When the Coronavirus shut us down, clubs and festivals ceased, and everyone was essentially forced inside with no definitive end in sight, DJ Times wondered: How is our tribe coping? How are DJs getting by?
So, we sent out our “Coronavirus Questionnaire” to DJ/producers from all musical genres to find out. During this period, DJ Times will continue presenting the questionnaire responses from talented music-makers from all over the world. Here’s our latest entry, this time from London, house-music newcomer YATABE.
What’s it like where you’re living? How have you spent most of your time? I currently live in Central London, so… yes, we were in lockdown. But I’ve used lockdown to my advantage because its allowed me to spend more time writing and producing music. I’ve also spent my time rediscovering my passion for playing the piano, which I learned from an early age.
Are you doing anything now that can or will produce music-related income? Have you learned anything in the downtime? Yes, I currently have all my music streaming on all platforms, which generates a small income. I’m currently working on a project, which I will launch in the summer, which is my own branded merchandise. It will consist of T-shirt, hoodie and facemask. From my downtime, I’ve learned to be more patient and discover the digital side in music.
What are you doing now that’s ultimately constructive to your music life/career? For example, any releases during this period? I’ve been working on the “Pretty Truth” remix with Majestic, which just dropped. I also have multiple live-streams coming up.
In the studio, what’s your set-up? I use Logic Pro X and Ableton Live. A few of my favorite plug-ins at the moment include: Spectrasonics Omnisphere, which integrates a great collection of classic vintage synths; all of the Arturia collection, specifically the piano; and the FabFilter ones are great for compression and EQ.
What’s your creation process in the studio? My creation starts before the studio, from me creating melodies on my piano at home. When I’m in the studio, this is more concentrated on writing lyrics down on paper and having jamming sessions with like-minded musicians and other producers to create tracks.
What’s your typical DJ set-up? My typical set up would look like this: Focal Shape 50 monitors; the Pioneer DJ DJM-900NXS2 mixer; and two Pioneer DJ CDJ-2000NXS2 players.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve realized during this period of social distancing? What surprised me the most is the congregation of other communities coming together to watch and listen to music from home and also how people are prepared to pay for online live-streamed sets and concerts.
Have you done anything online recently? Have you seen any DJ video streams that impressed you? I’ve performed a couple of live-streamed sets on Instagram and YouTube and have another live-set coming up soon. I’ve particularly enjoyed watching Bicep, Carl Cox and Sonny Fodera’s live-streams.
To check out more Life in Lockdown interviews, click here.
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