Einzelkind – 15 Questions

Einzelkind, the owner and curator of Pressure Traxx, La Peña and Harlo records answer 15 Questions about the development of his career.

Name: Arno Völker
Nationality: German
Occupation: DJ, Producer
Recommendations: I recommend the letters of Sigmund Freud and I recommend to check Charlotte Thorstvedt

When did you start DJing – and what or who were your early passions and influences? What what is about music and/or sound that drew you to it?

I´m a bass guy. So I was always intrigued by the bass … and the drums, of course. I started when I was 15, playing hip hop. I got hooked by drum´n´bass pretty fast though and spent quite some time with that. When I saw a DJ mixing live for the first time when I was 13 or so I knew that this is what I want to do. Mixing music and sounds, be it with records or in the studio, is what has driven me ever since.

For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and the transition towards your own voice? What is the the relationship between copying, learning and your own creativity?

I am still learning a lot and I still grow when it comes to the kind of music I want to make. I never really tried to copy anyone else. But of course I get inspired by many artists. Sometimes I hear a track and I think I want to make something like this, but this means in terms of how the producer did the arrangement or how he kept things interesting, not like I would try to do something that really sounds similar. I couldn´t even if I tried. When I want to make a party track chances are high that it will end up being ambient. I really live in the moment and capture whatever comes in this very moment. I’m not trying to make music thinking about whether it’s something you could play, release or whatever. I love making music with other people as well. It won´t work with many but if it works then it´s magic. You push yourself combining ideas and emotions … it´s powerful.

What were some of the main challenges and goals when starting out as a DJ and how have they changed over time? What is it about DJing, compared to, say, producing your own music, that makes it interesting for you?

The main challenge in the beginning was to get both records in sync. In the beginning I had no idea and then a friend stopped by my house and I was doing these funny cut mixes. He was like, what the hell are you doing, and showed me how to beat match. After two weeks he came back and said: “ Damn, you are better then me already.“ I was obsessed back then really. I would spend 8 hours a day mixing records even though I only had 15 in the beginning I didn´t care. I would mix them, then the b sides then in a different order. These days I enjoy being in the studio more and more then spending hours on discogs looking for records. So I might be playing mostly my own stuff in the future, as this is my way to separate myself from the other 25.000 DJ´s around. Let´s see …

How would you define the job and describe the influence of the DJ? How are the experience and the music  transformed through your work?

The job of the DJ is to play good music in an interesting way. I also think that mixing is really important. I hear more and more that people say mixing was not that good – it was the crazy selection that counted. I don´t agree. Djing is an art form and the mixing and blending of sounds and frequencies is a major part of it in my opinion. The experience and the music didn´t really transform that much. If you mean how music changed for me as in terms of that it became a tool that I work with that is not the case at all. I am still as euphoric about music as I was 20 years ago. If I hear a bad ass baseline I will get up and dance and do the funky robot. Music makes me laugh or cry. It is the most amazing thing in the world apart from love of course. If you mean if the music changed within the last years, yes, it changed it evolved. I started making and playing house and techno quite late so of course when I started I liked or played more easy accessible stuff maybe. But now my music doesn´t really change much. I got quite a big range of stuff that I like but I think everything has a certain groove. The experience also didn’t change much I am still really excited every time I go somewhere to play.

What was your first set-up as DJ like? How and for what reasons has your set-up evolved over the years and what are currently some of the most important pieces of gear for you?

I started playing hip hop but I didn´t have enough money to buy Technics so I got these fake ones at Konkurs Waren Knox (for those who know) in Frankfurt and was really disappointed when I tried my first scratch – the motor was very weak so it didn´t really work. I was so happy when I got my first Technics and after a while the second one. My first mixer was a really funky Vestax Mixer that had transform buttons for scratching.  I got an Allen& Heath mixer a few years later and last year I got my dream mixer: The Rane XP2160A. It sounds so good and the EQ´s are from another world.

How do you make use of technology? In terms of the feedback mechanism between technology and creativity, what do humans excel at, what do machines excel at?

Well the machines don´t make the music. So you can have the most amazing gear but if you don´t have the funk you will sit there with all your great machines but nothing comes out. When I started in the 90´s there was no software except for basic midi sequencing. So if you wanted to make music you would have to buy hardware. I only had a small mixer and a sampler so I was really limited. Shortly after that, Reason got released and it was amazing because of all the possibilities. A few years ago, I started working more and more with hardware and this is the way to go for me. It´s just so much more fun. I only use Ableton to record and Audio editing. I do use some plugins, but just to sculpt the sounds.

Could you take us through a day in your life, from a possible morning routine through to your work? Do you have a fixed schedule? How do life and creativity feed back into each other – do you separate them or instead try to make them blend seamlessly?

