We are The Glitch Mob and Matt Davis. Matt is the systems designer + programmer of The Blade, and general music tech expert. And our bff.

Ask us anything!

Here’s proof: https://twitter.com/theglitchmob/status/600732537955057665

Matt’s username is: namethemachine

We just launched a documentary about our live performance system called The Blade. https://youtu.be/xUu8jxWDSOU

Here are our upcoming tour dates: http://theglitchmob.com/tour

UPDATE 1:15PM PST: Thanks for all of the questions! We have to go pack for tour now. We will answer some more on the flight tomorrow morning. The best way to contact us is Twitter, we read all tweets. THANK YOU!

Comments: 611 • Responses: 83  • Date: 

big_evil_idiot115 karma

I first heard of you because your song 'Fortune Days' was in the TV show 'Person of Interest'. How do you feel about the song being used? Do you think it fitted the moment?

theglitchmobofficial52 karma

Yes it was a good scene!

sevenzig76 karma

Hey guys, I've seen you five times but I've always been curious -- how come you guys never play Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul live?

theglitchmobofficial86 karma

Unfortunately, it takes a long time for us to prepare songs for the live set. Drink The Sea songs generally take about three times longer than a new song to prepare. That one is a little further down on the list. Hoping to add it later. -edIT-

theglitchmobofficial53 karma

We played it on the first Drink the Sea tour, but haven't updated it for The Blade yet. Eventually we will have 100% of our music prepared to play. But it's a process to load it all into the blade. -Boreta

Adzzii_37 karma

What is your personal favourite song?

theglitchmobofficial48 karma

Right now my personal favorite song is Deep Blue Day by Brian Eno. It changes a lot. -Boreta

blooperboy9936 karma

Will edIT make another solo album?

theglitchmobofficial62 karma

....... -edIT-

rupertbootes9734 karma

Hey guys, so much love from the UK! Please come back soon <3

Was wandering: Would you consider releasing the remastered versions of the Drink The Sea tracks you played this tour? Seriously digging the new fortune days and we swarm... :)

theglitchmobofficial29 karma

We had thought about it. Still TBD..... --edIT--

theglitchmobofficial26 karma

We didn't plan on releasing them - the idea was to update them to sound like LDI since the sonic palette is so different from DTS. We didn't want to change the original vision of the song. But who knows... maybe if enough people want them they will see the light of day... :) -Boreta

squdlum30 karma

Hello Justin, Josh, Ed! I met you guys at your last LA show, and it was such an honor. I think you are one of the most unique groups in electronic music.

My question is, how long were you all making music before you actually felt successful? I see so many young producers giving up after a couple months because they don't sound like their idols. I guess they're crying over pros for no reason...

Also, what do you think is the coolest sound you've made in your songs?

Much love from the Mob!

theglitchmobofficial43 karma

From the time I started producing when I was 15 until The Glitch Mob really starting taking off was about 10 years. It can take a while. There's some quote that goes like, "it takes 20 years to make an overnight success." I believe this 100% . -Boreta

theglitchmobofficial27 karma

Thanks for the love. Success is something that is different to everyone. I think we felt the successful the moment that we realized that our music had impacted people in a positive way. -edIT-

1337dood23 karma

I’d like to thank all of you for doing this AMA. Your music really inspired me when I was going through a really difficult time in my life and I can’t wait to see what you have in store. I first saw you guys at Electric Forest last year and had a really incredible time during your set. My question is, what was your favorite part of playing at Electric Forest and would you please do it again? Never stop making music and inspiring people. Peace and love from Detroit!

theglitchmobofficial11 karma

Rock on! --edIT--

TRevaRex20 karma

Hey guys! I've been a huge fan of yours for a while now and I wanted to thank you for all of the amazing feels you have given me in everything you do from live performances, to your music, and to your care to interact with your fans as much as you do. At your last Denver show, you were doing an edIT hair cutting contest with Instagram submissions. My friends and I went to your meet and greet before the show at the record store down the street and you recognized one of us that entered! That blew my mind. But then one of us jokingly asked if you could cut their hair before the show and you said that you would let us know. The openers are starting and my friend gets a notification that you commented on his photo wanting to cut his hair! We responded, but you never responded back :/ After the show, I turned my phone back on only to find that you had DM'd me on Twitter and that I missed the opportunity of a life time to hang out with you guys. Would you consider doing another meet and greet for your Red Rocks show? Also, how excited are you guys to play at one of the most beautiful venues in the world again? Is there anything special we can expect for this show? You guys are the best and I am so pumped for Red Rocks

theglitchmobofficial19 karma

We can't wait to play Red Rocks. It's one of the most surreal and beautiful experiences I've ever had... -Boreta

