I'm Throttle, and I make dirty disco music! AMA

Why do you copy Hellberg so much, i mean gheeez.

He's just too good!

Where's the new music brah?! Miss you <3

Coming soon! :)

Did making "Next Big Thing" get you hella laid

hahaha, remember I was 15 when I made that!

Can you make more launchpad tunes? LOVED Inspire and What's that Sound!

Check this out! http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1r98uh/im_throttle_and_i_make_dirty_disco_music_ama/cdkvanx

Let me just say, that collab with Insan3Lik3 was...

( •_•)

( •_•)>⌐■-■

(⌐■_■)

Better Than Expected.

So, which artist would you like to collab with the most? Monstercat or otherwise.

I really love your music btw, it's all very awesome and funky! My only wish was that French Kiss was longer than 2 minutes.

Haven't heard that one before! ;) hahaha

Daft Punk!

Thank you, I didn't realised that "French Kiss" was too short until after it was released!

Well this is a tad awkward because I am about to perform Madeon- Pop Culture, followed by Inspire and then Weapons by M4Sonic at my college talent show! Haha no worries all credit is going to you :) http://i.imgur.com/6OrfQpj.jpg

Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for making awesome music but I must ask do you compress first of eq first?

I'm honoured! :)

It's different for every sound, but I usually eq last!

What's the thought process behind each of your tracks? How do you usually start, and where do you find inspiration?

It all usually starts up in my head, I'll often hum catchy melodies around the house and then write them down on the computer and go from there!

Why did I miss this..

I'm still on!

woah 15 when you got on monstercat?? thats amazing! maybe ill be there by then aha

If you work at it, anything's possible!

I gotta say, love your launchpad mashups, Inspire mashup and What's That Sound. I also like how you used user 2 mode. Anyways, what software did you use? I'm guessing Ableton Live?

EDIT - Also, for putting samples in User 2 mode, can you tell me how you did that? Midi mapping?

Thank you! Correct - Ableton Live I laid out the samples in session mode and then mapped them to user 2. I preferred having the buttons light up only when I pressed a sample.

Can you give me $20?

Sure thing! Just send me all your bank details and I'll get it to you ASAP! ;)

Melbourne represent! <3 I swear I've seen you at a party or something just by looking at your Facebook picture? Hope to see ya around somewhere sometime! Dirty Disco is the SHIT! And for the sake of Monstercat, please collaborate with either Insan3lik3 again or Soulero. <3 luv ya man!

And damn! You've been producing only 2 years? I've been doing it 8 months and am getting pretty decent myself :D

Thank you! Keep working at it, it takes time!

Do you even lift?

Aint nobody got time for that!

If you could collab with any "Monstercat" artist, who would you collab with? You did say Daft Punk below but they aren't Monstercat. Love your music though :)

Making something with Project 46 would be fun!

Ever thought about trying for a collab with Madeon?

I would love to collaborate with Madeon.

Hey there Throttle! I have been a fan of your music since your first release on monstercat, and I am still amazed at how talented you are while being the youngest artist on the label. Here are my questions:

1: I myself am giving a go at producing, I produce mostly songs along the lines of Chillout. What is, in your opinion the most important advice that you can give me as a young, inexperienced producer?

2: What DAW do you use to make your tunes?

3: When can we expect another monstercat single? I completely loved Boombox, French Kiss and Next big thing.

Thanks for your time.

Thank you!

1) Don't feel like you have to stick to the rules when making music! Don't be afraid to experiment and think outside the box, even when you're just learning the basics.

2) Ableton

3) I haven't got anything planned just yet, but definitely sometime soon!

Can you hop over to Auckland to do a show? Maybe with Mikael Wills, i know he's a HUGE fan!

Mikael and I are good friends! Would love to come over to New Zealand some time :)

If you could pick one song from the entire Monstercat history, what would be one of your favorites?

It would have to be Insan3lik3 - Bad Pitched From Heaven. It was the first Monstercat song I ever heard and it blew me away!

Love your "What's That Sound" Mashup up man, been playing it in my sets regularly.

I guess my two questons for you would be how did you get started in the electronic music scene, and what software do you use to produce your music?

