I am composer and technologist BT. My new album is _ AMA

You have an extensive library of music and you keep churning out more and more. How do you accomplish so much in the same 24 hour period that everyone has?

I love this question. Basically I'm a huge proponent of scheduling small tasks and having a finite goal. Check out my Facebook post on (personal) creation process. That will give you some ideas of how regimented I am. I even schedule for example "play" time on the modular.

Here's a post I made the other on FB:

Someone just asked how to start a new project and feelings of self doubt. Here's what I wrote to him. I can't wait to hear what he creates. This is a simplified version of my workflow. I hope this helps some of my fellow artists out there! //// //// Kevin Rix wow that's awesome first of all. Yes I do have advice! Set yourself time limits and a goal and finish everything you start. Like : I'm going to make an EP. It's going to have 4 songs each with 4 sections each and tracks will range from 3:30 to 5min. Then drill down from there. What do you want to say? Discover? Emotional content you wish to touch on? Thematic ideas? Idiomatic directions? Get specific! Make yourself a map. Set a distinct goal for every part of everything. I.e Track 1. 117 bpm 6/4 F# mixolydian. Make an "inspiration" folder for this one track. Things like what you want to make you love. Set time goals. I WILL finish track 1 in 5 days. If I have to pull 3 all nighters, so be it. Do it like the universe depends on it being accomplished. It well may! Set phone reminders, make an iCal. Email yourself encouragement or TED talks you want to watch when you're writing. Stay OFF social media and email while you compose. And most importantly. Every living person that has ever made anything great has felt like or chronically feels like they suck! It's breaking through our flaws and self doubt that makes creating so beautiful and rewarding. You can do it. Watch the TED talk on Imposter Syndrome it'll blow your effing mind. Can't wait to hear what you create.

Hey BT, longtime fan. Congrats on the amazing new album and thanks for doing this AMA and all the Facebook live videos. The first time I met you was at EDC a couple years ago, you were with your girlfriend at the time and Kaia and you were both pleasant and graciously answered my questions about ITSAESAYAI and Morceau Subrosa while walking to the ASOT stage. It was so refreshing to be able to speak to someone who loves interacting with fans, addressing questions, and truly expresses joy for what they do.

Question time: I’ve already asked this question in a former Q&A but never got to hear the answer, but what did Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs think of your cover of “The Ghost In You” off These Hopeful Machines? It’s a beautiful, yet haunting closer to the album which fits perfectly, and covering Butler is no easy job, so kudos for that.

Also, you are heavily influenced by many forms of music, especially new wave and synth pop I’ve noticed (received my vinyl of AHTS-I and it sounds amazing), so what would you say are your top 3 most influential albums that either inspire you as an artist or get you through life?

Thanks again, I’ll see you at Ruby Skye in December!

That's awesome, thanks so much for sharing that. That was a wonderful night.

That's a great question about Richard. Firstly some of my most formative memories are to Mirror Moves. What an album. I still listen to it every couple months in it's entirety. I got a thumbs up from Richard who is a hero of mine so that felt wonderful.

You're right that I was heavily influenced by 80's synth music. It's crazy some kid in Rockville, MD was practicing Debussy while listening to Depeche, but hey.

If I had to pick, I'd say (albums not classical music which is a super different ball of wax) Dark Side of the Moon, The White Album, Low Life, Construction Time again...it's nearly impossible to answer but those have had an indelible impact.

I absolutely love the album These Hopeful Machines. I remember back in freshman year of high school is when I found out about you. I remember seeing your album nominated for a Grammy. I listened to samples of the album and immediate asked for it for Christmas. Then when you didn't win the Grammy I felt you were robbed. I even told one of my teachers lol.l! Personally, I feel like your tracks can't be whittled down to radio edits. I feel like they need time to develop and breathe.

My question in particular is regards to the track 'A Million Stars!' How did you go about mixing Kirsty's vocals? How do you go about mixing any vocals? My friend Samantha and I create music and she sings. So I am always curious as to how people mix vocals.

Thanks for being true to who you are as an artist. Recently a friend of mine bought some really good headphones and wanted music recommendations to test them out. I sent him a bunch of your tracks and he was impressed. 'Le Nocturne de Lumiere' in particular has amazing little ear candy things that add to the track. Also, I love the panning of the elements.

In conclusion, I really admire you as a musician and it would be an honor to work with you or even sit in on a session and just learn as much from you as possible!

