The 291st episode of our 12 Questions segment features producer Rodrigo Cortazar.
1. How old are you, where are you living and how long have you been producing and Djing?
– I am 33 years old, I live in the fabulous Mexico city!! I have been producing for eight years aproximately and ten years being a dj
2. Where do your musical roots lie, what are your first memories of electronic music and when did you know you wanted to pursue it seriously? Are there any particular productions or artists from the past that really made you think to yourself ‘this is what I want to do.”
– My musical started roots started with Depeche Mode. This is the music that I remember. Artist who were present in my memory like Vince Clark, Juan Atkins, Aasha… just to mention some
3. How difficult was learning to produce for you in the beginning? Did you take any Audio Engineering programs or production courses to help you out or are you pretty much self taught? And did anyone give any advice early on that really helped?
At the beginning it was difficult because I didn´t have any knowledge related to the audio programs, so I started with REASON and to structure or build different models and come out a good sound and eventually I bought several groovebox, then I passed to LOGIC PRO with which I am working nowadays. Making music with friends help a lot to know certain things and to work simple and easy
4. What parts of the production process do you find the most difficult and what comes easiest for you? When you do hit a creative block what helps you through it?
– Build a track is easy if you make several models, the complicated part is the mix to send to the master but is the most important part
5. What’s a normal day like for you? Do you have a job outside of electronic music? And what do you like to do when you’re not working on music?
– A normal day is going to make my day I working, return to play with my dog which i love so much, to be with my wife and have a good time. I work for one of the most important in terms of innovate design company LARVA is a national brand in which I am a production manager. I like biking and playing basketball when I am not producing or doing electronic music
6. Apart from electronic music what other genres do you listen to and who are your favourite artists outside of electronic? and do these genres or artists have a direct effort on your own productions?
– I like progressive and jaaz music like Pink Floyd, the Mars Volta, Tame Impala, Buddy Rich
7. What was the first and last physical (CD, Vinyl, Cassette etc) piece of music you bought?
– My first vinyl record was one of Depeche Mode 101. And the last one of Blur called Magi Whip
8. Tell us something about yourself that might surprise people?
– My musical versatility, my facility to connect feelings through the music
9. Which producers in your opinion get consistently overlooked?
– Every single day are new producers, so it is a little bit difficult to name them
10. Which producers consistently inspire you? And where else does your inspiration come from?
– I like a lot Third Son and Thomas Gandey, I feel they have a fresh proposal and a devasting sound. Mexican producers are also doing very good things like: Neftali Blasko, Balcazar and Sordo, Nobody Knows, Metrika, Montenegro, Tini Tun, Zombies in Miami
11. There are countless producers out there trying to find their way and create their own unique sound, what advice do you have for them?
– They have to be original and to be patient music is a passion and time placed you where you belong or where you have to be
12. If the final DJ/live set of your career was next week what would your last track be?
Hopefully not soon, but if so it would be: Rafael Cerato – Moments
Segment collected by Suffused