Thanks for doing an AMA, and keep up the awesome work!

Thank you! When I was 12 I discovered artists like Basshunter online which sparked my interest in dance music. I started djing at age 14 and then was inspired by a friend of mine to get into music production. I started with - and still use - Ableton Live!

What is your opinion on: "EDM has been so boring recently. There is a huge lack of originality and there are far too many songs that sound almost exactly the same."

I feel like people often get caught up in the trend of "what's cool" in dance music and ultimately lose originality and creativity as a result. When all people want to do is make the next "biggest drop", then things start to sound repetitive. For me, the idea that great people are inspired by great people is incredibly important. That's why I'm so inspired by people such as Michael Jackson, who are able to make timeless music - something I strive for.

Is there someone you really want to collab with? Also, what is your favourite font?

If I could work with anyone in the world it would have to be Daft Punk. They're out of this world - literally! I've never thought about my favourite font actually, I always just seem to use Times New Roman (how boring!)

How's MGS treating you and what are you gearing for when you leave school?

Love it! I plan to take a gap year as soon as I'm finished school and channel all my energy into my music. After that, who knows!?

Who inspires you? If you could pick 3 artists who sound most similar to yourself, who would they be?

Those who inspire me the most sound almost nothing like me! Justin Timberlake, Daft Punk and Michael Jackson are three major influences for me.

Kick or Snare?

Do you mean which one do I like most??

Hi Throttle I'm a big fan and as a producer you inspire me a lot.

• How long does it take you to finish a song?

Also, a production question if you don't mind me asking.

• How did you make the guitar like lead in Boombox? I've been trying to get something like that because I think it sounds amazing, but I'm pretty clueless about sound design.

Songs can take anywhere from a week, to months and months of work - It's really different for every song I do!

The sound in "Boombox" is actually a heavily distorted sin wave, with lots of chorus/vibrato/eq on there as well!

Hey man, I love your tunes, been a fan for a while since I first started exploring Monstercat artists :) I can't get over how nu-discoey your tracks feel but they get so heavy, I love it. Anyways onto my questions

How long have you been producing? And what were some of your biggest inspirations when you got into producing?

Also I produce glitch hop and Im going to have my first official release on Adapted Records very soon, very excited <3

Any advice or tips you can give for my first release? Im planning to get it promo'd on GlitchHop.net, thats a start :D

Ive been producing for just over 2 years now! Madeon was probably my first major inspiration when I started producing, as it was incredible to see his success at such a young age (He was 16 when I first discovered him)

Congratulations on your first release as well! Make sure you send your music out personally to as many relevant blogs as you can, that's the best way to get your music out there!

Ever thought about doing a concert in Australia (specifically Sydney)...

Definitely! It's hard to organise a tour whilst I'm still in school but an Australia-wide tour is 100% on my to-do list!

Hey man, it's me who made the cover for some of the singles :) just want to say, your music still rocks(!). Me and my friends are always looking forward to new releases from you.

That being said, what's your top 3 favorite songs now/of all time? you can do one or both if you'd like :)

Thank you! That's a tough one, but Justin Timberlake "Rock Your Body" is definitely one of them!

Why did you pick the name Throttle? Love the music(:

I was on a family holiday in Italy and I saw the name written somewhere - It just clicked!

Whats the best advice you have, for someone wanting to grab local shows? I live in Ohio, so there isn't a whole lot of attention, for EDM here. For the most part, I have been contacting promoters, and venues my self, since I don't have a booking agent.

Thanks!

I haven't actually played many shows at all to be honest! The most effective way is to connect with a booking agency though who will be in touch with all the local promoters/venues!

When you are creating a song what element or objective do you usually focus on just so you are able to progress especially after coming back from taking a long break?

Melody is most important for me, once I'm happy with the melody everything else begins to flow!

Was Next Big Thing inspired by anyone?

Wolfgang Gartner was probably one of the most obvious inspiration for the track, but other ideas sprung from everywhere!

Oh. That's not the answer I was expecting.