Thanks, Dylan

Thanks so much Dylan. This is a wonderful post much appreciated.

Well with vocals I do lots and lots of "comping" (i.e. "takes" that I cut together into the final vocal). My advice is to do it many times and pick the best lines. Clean up the timing, tuning (manually no autotune!) and amass a great performance with as little cuts as possible.

Really appreciate your post and check back on FB over the next couple months. I'm going to start live streaming composing stuff in the new studio.

Hey Brian, Casey here aka 3pm, Recently you posted a response to a fan about how to get started when they have no idea how to start a project. I thought that was really awesome of you to do. I was curious if you could piggyback on that response for those of us that have been doing this for a long time and either are "Stuck" or currently missing inspiration and innovation. What's your advice to help us move past those blocks organically?

Also, p.s. I had a blast opening for you the last couple times you were in Detroit. :)

Hey Casey,

Firstly, don't loose hope! Writers block sucks and happens to everyone. Remember literally Chopin suffered terrible writers block. Imagine if he'd given up.

I'd say, find things that do inspire you. Not just music...in fact go AWAY from music if thats what you're trying to make and feel stuck. Art, literature, film, woodworking, welding (yes I'm serious and can go on), make things.

I think why people can get really stuck is because there is such a prevalence of "same same" tools and workflows. Break that, blow it up. Get inspired. What inspires you? What makes you quiet? Do that and creating will follow.

Do you have any tips to get out of that 8 bar loop rut? I feel like it's hard for me to finish tracks because I get stuck with that one section and can't move on. I also have trouble with my intros because I try to make them dj friendly, but I feel like that messes with my creativity!

Yes I do.

1. Don't write anything in 4/4 for 6 months. You're welcome. Start with 6/4.

2. Don't write any 8 bar phrases! Listen to See You on the Other Side from TBU. 11 bar phrase. Write some melodic phrases and progressions that can't be subdivided by 2!

How did you enjoy burning man this year? Was it your first time going? I didn't make it this year but I went for the first time last year and had an amazing time. Any memorable stories you can share? Thank for the ama and love your music especially ESCM.

Thanks so much for the nice comment and question. Burning Man was a stunning experience. I'll be back next year for sure. It was challenging and wonderful in equal measure.

My most memorable story is we got actually stuck in a dust devil for about 30 full minutes. It was terrifying. The best part was the temple. Stunning experience, reminded me how much love there still is in the world.

1. I was delighted to hear you finally employ what appeared to be 3D binaural sound in “Ω” (the bits that seemed to swirl around the head). What did you use to achieve this, and would you suggest any tools for this in particular?
2. Are hardware VA synths ever worth it compared to real analogue?
3. In the light of the comments you’ve made about the state of the industry in the digital age: Do you think labels still have any great relevance, and if so how should creators approach them? I’m personally very wary of doing so, as nearly everything I’ve read about the industry describes exploitative business models that hoard the lion’s share of profits at the expense of creators (and some have argued that this may be at the root of the streaming revenue problem). So from one with a quarter-century of experience working with them, what say you?
4. What are your thoughts on sampling? Count me among those who managed to pick out the Blade Runner excerpt in “Satellite”, so I know you’ve gone there ;) I think it’s a vital outlet of human creativity that shouldn’t be ignored or made inaccessible (but then again, I’ll never be able to pay the approx. $30,000 necessary to clear the four year-old pop hook I’m using for my latest trance tune, which I don’t intend to profit from). What say you?
5. How do I come to the place of musical freedom you so beautifully occupy? Probably the most inspiring thing about you for me is how you can do just about anything with music, while still staying true to a sound and personality that’s distinctly yours. Everything from trance to dubstep to chillout to indie rock to breaks to classical to film score to microrhythmic ambient neoclassical (catches breath) – what drives all this flexibility? Pure experience? Classical education in youth and later? Pure perseverance? The attitude of saying “fuck it” to expectation and doing whatever brings you joy in the moment? What is the single most important thing to achieve this?
6. And most importantly: Is there a story behind the haircut?

