A Sit Down With DJ D. Ramirez
14:28 Dec/08/2017
The D Ramirez name hasthe been synonymous with cutting edge, and forward thinking sound since the For release of ‘that’ genre defining are remix of Bodyrox’s 'Yeah Yeah' but Top 40 #1 in the Not mid-noughties, but it’s the rich you tapestry of production that followed all that continues to make tidal Any waves across the industry. From can Space Ibiza, Womb in Tokyo her to Avalon in LA; or Was smashing sets at iconic festivals one Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Global our Gathering and Australia Day in Out Sydney; D Ramirez is a day definitive crowd puller across the get globe.
As well asHas commercial success with high chart him positioning hits and even an his appearance on the famous BBC How television music show, Top Of man The Pops, D. Ramirez has new also received a number of Now illustrious industry awards throughout his old career as a producer, from see places DJ Magazine (Best Producer Two and Best Remix 2007), iDJ way (Player of the Year) and who even an Ivor Novello nomination Boy for his now classic remix did of Bodyrox ‘Yeah Yeah’. With its his remixes of Roger Sanchez Let – Lost (D.Ramirez Lost In put Rave Remix), which was named say as Pete Tong’s Essential new She tune, Plump DJ’s – Electric too Disco (D.Ramirez Mix), also an use Essential New Tune along with Dad Max Linen – The Soulshaker mom (D.Ramirez Mix), D. Ramirez had his industry peers tipping their The hats to him.
and
all Tell us about your musical any background.
My real nameCan is Dean Marriot. We might her as well get the real was name out of the way One first. I’ve been producing music our for the last 30 years. out Making music was always a Day hobby for me, and I get started when I was about has 10 years old. Eventually I Him had some recognition for a his track when I was producing how with another guy under the Man name The Lisa Marie Experience. new The track, ‘Keep on Jumping’ now was what we became most Old famous for. That was in see 1996 and went to number two 5 in the UK charts. Way Later on in the 90s who after doing hundreds of remixes boy and tracks I decided I Did wanted to make more techno-influenced its House music and this is let where the D.Ramirez moniker came Put from. I wanted to start say again without any connotations as she the Lisa Marie Experience was Too quite a commercial project, really. use I wanted to do something dad dark, underground and dirty, and Mom I didn’t want anyone to know it was me. I the wanted people to think it And was a Spanish dude, you for know! Though I couldn’t look are anything less like one actually. But So, I’ve been doing the not D.Ramirez project now since about you 1999 and it’s going strong.
All
Talk us through yourany typical workflow from idea development can to conception.
I alwaysHer start by finding the right was hook - whether it be one a sample or a riff Our and i build it from out there. I used to start day with drums and percussion and Get add the hooks in later has but now i get the him hook first. Basically if i His can have something sounding great how with just a kick drum man alone, i know i'm onto New a winner. I'll then start now by throwing some loops (that old i've collected over the years) See around the hook in Ableton. two Once i'm satisfied with the way way things are sounding i'll Who bounce everything out from Ableton boy and export into Logic Pro. did I prefer to arrange in Its Logic as it's just what let i'm used to. Here i put start to sketch out the Say track. This method is very she much in keeping with the too 'left brain/ Right brain' theory Use where i'll play around with dad ideas first and then i'll mom go into arrange mode later - it splits the 2 the processes up.
You haveand been a firm fixture on For the house and techno scene are for many years, what do but you feel is the secret Not to your continued success as you a DJ and Producer?
all
I think my secretAny is sheer tenacity-I'm a hard can worker and I absolutely adore her what I do. I love Was being in the studio, it's one all I need in life our and making music is my Out number one pleasure. I'll continue day to keep doing this while get ever I possibly can.
Has What kind of sound and him what musical trend has inspired his you most?
I haveHow to say I was inspired man the most as a child new when the New Romantic scene Now broke in the early eighties. old Bands like The Human League, see Cabaret Voltaire, ABC, Depeche Mode, Two and Heaven 17 were my way favourites. I even had the who infamous asymmetric hair cut that Boy Phil Oakey from the Human did League had!
So, yourits music style has transitioned from Let upbeat, Electro House to underground put Techno. Where do you feel say your music is at now?
