PRODUCTION 101: Stereo Underground

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following his debut album on Balance Music, we chat to the Israeli veteran about music production…


Last week Stereo Underground AKA Yariv Etzion released his debut album The Art of Silence, a contemplative 11-track journey through prog, house, ambient and moody deep techno. Even though the project took the producer ten months to complete, the deeper reality is the completion took more like 38 years. That might sound like existential hyperbole, but this LP is the apotheosis of his career, something that he is very aware of: ‘An album, in my opinion, is the holy grail for a musician. I waited 38 years to give myself the peace of mind I needed to do so.’

Etzion is hugely adept at sound design, which upon listening to The Art of Silence, is really evident. The album displays technical know-how that takes years to master, and he manages to create sounds that you could almost see. Opening Track ‘Flying Glow (Prologue)’ is a 9-minute ambient voyage so heavily drenched in reverb moisture will form around your speakers. On the other hand, ‘Above the Sea and Fog’ features a crystal clear synth that show signs of cracking like glass. It’s not just the sound design where he excels, his songwriting is impressive, and the beautiful melodic arrangements throughout the album are guaranteed to make you reach for the journal and reminisce: It’s emotional yo.

The years of experience has turned Etzion into the perfect teacher, and he has taken this knowledge to co-found and run the BPM College of Sound and Music in Tel Aviv, an institution responsible for imbuing 1500 students annually with next level production skills. With that in mind, we thought Stereo Underground would be the perfect subject to kick off our new editorial focusing on production tips…


Is analog gear still relevant? Or can you achieve any analog sound with a synthesizer?

I think you can achieve any sound on a computer, But, the experience to have a limited tool makes you super creative. And the most important part is you don’t sit in front of the computer with a mouse like a secretary. You feel the music and let your hands fly and do the magic. 


Do I need to know music theory to be a good music producer?

I think that music theory is a language and a tool, but the most important quality that artists need is imagination. 


What is your favourite plug-in?

Reverb and delay, everything in my music connects to soundscapes. I got a few of them that I connect in a chain to achieve my outer-space sound. 


What makes a good producer?

The ability to imagine the finished track before he started to write the first note. 


In the modern music industry, are record labels dying out?

It depends, I think that there are less and less good professional record labels like Balance Music. Most of the labels only give you digital distribution and a bit of promotion on social media, but today there are also quite many artists who succeed without any label.  


What advice to you give to all of your BPM students?

Be unique, invent something, don’t imitate - innovate.


What is the most common production misconception?

Mastering will make my track sound amazing, so ‘I’ll leave it for the mastering’. You can't turn shit into gold, if the track is bad or the mix is unbalanced, mastering won’t help you. 


Your favourite track from your album ‘The Art Of Silence’?

I think it’s the opening Prologue “Flying Glow”, it was the only time in my life that i entered the studio with a clear mind and just let myself flow, without any musical rule, grid, bar, BPM, nothing, just try to create something that will be equal to the experience of landing the first time on a star in space. I recommend to listen to it alone in a dark room and close your eyes… 


ALBUM OUT NOW: http://smarturl.it/stereounderground
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