I hope we can take a selfie the next time ur in Calgary meet one day Brian, and maybe even work together. For now, thanks for just everything – the music, the performances, the software tools, but most importantly how much of yourself you freely give to us all in everything you do. I only hope you know what that means <3

1- WELL DONE. I was going to post something about that this week. That is a HRTF (or head related transfer function) I did in Csound. 2- Absolutely but imho never ever ever for subtractive. There is nothing like a P5, Jupiter 8, Minimoog, you get the idea. For additive, granular and new things like wave terrain etc, absolutely. 3- I think good labels are great and bad labels are worse than ever. It's all about working with people you want to eat dinner with. That's kind of how I do everything honestly. 4- I think where there is reverence and or a point it's great. I've been sampled and it was reverent and I said nothing. Other times people have ripped an entire beat or top line and that's not cool. It's about balance. 5- To mean it. Ask yourself that in everything. Literally everything. Do I mean these eggs I just scrambled? Do I mean it when I say "how are you?" do I mean it when I put a snare on the 2 and 4? Do you ACTUALLY mean it? If not, throw it out the world is too overcrowded for bs. Mean it always. 6- Lol, nothing other than I guess I love Nick Rhodes.

What fantastic questions. Thank you for these.

Brian, I've got no question for you, but I do want to say thank you. For the past 10 years, in various forms, I've been producing music on and off, with poor discipline and practice. My own lack of improvement and ability frustrated the hell out of me, and there was a day where I was watching a live stream of a performance you were doing, must have been around 2010, and I just was overwhelmingly despondent. "I'll never be as good as him," I said to myself. You were already my biggest musical idol at the time, This Binary Universe was and remains one of my top 5 albums of all time. My girlfriend at the time, also a huge fan of yours said, "Don't feel bad that you can't do what he does yet. Be grateful that he can create his work, and do what you can do." After a long battle with depression I've come out the other side a (slowly-improving) better artist and a happier person. I do hope I get the chance to converse with you one day, because you've been a tremendous inspiration to me. Today, I simply want to say thank you for the beautiful work you create, and for being the person you are.

Automod requires me to ask a question, so I'll ask one: Was the array of technology and instruments on _ as wide and varied as it was on TBU? Were you still using CSound for _?

Man I honestly read this with a heavy heart. I hope you read what I write here and really take it to heart.

No one is supposed to be anything other than the best "them" they can be. You can (anyone reading this) do something significantly better than I can, and honestly it's not how well you can do something but your intent and the purity of why you're doing it.

You're way better at something than I am and maybe it's not music! Maybe it's painting or building houses. I've never built a house (although I really want to go on a mission and do that someday!)

Find what you're here for. Pray about it, search, uncover every stone until you find it. There's a purpose for you and everyone else reading this.

(Your music question, everything under the sun was used on this record)

Hello, sir! Two questions:

1) Your sound and your style has changed radically over the years. When you look back at Ima (which I'll still listen to every now and again) and look at what you're doing now, do you see a continuous throughline through your work?

2) During your N'SYNC-producing, Emotional Technology era, you made a concerted play for pop success (at a time when "electronica" almost broke through). Afterwards, it seems like you pivoted to movie scoring and exploring longer-form electronic composition. Was that a reaction to what had happened with "Pop" and ET, or was this more of a natural pivot?

1. Yes absolutely. My love of modal interchange and fondness for inversions has certainly stayed the same. Joking aside, there's a strong compositional thru-line in my catalogue for sure. I can hear shades of Nocturnal Transmission in Le Nocturne de Lumiere for example and Solar Plexus in my Dark Places score. It's everywhere when I really think about it.

2. There was no "concerted play" or "pivot" just where my head and heart were at at that time. I've always just made music I wanted to make, often much at the chagrin of my management and agents.

Have you moved to Cubase as your main DAW, and if so, what do you think of it?

Yes I have. Cubase absolutely is miles ahead of any other DAW for film composition. I love it. I must say there are so many sequencers and DAW's I love and use dating all the way back to an IBM 5150 with Voyetra+ Sequencer Gold. I did my first two albums on that!

Are you still using Logic, or are you moving solely onto Cubase?

I personally do not think Logic is a professionally geared product anymore. An interesting behind the scenes fact is the code base for Logic 9 is now defunct. Logic X is Garage Band and they comment out things for the actual Garage Band build.

The peak of Logic is 6.43 in OS9 which I still use all the time.

Hi BT. Do you feel inspired to put out another dance-oriented EDM album or do you feel you have moved on from that genre?

I'm sure I will do more dance music, in fact I already have. Bunch of releases in the pipeline as we speak. I can't wait to finish my new studio and make a new "BT" album and new All Hail the Silence material and score some new films!

Who are some up and coming artists that either inspire you or you find are doing innovative things in music technology?

