[PRODUCER AMA] BILLAIN

I try to think about a track more as if it is an environment. This is a more cinematic approach to things, perhaps closer to sound design. To make the scenery believable, it means that you have to add everything that makes a certain scene more “real’. However, since its musical elements, I believe this falls under experimental grounds. But to be honest, this is what the core of DNB was, and it still should be enforced as a standard, a place to bring new ideas and praise them. Less is more in many cases, but also one cannot exist without the other, where more does also bring more in terms of how many times you wanna get back to a game and discover more features every time you get back. Just like the games.
But to be able to organize that chaos, you create subgroups on the channels, Mideffects 1 group, Mideffects 2 group, Higheffects 1, 2, and you then have less chaos and better groups to handle. (mid means mid-frequency area and high means high frequency are as in “cutting them via EQ) and then once the groups are established, various levels of multiband or solo sidechain create enough headroom for all.

Overall benefits of a SUBPAC + things you’ve embedded into your workflow?
Benefits are multiple. We are a species that like to process perceptions trough multiple sensory pathways, the reason we are here is that we love what some audiovisual realm has done over the course of let’s say dnb/rave/bass music history, and in my case cyberneuro, crossing its ways with the cinematic experience, creating the films on all occasions. Subpac provides another sensory, something we experienced in clubs, and now in the commodity of our homes. The frequency tremor as a feedback whether for listening or production process. Some people think that it has to be tuned or precise, and they cannot be more right but also wrong. This realm does need to be in one specific technical area to already be awesome. Tested this in a VR clubbing environment with a full headset. It was nuts. My buddy from Metnem HQ,  had all of the SUBPACs. Also, there is a video circulating around YouTube where I used SUBPAC to create sound design, by exposing various small elements to its vibration and recording the resonance of plastic, metal, and all possible. So my workflow expands to have used from the SUBPAC even in different production stages than just strapping it to my back.

What’s your word of advice for those just entering the world of releasing music?
Try to learn as much as possible in production, learn all the basics, but do the things the way you imagine it, not what others say, they are all giving you their standpoints, but what you really need is your own at the end, so be stubborn, honestly. Being stubborn makes you get mistakes and learn from mistakes because you need to make a lot of mistakes to be what you are. Trials and errors are a must. Behind 100 of my tracks that people find successful lies 10000 of failed tracks and projects.

Also, share your work, get feedbacks, both good and bad, you need those. Make a lot of tracks, make more bad tracks than good ones, of course, good ones will always be accidents hehe. But send your music anywhere, it is impossible to be heard otherwise. You need to be super persistent.

Weirdest thing you’ve sampled/processed and turned into a bass?
Cat purring gave me a good morphing low-end reese sound, a vibrator gave me surface tension of hollow objects creating simulation like lossy steel doors of an old club tremoring to a sub of a gig that is happening in its basement, ventilation in a toilet in split-croatia gave me a haunting pad and reese layer of tesselator track.

Read more on our FEELSUBPAC community page (and join for updates on our next AMA)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/FEELSUBPAC

FROM: Dec 17

SUBPAC Producer AMA with Billain.

We are partnering up with HyperX to host a SUBPAC Producer AMA with renowned and highly talented producer, DJ, and sound designer: BILLAIN.

One of the most daring, creative contributors to drum & bass’s neuro movement, Billain is a genuinely unique creator who has applied his abilities to a wealth of sonic arts… From massive club destroyers to big-screen movies and video games. Ask about his workflow, how he processes certain sounds, or how he perfects his low end.⚡️

Get your questions in early…and you can win!

• Submit your production question for Billain early for a chance to win a SUBPAC X1 and HyperX headphones. (winners are chosen at random)
• The start time is: 11 am PST on Thursday, Dec 10th.
• Hosted on  FEEL SUBPAC Community – join now for updates: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FEELSUBPAC )
• The winner of the SUBPAC X1 Giveaway will be announced via social media on Monday, Dec. 14.

We look forward to your production questions  …🔈✨