Cotmweasel17 karma

Huge fan, thanks for the AMA. Are you working on a new album yet? What can we expect in the future?

theglitchmobofficial59 karma

There will be new music this year. :) -Boreta

sky_kid15 karma

Hey guys, can you give us some insight into your creative process? During Justin's interview with Tim Ferriss, he mentioned living in the desert and seeking inspiration from nature - is this a big part of how you guys like to write music?

theglitchmobofficial13 karma

Going out to Joshua Tree was a great way to get away from Los Angeles, unplug and be inspired in a completely different environment and create in a new environment that you're not used to being in.--edIT--

DecayingPopcorn15 karma

Hi, big fan here even if I never had the chance to see you live, thanks for this AMA !

I have few questions :

In the documentary Behind the blade that you released few days ago, you stated that one of the perks of not having a label behind you is that you can reinvest what you earn in new equipment (e.g. the Blade)

I wondered if there are other major advantages of being on your own ? Big drawbacks (even if your independence largely worth some sacrifice) ?

Also, the Blade seems to look really great from the public perspective but playing with the table oriented toward them isn't uncomfortable sometimes ?

Was the intro of Fly by Night recorded in a real airport ? Which one if it's the case ?

And finally do you have a personal favorite song in each album/ep ? I love Carry the Sun in Love Death Immortality

Thank you, and I'm eager to see what you will produce next !

theglitchmobofficial16 karma

Advantages: Full freedom to do what u want. Disadvantages: We don't quite have the financial resources of major labels to pay for multiple music vids etc..... Tilting our gear and playing towars the crowd is actually more comfy than having the controllers flat on a table. -------edIT-------

theglitchmobofficial14 karma

Hey Popcorn. Thank you.

Major advantages of being on our own - we can do whatever we want. There's nobody to stifle the creativity, nobody to answer to. We're just as experimental with the music as we are with everything else. Everything you see comes through us, and not some big label trying to squeeze money out of our fans or us. We get to be as authentic as we want.

Disadvantages to being on our own - there was not a big bank to get things moving. No major promotional machine behind us to plaster the city. Everything we've done comes from reinvesting into the project from money we've made. It can be a slower burn this way. And it's a lot more work, since we run the label, and all of the other stuff that comes along with it.

It's actually more comfortable than playing a keyboard on a table. It's pretty ergonomically sound. More like a bongo or guitar.

Yes we recorded the Fly By Night intro in a real airport. We do a LOT of field recordings and while on the road and in the studio, and then insert them into the music to give it texture. All of the textures in the music are from our lives. That was from CDG airport in paris.

I don't have a favorite, it changes depending on how I am feeling that day... -Boreta

KarlKastor13 karma

Hello guys, thank for doing this AMA. I am a big fan of your music.

I got to know The Glitch Mob through an episode of the great show Person of Interest which used Fortune Days in one of its best episodes yet (S04E11: If-Then-Else). It's a great show about artificial intelligence. I think you'd like it. Did you know that they used your song and did you watch the episode?

theglitchmobofficial11 karma

yes, we know about all songs that appear on TV / movies etc. -Ooah

KarlKastor5 karma

But did you watch the episode?

theglitchmobofficial8 karma

I didn't watch the episode personally, I don't watch very much TV. Only game of thrones pretty much. But I saw the scene. -Boreta

bruins198731113 karma

Hey guys, big fan. Quick question: Where did you guys learn how to cook so damn well? Your snap chatting of foods is rather impressive.

theglitchmobofficial10 karma

watching my dad cook growing up in new orleans. -ooah

theglitchmobofficial8 karma

Speaking for myself, cooking is my passion outside of music. It's a way to unwind, to enjoy time with my friends and family. I cook most meals so i can try new techniques. We've learned through trial and error, watching youtube videos, reading cookbooks, experimenting. Check the 4-hour chef book from Tim Ferriss for starters. -Boreta

alexthes0ck12 karma

How do you guys respond to critics saying you're not actually performing? Huge fan by the way. Come back to Montreal!