I love Fractal, Au5, Prismatic, love the new Mute Math album, Rufus, The Kite String Tangle, Fatima Yamaha...that's a few!

Hi, BT. When you did Never Gonna Come Back Down, was DJ Rap just free styling at the end? Judging by your laughter after the track ends, I always assumed that to be the case. How much fun was it to do that in the studio?

That's actually Mike Doughty from Soul Coughing. Yes we were actually having that much fun in the studio. That was him on a one take rant, if you can believe it.

Have you seen the work of Android Jones? His visual art is completely stunning and he does visuals for many electronic performers. I feel like your musical aesthetic would match up so well with his visual aesthetic! I would absolutely die to see a collaboration between the two of you geniuses- do you plan on doing any future collaborations with visual artists?

http://androidjones.com/

That being said-

I just want to tell you that I am pretty sure you are a god of music blessing us mere mortals with your heavenly sound. I listened to your new album and I cannot express to you what I felt- it was beyond words. You are, as far as I'm concerned, the most talented producer I have ever heard, and I thank you for sharing your gifts with the world.

What an incredible post. Thank you so much and for sure I will check out Android Jones. Truly thank you.

A few weeks ago, I saw artist Devin Townsend create a new song essentially from scratch on Twitch over the course of 2 hours, to show fans what his process of music creation is like. (See here: http://www.toontrack.com/metal-month-live-stream/)

Have you ever thought about doing something similar so your fans can get insight into your creative process?

I can't create a kick drum in 2 hours and I am serious. Some of the tracks on the Silence album I stood infront of a bank of system-100's with patch cables around my neck for 8 hours before there was a beat!

Hi BT, huge long time fan,

Do you have plans to do some more live acoustic/orchestral work?

Yes absolutely. That's what I was recording at Abbey Road last month a full orchestral. I love writing for orchestra. Expect much much more of this from me over the years.

Satellite is one of my all time fav songs.

What's the story behind the intro to 'Movement in Still Life' ? Did you actually get with the guy to make some beats?

No, I'd love to find out who that was. He left a six digit phone number, true story. It was a voicemail left on my phone.

Hey Brian, thanks for doing the AMA! Two questions:

1) Loving the new album -- right up there with TBU in my mind. Will there be a way for fans to own it in lossless format other than the USB drive? The TBU DVD with 5.1 DTS audio was fantastic; something similar for _ would be amazing!

2) I understand the reasoning for wanting people to hear the AHTS EP on a turntable, but... as much as I loved "The Mirror", I don't see myself picking up new hardware to listen to a four-track EP. Is there any plan to eventually release it in other formats so folks like me can enjoy it?

Thanks for the questions.

At the moment, no. It is so much content and I am really excited for it to be released in this way! But who knows what we may do with it in the future.

Possibly, but no plans for that currently. Vinyl is pretty magical and these tracks sound amazing in this format. And it's making a huge comeback which is exciting as well.

Hey Brian.

Congrats on the new album. You're clearly the hardest working man in electronic music.

Someone asked a question similar but not quite what I really want to know...I'm really interested in what makes people tick.

For you, with a seemingly steady academic path and good home foundation, all those years ago when you decided to jack in college what made you believe that what you was going to do was going to work? Did you have any plan or idea it would pan out this way?

You mention that you're pretty regimented, was that something that came naturally to you? I find your work rate pretty impressive. The detail, quality and the motivation to keep going. What was a point of adversity and what methods/things did you do to overcome it?

Congrats on '_' btw. It really is a gem. I'm hoping for more like Artifracture. The pacing and soundscape on that is amazing.

Some simple bonus questions for you...

Is the stuff you was working on in London on '_' or is that for a future project?

Any chance you would collab with Hybrid again? (Might make them bring their fifth album out a little quicker!)

Is Electronic Opus likely to ever come to London?

Thanks so much for all this!

No discipline does not come naturally to me at all. It is through sheer will and practice I've become so regimented. When I was about 20 I found my power bill behind the refrigerator (true story). It sounds weird but it was a lightbulb moment for me where I realized "how can I make things of lasting impact if I am this disorganized." It's been a creative imperative ever since!

1) I'd love to work with Mike again. Love that guy. He's lovely and as gifted as they come. 2) I hope we bring EO to UK!

Hi, Brian! I've been a listener since Ima. Love your music, sir. It's changed dramatically and wonderfully over the years. What would you say your strongest motivators are these days? Your music has seemed to take a very organic turn, in my opinion. Love the new album! Thanks for your time!

