Interviews Saint Joe

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Saint Joe has been helping build a quality of reviews over at Sounds & Gear, giving everyone deep insight into the various software and hardware that he comes across. We asked him a bit about his review process, read on.

What's up SaintJoe, tell everyone who you are.

JK Swopes, aka saintjoe, I'm a beatmaker that runs a couple websites. SoundsAndGear and MaschineTutorials. I'm pretty much just a music fanatic that loves creating new sounds and helping folks learn their gear.

When and why did you create SoundsAndGear.com?

I started it in 2009 as I was just getting back into making music after about a 2-3 years of doing nothing. I had sold most of my hardware so I was just getting into software. I found that there were no sites out there that really looked at libraries, software, and gear, in a way that beatmakers do. It was mostly just company spokespersons talking about how good a product is, or doing a really basic demo. No one was answering the questions I had or actually showing me what was in a product, so I started the site out of pretty much wanting to document the stuff I was finding and liking, trying to show it in a way that I'd do with my friends if they were sitting at my house.

You mentioned that you produce different types of music, such as Gospel. What's your favorite besides Hip Hop?

I don't really have a favorite genre, but I really like anything melodic and melody driven. I love ambient and experimental music because you can just do so much stuff that is outside of the traditional box of hip hop. But I pretty much just love sound and music in general so I mix and match all types of styles and just like to have fun.

Since you do a lot of product reviews, what's your favorite type of product to review?

I really enjoy reviewing virtual instruments and libraries, unique stuff that we may look over because people don't talk about them much. I love finding smaller companies and showcasing what they have because they make some of the most unique and character driven stuff I come across. I first started with a bunch of construction kits, but really got burnt out on those, so I like to go more for actual instruments or sample libraries that have a huge collection of loops and sounds and not so much the construction kit thing, of course that's a personal preference.

This year I'll be getting more into hardware as I've purchased some new synths and I don't plan to stop anytime soon! I also just got an iPad so I'll be showing some of my favorite iOS apps now as well. I basically just review stuff I dig man, I don't feel like wasting my time on reviewing stuff I don't like. Since I do videos for every review, I have to like what I'm doing. That was the whole idea behind my site, just show the stuff I was finding, liking, and using.

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of products geared directly at hip hop producers, what do you think?

I think many forget where hip hop came from. There was never anything really made "for" hip hop music, we just always took what was made for other stuff and did our thing with it. One of the most iconic hip hop products ever, was never made for hip hop. Roger Linn made his drum machines because he was a guitarist and needing some drum tracks. But urban producers took stuff like that and made it happen. I mean, sure there are certain sounds and styles of sounds hip hop and urban producers dig, and I try to let them know where to find them. But I also try to turn everyone on to stuff they may not normally use, because sound is so universal, I think most of the time when you try to cater to one particular style of music, it usually fails because it just goes for the stereotype of the music.

Hip Hop is very diverse, so I don't think think there will ever be a single product to capture the "hip hop sound". Just like any genre, we take what's there and we make it our own. When I hear people saying a certain synth or library "isn't really good for hip hop" I have to scratch my head and wonder exactly what they mean. Music is what you make it, sounds and gear (no pun intended lol) are just the tools we use to get what's in our head, out. Just make music!

What do you think of all the new hardware available now? Maschine, MPC, etc?

I grew up on the old hardware man, standalone sequencers like the Kawai Q80, Boss drum machines, MPC, keyboards, racks, etc. This new stuff is sick, it brings the familiar hands on workflow and instant feedback of hardware, and merges it with the infinite expansion and options of software. I think it's dope! When I first got Maschine, I had already moved to software, I was rocking Ableton but something was "missing", once I got Maschine I knew what it was. That muscle memory way of working, and not just the MIDI controller to software thing, it's the way the gear gives feedback during the whole process.

I'm also excited about the new stuff from Akai, I've wanted them to do something ever since I got Maschine, just for a different take on it. I think people are getting too caught up in which one is going to be better. I say get them both! I feel every piece of gear brings a different workflow and thus allows you to make different music. It's all about how you approach stuff. I make music differently in Ableton than I do in Maschine, or in BPM vs Geist, or Studio One vs my MP7, or Reason vs Beat Thang. All allow a different set of tools, different concepts, different way of doing similar things, but it's those differences that makes each unique and allows you to come up with something on one piece of gear or software that you may not do on another.

I love the variety. Even though I use Maschine most of the time, I still love having options and being able to switch it up because each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Plus man, this software stuff these days, it's very affordable, at least compared to what we used to spend on MPCs, workstations, racks, etc. I wish people would break the cycle of thinking they have to use only one thing, switch it up, you'd be surprised what you like.

How did you first start making music?

Probably like everyone else, I was a rapper and I had no beats! I always was into music and wanted to make my own, so, one year I bought a Boss DR-5 with my tax return (2001) and that started it all lol.

How do you feel about today's rap music?

I guess it depends on what type of music you're asking about. Radio, underground, what's on TV, indy, local, etc. I really don't feel a certain way about rap music as a whole. I think labels will always promote what they feel will sell or what they feel conforms to the image they want to push, but I also know there's plenty of indy artists and labels doing it themselves putting out the music they want to put out.

Regardless of how I feel about certain messages and themes being promoted in some of today's music, I'm glad we as a whole are still allowed to voice our own views, thoughts, and opinions, even if we don't share the same ones. Music has always been an outlet, and you'll always have commercial and non-commercial, popular and underground, music with a message and substance, and music just made to have fun and party. I think there is a place for it all.

What advice can you give someone looking to add quality software to their studio?

Well, just get what you want/need and don't worry about what everyone else says. You look at the specs, demo if possible, and do the research to get what you feel makes the most sense in your situation.

Thanks for doing the interview, any shout outs you'd like to give?

All the music gear heads that support the site, appreciate the love!!