As far as electronic artists, Madeon and Mord Fustang were also inspiring :)

Haha I was asking if it was a special someone.

ooooh sorry my misunderstanding! I actually started "Next Big Thing" on Christmas Eve, 2011, so all of my family were the special inspiration!

or hes talking about them "big ass tities"

A friend of mine recommended that sample actually! (from tropic thunder)

What makes your music dirty? :P

It's mainly my synths/basses that make my music sound "dirty" for me!

You're amazing! How long have you produced for?

Just over 2 years!

How did you start? And what board do you use?

For Djing? I use Pioneer CDJ's. For production/live mashups I use the Novation Launchpad! Here's how I got started: http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1r98uh/im_throttle_and_i_make_dirty_disco_music_ama/cdkv8zr

just a fan. keep up the work and look forward to seeing you on monstercat again!

Thanks for the support!

Never heard of you but after checking your soundcloud I can say it's remarkable average I mean seriously it's mad decent man! Keep up the mediocre work!

I'm kidding, question time:

Where do you see the EDM scene in 15 years? Do you think it's just a fad like a lot of people say or do you think this time it'll finally stick? If so what makes it different than in the 90's when EDM came back hard as well??

Good question! In 15 years, I'm sure that Electronic Music will still be incredibly prominent, because I have faith that the best artists will keep pushing the boundaries of music - something that I strive to do. I cant really comment on the 90's because I wasn't born until 1996, but just looking at the amount of dance music in the main charts now, and the amount that electronic artists are starting to get paid is a good indicator that it is here to stay!

Good stuff! Ever make it to the U.S. for shows?

I would love to come to the states on tour! Hopefully soon

Do you play any sets around Australia, If you do anything planned around December to January ?

I haven't played any Australian shows yet, but I definitely will soon!

You planning on doing any Nu Disco like French Kiss anytime soon?

Definitely. At the moment I'm making a lot of straight out 105BPM disco, it's the best!

Can you give any tips and advice for making the nice leads and basses. Also what plugins and DAW do you use. I'm guessing Ableton + Massive + Sylenth1? I use FL + Massive + Harmor + Sytrus.

My DAW of choice is ableton, and my main vsts are Sylenth/TruePianos. I've recently started using U-He Diva and Kontakt as well - loving them! The easiest way to make nice leads/basses is simply to experiment for hours at a time, that's all I do! If you're stuck, trying tweaking presets until you become familiar with the vst and then start making sounds from scratch.

Never heard of you, just started playing What's That Sound and I'm an instant fan.

Thank you!!

How old are you currently? I think it's great young artists are getting attention like this. It's inspiring.

I'm 17!

What musical background did you have before you started producing? And how long had you been producing when you did Better Than Expected with Insan3Lik3?

I had guitar lessons for 6 years but gave it up a few years ago! When Insan3lik3 and I made "Better Than Expected" I had been making music for about 18 months.

How old are you now?

I'm 17!

Quick question, how old are you now? I know you said something about producing when you were 15.

I'm 17!

I'm not too familiar with your music, but after a quick listen, I fail to hear any disco at all. Even by NuDisco standards.

Are you using Disco as a catchall for dance music or is there an influence that I'm missing?

Disco is a major influence to my music, it's mainly the disco chord structures that i find most inspiring. My single "French Kiss" is one of the only straight Nu Disco tracks that I've released, but all my tracks have strong funky elements within them. A lot of the demos I'm currently working on have far more obvious disco influences - can't wait to release them!

What steps would you recommend toward mastering the technical side of your DAW? I have a strong musical background and can come up with ideas for my works easily, but the problem is putting it to use. I struggle with sound design and mixing, mostly.

Youtube tutorials! I found they were the best way to get started and begin to understand the technical side of production. I started by searching things like "Getting started in Ableton Live" and then went from there. Sonic Academy also have some great beginner tutorials, and Future Music Magazine is the best way to gain an insight into the way other artists work in the studio.

Really glad you did this AMA, because this will be my first time hearing about you, and my Lord, why haven't I've heard about you before?

So I just finished listening to "What's That Sound" and now "Boombox" some of the pianos chords and timbre reminded me of 90s house, are you influenced by 90s house? While I'm at it I might as well expand the question: What types of music/artists are you influenced by?