I am always striving to make music with sounds I've never heard before. Never ending motivator right there :)

Which is your fav album excluding your most recent work "_" and why?

This Binary Universe or These Hopeful Machines because of their emotional depth and insane complexity.

Are there any software synths or effects that you love to death but haven't heard of anyone else using? Any gear in general that you think is criminally underrated?

Not really software synths but hardware yes. It's crazy to me people will spend 1000$ on a soft synth plus libraries instead of buying a Pro-1 (but I digress). There's a ton of hardware that's deeply underrated but softsynts, not really (imho) and that is also why everything sounds the same.

Massive, Nexus, Sylenth, Vengeance = everything you've heard for 3-5 years.

BT! Fan since I first saw you on the bill with Thomas Dolby in Houston. I'm really enjoying the new album, but why did you choose to make a title that's so hard to search for??? When I first saw it announced on your Facebook feed, trying to find it on Amazon and iTunes was a bit of a challenge…

I've heard that a bunch of times! Honestly I wanted it to be blank but none of the online music portals would allow that!

First, an overdue apology for jumping over the security line and onto the stage with you at Soundbar in Chicago a few years back. Never got the chance to say thanks for keeping security from tossing me out onto the sidewalk.

The new album feels like a score - was that the intent? I see the physical release is slated to have video footage with it, was that planned, or added once you had completed the work?

Always a fan of the variation in your work, and the places it seems to take you and the listeners.

Hahahahaha. No worries.

Yes the intent is to be score like and it was conceived together but the films were made second. I want to do a project soon where I make the visual materials first!

Mr. BT - any thoughts on the intersection of spirituality and music?

They are the same to me. Music is obviously of divine origin, it even contains mathematical puns we find consonant!

What is to reach the heart must come from above; if it does not come from thence, it will be nothing but notes, body without spirit. Ludwig van Beethoven

1. Analog or digital?
2. What music is inspiring you right now? I remember you feeling pretty jaded with the scene in general. Have your thoughts changed at all?
3. I loved your Facebook posts on overcoming self doubt and starting a new project. Any other tips on keeping focused and being prolific? What's your workflow?

1- Totally different and both have incredible strengths. Little known fact the masters of Suddenly on These Hopeful Machines the verses are digital masters and the chorus is printed to 499 +9 at 15ips. I love both. 2- See above 3- Theres a bunch more on this above :)

Hi BT. My question is with regard to workflow. Mine is basically "Oh look a squirrel" and then I never finish it.
Any tips to get me out of being stuck in the death spiral of creating a master loop and never doing anything with it? Apart from making some of my favourite inspirational music, you're also really prolific. P.S. Any plans on coming to South Africa some time? You'll be surprised at how much of scene there is down here. Thanks!

I want to come there for sure :)

So, I'd say, unplug everything except what you're working on and force yourself to pay attention. Reward yourself when you do. It works...try it!

What head-space do you need to be in to compose the darker scores for some of the films you do?

I love things that teeter on the feeling of fear and awe. A lot of the feeling of awe has fear mixed into it. Like being with 150 black fin reef sharks the first time is the perfect example of fear/awe balance.

The more emotional states you can save in your brain the better composer you'll be. Therefore, living life is even more important than studying music.

I followed with interest your restoration of the Fairlight. Is there anything we can hear that you have made on it?

I haven't made anything on it yet but rest assured, like I literally promise, some of the best music I've ever made will happen on there. It's the mainframe used for sound design on Tron and Stewart Copelands Monitor. It took 3 full years to hand restore, it's absolutely amazing. Labor of love. I wanted one since I was a kid.

It's literally my model T Ford :)

How much music do you have recorded around that's not slated for public release? Annnd, since it's an AMA... Any chance we could get one of those songs?

I remember you surprise releasing a few tracks, like Lemon, Balm & Chamomile. You've always been great at engaging with fans online — from surprise release and sneak-peek listening parties to all you're doing on social, it's a really cool way to stay connected with an artist whose work we enjoy

Thousands and thousands of hours of music. Literally over 10,000 pieces of music that will never come out.

There's 2 1/2 hours of new music to enjoy here! Oh an AHTS album to come too :)

BT, been listening to you for years. Love all your work, met you in Orlando, FL way back. Would like to know if you plan on doing anymore East coast touring? Also do you think you will ever do anything similar to your old works again? Such as IMA/ESCM?

