Artist Interviews 🎶 Studio Tours 🎛

Hello music people 👋

Today in the spotlight, Evan Surmaj

Currenty in the United States, he’s always been into music. He has dabbled with making music in the box, but hands-on is where he is creative the most 🎶

Interview & Studio Tour

Who are you and what is your relationship with music?

Just a dude trying to make his way through the sonic space. I was born and raised in Virginia USA.

Started playing drums in middle school, picked up classical/flamenco finger style nylon guitar stuff in high school. I played in various bands both on drums and guitar (mostly electric guitar) in Richmond VA while going to VCU. Had a few experiences recording in local studios cutting a record here and there which is where I got my first taste of messing with gear.

After college I landed a good corporate job and kept playing in local bands. Once the pandemic hit a buddy of mine suggested that I get a laptop and try and make some music of my own. That was around the same time I started getting in to guitar pedals and synths. I was messing around with garage band on an iPad before the laptop so the most logical (pardon the pun) progression in choosing a DAW was Logic Pro. From there I slowly learned some of the dark arts that is working in a box. I realized pretty quickly that I was more into hardware so the bulk of my music making is in a DAWless kinda set up but am not opposed to hybrid work flows.

So I just work the 9 to 5 thing and music is just a hobby.

Which piece of equipment in your studio is essential to your production process?

I would say my keystep pros and my digitakt for sure.

What is the least expensive piece of gear that gave you the most results?

For sure the Korg Volca Keys. I bought it used and if processed right, It'll give you some real tasty bass and arp sounds which I turn to often.

Walk us through your process for creating and producing music.

Depends on the day but off the top of my head I'd say most my jams/ideas start with the drums (usually chopped up DnB samples or some techno house 4 on the floor grooves) OR a sequence that I will input in the keystep pro. My favorite thing to do is usually start in like F or C minor, then randomize the octaves and go from there.

From there bass or pads will come in with random synth textures sprinkled about as well. Bass is usually the Roland SH-01a and pads are usually the Roland D-05. Once I establish that foundation I will pan and EQ everything all on the two mixers I use. Both are Soundcraft analog mixers. From there I'll pipe it all into a Roland Go-Mixer and straight into the phone and play/perform live. I tried doing multi-track out into Logic Pro then sync'ing the video later but that is just too annoying for me personally. I do it all for fun so I don't take it all too seriously.

I usually just throw them on insta once or twice a week. I usually take part in Jamuary where I find myself being the most creative because I sorta force myself to do it. It's tough because is 31 straight days of producing something and posting everyday but there are usually some choice ideas that will come out of it at the end of the 31 days.

What is a production technique that you always come back to?

Less is not more.... More is more!!!!

Just kidding! I just try and do what sounds good to my ears. It's usually just tweaking stuff to extremes and then pulling back until its not deafening. But sometimes extreme can be awesome in the analog domain. For example running an Korg MS20 through a super fuzz pedal.

Another thing I am doing is on my current set up I have synths and drums on different chains and those chains have their own compressor/limiters at the end. This is all dawless and all hardware. I use a FMR Audio Really Nice Compressor for the drums and the EHX Platform for the synths.

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How would you describe your style?

Eh, I am a bit all over the place as far as style. Really just depends on the day and or season.

Liquid/Atmospheric drum and bass is a genre I've been really into lately and can not resist those drum grooves and the etherial pads...... there is just nothing like it in my opinion. I also really dig older techno sounds with plucky 16th note bass lines. I usually go synth for that sound is my Pro-1 clone. I really like weird experimental ambient stuff too.

I also have an acoustic side to me too. My last EP was my take on like 1960s beach music you'd hear on a PBS program on TV. For that I was using my guitars, and more traditional sounds and recording techniques.

What is a big challenge you have as an artist?

My biggest issue is when I decide I want to really flesh out an idea and or a jam and record it properly meaning: arrange, record, mix and master etc...

I found that the process in doing that just is never inspiring enough or it just takes me ages to do it. That is, doing it in the DAW -Logic. I know I am not the only one but when I get comments like, "Hey, I really like this jam, you should release it!" I think to myself yea for sure! But when I come back later to actually sit down and recreate it, the magic is gone and I just am not into it anymore.

Has building a hardware setup changed your perspective on music or life in general?

Eh not really.

So I try and live by this like rule I have where if you have a piece of gear, let's say a synth, and a month goes by and you don't touch it....... It's gotta go!

One tip on how to spark creativity?

Listen to music that gets you juiced!

Try and set limitation or challenges for yourself. It usually work for me if I am having option paralysis. Like try and make a jam or idea using only two synths or having only one effect or something like that.

A book, movie, article, or album that has inspired you?

Not too much into books anymore since college.

The Thing, Terminator, Escape From New York, Blood Sport, and Alien are movies that always inspire me.

And as for Albums... off the top of my head and currently I am listening to UFO Onderzoek 1983 by Smackos (Legowelt)

Anything else you'd like to say?

Listen to Legowelt. He was and still is my biggest inspiration in the electronic music realm.

Where can people find more of your music and connect with you online?

My instagram is where I post the most. When I release music its on all the platforms under the name Surmajesty. I have a youtube channel too that has a few longer format videos and also deep dives on my setups. They are different iterations of the studio setup but the work flow is more or less the same.

Gear List

• Arturia - key step pro (x2) | keystep 37 | key lab 61 | Microfreak

• Elektron - Digitatk

• Roland - SP404 MKII

• Behringer - Pro 1 

• Korg - MS20 Mini | Volca Keys | Volca FM 2 | Volca Bass

• ASM - Hydrasynth Explorer

• Roland - SH01a | D-05

• Dtronics - DT01 

• Soundcraft - EFX8 | Signature 12 Mixer with USB multi track | Midi Tech 4 thru box

• Kenton - 12 midi thru box

• Boss - RC505 

• FMR - Audio Really Nice Compressor RNC 1773

• Chase Bliss - Generation Loss MKII

• EXH - Platform

• Moog - Moogerfooger analog delay MF - 104Z

• Berliner - Super fuzz

• Ibenez - Tube Screamer TS9

• Zoom - MS 70CDR

• Eventide - Space

• Hologram - Microcosm

• Talk Audio - 144 preamp pedal

• Modified EHX - Canyon Delay

• Roland - GoMixer Pro

• KRK Systems - Rokit 5 Speaker

• Behringer - U-Phoria UMC404HD 4x4 USB Audio Interface

• Fender - Stratocaster

• A. Dotras Córdoba - Classical Guitar

• Catalina Gretsch - jazz club kit

• Zildjian - 14 inch K Custom Dark Hi Hats | 21 inch Avedis Sweet Ride

• Meinl - 18 inch Byzance Dark Crash

• Mix Drum hardware

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Giannis @giannis.kampiotis