Hey all...

Just thought I would poke my head in and say hello. I am new to the forums, but am really interested in helping people out with their productions and help contribute to the community. It will take me some time to review some tracks, and I can't promise I will be on tranceaddict everyday. But I will make it a regular visit.

I am starting off by contributing a remix to the 'Summer 2004 TA Remix Competition'. I have been producing for quite sometime. I have gone through various genres from trance, techno, house, progressive, new age, ambient, and classical.

It all started back in 1995, when I found some music programs for the PC called 'trackers'. It was all DOS based, sample based music sequencing software. There were no plugins, no reverb, no compression, no VSTi's, no MIDI in the beginning. Eventually in the late 90's the 'tracker' programs started to evolve, but really they are no match todays music software technology.

During my 'Tracker' Days (1995-1999), I was new to music so it was a lot of experimenting of trying to find the sounds, beats, learning the program. I always loved electronic music, so this was a logical step, the computer. It you could hear my first tunes I made. LOL. Horrible. But as a learning producer at the time, that is the only way. I made about hundred different songs during this time, spanning the list of genres I listed above, but really it was mainly ambient and new age music. Of course, the occasional techno and trance for good measure. I was having fun with all my songs, and would occasion put it all on cassette tape and show to my friends. CDR's were not readily available in 1995. LOL.

In 1997, I took up piano lessons to study classical music. During this time, I purchase my first upright piano and also my first synth, Alesis QS-8 88 Key. Influenced from my girlfriend at the time, it was the best thing for me as a producer. Learning to play, read music, study, learn the classics was a fundamental step for me. It gave me more perspective, more options, and the overall stepping stones to modern music. In 1999, I actually went to the studio to record 9 classical piano tracks for a CD that I distributed to friends and family. For my first recording experience in the studio, it turned out amazing to me. I continued classical piano lessons and study until 2003.

But my passion for electronic music would not leave me alone. In 2002, I made some major investments to purchase studio gear. I bought studio monitors (Mackie HR824), the infamous Access Virus B, a Behringer MX 2004A mixer, a AKG 3000 condensor microphone. Talk about new gear heaven. Wow.

Since 2002 I have been involved in several remix competitions (Delerium, Momu, Sinful Nature), as well as producing my own original tracks (mainly trance, progressive, house genres, and sometimes some downtempo stuff). Been more active in the club scene here in Detroit, getting to know the local DJ's and making connections to labels.

Finally 2004, now I am at the point where I want to take everything to the next level. I am finally getting comfortable with my tracks that I produce, as well as am starting to get interested in DJing (to spin my own stuff and to learn and get exposed to more music).
Actually getting my music out there, whether signed or unsigned it does not matter. Not looking for fame or fortune, but I would rather share all this music I created then to have it just sit on my hard drive.

The art of DJing is truly a great real-time performance art. It is immediate, it is gratifying, and reaction based. It is an art form from track selection to mixing to vibing with the crowd, the mood, and the moment. I can never really dis a DJ for what they do because everyone has thier skillz (whether good or bad) and thier performance, but of course we have all our likes and dislikes as well.

I have never ever been so interested in DJing until now, and how the whole Producer <---> DJ relationship works. I would imagine being both DJ and producer is a complimentary relationship. Producer gets ideas creates tracks -> DJ Spins Tracks -> Mixes New Tracks with other tracks -> more ideas -> hence moving back to studio to make more tracks, new ideas etc. -> Continues on and on.

I have just started fucking around with DJ Traktor Studio (before I get my technics, mixer, etc). I love the idea of mixing, creating new shit with what you have. DJ Traktor studio is opening me up to DJing, but fuck I can't do it on a computer. Forget that. Give me Vinyl, Mixer, and some decks please.

Although I am really a newb with DJing, I have yet to really get into it (meanign doing it everyday, practing etc, cause I don't have the hardware yet) But starting to mix has opened my eyes how I produce tracks, how well they really fit into a set, and I have adopted new ideas to building the structure of my songs from the whole mixing perspective of DJing. Creating longer tracks to accomodate long mixes, giving the ever important beat at the beginning and end of track to allow for good mixing, and other small things I have picked up along the way.

Obviously, getting stuff on vinyl would be ideal. But that takes money and promotion, getting in with a label and a distributor and such. Of course, CDR's work to for those CDJ's.

I suppose as any producer, you look to evolve your sound and be influenced by others. I have been influenced by Paul Van Dyk, Dave Seaman, John Digweed, BT, Enigma, Delerium, Tangerine Dream. These would be my major musical influences, but of course overtime you hear great DJ sets, get influenced by the current tracks you are listening to as well. It is hard to pinpoint one style, or one artist for me. Being involved in some many different genres, you are gonna have a lot of influences.

I use Cubase SX, FL Studio, and Reason for my software sequencers of choice. I have also been exposed to Logic and Acid Pro as well. VST's are obviously choice the future of music technology, but I still need knobs and buttons to push. And something about old school analog is always nice.

Whew, if you made it this far, thanks for reading. Didn't mean to make a novel. Just wanted to make myself known in the community.

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Absolute Fahrenheit ~ Todd