Who are you?

Gustavo Lanzas, also known as Audioelectronic or Dj Audioel.

Where are you from, and how did you get to where you are today?

I’m originally from Nicaragua, but moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 80s. I grew up in the heart of Silicon Valley, and was exposed to technology my entire life.

How did you first get interested in electronic dance music?

I got into djing in Jr. High, since I was not a good break dancer. So I would go out and buy the hot new electro 12″ from Egyptian Lover, Newcleus, etc. I didn’t really understand how that music was made until much later on, when I saw shows by Meat Beat Manifesto, Pop Will Eat Itself, and 808 State. The real turning point was when the rave scene exploded in the Bay Area right around 1991 or so.

Who or what are you biggest influences?

New Order, Depeche Mode, The Orb, Severed Heads, Psychic TV, Egyptian Lover, Richard H. Kirk, LFO, B12, Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Richard James, Basic Channel, Aztec Mystic, Jeff Taylor Cross, Single Cell Orchestra, Dj Pierre, Phuture, Aux 88, and too many more to mention.

I directly owe my start in electronic music to two people – Jeff Taylor Cross, who used to write as Ultraviolet Catastrophe / Sinistar for giving me my first sampler and introducing me to a lot of great music, and to Miguel Fiero, Single Cell Orchestra, for his support and encouragement when I got started, and friendship in the years after – and explaining to me exactly what a sequencer did.

Name some current artists and/or labels that you like.

Artists – Rob Babicz, Loco Dice, Steve Bug, Aaron Carl, Tiefschwarz, Aril Brikha, Booka Shade, Manuel Tur, Azari & III. Labels – Kompakt, Disques Sinthomme, Crosstown Rebels, Systematic, Pantamuzik, Subsensory, Sentrall, and Nude Photo Music!

What music projects are you working on right now?

Working on a new hardware-based live set for Audioelectronic. Also several remixes for friends and collaborators, including a remix for Subsensory Records and Steamtown Records. Also doing some mastering and engineering for new artists on Nude Photo Music.

What is your music process like?

All my ideas start with a little vocalized jam. I tap my fingers, hum, and sing a bassline or melody out. When I can’t stand it anymore, I fire up the studio, and get NI Maschine and Ableton going. I’ll work in short, intense bursts of effort. An hour here, 20 minutes there. At some point, the idea becomes a rough track, with different parts. I set up several scenes in the Session view, and I’ll jam with the different scenes until I think I have an idea of how the track will progress. I’ll spend some time at that point working on the arrangement, and record it out linearly using the Arrange view in Live. When its laid out in a linear fashion, I’ll go through and add transitions, breaks, fills, etc. Once I’m happy with the arrangement, I will bounce each track out as audio, and import the audio to Logic. When the session is built in logic, I’ll work on automation, transitions, effects, and adding “magic dust” to the mix. I always finish my mixes in Logic, since the built-in effects and the quality of the audio engine are far superior to my ear. I can’t get the clarity and separation in my mixes anywhere else. One tool I use a lot is the audio energizer in the Logic sample editor. It’s better than normalizing the audio, since its dynamic. Perhaps the closest thing I’ve found to it is the Peak RMS normalize, but its nice to have it built in to Logic. I always try to get each raw track as loud as possible while retaining the dynamics and making sure it doesn’t clip. In my mixes, I start out by bringing all the channels down to -20db, and adjust from there – starting with the kick. I work from the bottom up, in terms of frequency, since the kick and bass tend to be the loudest elements in a mix. I do a lot of critical listening when the mix is done, on different systems. My best tool for judging the quality of a mix is playing it in my livingroom on my entertainment center’s little cheap surround speaker system. If it holds up and sounds like some of the commercial releases I like, I know I’m in the ballpark. I try to separate mastering from mixdowns, and only master once I’m happy with the mix.

What technology has shaped your music the most?

High quality software emulations of outboard gear, and Logic Audio. I can get the exact sound I want, and apply subtle coloring and character while keeping my mixes clear and defined. I love being able to take a track through every stage from composition, to arrangement, to mixdown, to mastering.

Is there one particular piece of gear you’re obsessing over?

I miss big chunky drum machines. My old SP-1200, or a Sequential Circuits Drumtraks. More outboard gear – some Manley or Neve gear would be nice.

Can you describe if there is a theme or concept behind your music?

Sensuality, melancholy, dub basslines, space. The emotional legacy of Detroit techno? I love simplicity in production, and I like sounds that don’t try to be “real”. Pure tones and sounds that are easily identified as being from a drum machine or particular synthesizer always appeal to me – as the starting point for turning them into something else.

Any plans for Dj sets or live performances?

Working on both! I’m available for bookings for either.

Any tips or suggestions for aspiring producers?

Get a Soundcloud account, work very hard, don’t even think for a second that you know what you’re doing after one or two years of production. Be hard on yourself. Don’t believe your friends when they tell you you’re great. Put your ego aside, and when someone takes the time to school you – pay attention. That said, don’t give up – reach deeper and find what moves you and channel it into your music. Use your ears. Learn some musical theory so you can tell when things are out of tune in your tracks. Follow directions when you submit music to a label. If you use Ableton, learn what the different stretch modes are good for, so that you don’t end up with warbly artifacts in your music. Make everything deliberate – don’t rely on random to get you out of a musical corner. Be helpful and supportive of other people in your scene. Encourage talent whenever you encounter it.

Do you have any other creative outlets besides music? Hobbies, interests, etc.

Running Nude Photo Music isn’t precisely “music”, but its a lot of fun – listening to all the demos submitted to the label on a daily basis, finding new ways of promoting the label and releases, and always being on the lookout for new talent is extremely rewarding. I also enjoy spending time with my baby son, Santiago. And I’m always trying to get back to biking more. Riding and bulding bikes are very rewarding to me. I find a lot of musical inspiration in the rhythms of pedaling and breathing. I also enjoy working on my garden, playing with my cats, and going out once in a while to enjoy good music.

What can we expect from you in the future?

More releases on Nude Photo Music, remixes for some great artists, and sometime before the end of the year, a live PA tour in the US.