Featured Artist 139
Xavi
Just in time for Christmas, we're bringing Xavi back, who left Audiotool a few years ago to try his luck in the music business. We want to get to the bottom of this: how has he been doing in the meantime? What has worked and what hasn't? What could he take with him from Audiotool, and what does he maybe even miss? We thank you - xavrockbeats - for telling the new generation of Audiotoolers about your experience. And we wish you continued success on your way to becoming a star DJ and producer, which you undoubtedly deserve.
Interview
I have had the pleasure of touring with Seven Lions, playing multiple shows and more than a couple of festivals.
- What has happened since you moved from Audiotool into the big wide world?
- A lot of things! I have had the pleasure and luxury of being able to tour with Seven Lions, play multiple shows and more than a couple of festivals, as well as dropping an album and EP. I've been really thankful for all the amazing opportunities and wonderful people I've met along the way, and it's been really surreal to go from trying to recreate some of my musical heroes's styles on AT to interacting with them in real life. One of my albums on here is a complete rip-off of Porter Robinson's Worlds and then a few weeks ago he DMed me for an unreleased Madeon remix I did.
- Describe the style of music you produce and how it developed
- I think I've been trying to make this super high energy chordy bass music. I don't really understand how to label it better — Angry Future Bass Revival?? But I've been really, really happy with it. I usually develop it through an insane amount of resampling and post production.
- What is your musical background and when did you start making music?
- Although nobody in my family is a musician themselves, music has been a large part of my life for a long time. I remember when I was very young, my dad would play stuff like Coldplay and Radiohead in the car. I had become interested in making music some time before finding this site, but I hadn't really had a consistent way of making music before stumbling upon Audiotool. Once I did though, I really stuck with it.
- What does your daily production routine look like now?
- I usually mainly produce in quick bouts, where I've been struck by inspiration. I can go from not producing for 5-6 days to having 1-2 songs figured out in a day or two! Now, my production mainly consists of using Ableton, along with some of my favorite VSTs like Digitalis, Pigments, and Serum.
- Which Audiotool device would you like to be able to add to your current setup?
- I miss Harmonics so, so, so much. I would honestly pay quite a bit to have that one back as a VST! Honestly, the more I think about it, I miss a fair amount of the tools of AT. I learned a lot of production techniques through them.
- What aspect of Audiotool generally would you like to take with you into other contexts?
- The community. 110% the community. Sometimes I wish I wasn't so busy as to where I could jump back on more. One of the things that a lot of the overarching music community doesn't really have is a sense of, well, community, and I miss being close friends with such likeminded people.
- Where have you performed and played live?
- I've played a ton of times in Indiana during college, then a small bar in St. Louis, eventually LA with Brownies and Lemonade. After that, San Francisco, Florida, LA again for Nocturnal Wonderland, Detroit, Chicago — my favorite show, the crowd was great and my parents got to see me play live! — Washington D.C., Chicago again for North Coast Festival, and most recently, a headliner show in Cincinnati.
- What would you recommend to the younger generation of Audiotoolers?
- Keep working!!!! You're going to have harder days, but those will pass. Don't fall into sunken cost fallacy! One of the most freeing things you can do is take a synth or something you've been working on for an insane amount of time and say "nah — this isn't working" and delete it. Honestly feels good!!