Absolutely, I've only recently started to get into 90's house, some of it I find incredibly inspiring and groovy! I'm influenced by all genres, but find that those who inspire me the most are the artists I've grown up listening to - Eg Justin Timberlake!

Got any youtube vids? Im a massive fan of electro :) ps damn aussie pride awwww yyyeaahhh!

Thank you! You can search up my latest youtube video, "What's That Sound"

What are some ways of saving CPU power without having to freeze your tracks or have to bounce tracks and then still having to bring them back into your set? I am running Ableton 8 on an iMac that has a 3.06GHz i5 processor and I have 8 gigs of RAM. Granted I do have a lot of tracks, sometimes my CPU will spike over 100% on one of my originals, but I was wondering if you have any tips.

Thanks -VARGAS

It's a tough one - until recently I had massive problems with CPU! I just upgraded to the newest MacBook Pro which made all the problems disappear, but before that I often had to freeze tracks - I was never able to find another alternative unfortunately!

I just recently started producing electro music and I'm almost done with my first song. What advice do you have for someone like me? Love your shit, by the way!

Thanks! The best thing I ever did was begin to experiment with other genres before releasing my early material. It's a great way to gain a different perspective on music production and pick up new and exciting tricks. Once you feel the track is the best it can possibly be, start submitting it to record labels - good luck!

What do you draw inspiration from? Greetings from Japan btw

Everything around me influences the way I write music - family, friends, music on the radio etc, but as far as musical influence, a few of the most influential artists for me (outside electronic artists) are Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake.

I know I'm really late to the party, but I'll ask anyway:

Since you live in Melbourne, what are your thoughts on Melbourne Bounce?

Good question! I actually love some of it - other stuff i hate. My favourite Melbourne Bounce track has to be "TJR - What's Up Suckaz", the synthesis in that track is incredible. Living in Melbourne, it gets played non-stop at house parties and often feels repetitive - but it's always good fun to dance to!

Dude, throttle... You're such a boss, I hope to see you live one day! Artists like you give me hope of new talent coming into the scene. What's your tip for a broke college student, aspiring to produce music in the future?

What kind of equipment and software would you recommend? What's the best way to start a music career? Sorry for the overload of questions. I'll definitely keep an eye on your career, best of luck to you man! You've got so much damn talent and a fresh sound :)

Wow, thanks! All you need is a computer and a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) of your choice. (if you don't know what a DAW is, it's like a more complicated version of Garage Band) My DAW of choice, is Ableton Live, it's great!

Start by immersing yourself in hours of youtube tutorials and then go from there - broke or not, you can make it. If you set your mind to it, the possibilities are endless.

1. How old are you?
2. Top 3 singers you want to work with?
3. Top 3 producers you want to work with?
4. Upcoming producers to watch out for (besides yourself)?
5. Favorite color?

1) 17

2) There are literally hundreds! I'll give you 4 instead - Justin Timberlake, Chris James, Foxes and Zak Waters

3) The Neptunes, Arty, Madeon

4) Martin Garrix (He's hardly upcoming anymore, but listening to some of his unreleased material, he is going to be absolutely massive) and Lenno

5) Rainbow

Do you like smooth jazz?

I love smooth jazz - but don't know enough of it admittedly! Frank Sinatra - My Way is gold.

Where did you learn to produce? Was it from youtube videos, a website blogs?

I started with hundreds of youtube videos! The Sonic Academy tutorials were also great when i was getting started. Once I'd learnt the basics (and i still feel like there's so much to learn), my own experimentation brought about the most benefits!

Are you gonna do some more launchpad mixes? i loved what's that sound btw :D

For now my main focus is production, finishing an EP is definitely my next goal. The launchpad can be too much fun to resist though sometimes!

How did you start making music?

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1r98uh/im_throttle_and_i_make_dirty_disco_music_ama/cdkv8zr

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I'm not sure how to answer that one!

• What's your favorite song?
• Why did you start making music?
• How do you remember all the buttons on the launchpad?
• Are you planning on doing more EDM mashups (using the launchpad)?

