Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
Sup Rav3beats, tell us about your name, what's it about?
First of all I hate it, I plan to change it soon, my mates have all called me rave for whatever reason for so many years and they also decided to call me rav3beats when I started producing so it's kinda stuck without my approval LOL but I honestly HAVE to change it, any ideas?
How did you get started making music?
I was 17-18 and used to go to my mates houses all the time and have a session as you do when you're that age and he was producing beats here and there on Fruity Loops 5 and I started to take an interest in it since then. Watched him for a good few weeks and started on FL myself but I wasn't too good at playing the keys back then and to be honest I'm still not, so I gave up and started learning to sample from a very good friend of mine named Jigsawsoul who I believe to be the best and most underrated producer I know. He taught me the basics of Reason and chopping samples in Recycle and I carried on from there. Many times I nearly quit making music from pure frustration but he kept me going and I'm still learning new techniques from him now. I used FL, Ableton, Cubase and just couldn't get along with them until I got thebeast that is Reason.
Reason is a great program, have you mastered it yet?
Na not really, I tend to use Dr Octo Rex Player and Redrum every time instead of using Thor, Subtractor, etc. So can't say Ihave mastered it yet... One day I will master it but I been trying to master Record 1.5's mixing board more than Reason 5 recently.
What's the best part of Reason?
The biggest part for me is the colour, funny enough. I like it bright unlike FL and Cubase. Also, Reason is very easy to use and I find everything within a click, I just wish I could get Urban Arsenal to work with it.
Who are some of your biggest influences?
Jigsawsoul, 9th Wonder, Dr Dre.
How often are you working on your music?
It used to be every day but recently I been going through crazy weeks of creative blocks that point blank refuse to lay low so now I tend to let the music come to me and not to force it as much now. I would love to work from when I wake up to when I go to bed, sometimes I don't go to bed for days and just sit there and make beat after beat until I can't stay awake.
Do you do work on other parts of hip hop besides producing?
I haven't yet but would like to in future months.
Where are you from and what's the local scene like?
I'm from Gravesend in Kent, UK. The music scene is as good as dead here but I'm only about 20 minutes from London where the music scene is always buzzing.
Have you released any albums or mixtapes?
None yet but I have been on many mixtapes as a producer and soon to feature on an IllMuzik mixtape.
What's your setup?
Used to be just a copy of FL and a mouse but now I have my trusty M-Audio Oxygen 8 v2 keys, Yamaha HS50M, Saffire 6 USB, Reason 5, Record 1.5. I used to have the Akai MPD32 but sold it as it refused to work properly since day one and that's about all really, nothing too special but it does the job until I move.
Walk us through a typical beat making session.
First of all I spend around 30-45 minutes looking through samples until I get that particular sound then chop it all up in Recycle and crack open Reason/Record and a few beers
while playing with drums. All pretty simple really but it's fun.What's the best part of making music?
I love drums, whether it's watching someone play them or if it's just me playing a groove on a keyboard. I sometimes sit for hours just playing drums non-stop, different genres, different swing and then flip a sample on top and just relax and listen, making music is relaxing and takes my mind off all the ish going on around me.
For sure, drums are essential to hip hop. Have you ever played real drums?
I wish, wouldn't know where to start.
Any shoutouts you'd like to give
I'd love to give a shoutout to my boi Jigsawsoul for getting me where I am now. Also, Spynel from Global Ent, G8abak, Max Powers, Amanda Silvera, my cousin Mayla, Dylan G, Dragg Sean, Ramy Shoker, Grymey D, Mike K-llejero, Mark Viollet and the Thawhole Unique team.
