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TheBeatRanch.com - Interviews - Guyver


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Starting off our interviews this month we have the legendary Guyver.

Guyver blasted on to the hard dance scene at a very young age, with his first solo release intitled Serious Sound, on Tidy Two records. Since then Guyver has become one of the biggest and most sought after Hard Dance DJs & Producer on the planet, having worked with such artists as Lee Haslam, Anne Savage, Paul Maddox, Andy Farley and Ben Stevens to name just a few. When not producing dancefloor anthems, Guy has been seen behind the decks, playing such countries as Canada, Japan, Norway, Spain, South Africa, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Holland.

Now with out any further ado the one and only Guyver

Welcome to TheBeatRanch.com, Guy. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview and mix for us.

No problem, my pleasure!

Many will remember your first solo release entitled Serious Sound on Tidy Two. What were some of your ideas behind that track, and how long had you been producing for when it was released?

To be honest, back then I just sat down and fiddled about, I think Serious Sound was just one of them moments when everything fell into place, I remember it only took a few hours to make it, but you can't conciously do that, it either happens, or it doesn't. I had been producing for about 2 years when it was released.

If you were to produce that track today, what would you do differently?

It would sound different because of how the scene has progressed, I'd make it a bit punchier and maybe have a few more fills to inject some energy. The original still stands up today because alot of people have memories of the track, so it keeps it alive for them, but if you released it now without anyone ever hearing it before, it wouldn't be as successful.

Before you started producing did you have musical experience or training?

None whatsoever, just trial and error! I used to just sit at the computer for hours, trying to get a 'professional' sound, and then you learn stuff on the way, it's a long process, and I tried a music technology course at one stage, but it was useless for what I was interested in. I think I was lucky in that I started when I was still at school, so all my spare time went into make tunes, and I think that gave me a great head start.

You are an influence to many DJs and producers out there, but whom or what has been your influence over the years?

I remember when I very first started making tunes, my influences were from Ingo, I made loads of bouncy stuff (which never got released) and then I progressed onto Lab 4, SHOKK, DJ Scot Project, etc. After that I took great pleasure in what BK & Nick Sentience were doing. It's always changing to be honest, I listen to all sorts of music these days and anything and everything inspires me in some way.

For all the gear junkies out there, can you give us a run-down of your studio?

It's not that impressive! haha, I used to have some hardware synths, like the jp8000, ms2000 and Alpha Juno, but I sold them all as I never used them! So nowadays I just run off a beasty laptop, hooked up to a samsung lcd tv, running through a pair of Mackie HR824s, does me sweetly!!

You are one of the very few big name producers that still use FL Studio to produce your tracks. What has made you stick with it for as long as you have?

Because it's a great program, I completely understand why it has a bad reputation, but it's a cracking bit of software, which I know like the back of my hand, so it makes no sense to change what I'm doing. I used to debate for hours with people over it, but now I just let them say what they want and I spend my time making tunes, instead of wasting it trying to justify myself! I'd recommed FL Studio to anyone producer who wants to get started and has little knowledge.

What are some of your favorite VSTs or plug-ins to use?

I love Sylenth, Massive, Vaz, and all the Voxengo products!

What’s your mix down process?

I mix down as I go along, then just check things over at different stages of the track, I always check the db levels which I think is really important for making sure the mix is balanced, and I use a spectrum analyser to assist my ears in deciding about eq and balancing of each sound.

You are going to be launching your website WarmAndRound.com, where you will have a bunch of audio services such as mastering, and even online engineering, what other services will you provide?

Indeed I am! Well the main service will be online engineering, then mastering, and after that I'm thinking of doing some services like short jingles and promotional music for videos/adverts/websites, etc. I want to create a website where individuals, companies and record labels can come to and get a job done. It's very close to being launched, and I'll be adding services to it as I go along and gather more experience.

Do you remember your first DJ set-up? If so what gear were you rockin?

Yeah, I remember! I had a pair of Soundlab dlp3 direct drives, I sold my playstation to fund them, they just ran through a standard sony hifi and the simplest mixer ever, haha

Do you remember your first record that you bought? If so what was it?

Good question, I think it might have been Alice Deejay - Better Off Alone! haha, I used to love that track when it first came out.

On the DJing front you have played all over, including Canada, Japan, Norway, Spain, South Africa, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Holland If you could play out anywhere in the world where would it be and why?

South America! it's one place I haven't been to yet and I'm itching to get over there, I want to go to China aswell, but that maybe becoming a reality this summer, so I'll say South America, specifically Peru!

Have you had any strange things happen to you while DJing out? Any weird requests or fans?

Erm, not sure, I had a bizzarre moment in South Africa one time, where I felt like I was David Beckham, I was in the Gallery in Cape Town, and this big group of people was around me asking me for photos and signing all sorts of things, like coke cans and lighters, it was a bit strange. I was over there with Ed Real, and he was laughing his head off. All good for a bit of an ego boost, but it was weird as it was about the fourth time I'd been there, so i'm not sure where all these people were hiding previously!!

When not producing like a madman, what do you do for fun?

I love Pro Evo for a bit of down time, other than that, I love swimming, football, going to the gym, bowling! and generally bumming about on facebook! haha.

Any last words?

Am I going to die or something?

Guyver's MySpace

Click here to buy Guyver's releases at BangingTunes.com

Click here to buy Guyver's releases at TrackItDown

Tidy.com