Interface - Kej-Jee interview.

When and why did you start to make spectrum music?

I got involved in music making in 1997. It was the fisrt time I
heard  the  sound  of  AY,  and  then  together  with  Poisoned
Cyberjack,  after  seeing the big amount of demos that appeared
at  that  time,  we  decided to create or own ZX team. Though I
knew  nothing  about  music, I decided to devote myself to it -
the team without a musician can't exist for long.

I  suppose, the first technical experience you gained exploring
someone's  tunes  for  samples, ornaments and other tricks. Who
was  that  spectrum musician who influenced your music and whom
you can call your teacher?

Yes,  of  course.  At  the  beginning I tried to comprehend the
peculiarities of the composing process by exploring tracks from
Phantom  Lord,  Dj Cont and some other authors, whose music was
available  in Perm on the disks with editors at that time (Xpeh
and  some  other  local guys). Later their place took Andy Fer,
Mast  and  Mm<M.  However,  there were many other authors whose
tracks had something that I couldn't reach by myself...

I think teachers are Mm<M and Mast... Though there are a lot of
things I invented by my own efforts...

What was the first music editor that you used?

The  first  editor  I've  ever seen was either Soundtracker, or
Soundtracker Pro, though there are some doubts that it could be
Pro Sound Maker, which had no more or less working version...

I  chose  Pro  Tracker 2.101. This was the first editor where I
began my composing.

What  do you think about your past as a spectrum musician, what
important moments in your progression can you note?

Looking  back  on  my  past,  I can note, that till 1999 I just
stored   and   accumulated   the  experience  for  the  further
breakthru...  I  built  up the progress until the moment when I
got  the  call-up  papers from military registration office. So
now  I  just  try  to  recover  and to return on a level that I
reached  two  years  ago.  I  reckon 1999 as the most important
year,  when  my  tracks  appeared on a different parties and in
various progs...

How  do  you think, do you have any fans, and what do you think
they  particularly  like  in  your music? Would you like to say
some words for them?

Fans?  Of course they are... Maybe were... What they like in my
music   I   can't  even  imagine.  Maybe  they  just  like  the
tranquility  that  presents  in  the  majority  of  my  tracks.
Moreover, I think my technique is not so bad...

What  musical  instruments do you use (if you ever used) during
composing prosess? Do you have any experience of musicmaking on
other platforms? What do you think about it?

I've  never  used  one. I don't even play them, anyway, I think
that it is more easy to build up a melody with computer.

Sometimes  I  start  FLStudio  on pc... Sometimes I try to make
music  in trackers. But I'm not fond of pc music making, cos it
more  easy  and interesting for me to work with AY. You see, to
put  the  beautiful  composition  in  3  channels  is much more
interesting than in 64...

Do  you like to criticize yourself? What is the weakest spot in
your techniques (rythm, melody, arrangement or something else)?

I  guess  so...  I try to criticize myself to make me hold on a
level  which  doesn't  let  me to feel myself ashamed. For this
sake I can even erase a module that I don't like...

My  weakest spot is that I work with the sound not very well...
And that I make pop music.

What  kind  of  music do you listen, what bands/projects affect
you,  what  moods  and  feelings  you  try  to  put in your own
compositions? Remixes: what do you think of this?

I  listen  different  music,  AY music I listen often enough in
particular, because I deal with it almost every day. However, I
prefer  foreign  music and without vocals (i.e. I don't like to
listen songs).

I  often  listen Delerium, Jean Michelle Jarre, Crystal Method,
BT, Hybrid, Junki XL. Sometimes trance, drum'n'bass, jungle and
other electronic music.

My  approach to music in different periods of time was affected
by  Banco  de Gaia, Delerium and Jean Michelle Jarre, but it is
almost  unnoticeable... In my music I do not try to deliver any
feelings, only some certain emotions that I have while making a
melody  - I prefer to improvise. But some compositions have the
pre-defined mood and idea...

I'm  not a fan of remixes. I guess it's because people who make
them  often have hands attached wrong or much worse ear than I.
But if it was made by Nik-O or Andy Fer - it's worth listening.
And  I  don't  like  that  most  of  remixes  are covers of the
well-known compositions...

What  music compos did you participate in, what was the highest
rate and what do you think about your achievements?

I  took part in almost every party since 1999. Exceptions - the
parties  which I didn't know about or I didn't believe they are
worth  of  participation.  And  I took various places: from the
last  on  Forever'2003,  to  the  first on Ascii'2002. The only
thing I think about it is that virtual compos usually have more
exact  results  than real... And I can be proud only of the 3rd
place on Phat1 and two 2nd places on Nuo and CAFe'2002...

What do you feel when your track is playing on a party? Are you
concerned  with sound equipment, people that vote or it doesn't
bother you much?

When I listen to my track playing on a party curiosity appears.
I'm  very interested in what sound is gonna be with organizer's
audio stuff and will audience shout 'sucks!!!' or not...

Although  it's  not so important. I understand that everybody's
got used to the sound he has at home with his own sound system.
Often  they  don't even know how does the real AY sound. Even I
for  some  time had very bad reproductor and a mono signal from
my Speccy :))

So,  the  most  important  is  the  opinion  of a man, who have
listened  to  my track at home, with his sound adjustments that
he  prefer  and  in  proper  mood. And it's great if he like my
music...

Do  you have any interesting ideas about the future of spectrum
music?  Maybe  there  are some hardware or software innovations
that you would like to have?

I have such ideas. Many. But I think it will take a lot of time
to  discuss  them all. The main, as I reckon, is to abandon all
GS  and  DMA,  cos  these  technologies  can't  amaze  anybody,
moreover,  Spectrum has not enough of memory for digital sound.
While AY is something unique and unexacting.

And  there's  a  need in a new music format, that can afford to
work  with sound more convinient and make it more flexible. And
of course a new editor.

What is the most interesting aspect in spectrum music composing
for  you  -  to  perfect  your  skills within the bounds of one
'style'   or  'genre',  or  to  continue  the  thorny  path  of
experiments with sound and techniques?

Of  course,  the  most interesting are the experiments. Though,
often  it  makes  me arrange such tracks in more comprehensible
way and they turn similar to their predecessors.

Can  you  tell  us  some  your  original ideas that you want to
realize  in your music, maybe you want to make a demo or a game
soundtrack,  maybe  just  to try what you have never tried yet,
the new field of applying your talent?

I  only have to release an album, but I don't think it's a good
idea... I don't want...

What   do   you  think  about  co-operative  composing,  is  it
interesting  for  you,  whom would you like to make music with?
Please name 3 authors among the contemporary spectrum musicians
that you like most.

Co-operative composing is an interesting thing. You can learn a
lot, but my experience isn't too big.

The  most interesting authors are Nik-O and c-jeff. Although, I
constantly behold for the others, and I hope there will be more
of  such  professional  musicians soon, cos there are enough of
new authors.

Can  you  say  some words of advise for those musicians who are
just starting out?

I  can  only wish them luck and be more persistant. Bacause you
have to spend a lot of time to make real quality music...

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