Michael Perez
Studio Vheissu is my home project studio. I have been accumulating equipment to aid in music composition since 1985. My main instrument has always been the drums and I have a full set of Simmons pads with which I can access any sounds available through MIDI by means of trigger interfaces. There are also keyboards and guitars around the studio that I have taught myself to play through the years. Of course, now all composition and recording is done with the aid of a computer and many software programs.
More MP3 samples of tracks from my current CD are available at:
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
http://home.earthlink.net/studiovheissu/history.htm
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
I haven't played live in many years. I am not opposed to it. The problem is finding like minded folks that have the time to get together enough to rehearse, etc.
Your musical influences
Progressive rock, especially of the avant-garde variety, is my favorite, but as a result of music to which I've been introduced at the prog fests I have developed an affinity to all things progressive. All music is fair game, though. Singer/songwriters, alternative, electronic, etc. almost all genres and sub-genres have a place on my shelves. I always loved modern jazz and modern "classical" music, too.
What equipment do you use?
http://home.earthlink.net/studiovheissu/history.htm
Anything else?
Purists of all types are, of course, entitled to their opinions and preferences. However, with the huge numbers of software programs to assist in composing, processing, recording, mastering and manufacturing music, not everyone is refusing to deal with "sequencer music." Like any kind of artistic endeavor, you can choose how much work you want to perform to achieve a desired result.
Of course, I have a bit of time and money invested in working this way myself and it occasionally receives some unfair criticism, so I sometimes feel duty bound to defend it as a viable method of music creation. I haven't played in a live situation since 1985. I had a good run from 1971 until 1985, but the whole band routine got old by then. Working in a small home studio can be very rewarding even if the output is small when you're working by yourself. It can be done carefully and well. I'd like to think I take the pains to program the dynamics in my pieces meticulously enough to be expressive. It is quite easy to do it poorly, though.
I am a huge fan of Frank Zappa's music, but some of the music he composed for Synclavier was done a bit carelessly, in my opinion. Jazz from Hell is one of these albums. It sounds as though all the "note on" velocities were set to 127. The programs used these days, like Cakewalk's Sonar that I use, have the ability to produce very expressive music if you use at least some of the features the programs provide you. It takes a lot of time and effort to do things this way, of course. Not everyone has the patience to sculpt sound.
Debates about what is "real" music or art or whatever solely because computers are an integral part of its production are pointless. If the result satisfies the listener, then the recording is a success, however relative.
