Interview e - Arend Groot
blogasys: Arend, can you please tell us a little bit about yourself?
AG: I was born in 1963 and living in a small village in the Netherlands. From when I was 15 I lived three years in a boarding school, the International School Beverweerd. After that I had plans to make my living as a musician, a drummer, but my education on the conservatory as a drummer didn´t work out. So I started working as professional caregiver at the Amerberg, a home for youngsters with behavioral problems and victims of child abuse and neglect. Since then I worked in the child care and professional child custody. At the moment I am working in the Psycho trauma centre for children and their parents at the university medical centre of Utrecht. I am also teaching students.
Music has always be my number one hobby. I was raised in a musical family, family members are classical schooled, no pop, rock or jazz at my parents place. My brother is one of the directors working as a professional balance engineer for classical productions at Polyhymnia http://www.polyhymnia.com/. My sister is a classical pianist and she is a music teacher and a singer. My father was a film director. I had a will of my own and …and started to play drums when I was about 12.
blogasys: You are a member of musicalgroup “De Amerberg” - what kind of music are you playing and can you tell us a bit about the group?
AG: We, started the group with the chief of the Amerberg, Jan van Dijkhuizen (find link at the end of this interview). We did music and theatre productions with members of the staff and the boys and girls who lived there. We did a project for Christmas called the Christmas Story in the early ninties. The music I wrote was entirely done with the 01/Wfd using the internal sequencer.
Later on, about ten years ago more people from outside joined the group. We started with rearranging the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar in 1994 and performed it in several theatres in 1996. I recorded everything again in the sequencer of the 01/W, it was a hell of a job. I choose that way of working because I could carry my instrument with me to different places. Later we arranged “Hair” and performed it in 2002. I used again the 01 and the Roland jv 2080, all in the internal sequencer.
Hair performed in 2002
In 2003 we started with musical Joseph and the Amazing Colour Dreamcoat also from Loyd and Webber. We performed it in 2005 and 2006. It was an old dream because I firstly performed that musical at Beverweerd on the drums. I had changed the 01/w for the Karma music workstation. And the red beast was fantastic. Although I was arranging existed music I could still use Karma GEs. What a wonderful experience. And I did the whole project again in the internal sequencer together with the Roland 2080.
It was a success and the art director, Jan wanted to make a so called “musical all in” night with songs from all kind of musicals, the ones we played and a lot more. We decided that he uses orchestral tapes for this project, because doing about 40 songs arranging in the sequencer would have cost me at least another two or three years.
Working the way I did the past years was like taken music lessons. I had to listen carefully what happened in all those different musicals and tracks. I didn´t use writing music sheets, I found everything out listening by ear. It forced me to study music I would never play myself when I am playing for fun. And off course I learned a lot about using the different synthesizers.
The group is still rehearsing and is giving some small concerts. Planning to perform with this project in 2008 in the theatre. I am not involved in this latest project. Times for rearranging existed stuff is over…. I felt like composing and writing my own peaces of music again.
blogasys: Is there any project you are currently working on?
AG: As I mentioned, I am composing for a new music project which lies far ahead of us. There is a story and a script but it is all in an early stadium. The story is about a old Dutch legend with all the elements from early fairytales. The struggle between good and bad, betrayal, love and evil, wizards, kings and knights etc. The musicalgroup is rehearsing the “musical all in” and I am writing and exploring the oasys, editing sounds etc. Writing the music is my department, lyrics, singing and the art direction etc is mainly taken care off by others. Composing the music is what I am concentrated on. The starting point differs. Sometimes I start with a combi with karma running. At the end I change sounds and arrangements. But I quite often start with playing the piano sound. That´s why I am glad I bought the 88. I am also exploring the Oasys and practicing. I am not a good piano player, I teaches it myself. And I had to get used to the weighted keys of the Oasys 88 after playing years with light synth keys and light touch of the digital Roland piano HP2000. But I am learning and making progress. Here are some audio examples, rough ideas…
Scene 1
Scene 2
Scene 3
Scene 4
Scene 5
After I have created enough rough material, we will start polishing, editing and mastering. But maybe some of my songs will go their own way, film scoring is also a thing I am dreaming of.
Making music for me can be a form of total relaxing, sometimes a kind of meditation. Totally gone from my daily life with all the traumas and painful situations.
Joseph and the Amazing Colour Dreamcoat performed in 2005 and 2006
blogasys: How did you start making music and are keyboards you main instruments?
