12/21/2007

Workspace and Environment: Le Mépris

Hello all. We've reached over 30 thousand hits from 6 thousand countries in around 2 months. Ok, 6 thousand countries really means: too many countries to count and I honestly don't know how many. I'd like to steal a little space to thank you all for coming, supporting and sending e-mails. Even if it's just a hello, we respond to all of them. Although we don't generally receive 30 thousand e-mails, we do get a bit so please excuse any late responses. Anyways, have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Background
Reiko Matane of Le Mépris started playing guitar in 'noisy, shoegaze-style wall of sound bands' in her teens. She has a new self-titled mp3 release on Aerotone. You can find a link to it at the end of the article.

Hardware
I think it is my white/red Fender Jazzmaster Reissue (Japanese edition). I like the Tremolo. I use guitar mostly without too much "dry" signal and also do not worry about analog/digital too much. I don't know, I do not have space or money to go completely analog and I am afraid I am too much used to editing on the screen that I am not patient enough anymore to do anything with tapes, although I love the sound you get.


Software
Host is Ableton. The drumrack is good for other stuff too.
Also my Piano Plugin http://www.truepianos.com/ is of course essential. I am a bit afraid to tell that I do not really own a real piano. I also record the midi with my microkorg as controller. So all the professionals out there will raise their eyebrows.

Environment
Rent is high in Nakano, Tokyo, at least for me. Working 3 days and making music for people free does not allow me to have a fancy big space.

First Piece of Gear
It was a cheap Sunn o))) Stratocaster copy. I still have it, but it sits here a bit unused next to a Fender Telecaster and Fender Jazzmaster Reissue...

Wishlist
Always more effect stomp boxes. I love delays (Line 6 DL-4, Digidelay, also Digiverb but I think that the Ableton Reverb and Delays are also good, also Ohmforce Stuff is used...).

Mobile Setup
It would be my Laptop, M-Audio Fastrack Pro, Microkorg as a controller, and sounds routed through my guitar boxes plus some ebow live guitar through my small Fender amp.

Studio Locations
Rent is high in Nakano, Tokyo, at least for me. Working 3 days and making music for people free does not allow me to have a fancy big space. So basically my room is quite packed and I mainly use my headphones for mixing (AKG 271). I love my small flat but I have to take care of not being too loud which is sometimes a problem. I would really like to integrate more guitars into my stuff but I have to record this at daytime... My flat is basically two very small rooms. So this is basically a bedroom producer situation which might also explain why my music is a bit narcotic, hihi... Actually I would like to have a small studio place and be more organized as I tend to let stuff lying around unused because I might be too lazy to plug it in... Sometimes I hate chords and power supplies, it kills me. It is hard to keep a small space tidy.

Le Mépris was born and currently resides in Tokyo, Japan. She has also lived in Nakano and spent 3 years in Berlin, Germany.

www.myspace.com/lmprs
Aerotone


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

just proves even the most astonishing music can come from the humblest of places.

Anonymous said...

so he wasn't a woman after all :(