Jake Childs (Dj, Producer)

I picked this off an Interview from UGH. Here just what he had to say on his production technics.

For a lot of people trying to get into production, they want to know what the steps are. From start to finish, how do you produce a track?

First I started sampling a lot of shit and made templates. Then I couldn't find anymore samples, so I tried the keys and started making all the shit myself. I use a sample here and there, but not a whole loop. I started trying all the different chords and basslines, getting more into the percussion side of it, trying to make it sound solid. Then I started incorporating vocals, because I've always been a vocal kind of person.

Do you start with the bassline?

I don't always start with the bass. I start with off with a beat, and then the bass, and then the keys. Or the keys, then the bass. Or first the keys. I kind of do have a pre-set way of doing it, but then I always change it up.

Do you sit down and say "I'm going to make a track," or does something come to you, and then you create it?

It's more like I sit down, and I open up something, and I think I'm going to do a downtempo track and it turns into house track. It's almost like surfing. I just wait for the wave, because whenever I try to force it, it doesn't turn out right, and I'm just fucking around with switches and knobs and keys.

How do you know when a track is finished?

I know through a 16 bar loop. If I make that 16 bar loop sound dope, then I know I have a song right there, and I just spread it out and add to it. So I start with a little loop and try to find the bassline, try to find the keys. Make that little snippet. If that shit's sounding tight, I just spread it out like butter.

How would you describe your basslines?

Very choppy basslines. It depends. Dirty and funky. I just try to change it up a lot, especially the basslines in the song. I've got to have at least two change ups. A lot of people do the same bassline, the same keys through the whole song and then they just add like a "de de dee," which is cool, but I take the jazz approach to it, where it breaks off into this whole different shit, but it's still in the same key, or a different key, just like jazz.


What software do you use?

I use Nuendo, Reason and Outport Gear.