AG: My older sister was playing classical piano from early childhood. I didn´t like playing the piano back then. There was always classical music at my home. Lots of Mozart, Bach and Beethoven. I couldn´t appreciate it at that time, although I love it right now. I started playing the drums after a few years hitting with pens and pencils at the tables playing along with records. Started with the beatles and all kind of rock and roll. Then my parents gave me a drum set and I took drum lessons. My drum teacher learned me all kind of jazz and jazz rock techniques. I took about 7 years of lessons. At the boarding school I started playing guitar, took some lessons and I also started playing a bit of piano. Later on after I failed at the conservatory (jazz) with the drums, (to little playing experience in different bands),I stopped playing when I moved to a apartment, it was to noisy. As an alternative I bought a Fender Rhodes piano, a mark 1, 76 keys. Although I loved the Rhodes sound, the piano didn´t sound as nice as the older suitcase version of my drum teacher. Later on, in 1986, I sold the Rhodes piano and bought the Roland HP 2000, the one with the SA synthese. I was impressed by the (famous) electric piano 1 and piano 3 which you can hear on many (Elton John) records. I never heard such a electric piano again. Then I bought a Roland MKS-50 which I sold not long after buying. Didn´t like it that much.
My true encounter with synths was with the Korg T3. What a beauty that was. Later I sold it and bought the korg 01/W, which I really liked because of its warm sounds, especially the string sounds. I used it with the HP2000. I didn´t like the feeling of the key bed of the Roland. I expanded my little setup with the Roland JV2080 with 8 boards in it. I had mixed feelings about it. It had lots of beautiful sounds and a user friendly layout, but I always felt the sounds were a bit thin and cold compared to the Korg sounds. Pure subjective I am aware of. And then I purchased the Korg KARMA and I was overwhelmed by the innovations since the 01/W. I loved the KARMA function. The sounds were fantastic too, although I missed some of my sounds of the 01/W. And then the Oasys came out……
blogasys: Which music and musicians did influence you most and why?
AG: I think listening to a lot of classical music in my childhood which had influenced me. When I was about 11 or 12 I discovered the Beatles. Later on I became a big fan of Queen. It started with Bohemian Rhapsody. I went to concerts of them and I loved there shows. Back then they wrote on their albums, they didn´t use synthesizers! Later on I liked some great bands and artists of the seventies and eighties, like Pink Floyd, Supertramp, Billy Joel, Genesis and Peter Gabriel, Alan Parsons, the Police and Gino Vanelli, Santana, Stevie Wonder, Randy Newman. As a rock band I loved Styx and Boston. And lots of Jazz music. I am not complete.
blogasys: What kind of music do you here today?
AG: I am still hanging in the early ages…. I am a big fan of Sting. I also listen to Radiohead, Muse, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Lots of Jazz. I never had much with the house, techno and dance scene. But I discovered Bjork, Goldfrapp, and Boards of Canada I think they are very good. And nowadays I listen a lot to classical music. Especially Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Brahms and I am really into all the symphonies of Mahler, they are fantastic.
Joseph and the Amazing Colour Dreamcoat performed in 2005 and 2006
blogasys: Can you give us some insight about the equipment you are using and why you decided for it?
AG: Compared to a lot of guys and girls on the forums I am a minimalist… Well, I sold the JV 2080, the korg KARMA, my HP2000 and 01/W, and I am using just the Oasys. I am aware of that I own a minimal setup, but it works for me. I only sometimes miss the Roland SA synthesis, so I will look after the module of that one, the Roland MKS 20. I have always liked hardware. I experimented with a computer bases system, but it didn´t satisfy me enough. I am not a purist but it just feels good to lay down my hands on real instruments. And with Windows there were lots of technical problems there had to be solved and it kept me away from making music. But I realize that you can, for example by using a software sequencer with soft synths make a lot of beautiful music. But I was still searching an instrument with midi and audio integration, quality sounds and instruments and then I saw those videos from Stephen Kay at Karma-Lab with the Oasys. I was blown away….
blogasys: what was the reason for you to purchase OASYS?
AG: There was no good reason from my point of view not go for it, except the money…! It had all the right sounds in a fantastic HD-1 engine and EXinstruments. I finally had my warm strings again, the ones I missed since the good old 01/W. Even my waveshaper is back (as a insert effect). The KARMA 2 engine was another reason for wanting the instrument. What can I say about it, it is such a musical system. Very misunderstood. All the sounds you can create, lots of freedom and possibilities. if you take your time. And that´s with other parts of the Oasys too. Like all the things you can accomplish with the wave sequences for example. I just started exploring that department.
The integration of all the different parts, EXis, effects, karma, the sampling and midi and audio sequencing on a high end level makes it the ideal instrument for me. And you can tweak almost everything to your own needs, so I have years ahead of making music and exploring.