After I get up I try to do my 10 minute workout with some push ups and stuff (yes, that body is the result of hard work) then I check my mails and do some Internet shizzle. After that I think I should do my tax and open some letters. Instead of doing that I go to the studio and / or spend time with my wonderful girlfriend. I have no schedule and I never stop working‘. I get up in the morning thinking about basslines, samples, remixes and ramen and when I go to bed it is still the same. I am happy that I found something to do with my life that never bores me or never feels like work. Well except for that tax thing.

Let’s say you have a gig coming up tonight. What does your approach look like – from selecting the material and preparing for, opening and then building a set?

Most important is my outfit. I play the same tracks like last week so I don´t have to worry about that. I talk to my photographer to make sure we got the perfect light and right angles to capture as much as possible for instagram and Facebook. Oh, no wait that was DJ …… .

Can you describe your state of mind during a DJ set? What supports this ideal state of mind and what are distractions? Are there strategies to enter into this state more easily?

The less you think the better you play. You have to be confident. The perfect state of mind is knowing, not thinking. Everything comes to you naturally. You play a track and already got an idea for the next one and it fits perfectly. Even though you never played these two records together before. When I am in this state it happens that I will put on a record randomly and it fits already from the tempo and where I put the needle. It can be totally different of course as well. You can´t get into the flow or you let factors from outside distract you. Like rude and weird people in the crowd or a shitty sound system. Maybe you start playing and the promoter comes after the second track and tells you to “bang it” (i always ask if he is talking about his girlfriend). For me it is important to be patient. Let´s say I show up somewhere and the DJ before me is playing some generic high energy tech house with additional cheap effects that people think they need these days just to get a fake reaction real fast. Then I will usually slow down. Not from the tempo but from the energy level. Then I might lose a few people on the floor but if I am patient and stick to my guns I will have them back soon and even with another, in my opinion, even better energy.

What are some of the considerations that go into deciding which track to play next? What makes two tracks a good fit? How far do you tend to plan ahead during a set?

These can differ completely. Usually it is about the mood and the drumming. Because if you play something with really driving beats and then something really light it may lose flow or energy. On the other hand, I really like quick mixes or unexpected stuff as well, as they can totally switch the vibe or give a nice surprise.

Would you say you see DJing as improvisation? As composition in the moment? Or as something entirely different from these terms?

For me DJing is a spontaneous thing depending on many factors. Of course I have an idea what to play and I prepare music beforehand. But when I play I never know what is gonna happen. So to answer the question: YES for me it is improvisation.

How do playing music at home and  presenting it in the club compare and relate? What can be achieved through them, respectively, and what do you personally draw from both?

I think the more you play at home the better DJ you become. Because at the end of the day it is about knowing which record to play next and mixing. And you get better at this if you practise a lot. Simple as that.
After 20 years I still love playing records with my friends in the studio. Because then you are really free of any expectations, or the pressure of the dance floor. I love playing in clubs, of course, don´t get me wrong. If it works and it is a good night, it is one of the best things in the world. But most of the time you are booked for 2 hours and there is not so much you can tell within two hours. So when we go to our studio after the party we play records for 10-20 hours straight and this is mostly where the magic happens. Because you can just play and play and play … So public service announcement. LONGER SET TIMES, PLEASE !

How would you describe the relationship between your choices and goals as a DJ and the expectations, desires and feedback of the audience? How does this relationship manifest itself during a performance and how do you concretely tap into it?

Times have really changed a lot. I had a very interesting conversation the other day and we came up with  the following theory. Many people don’t even know what music they really like because of all the gimmicks that come with electronic music events these days. It starts with the music. When I see many of the big DJs with their effect pedals and now this pioneer sampler where they add snare rolls to every drop (as if the cathedral reverb wasn´t enough) they think they need to do it to get the biggest reaction on every track and the crowd thinks they like it but really they are just tricked. So it would be interesting to see on which floor (so to speak) people would end up if you cut all the cheap gimmicks.

Especially thanks to the storage facilities of digital media, DJ sets could potentially go on forever. Other than closing time, what marks the end of a DJ performance for you? What are the most satisfying conclusions to a set?

Most of the time the end of the performance is really just because time is over. I am happy to play 6 hours if you let me. Most satisfying is when you are happy with the set and you look into many smiling faces. I like to see people lost in the music. The other day I was playing with my friends and it wasn´t super busy but there were a few people that danced for the full 9 hours straight with their eyes closed. That means much more to me then 1200 blokes with a Jägermeister hat and a phone in their hand.

Art can be a purpose in its own right, but it can also directly feed back into everyday life, take on a social and political role and lead to more engagement. Can you describe your approach to art and being an artist?

Music brings people together from all different colours, backgrounds and preferences, something the world is still struggling with a lot. Apart from that my work has no political message. That doesn’t mean I have no opinion of course. But at the end of the day, I make music for people to dance to and when they do that they should forget about all worries that they might have. As far as i´m concerned politics gives many reasons to worry, especially today.

Full article: 15 Questions