theglitchmobofficial20 karma

We don't really mind if critics don't think we're actually performing. But watch Behind the Blade, it explains how it all works. -Boreta

mktwoplz10 karma

I went to see you at Paradiso in Amsterdam in October 2011, and the energy from that show definitely helped speed up my recovery from having my gallbladder removed 2 days later, so thank you guys for that :D

Which do you prefer: small, cozy shows or big stage, mindblowing and stress-inducing productions?

theglitchmobofficial12 karma

Hey! That means a lot, glad to hear you're feeling better. Honestly we like all of it. The small, sweaty clubs, and the big festivals. They are different flavors of the same adventure. -Boreta

theglitchmobofficial9 karma

we love them all, its really just apples and oranges. neither is better just different!glad you caught that paradiso show, so fun! -ooah

theglitchmobofficial8 karma

Right on! Glad we helped the healing process. --edIT--

PromCake9 karma

●How did Kraddy leaving effect your guys' sound?

●What advice would you give to up-and-coming laptop producers?

●What's your favorite DAW/plug-in/effects chain?

theglitchmobofficial18 karma

Up and coming producers. It's a journey, stay focused. The art of follow through is undervalued - finishing is just as important as ideas. This is some of the best advice I have seen, from Ira Glass. https://vimeo.com/85040589.

-Boreta

theglitchmobofficial10 karma

Juts be yourself and tell your story. Fave chain: Ozone > Insight > Voxengo SPAN PLUS -edIT-

50wix8 karma

I've always wanted to learn to make EDM and such especially after hearing what you guys do, but I have no idea where/how to start and what to do/use. How did you guys personally get into making music, and do you have any pointers for me? I absolutely love your music and you guys yourselves seem pretty awesome.

theglitchmobofficial13 karma

Just tell your story. Say something with your music, and say it loud. Go get yourself a laptop and Ableton, watch a youtube videos and make music every day even if you don't think it's any good. Practice makes perfect. --edIT--

HazenThorne8 karma

What is your favorite festival to play, and why is it Electric Forest/Rothbury?

PPS: Do you remember the Mega Venusaur totem from your set at Forest last year? That was us! You guys were my favorite set of the weekend! :D

theglitchmobofficial15 karma

Big love to the Forest Fam. That festival is special. It's got a special feeling that none of the other big festivals have. We can't wait to go back. And yes, you can see the totem in one of the family photos. We will return. :) -Boreta

Ch1gg1ns8 karma

Dudes! Hell yeah! I'm totally about to queue up your doc about The Blade. I've been following you guys on snapchat for a few months now and have been insanely curious about it. I'm a huge computer tech guy and love the whole A/V scene and been trying to find more ways to play with tech and music.

I saw you guys last year at Electric Forest (going again for #3 this year, will miss you guys!) and at Lollapalooza in Chicago. You sets absolutely blew me away, I had no idea how great you guys are live!

I guess if I was to ask a question, I'd go a little techy. How much do each of you bring to The Glitch Mob with tech? With combination of The Blade and all the music you guys create, it seems like you are very tech influenced and pretty tech savvy.

Thanks for reading this! Hoping to catch you guys in St. Louis on tour if I can squeeze the money!

theglitchmobofficial10 karma

from matt :: the guys in the band are not only tech savvy, but hyper aware of what it takes to build these kinds of a/v systems.. they have the right mix of patience, ambition/vision, and understanding when it comes to new tech :) it's so hard to program these systems.. so much trial & error, testing, and constant adaptation to performance styles.. you have to be in tune with your own dexterity as much as what the technology is capable of..

theglitchmobofficial10 karma

Not sure if I fully understand your questions, but we programmed the entire live set ourselves. Matt Davis wrote all of the custom software in MAX/MSP that helped The Blade communicate to the Ableton set. We also worked closely with Martin Phillips on the feel and look of the The Blade. ----edIT-----

smash_nebula7 karma

Hi guys. I was wondering why you guys don't sign more artists to your label. Granted you did just sign "Yaarrohs," however in the long term I haven't seen many other artists signed. The reason I ask is I love your style and you guys have always been an inspiration to me. Is it more just a platform for "The Glitch Mob" to release their music while still owning it ect.?

theglitchmobofficial6 karma

Great question. Running a label takes a lot of resources, and since we're a very DIY/independent act, we have all of our resources focused on our own music. We will definitely do this at some point in time. -Boreta

jamsterbuggy7 karma

Just want to say that I pretty much exclusively listen to you guys on my ride to work in the morning.