I definitely will do more east coast touring for sure:) I wrote a big post on FB about just that. Read here : Thought I'd share my response to a thread as a new post. Can not wait to share this new album with you all. Expect the unexpected. Big ❤️❤️to you guys. (In response to the question, is this like IMA, ESCM and others make it like _____) "Well to speak frankly and directly, honestly no, I don't share the nostalgia many people have for that time period or wish to return to it. It would be inauthentic for me to embrace such a journey and I'd like to think I've made a life and career rich with authenticity and musical altruism. I love that I was blessed enough to participate in that amazing time period Kristian Pattison but my goal was then and will always be to make music that connects, inspires, awes, breaks through technical and emotional boundaries and speaks directly to the hearts and minds of the listener; because they can hear some small modicum of my actual person, my humanity and the sum total of all my life experiences on this ball of dirt spinning in infinite space, between the notes. Repetition is for people (imho) capitalizing on a moment that resonated for (fill in the blank) group of people to make money. Music never has been or never will be a product for me. To a fault. At many times in my career, had I stayed on a certain track and caned (as the English say) an idea to death, it could have been a tremendous commercials win. Which to me would have been a form of artistic suicide. I've chosen to traverse as Frost said the "road less traveled". I'm called to blaze new paths, find new and intermediate emotional states, notes between notes, rhythms between rhythms (no wonder some of my best rhythmic figures function where rhythm ends but pitch has technically yet to begin or 8-15hz area ala BreakTweaker) and other new forms. I love so much that albums like Ima and Escm mean so much to so many people. It's a joy and a great blessing to have birthed them. I will however for the rest of the breaths I've got, be out foraging to discover new trails. Maybe people that ask artists to repeat works of theirs in the distant past should be asking themselves what it was about that time in their life they miss and maybe it's a wonderful calling to some long forgotten thing, place, relationship, ideology or way of seeing the world. As for my cross to bear, blazing a new path it will be. I'll leave you with the full and beautiful words of Robert Frost. If I was a tattoo guy I'd have this covering me. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. -Robert Frost"

https://www.facebook.com/bt/posts/10153925316465095:0

Hi BT. When do you know when a piece is finished? It's my number one issue with modern music tech - infinite tracks, plug-ins up the wazoo, 100's of effects... when do you know when you're done? Do you ask for feedback from others in that process?

Great great question. I just really make an effort to step away a lot as I get close. I never play anyone WIP's so I find myself asking as I get close "does this add to the final composition or subtract". When I start getting "subtract" I know it's done!

Will you come play a show in Charlotte, NC? Love your stuff!

I hope so. I love the carolinas!

Could you talk a little bit about your low end management? Do you include subsonic frequencies in things like kicks and bass? If so, how do you deal with the amount of headroom subsonic frequencies eat up? Do you hi-pass basses, kicks, and/or entire mixes? Thanks a lot, huge fan, and your new stuff sounds massive.

Thanks so much, thats a great question.

We'll to start I mix without bus compression and it forces you to fit everything into a good spot tonally to begin with. Also I leave an insane amount of headroom in most stuff so the loud stuff is loud and the PPP stuff is soft. Dynamics are awesome in music.

Really looking forward to the full release of _. Have you considered talking with any IMAX theaters on possibly hosting a screening event for this, given the content (2.5 hours of music, 4K video)?

This is a killer idea.

Hey BT. First, I want to tell you that you are a huge inspiration to me for many reasons. The first time I heard Flaming June it felt like it lifted me off the floor. I still smile every time I listen to it. Another "Wow" moment was when I bought TBU. I worked at a music store selling pro audio and DJ gear, and I remember going in and telling the guys "This album totally redefines electronic music!" Well it did for me, anyway. Ha ha! Some of the moments on that album really choke me up (of course Good Morning Kaia is one of them!) Anyway my question is this: When you are at the initial stage of writing and you come up with an idea, how do you evaluate if it's worth developing? What I'm getting at here is that so much of the movement, tension, and release in electronic music (dance oriented stuff, anyway) relies on FX builds and editing techniques that get developed after the fact. How do you weigh what you have in front of you against the potential of what it could be later? I hope that makes sense! Anyway, thanks for reading and thanks for doing this AMA. Such a cool idea! I wish you all the best.

This is a wonderful question (and thanks for all the kind words). I just find myself asking if it "needs to exist" and "I'll enjoy making it".