1) I think my favourite song ever would have to be Justin Timberlake - "Rock Your Body"

2) http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1r98uh/im_throttle_and_i_make_dirty_disco_music_ama/cdkv8zr

3) Time! I spent almost 4 months on my latest mashup!

4) My main focus right now is music production, but the launchpad is just irresistible sometimes!

Why no song on 015? Boombox was one of my favorites on 014.

Thank you! I've been studying for exams the past few months so haven't had much of a chance to make music recently.

How long does it take you to do a launchpad video? Also, can we have another launchpad video?

"What's That Sound" was in the making for around 4 months. It can be a gruelling process sometimes but it's worthwhile!

What did you think of 015 Outlook? And do you have any Monstercat releases in the pipeline? Thanks for doing this, love your music!

Great album. I haven't got anything set for release just yet but will definitely be working with them again sometime soon!

What DAW do you use, and what are your favorite features in it? Anything coming soon on Monstercat?

Ableton! I find it incredibly easy to get ideas started in Ableton, everything just seems to flow so well. I haven't got anything set for release on Monstercat just yet, but you can definitely expect a release there in the future!

If you could recommend someone to listen to one song you've produced which would it be?

At the moment, "What's That Sound" (even though it's a mashup) really encapsulates the direction I'm heading for!

Any thoughts of expanding into other genres? I find the developing trap and progressive house scenes quite interesting right now, though they might not be suited to your style. What'll be the focus of your upcoming releases?

I've been making progressive house since the beginning actually, I've just never released any of it! I love experimenting with all genres, that's when I learn the most.

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Ableton!

When's the track with Lenno coming out? ;)

We're a little stuck on the track at the moment, hopefully we can finish it up soon! Lenno's an incredible producer and has been a pleasure to work with.

First I want to say: I love your music! "Inspire" is the greatest mashup I've ever heard, it totally blew my mind.

Are new monstercat-releases in the pipeline? It's sad that there was no new song of you in 015.

And, as a fan who wants to start making music on my own: Do you have any advice on how to start learning how to produce?

Thank you! Youtube is your best friend when you're starting out, and then let your own experimentation take you from there.

How is/was it being one of the youngest up and coming musicians in the industry? Did your experience differ from other "big" EDM artists, and if so, how?

I feel like age is becoming more and more irrelevant in the current state of dance music - which is a good thing! Young producers are starting to be taken more seriously which is great to see. Someone like Martin Garrix, who is only 17 is becoming one of the biggest names in dance music - a credit to his incredible music. I'm not sure about other artists, but for me I've been incredibly lucky with the amount of support I've received so far. There's a long way to go and I can't wait for what lies ahead!

What the your favorite song that you have made? and also what car do you drive?

I'm only 17 so I wont be driving until next year! My favourite song that I've ever made is actually a tune that no-one's ever heard. It's an unreleased track that will never come out until it's perfect!

Yo Robbie whats up? How long does it take you to produce a song from start to finish? eg. How long were you working on "Next big thing" for?

It varies! Sometimes I'm able to lay down an entire track in the space of a week, whereas other ideas take months to perfect. "Next Big Thing" took about 3 months before I was ready to release it!

And do you do the mastering yourself do you send it off to a sound engineer to take care of it for you?

Recently I've started using mastering engineers to master my tracks, just because my $100 speakers aren't good enough to pick up every intricacy that needs to be heard! As soon as i upgrade my system I aim to go back to mastering my own stuff again though.

Do school struggles get in your way of producing? Do you sometimes have a rebellious attitude toward it? (i.e Madeon)

Balancing school and music is incredibly hard! I've always taken pride in my school work, so dropping out of school has never been an option for me. If anything, I've learnt how to be more efficient with my schoolwork to maximise the amount of time I have to make music!

Can we get some stems of one of your songs?

I'd love to hold a remix competition sometime soon, where'd I'd give out the stems. Just waiting for the right track to do one! :)

If you could play alongside any other producer, who would it be?

Daft Punk!

What's that sound Mash up flowss. Keep up the good work and when you finish school lets see you in the states

Thank you, would love to travel to the states for a tour!