Also, what are some artists that you would say inspire you guys?

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

Right on! Thanks for the love. -----edIT------

hazelnussibus6 karma

Whats the story behind your name?

theglitchmobofficial12 karma

When we first started playing shows, we were individual DJs. It was Boreta, Ooah, and edIT. We decided to perform together because it was way more fun than playing alone on a laptop. Then we needed a name that wasn't just our 3 names. We were booked to play a festival that our friends put on called False Profit Priceless. They told us we needed a name. A friend of ours blurted it out, and it just stuck. It was catching a moment. -Boreta

RedTerabyte6 karma

Wouldn't drinking the sea make you sick? I mean there's so much bacteria and nasty stuff.

theglitchmobofficial8 karma

Yes there is a lot of gluten in the sea I've read on the internet -Boreta

shesthevoice6 karma

My question is about The Blade. Can you estimate how many man-hours you guys have spent collectively perfecting such a beast? She's beautiful.

Loved you guys in Vancouver last year - pissed I have to miss Friday's show! I've never felt so much bass in my life. Peace and love from Victoria BC!

theglitchmobofficial6 karma

from matt :: yea.. hundreds of hours.. a few weeks of design, a month or two of prototyping, and a few months of building.. then rehearsals & on-the-fly tour programming!

theglitchmobofficial5 karma

probably hundreds of man hours. ---edIT--

SheltonFern6 karma

Did you get a lot a support from your parents?

theglitchmobofficial16 karma

yes, our parents are huge supporters of what we do, they have all been to many shows, front and center rocking the fuck out! :) Hi mom, Hi dad! -ooah

eib5 karma

Hi guys,

First of all I wanna say I absolutely love you and that you’ve been a massive inspiration to me.

As for the questions: how do you approach creating a new track and how long does it usually take for you to go “this is it, this is done now”?

I also want to mention you should really visit Europe more often.

theglitchmobofficial4 karma

Well we first try to think about what we want to say and the story of the song will be. Then we'll write a really rough sketch and lay out a rough arrangement. After that we will go back and sculpt and create all of the sounds, mix down the tune and do post edits and cleanup. The song is done when no amount of tweaking makes it "better" it only makes the song "different". --edIT--

theglitchmobofficial2 karma

Thank you! It usually takes us about 2-3 weeks, at the moment, to take a song to the finish mark. The core idea is done in 2-3 days and the rest is details, sculpting sounds, etc. -Boreta

TheGreatPastaWars5 karma

Have any of you guys really had to go to the bathroom in the middle of a performance?

theglitchmobofficial10 karma

Yes. One time, I had to go really badly. There was miraculously a bathroom on stage, I ripped the bathroom door open and a security was half way through handling his business. Needless to say, it was a classic and awkward moment. --edIT--

fillenils5 karma

What's up guys, I was wondering how a normal day would look for the mob. What's the routine for a day of producing? Do you have any special methods for coming up with new stuff? Are you guys planning on coming to Sweden any time soon?

theglitchmobofficial15 karma

For me, a typical day looks like, coffee, sun and quiet time in the morning. No phone, no internet, no communication for a few hours. If I hit the studio I usually try to have it feel like a part of my life and not separate it like a job. I will take breaks and go outside or have a snack or read something for a bit. I like to think of my life as music / glitch mob stuff is just another part of it, no different from going to the grocery or talking to my mom for a bit. As for coming up with new stuff or ideas, thats just something thats always a part of writing music, that should never go away or even be lacking in creativity. I always try to push myself to try new sounds or style or tempos, etc. There are never any boundaries to art so there's no reason to stop exploring. -ooah

theglitchmobofficial13 karma

We normally all come together around noon, and make music until about five or six. Work smarter not harder...... -edIT--

roflmaoshizmp5 karma

Hey there, guys. Massive respect for you. I've got a couple questions for you:


#1

AFAIK with Love Death Immortality you were aiming for a bit more "dancey" style which suits performances more. Are you planning on continuing this or returning to something closer to what you had in Drink the Sea? Or something completely new?

