 Q&A session with Dave Akuma |
Muad'Dib 
Andrejnalin
Registration Date: 02-12-2003
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After the previous Q&A session with Surya, we fire out the next one with Dave Akuma, an experienced producer that has several releases behind him.
Check this page for releases on Juno.co.uk.
His audio page has been recently hacked, so there is nothing worthy of listen. Nevertheless, those who followed Akuma's tracks ofcourse don't need me to tell them what quality lies within them. For those that haven't, check out this sorting: http://www.drumnbass.be/forum/search.php?searchid=136146
Dave Akuma shall answer any questions that you may post. But, to keep this organized , neat and clean, you have to follow the next regulations:
- Max two questions per user at the time (+ bonus 1 if you really need to ask it 
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- This is about producing, keep it about that
- He might not answer all questions asked, but he promises to try Big Grin
- The session will run for a week. I'll notify when the session is over.
- No lamers are allowed. (lame enough 
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There. Now that we have set the rules, fire up.
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There is no such thing without its opposite
-Bene Gesserit
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07-11-2006 23:38 |
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Dave_Akuma
Wicked Producer
Registration Date: 02-12-2003
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08-11-2006 03:12 |
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anf0 D
CXNT
Registration Date: 31-03-2005
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awwww yeah....
how do you make your filthy ass long grimy basslines???
like what process do you go through.
basslines like in testing reality and IWAKURA
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[R] CentaSpike :: Tracks
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08-11-2006 03:37 |
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Dave_Akuma
Wicked Producer
Registration Date: 02-12-2003
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my basslines are always done with samples, chopped and edited straight in Acid Pro - in Testing Reality it was a fairly long reece sample that i chopped up and played with the pitch...the higher, bendy reece parts were run thru kontakt where i played with the pitchbend wheel. i may have added some distortion in kontakt before bouncing the sample down...
in Iwakura, i made the bass in a vsti (i honestly don't remember which, cuz i'll spend a day just making/tweaking samples for later use) with a slow lfo - i didn't want it to wobble, but i wanted a tiny bit of modulation...i used a vst called 'Saturator' on the bass track when mixing down in cubase ...
if i use a bass that's distorted, i'll duplicate the track, and cut all the lows off one and will add distortion to it, and the other will have the highs cut out...when mixing down in cubase, i'll cut a notch where the kick drum sits (anywhere from 90-120 or so) so the kick will come thru better, and i'll usually give the bass track(s) a boost at 60hz and a tiny boost at 33hz
basically all my basslines begin as a sample - whether i made it myself or got if from the net - and i manipulate them in acid - i don't sit there and make a bass for a specific tune - and i don't work in midi when i'm making a tune
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08-11-2006 04:54 |
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Surora23
Agressive Melodic Disorder
Registration Date: 05-07-2004
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| quote: |
Originally posted by Dave_Akuma
my basslines are always done with samples, chopped and edited straight in Acid Pro - in Testing Reality it was a fairly long reece sample that i chopped up and played with the pitch...the higher, bendy reece parts were run thru kontakt where i played with the pitchbend wheel. i may have added some distortion in kontakt before bouncing the sample down...
in Iwakura, i made the bass in a vsti (i honestly don't remember which, cuz i'll spend a day just making/tweaking samples for later use) with a slow lfo - i didn't want it to wobble, but i wanted a tiny bit of modulation...i used a vst called 'Saturator' on the bass track when mixing down in cubase ...
if i use a bass that's distorted, i'll duplicate the track, and cut all the lows off one and will add distortion to it, and the other will have the highs cut out...when mixing down in cubase, i'll cut a notch where the kick drum sits (anywhere from 90-120 or so) so the kick will come thru better, and i'll usually give the bass track(s) a boost at 60hz and a tiny boost at 33hz
basically all my basslines begin as a sample - whether i made it myself or got if from the net - and i manipulate them in acid - i don't sit there and make a bass for a specific tune - and i don't work in midi when i'm making a tune |
yo when you gonna hit me back up on aim?? got a new track featuring your drums you gotta hear man... pm check??
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Rinse it OUT!!!! 
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08-11-2006 04:56 |
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Dave_Akuma
Wicked Producer
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just signed on
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08-11-2006 05:27 |
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anf0 D
CXNT
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08-11-2006 05:29 |
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Muad'Dib
Andrejnalin
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What drives your inspiration on power, what inspires you? Something special, your life at general or..?
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There is no such thing without its opposite
-Bene Gesserit
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08-11-2006 19:01 |
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Dave_Akuma
Wicked Producer
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i get inspiration from various things - anime (well not so much anymore as i don't really watch it), movies (either the sound effects or the story itself) and videogames (the sound design of games like Halo or Doom, etc. really gets me) but alot of times i'll get little ideas here and there, seemingly out of nowhere - like in the shower - some people may sing in the shower, i hear music in my head... i guess my biggest inspiration would be deathmetal/grindcore - trying to capture the same intensity and aggression in a dnb format...i've always used music as a way of releasing aggression and stuff like that instead of going around getting in fights and stuff, which is the main reason i make heavy material...