And those ex instruments are fantastic. I don´t read a lot about those ones, but they are quit unique. I love especially the AL-1, CX3, and the mouth watering STR-1, you can create some really weird stuff with that one. Sounds I never heard before. The LAC-1 is also great but I must admit I am a bit stuck with programming the MS20. It´s not an easy one, but that´s ok with me… some day I will master that one too. But some tutorials would be most helpful….
And no shit with drivers and messing up computer systems. Turn the power on, find some sounds and start playing. And when I have some inspiration I just put the Enter and Record knobs on and I am in record mode… All the knobs and sliders, the huge touch screen is giving you a large amount of control over this complex instrument.
I knew, when I first saw the videos and the specs of course, that I wanted one. And I thought I could never afford it, but I put all my senses to it and with a some luck I managed to get one in September 2005, some lucky bastard I am. To bad I need a job to make a living, this thing needs more of my spare time. Besides the other family and a jealous wife. Life is not always easy owning the big O, just be warned.
At this place I should mention the two forums, Karma Lab and the Korg Forums with input from lots of people including Dan and Jerry from Korg USA.. At karma lab Stephen Kay and many others doing a hell of good job by supporting every member having questions, from beginner to more experienced. His job and efforts, with his KARMA, gave me lots of trust in buying the O. I never saw the instrument in real time before buying..
I do write too little cause writing in English cost me so much time, but I am a great consumer of all the posts I must admit… At the Korg Forums Daz, Sharp and others offering also a real friendly, open and professional atmosphere. There is so much information you can find in those two places. The support is hearth warming in a western society where we sometimes forget about sharing among others…..
No complains? Ok, I got one. I am playing the beast in my bedroom. Yes my three kids occupying some rooms… And late at night when everything and every one is quit in the house in those final hours I am playing really softly and I am irritating cause I can hear the fan whispering inside… I know it is a detail, but still…. .
Wishes for the future? That´s another question….
Joseph and the Amazing Colour Dreamcoat performed in 2005 and 2006
blogasys: what are your favorite sounds and what does OASYS do best in your opinion?
AG: That´s a difficult one because I use different sounds in different projects and times and moods. There are so many different possibilities, they are endless. It´s impossible to manage and explore all the sounds in a short amount of time. Off course you can scratch the surface but then you don´t do justice to the sounds.
At the moment I am exploring the STR-1 and AL-1 more and more. Especially with the STR-1 you can make the weirdest sound landscapes. What a synthesizer. I don´t use it much for plying real plucked string sounds although it can do it pretty well. I use it for making creepy evolving pad sounds. With the vector joystick you can create nice effects, with all kind of little sounds burbling at the background, or more radical. I always start editing the sounds from existing ones, hardly ever from scratch. Some examples of edited existing sounds. You can find them in the user E bank and you can hear all the details best with headphones…
Celtic Harp: I love that sound at the background, how you describe it, a kind of scrape. It uses one STR-1 programm
First Sunrise: I love all the evolving sounds. It uses STR-1 and AL-1.
XyloSpace: I like the metallic sounds with the hiss. Just one STR-1 program
White Light Pad: Just one STR-1 program only 2 effects and no karma and all those scary sounds moving in the background… what a beauty of a synth…
Somehow I am attracted to all kind of Pad sounds and mysterious and creepy fields of sounds. I create those often.
I am new to the sampling department but I think you can make pretty weird sounds by using the sampling function in Program and combination mode. And use the slice function put over some Karma stuff, and sample it again with different FX and so on…
The best thing for me is that the Oasys is combining lots of different things at the same time. Put different ex instruments together with the HD-1 programs, wavesequences and samples, in a combi, and it just works. You like it, then record it in the Midi sequencer. Running out of tracks? Sample it or record it in the harddiskrecorder. You can achieve pretty complex things without loosing time and creativity.
blogasys: are there any things you would like to see in OASYS in the near future?
AG: I would like to see a major sequencer update, with at least the cue list , a higher resolution, easier way to select and copy and paste tracks and events. A Karma editor within the Oasys. I would love to be able to use the Karma output to manipulate all the scenes and sliders when I am in overdub mode. Since the red Karma I was hoping they fixed that one…
In the red Karma I was using the MOSS board. I miss the brass modeling sounds and VPM model. I hope to find those ones in future EX instruments. And of course totally new EX instruments with unique new sounds. And I hope in the future that Korg brings out new samples, combis, effects, Karma GEs and there is one more thing I would like to see, a way to fully edit a program in Combi and Sequence mode. But at the moment I think it stays to quite at Korg …. We´ll see what happens after the launch of the M3….
blogasys: thank you for the interview, Arend.
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© for all fotos Arend Groot
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