Also, any more experimental stuff in the pipelines? I loved Boreta's Celestial Soda Pop remix, I'd love to see more of that from all of you.

#2

Any collabs you are planning on, or hoping for in the near future?

I know this might sound weird, but I think a collab with GRiZ would fit you guys well.

#3

You talked about some secret invite-only fan club previously. Any way that I could join?

You need someone to properly show you around Prague next time you're here.


I've loved you guys ever since your first show here, and I hope to see you here soon again.

theglitchmobofficial5 karma

Thank you!

We will get in the studio and just see what comes out. That's the fun part, we really aren't sure what will happen until we start creating. Your guess is as good as ours. We read all of the stories from everyone, take all of the energy from tour, and that all becomes fuel for the music. We knew with LDI that we wanted to take what we learned touring and tweak the music for the live stage.

There are some fun collabs in the pipeline...

Yes we have an invite-only forum and club called The Mob. Someone from our team will be in touch.

-Boreta

RTchoke5 karma

First time I saw you play in a parking garage at Scripps College, the last time I saw you guys at a huge venue in NYC. You'r performance has changed scope, but you guys still bring that awesome energy!

Any fun stories about the development & build of the Blade?

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

Ha that was a fun show!

one of the craziest moments was when the blade broke at the first festival we played and matt had to re program the thing live during the set...

-Boreta

Shabang5 karma

Hey guys -Long time fan here. I've seen your DJ sets a few times and loved them, but I've always wanted to see the full live show. I'm going to be in LA next week for work and considering sticking around for your bowl show with Chromeo. Will this be the full meal deal?

theglitchmobofficial5 karma

Yes it will be the full Blade. 75 min set right at sunset, so it won't be completely dark, but it will be a blast. -Boreta

DaftMemory4 karma

Hey guys. I run @theglitchmobdaily on Insta. Just want to say thank you for your music. Big fan since 2010. Can't wait to see you in Santa Barbara. Much love.

Any plans on releasing a live album?

theglitchmobofficial6 karma

Thanks so much for doing that! Santa Barbara is my hometown so this will be a lot of fun. No plans for a live album at the moment - but this has been discussed. We do record all of the live shows for reference, so we could release them at some point in time... - Boreta

theglitchmobofficial4 karma

Nice! Hi five --edIT--

FireDive4 karma

It is so awesome to see someone like you using The Blade guys! you don't see that much effort from other acts around.

Where did you get the inspiration for The Blade? Are there any other acts incorporating technology like this that you would recommend?

theglitchmobofficial2 karma

The inspiration primarily came from wanting to build an instrument that was custom tailored to the way that we perform our music. As far as the look goes, we were inspired by Geiger, Fallout New Vegas, Sin City, Harley Davidson motorcyles, Bladerunner etc.... -edIT--

samablah4 karma

Hi guys, thanks for the AMA.

I'm about to see you play at the gorge for sasquatch. BEYOND stoked. I've always had this idea that seeing / hearing your music combined with the epic and vast view of the gorge would split the heavens and make the world stop.

that being said, I actually just want to know how you get your pads in your drops to sound so hyuge. what plugins/effects do you use to accomplish this? -fanboy bedroom plurducer

theglitchmobofficial5 karma

A lot of it all comes down to engineering. There's not really any one plugin that can make your drops sound. huge. Sorry man. No easy button. --edIT--

jamiemariee843 karma

what's the most meaningful thing you've ever heard from a fan?

theglitchmobofficial4 karma

Great question. These things happen every day. Just the other day, a girl wrote us and said that our music has helped her stop harming herself and being suicidal. These things really touch us deeply and drive us to keep making music. Grant Korgan is another example of this. We truly appreciate people reaching out and letting us know the music means something REAL to them. -Boreta

_Nevi_3 karma

First of all I want to just say thank you for doing this! I am a huge fan of all three of your work individual and as The Glitch Mob. Seeing the Blade in Chicago at the Aragon was amazing, truly the most mesmerizing live performance I have ever seen.

