Hello music people 👋

Today in the spotlight, User Friendly

Coming from Baltimore, his musical and visual style is very aggressive. But if you take the time to absorb his output, there's a lot to learn, so take notes people 🎶

Read Time: 2.3 minutes 📰

The Setup

Gear List

Key Eurorack:

• Orthogonal Devices -Er-301

• XOR Electronics - Nerdseq + Expanders

• Rossum Electro-Music - Assimil8or

• Make Noise Co. - Morphagene

• Make Noise Co. - Mimeophon

• Make Noise Co. - Erbe-Verb (#1 favorite module)

• WMD - MSCL

Other:

• Electron - Octatrack MK2

• Electron - Analog Four MK2

• Electron - Analog Rytm MK 2

• Electron - Analog Heat MK2

• Nord - Drum 3T (I cut the pads off of 3P and added CV triggers)

• Sherman - Filter Bank Mk2

• Custom Variably Unstable Tube Preamp

• Mackie - 1604

• FMR - RNLA

• FMR - RNC

• Shure - SRH840

• Shure - SM57

Plus one large box of tangled cables, power adapter, USB cables, and other broken things

Who are you and what is your relationship with music?

Hi, I'm User Friendly and I'm from Baltimore.

I enjoy making extremely aggressive and visceral sounds. Making music is therapy for me, so I it's not really a source of income. In fact, I would argue I should be paying music for being my therapist.

What's the one thing in your studio you can't live without?

Space. I need space.

Emotionally, physically, and metaphorically. I am constantly experimenting and making a mess. I need enough room that I can literally shove yesterdays experiments to the side so I can try something new RIGHT NOW.

What's your process?

The biggest part of my process is resampling my own sounds, beats, and entire tracks.

We all make those little ditties that don't ever really turn into anything. I make A LOT of them. I try to record as much as possible. Then, I take all of it, and try to smash it together into something new. The key is that I will do this with the same samples over and over. Each time I make something new with them, I'll record it, cut it up and mutate the results, and use it again.

Process and re-process, that's my process.

How would you explain your style?

Over-compressed and distorted.

Has this journey of building a hardware setup changed the way you think about music or life in general?

I really don't mean to be contrarian, but I can honestly say that the biggest impact hardware has had on me is making me realize that the computer is by far and above the best and most powerful piece of music hardware out there.

I heard once that Autechre says the computer is electronic music hardware as much as anything else. I agree 100%.

What’s your ONE tip on music-production or creativity?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Put another way, sample your own music and turn it into something else.

A book/movie/article that fueled your creativity?

Slaughterhouse-Five

How can people find you?

Linktree

For jams, knob-twists and pad hitting videos go to G.A.S. Instagram

Do you know someone who would like this email? Forward it to them 📤 💗

Gianni @gianni.kampiotis

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