
Please name 3 authors among the contemporary spectrum musicians
that you like most.
Co-operative composing is an interesting thing. You can learn a
lot, but my experience isn't too big.
The most interesting authors are Nik-O and c-jeff. Although, I
constantly behold for the others, and I hope there will be more
of such professional musicians soon, cos there are enough of
new authors.
Can you say some words of advise for those musicians who are
just starting out?
I can only wish them luck and be more persistant. Bacause you
have to spend a lot of time to make real quality music...