Watching your stage grow over the years into The Blade was amazing. Do you think that other electronic artists will follow in your footsteps to make interactive stages like The Blade? What is the next thing after The Blade?

I gotta ask because I follow The Glitch Mob Snapchat. Who is the best cook of you three?

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

Thanks so much. We are lookin fwd to North Coast fest too.

We are in full support of other artists performing their electronic music live. It's an exciting time for music. What can be done on stage now, what The Blade can do, wasn't possible even a few years ago.

Myself and Ooah are both the chefs. We cook a LOT! It's our passion outside of music. -Boreta

GorzAmv3 karma

Hello guys! Huge fan here, I don't think I have any words to tell you how much I really appreciate and love the passion and positive energy you reflect in your music. but I have one question, as an aspiring editor, why your music videos doesn't have any story to it? I am absolutely positive that would be really interesting to see. since every single song you guys produce is unique, and can be visually expressed in so many different ways. Love you guys!

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

Some of the videos have a story and some do not. Check the We Can Make The World Stop video. But the comment below is correct - we try to leave it open for interpretation so everyone can make up their own mind... -Boreta

lolmemelol3 karma

  • What synths are you guys using nowadays?

  • Any tips you can provide on how you guys create your glitch edits?

theglitchmobofficial6 karma

Massive, Nexus, Reaktor, Kontakt, Omnisphere. We pretty much do all of the glitch edits by hand editing audio. --edIT--

theglitchmobofficial5 karma

The glitch edits are done by effecting bits of audio and then hand chopping them. We use a lot of the stock Ableton plugins, time stretch, filter racks, and UAD plugins. And then we will chop it all by hand. Although Sugar Bytes Looperator is really cool! Follow Richard Devine on social media for the ultimate resource....

-Boreta

jackpaxx3 karma

Hey guys, I love your music. You guys are my favorite electronic music group and I'm incredibly excited to be seeing you guys for the 2nd time in 9 days over at Berkeley. I saw you guys for the first time at EDC last year and I was super excited to see that you guys were playing the main stage.

I have three questions (although the second one isn't really that much of a question)

  1. Your recent remix of Lords of Summer is incredible. Do you guys have any plans to remix any other Metal songs? I love the way your guys' style goes with that type of music, it sounds really awesome.

  2. I've been dying to hear Between Two Points live ever since I started going to electronic shows but I still have yet to hear it being played from anyone. Any plans on playing it in your show on the 29th? ;) And speaking of your show, what time will you guys be on and how long will your set be?

  3. Ooah, any plans on releasing your solo set that was played at Coachella this year? I would love to hear it. Also I would just like to say that your remix of Emancipator's First Snow is one of my favorite remixes of all time.

bruisecaster3 karma

Hi! How does the Blade inform your songwriting? How has its incorporation into your live set affected the way you approach music in general?

theglitchmobofficial2 karma

We do not use The Blade in the songwriting process but we do think about how we are going to perform music on "The Blade" when we are writing music and we always try to come up with parts that are going to help propel the energy of the crowd through The Blade. --edIT--

northkoreanhaircut3 karma

Hi! You guys are the reason why I make and study music.. so thanks for doing this! How long did it take you guys to make the "seven nation army" remix and what DAW do you use? love from Norway!

theglitchmobofficial6 karma

We replayed all of the parts with synths. We made the song in Ableton. --edIT--

Geeves3 karma

Any more plans for Of Porcelain (or any other solo projects)?

theglitchmobofficial10 karma

yes, i'm currently working on finishing my new Of Porcelain album. Hopefully it will be out next year. -ooah

ramitron30003 karma

Hey there Glitch Mob! I've been a fan of your guys ever since I heard the song "Warrior Concerto". Just a few questions:

  1. What artist/s influenced you the most? Your music is some of the most unique I have ever heard!

  2. When are guys coming back to colorado??

  3. Who's idea was it to make the Blade?

theglitchmobofficial2 karma

We'll be at HARD red rocks this summer and it was all of our ideas to make the blade. we all work together on everything. hope to see you at red rocks! -ooah

hantoo2 karma

Hi guys! As a student in college who is wanting to go onto do entertainment lighting, I just wanted to ask a technical question. I've seen your recent documentary on the blade where you wanted to do midi triggering for the drums and the lights. How do you collaborate with your lighting designer and programmers to make your show incredible for the audience?