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08-11-2006 19:17 |
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broadside
mentalist
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well, how about your beats then, whats the basic process you use with them?
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08-11-2006 21:54 |
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Dave_Akuma
Wicked Producer
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just as i'll spend some time making pads/basses, etc., i'll spend time just making and processing breaks...i tend to look for breaks with busy & prominent ghost hits. i keep them intact instead of chopping out the snare, kick, etc. into one-shots...i'll use a couple that sound good together (say, one with lots of rides or something and another with a phat snare) and get the basic pattern down...i'll chop them only where it's needed..i'll layer a kick or 2 for punch and power, and a couple snares as well as hats/rides for a fuller sounding break (this is all done in acid in audio btw). i'll eq each one separately and might use a little bit of psp vintagewarmer or rubytube on one to phatten it up, and once i'm happy with it i'll bounce it down...then i load it into soundforge and will use vintagewarmer or some other saturation plug with additional eq'ing where needed...then bounce this down...in the tune itself, i'll layer a few of these breaks and basically repeat the original process again. i edit the patterns straight in audio in acid, so i have total control over every tiny detail, and if i have to alter the drums to fit the bassline or something, it's all right there with little hassle...my favorite saturation plugs are VintageWarmer, Rubytube, the Camelphat plugs, and TL Saturated Driver. here's a screenshot:
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This post has been edited 1 time(s), it was last edited by Dave_Akuma: 08-11-2006 22:22.
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08-11-2006 22:21 |
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@1$-)
unregistered
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what other styles are you making?
fancy a collaboration?
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08-11-2006 22:52 |
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Dave_Akuma
Wicked Producer
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i make dubstep and some hip-hop type stuff...i'm not really keen on collaborations after a bad experience, sorry...
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08-11-2006 22:54 |
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@1$-)
unregistered
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| quote: |
Originally posted by Dave_Akuma
i'm not really keen on collaborations after a bad experience, sorry... |
thats a lame excuse. you could just say you cant be bothered.
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08-11-2006 22:55 |
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Arkitekt
Brain Fried Amen Bastard
Registration Date: 13-06-2005
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Well first off let me say thanks for the scanlover link
ive always been very impressed with your tunes. Loss of Self being my favorite to date. what was the inspiration behind that track? (noticed it sounds a little filtered on the press was that you or the plant?)
And you mentioned deathmetal/grindcore as an inspiration. What bands/groups right now are you listening to that you feel are pushing the deathmetal scene?
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VIRB
DARKLAND144
DARKLAND115
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09-11-2006 19:29 |
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Friscko
Aron Tinnitus
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09-11-2006 19:37 |
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Dave_Akuma
Wicked Producer
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Loss of Self was based on / inspired by the anime Excel Saga...its a crazy wtf kinda series, but right towards the end it gets all deep and stuff...the vocal sample is from that part - the character Excel gets shot by her 'boss' when her services are no longer needed, and as she's laying there bleeding she's trying to rationalize why he shot her and all that stuff...i don't have a vinyl copy, so i don't know anything about the pressing...i know it was mastered at Heathmann's and the Mindrush guys told me it sounded good, but other than that i have no idea...
as far as the deathmetal bands, i'm kinda playing catch up, as i stopped following the scene when i started getting into dnb...but lately i've been impressed by bands such as Nile, Hate Eternal, i like the new Napalm Death album, and alot of the Century Media & Relapse bands...
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09-11-2006 21:00 |
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cynik
Cp6uja
Registration Date: 15-03-2005
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09-11-2006 21:08 |
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Arkitekt
Brain Fried Amen Bastard
Registration Date: 13-06-2005
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| quote: |
Originally posted by Dave_Akuma
i like the new Napalm Death album, |
hell yeah! i used to listen to those guys all the time back in the day..!
nice one!!
Ive heard one of your dubstep tunes. and while i like it, the style and your tune, i dont really understand the dubstep movement. What is it about that style that gets you going? Is it the "open" feel of the tunes?? The abillity to really stretch those processed sounds? or something as simple as you like to bone to it??
BTW - Thanks for doing this much apreciated.
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VIRB
DARKLAND144
DARKLAND115
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09-11-2006 21:10 |
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Dave_Akuma
Wicked Producer
Registration Date: 02-12-2003
Posts: 400
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the main thing i like about dubstep is the slow, 'stoney' feel of it...i have a friend who listens to all kinds of music, and alot of times when we blaze he'll put on dub and stuff like that, and the sounds started to grow on me...plus i love alot of sub bass, so that's a big reason why i like dubstep...i don't like the grimey-type stuff tho...
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09-11-2006 21:28 |
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