Here's the interview I did with Tempo Giusto a couple of days ago.
Enjoy

1. Hello! Your real name is Tuomas Lahteenoja. After a quick search in Wikipedia, I found out that “Tempo Giusto” is actually a musical term. Why did you choose this alias?
TG: At first I thought I would use my real name but as my last name is quite difficult to pronounce for foreigners, I thought it’d be better to go with something completely else, something catchy and easier to remember. I played lots of first-person-shooter games online when I was younger and used the alias “Tempo Giusto” a few times. When I was thinking of a name for myself to use for music, it came to my mind again and thought it was quite nice. It means precise speed or tempo for piano playing, you can find more detailed explanations for it online.

2. You are of Finnish nationality. How long have you lived in Finland?
TG: I’ve lived in Finland most of my life, since 1986. When I was 16 I moved to Stockholm, Sweden with my father for a bit over a year, and then back to Finland again. After graduation from secondary education school I had about two years off from studying to work and focus better on producing, and then moved to London in early 2009 for audio engineering studies.

3. How did it all start for you? How did you “fall in love” with electronic music and what made you want to work as a DJ and producer?
TG: I’ve always been a very musical person, in fact one of my first memories from my childhood is a skiing trip when I was about 5 years old, and heard A-Ha’s pop classic “Take On Me” on the slope and absolutely loved it I fell in love with trance around the age of 13 when my oldest brother (also my label partner and fellow producer known as Ima’gin) showed me a track by Tibet Team FFM called “Australia”. I loved the spacious, reverberating atmosphere, and the combination of speed, energy and melodies in it. But it was in summer 2006 when I visited Ibiza with Ima’gin and felt the music touched me the most it had ever before. When I got back to Finland, I started working on beats more seriously and had my first release “Toxicant” as a collaboration with Ima’gin in late 2007.

4. My next question is related to the previous one. Are you musically trained or like most DJs - self-educated?
TG: I am musically trained to some extent but when it comes to producing, I’d say I’ve learned most by hard practice on my own. About my musical background, my father put me to piano lessons when I was about 8 years old and I took them for about six years. Doing my own tracks started as a hobby when I was about 11, and I received my audio engineering diploma in mid 2010.

5. Do you think that producers who are well familiar with the software/hardware, which they use to produce, but are not musically trained, can produce quality music thanks only to their inner sense of how a tune should sound?
TG: Yes, I think people can produce quality tracks even without any musical training. I’ve noticed that especially melodies and themes are something that come from the mind itself, and I think it is very important in dance music. As one person is the whole “orchestra”, you have to have a good imagination to make all sounds work together. Musical training of course helps, might bring more depth to the composition and make things easier.

6. How did you come around to starting your own label “Echelon”? Is it hard to manage an electronic music label nowadays?
TG: I sent tens of demos to large, semi-large and smaller labels in 2007 and early 2008, but nobody responded back. In March 2008 or so I finished a track called “Agent Orange” and the same thing happened with it. I was convinced the track was good enough to be released, something new and different, and started talking about creating our own digital record label with Ima’gin. It all happened quite fast – it was no more than two or three weeks and the label was up. We released “Agent Orange” with another track, and Tiesto and Ferry Corsten ended up playing it a lot, and it ended in top-10 in Trackitdown trance chart. This proved us that there was nothing wrong with our music, that it was maybe so new and different that other labels didn’t want to take a risk releasing it…so everyone who has gotten their demos rejected, keep doing your own thing! What comes to managing a label, it’s not easy as there are so many out there these days, and it is hard to shine through. If someone is considering creating a new one, make sure you focus on releasing something original that makes you stand out, and make sure it is produced well. If you don’t make a good first impression, it might be that the DJs will never listen to your promos again.

7. Let’s focus on your careers as a DJ. Are people in the UK and abroad interested in you as a DJ?
TG: I think I’m still more known as a producer but now that I’ve had my debut album released, I’ve gotten more offers for gigs. I have surprisingly many people messaging me in facebook and twitter, asking me when I’m coming to their country for a show but it’s still not that easy to score gigs if you don’t have an active agent who works full-time with you and constantly bombs the clubs.

8. Do you think that particular people, who are in the top 10 in the DJ Mag poll or are supported by the major agencies, have the monopoly of the DJ scene? Do you think that this has a negative impact on the scene as a whole – by denying unknown talents the right to be heard?
TG: Yes, I think the largest names have a very strong influence to the trance scene. Most of them have their own label and naturally like to support artists that are connected to it. This is why most people send their demos to the largest labels first, knowing they have a huge fan base and that the largest names are more likely to support their works. I think a lot of great music is left unreleased because many can’t think “outside the box”. Although I think it is a bit like a monopoly on certain things, that’s how life always goes, there are always a few main players who control the whole “scene”. But as time goes by, there will be new players that rise with fresh ideas and originality. I think the whole trance scene has changed and will change a lot in the upcoming years.

9. Your debut album “Premiering in Theaters” was just released. Would you tell us a little bit more about it – how long did it take to produce, what was your inspiration?
TG: I produced the tracks to it for about 1-2 years. The oldest track is “Stockticker” with Ima’gin, and the newest is “Ground Zero”. I’m always inspired by things and people around me, and how I’m feeling myself. I’ve always found music to be a bit like a movie, with a storyline of some sort that begins from something and continues to evolve towards the end. At times I lie down, close my eyes and imagine what a song is telling me, the mood and colours in it. The best thing about music is that everyone experiences it individually, imagining their own story. For example, to me one of the album tracks is a bit wistful, sad but beautiful, and to one of my listeners it is a joyous, happy track.

10. What do you enjoy doing to relax when you are not in the studio?
TG: I enjoy spending time with my family and close friends, watching movies and listening to chillout. In fact I watch a lot of movies every week, there are hardly any movies I haven’t seen.

11. A piano bar or a noisy club – which would you prefer in your spare time?
TG: It depends on if I want to party or have a relaxing night. Sometimes it’s nice to sit down in a piano bar with a friend, have a drink and a good talk. Sometimes on the other hand it’s great to go nuts in a club and have lots of fun.

12. Is there a particular country you would like to visit – a place that was recommended by a colleague of yours or you are curious about?
TG: I’d like to visit all countries but if I’d have to pick one, I’d say Japan. I’ve heard it’s really nice and different from other countries, and people are very friendly there. After also seeing the movie “The Last Samurai”, I’ve wanted to check out the country side if it’s anything like in the movie, peaceful, beautiful and relaxing. I’ve always told my brothers that in my past life I was an honourable samurai ;D !

13. Is there something you want to tell all your fans around the world?
TG: I’d like to thank everyone who ever supported my works, and who ever contacted me for my music and gave me faith to continue creating something different. You guys are the ones who keep me going, and I hope to deliver you many great tunes in future as well! Stay connected with me on Twitter and Facebook which are all available at www.tempogiusto.fi !

----
Thank you for your time! Good luck!

Some Tempo Giusto tracks:

___________________

quote:

Originally posted by Col However, EDM seems to be political for some people - it's not about the music itself but it's about what the music symbolises, where the music came from, who spins it and how obscure it is.

Don't know the guy, but the tracks posted here didn't do much for me. Same generic sound as the big labels who apparently ignore him.

Nice read!! Tempo Giusto is one of my favorite producers at the moment, and I'd definitely say hes got a unique style of his own.

Still play 'The Name Game' all the time in my sets

___________________
http://www.Facebook.com/xDJxSAPHYREx