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

from matt :: as a programmer it was great working with a band who knows the experience THEY want to get out of performing. as long as they communicate that, it makes my job clearer, lets me know where i can improvise and what i have to deliver. since the glitch mob is incredible, if they feel good, it will be incredible for the audience..

pressionnn2 karma

Who is Hattori Hanzo?

The brownie guy from Montreal-

pineappleundies2 karma

Hey guys! Huge fan here! Met you 3 at the Los Angeles show a while back and that was awesome. Super humble guys! Thanks for all your hard work. Two questions for you guys.

1st - A lot of artists have tons and tons of music ready to put out and have just an archive of music that they've made. Do you guys have anything like that or is it strictly made in a whole when working on an EP and such.

2nd - I have seen you guys do DJ sets before but it is a rarity. Do you guys at all plan to do more of that or do you guys plan to just stay a strictly live group?

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

we plan on staying mostly live but will dj when we have to because of technical restraints. we djed for many many years before ever performing live so we have no intention to going backwards with it. -ooah

cg29162 karma

Hey guys, huge fans, Drink the Sea is what got me hooked on you guys.

What is the best part of the process of making music for you guys?

theglitchmobofficial8 karma

some of the best process for us is the exploratory phase where we are trying tons of new tricks and ideas, pushing ourself outside of the comfort zone and seeing what sticks. -ooah

Dynamite_Fools2 karma

Somebody sent me an invite to an Xbox Destiny clan called the Glitch Mob. Was that you?

If so, we should raid sometime!

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

It was definitely not us, none of us have an Xbox

Dustpaw2 karma

Hi, guys! Do you guys ever just lay around and experiment with music when you're not feeling well?

theglitchmobofficial5 karma

absolutely --edIT--

the_real_GW2 karma

edIT - I love watching the mountain biking videos you post! Anyways, I saw you guys in Portland at your first stop on the Blade tour a little over a year ago and I just watched your documentary about the blade yesterday where you guys said you finally ironed out all the glitches in the system at your last rehearsal. I thought it was an awesome show but did you guys notice major improvements as the tour went on? Also, this Poor Boyz Productions scene is what lead me to you guys. Just thought I'd send it your way if you haven't seen it yet. (but I bet you have) Edit: I had the wrong video

theglitchmobofficial4 karma

Thanks for the love! Yeah The Blade and the live set is a constant work in progress. We are constantly improving and upgrading it with new songs. It started out at 30 GB and has now grown to 55GB. i think we are on our 448th revision of the actual Ableton .als file. --edIT--

Chakintosh2 karma

I'm a huge fan of you guys ! One of the very few electronic bands that stayed true to the art, away from the bs.

My question is related an an answer you submitted here. Since you guys aren't with any label, and resources aren't allowing music video production, do you guys think of crowdsourcing some of your music videos for the masses ? like Coldplay did with "Ink" (partially) and Muse with "Animal" ?

You guys start a contest and people compete on who makes the raddest music video ! and everybody wins! Because imo, your music has so much potential on a visual medium !

Or better, do you guys allow fanmade music videos ?

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

We have actually been in talks about a crowdsourced music video. There's something really fun in the works. There are SO MANY talented video creators out there amongst our fans, we are so impressed and inspired. We have been waiting for the right time to do this. Stay tuned...

-Boreta

smash_nebula2 karma

You guys have so much going on in your songs! Are you doing crazy mid side eqing and other processing? Or are you just picking the right sounds? Also what are some of your favorite sample packs that you'd recommend a producer to look into?

theglitchmobofficial9 karma

yes, there are tons of hours that we spend Eqing, Mid/side balance, phase correcting, etc. We never pick a stock sounds and just leave it as is, we texture and tweak ever sound and note that ends up in a songs. I would suggest not using sample packs and creating your own synth presets, etc. You'll find more originality it that. Everyone uses presets and sample packs ;) -ooah

What_is_7x62 karma

How much of your music is played live on stage vs recorded beforehand?

theglitchmobofficial4 karma

We play as much stuff live that three people can possibly play with a combined total of 6 arms. Everything else gets thrown on a backing stripe. This is normally kicks and snares and sound FX. --edIT--

Dustpaw2 karma

Hello, guys. I have to wonder, do you ever goof off and have personal dance parties to your songs? And/or, do you ever get up and dance to a song when you finish it?

theglitchmobofficial6 karma

100%!!! We are always dancing in the studio. If we dont dance then you dont dance :) -ooah

Ch1gg1ns2 karma

After watching more of the doc, I have another question, this one aimed at Matt /u/namethemachine.