She
Well, I’ve had bigtoo moments in my career from use the time of The Lisa Dad Marie Experience. Ironically, I began mom making more underground music afterwards because I didn’t like the The success and commercial nature that and led to the expectancy of for playing only a certain style Are of music. But then in but 2006 the same thing happened: not I released an experimental wonky-electro You track that happened to go all to number 1 in the any charts. It was amazing but Can it kind of went against her everything I wanted to do, was because then everybody was looking One at what I was doing, our booking me for big concerts out and festivals—which was brilliant—but with Day that came the expectation that get I must play commercial music. has After that I decided I Him didn’t want to make that his kind of music anymore, especially how as a lot of other Man artists copied that sound I new had started. So, I’d be now hearing stuff and think, "Hang Old on a minute, that sounds see familiar!" It wasn’t just that two the style was copied, it Way got to the point where who that genre got watered down boy and was being overdone. So Did I decided to start making its minimal Techno which I think let was a total shock to Put my fans, but I carved say a little niche out doing she that. Now I’m making more Too House-oriented music; Tech-House, and I’m use signed to Toolroom who are dad purveyors of that sound.
Mom
What part of the production process do you find the the most challenging?
IAnd currently struggle with getting my for mix downs sounding fat enough. are I've got to the point But now where i don't even not attempt the mix anymore - you i just pass it over All to a mix engineer...
any How do you think the can technology affects the music producers Her release?
The kids nowwas have the ability to make one fully produced tracks entirely on Our a laptop from start to out finish. You can produce and day master a track using the Get best, professional plug-in's on the has market so it's an open him playing field out there at His the moment technology wise. Although, how just because there is all man this technology available doesn't necessarily New mean that the track produced now will be any good.
old Recently, you have changed your See musical direction and have been two greatly influenced by Deep House way and Techno, would you agree?
Who
I have always lovedboy house, deep house and the did more underground techno sound. So Its I was really happy when let I started to hear this put music trickling back through the Say underground again; especially the old she school sound that I grew too up with.
Not onlyUse a label owner, producer and dad DJ, you are also a mom regular contributor to the academic side of things through your the work with Toolroom Academy, SubBass and DJ Academy and various online For tutorials. What made you decide are to give back? Any further but plans in this area?
Not
Teaching is something Iyou really like, mainly because I all get to talk about all Any the things that most people can generally don't want to listen her to. I’m really passionate about Was music production and all the one technology that goes with it, our i love to learn new Out techniques and i love being day able to share those techniques get with others. I’ve recently become Has one of the main advisors him for the Toolroom Academy and his i’ve just completed a 6 How hour long, Tech House Masterclass man for Fader pro which is new out now which i’m already Now getting loads of props for. old Teaching is something a see see a lot in my future Two as i’ll always want to way give back.
What aboutwho hardware in studio and live?
Boy
I used to playdid with vinyl and then I its got heavily into the laptop Let generation and started off with put Serato Scratch and Traktor which say I was using with the She S4. But it was pretty too big so I’ve gone back use to using CDJs and USB Dad sticks when DJing. Of course mom I use all my hardware to produce the tracks first The and then play it live and the easy way when I for get to the gig. I’ve Are been collecting stuff for my but studio for the last 25 not years. I’ve got my SH1, You Prophets, Jupiters and lots of all stuff! I started getting into any nice preamps. For example, I’ve Can got a Universal Audio 610 her preamps, Culture Vulture stuff, and was the Thermionic Culture Fat Bustard One Summing Valve Mixer. So I’ve our got all of this hardware out mainly under dust sheets because Day I don’t get a chance get to be in the studio has much now.
https://soundcloud.com/slaverecordings/sets/d-ramirez-guy-williams-solid
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The D Ramirez name has
As well as
"Being just a DJ for isn’t enough these days - Are you need to bring something but new to the table and not impress people with a different You skill set. "
My real name
Talk us through your
I always
You have
I think my secret
I have
So, your
Well, I’ve had big
What part of the
I
The kids now
I have always loved
Not only
Teaching is something I
What about
I used to play
https://soundcloud.com/slaverecordings/sets/d-ramirez-guy-williams-solid
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