Describing The Blade and all the hardware behind it, obviously that is super expensive and super complex. As someone who has literally just started delving into Pure Data and has spent maybe 30 hours playing with Ableton Live, what advice could you give to someone like me starting out and being very interested in creating a cool setup? What resources really help you out for things like this?

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

from matt :: ha i started with pure data also! if you understand the basics of pure data it will be very easy to move to max - plus max 7 is really user friendly & has loads of templates and help files that can help you navigate.. its always really helped me in these programming environments to have a rough idea of something ive wanted to do first. there are so many ways to go about patching things that i find if i just think logically through the signal flow i want to achieve i can construct it as i go. using the max & pd forums is really helpful - even googling!

Sk1lledFu2 karma

Saw you guys perform in the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago last fall, probably my favorite concert/show I've ever been too. You guys have been a staple of my music collection since Drink the Sea released. Even have some GM inspired tattoos.

My question is, do you think playing live with the Blade enhances YOUR experience on stage, as well as the crowds. I know we all love it, but as musicians, do you think you have more fun playing on the Blade rather than just the normal DJ kits?

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

Great question. The Blade absolutely makes it more fun! That's part of the vision. We wanted to have fun up there and build a crazy art installation that also plays music. The whole staring at laptop screens thing gets boring to do, and even more boring to watch. That's why we started Glitch Mob in the first place. When WE get super into the music and lose our shit, it makes for a better show. Playing The Blade is pretty fucking fun as you could imagine. -Boreta

callmefire2 karma

Hey guys! Huge fan of your work, and i was wondering, how did all of you ended up working together? Thanks for doing this, and keep up the great work!

theglitchmobofficial5 karma

we became friends through djing a lot of the same parties which turning into djing together which then turned into writing songs together -ooah

followedthelink2 karma

Hey guys, big fan! I'm going to see you guys on Saturday, and really looking forward to it cause I missed you guys last year (and this is my first concert)! On the off chance, anyway me and my friends can meet you guys?

On to my question, how much does your guys' individual work influence the band's sound? I really enjoy the sound of you guys individually, and you guys bring those sounds together well. Is it ever difficult blending your guys' individual flavour and ideas together?

Thanks for answering, and looking forward to Saturday!

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

Maybe the overall "Glitch Mob Sound" is affected indirectly by our own solo projects, but I think it's safe to say that when we get in the studio, the three of us collectively put on our "Glitch Mob" game face and get down to business. --edIT--

foreignflame2 karma

As someone who has never really listened to your music, what songs would you recommend I start with?

squdlum3 karma

Fortune Days

Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul

We Can Make the World Stop

These are all certified classics.

theglitchmobofficial5 karma

Agree :) -Boreta

Cell-i-Zenit2 karma

Hey guys, big fan here!

I have only 1 question to Boreta: Can you upload your newest remix to spotify? Its so damn chill and its missing in my playlist!

theglitchmobofficial2 karma

Unfortunately i can't, because it's a bootleg remix... unless Ray Lynch wants to release it himself! -Boreta

eric1019952 karma

Hi! I found you guys after being amazed at your live performance on the ULTRA live stream a couple of years ago and have followed you ever since. Watching your snapchats I gotta ask, what was the best and worst exotic food you've tried around the world?

ps why don't you ever tour near Florida :(

theglitchmobofficial3 karma

Hey Eric.

We had some awful food in Russia. I think we ordered the wrong thing. It was some gelatinous fatty horseradish meat jello thing. The Russian perogis were delicious though.

The food in Mumbai was insanely good. The street food there is crazy. Felt like Anthony Bourdain! - Boreta