Brian,

I've been a huge fan since first hearing "Never Gonna Come Back Down" in 2000. Movement In Still Life is still my favorite album of yours. I've been playing a lot of your music for my 16-month-old daughter lately, and I think she'll be just as big a fan as I am.

I have two questions:

I'm curious, will we ever see you do another live performance tour? I know you just recently did Electronic Opus, which was similar, if on a grander scale. I was thinking more along the lines of just you yourself performing. Perhaps new renditions of old material, or something like that.

The second is a bit more pointed: Why do you so frequently refer to yourself as a "grammy nominated" musician/composer? Your work stands on its own, without need for acknowledgement by award or critic. I've always been curious about why that grammy nomination means so much to you.

Thanks for all great music. You are one of few artists whose entire catalog I am a fan of. To quote "Running Down the Way Up," you have a Midas touch. If you ever want to chat over a cup of coffee or tea with a huge fan in Northern Virginia, hit me up!

Hey there and thanks so much. I hope I earn her as a fan as well!

For sure I will do the kind of tour you're talking about at some point. Absolutely and yes EO is that on a big scale (super fun and hard too).

As it relates to "Grammy", this is a source of great pride for me for sure and my greatest public accolade to date. Thanks for what you wrote. Also, I think other people refer to this maybe more (agents, managers etc).

Would love a cup of coffee in Northern Va!

Hey BT - do you miss Alchemy since it got acquired by Apple (fellow Cubase-er). Are you still running your install from Camel Audio? I get a bit panicked about it not working at some point and this factor alone has kind of made me consider moving over to Logic just so I can get my grubby paws on it easier and keep getting updates. Have you considered a MainStage hack? I guess my big question is: how do you look at "loosing" access to an instrument like that? I guess that assumes this instrument was at all important to you (but they did quote you!).

Hey there!

No I use Alchemy on my VEPro rig all the time (PC over networked audio) and yes I use MainStage in my Cubase Autoload over the IAC bus!

1. What do you think is the most unique thing about eurorack compared to other modular and hardware synths?

2. What are some of your favorite eurorack modules?

1. The unique thing is it's the first time in history there are sophisticated Logic systems in a modular system. That alone makes it an aleatoric universe to explore. Second all the odd ball effects, wavetable OSC's, it's infinite. It's changed everything. PS this is from someone who LOVES old modulars too.

2. CR, TipTop ZDSP, Maths, I could do this question as it's own thread!

Huge fan, any chance that you'll ever release Somnambulist, Suddenly, and Lifeline acapellas and instrumentals? I know a lot of people would love to hear them! You should sing more often, you have a great voice! Any chance for new music videos?

Thats a nice thing to say. I will some on my next album. Idk maybe I will release them someday and for _ there are 2 1/2 hours of new videos.

Have you thought about doing a more traditional live show w/ instruments with the BT catalog (vs. AHTS) ? Would love to see something like that!

Yes I have, Electronic Opus kind of was that but with an orchestra. I'm sure we will do more live band shows, they are a blast.

Which song of yours required the most cuts in editing/post production?

Where does This Binary Universe rank in your archive?

last question first, TBU is insanity the depth. It's way way up there interms of editing.

I couldn't answer this. They are all so much work most people would literally want to die doing all that work. I absolutely love it.

On your own personal albums with visuals (this binary and new album) did you ever watch visual first or was visual created after while listening to the music?

After

Just wondering what happened to ypur gorgeous custom-made wooden desk?

Setting it up in a secondary room :)

Congrats on the album release! I helped you briefly when you were looking for some software for syncing tempos and video frame rates a number of years ago. I don't have any important questions, but I do want to share a story with you that I've been meaning to share for a while now(and a question at the bottom). I promise it'll get to something having to do with you and your music and hopefully it'll get a laugh out of you.

Just prior to the release of Morceau Subrosa and If the Stars Are Eternal So Are You and I(2012), I had the engine blow in my little convertible. It was tragic! After a few weeks of going back and forth with a repair shop, the little car received a new engine and lived once again. As with these sorts of projects, things can go wrong(there were countless coolant leaks and check engine lights), but we had finally gotten it to a good place where I was comfortable traveling more than 15 minutes from the shop and my house. At this point, your two albums were released, so that process took some time.

Anyways! I'm cruising down the expressway one day. Beautiful day. Top down. Listening to music(with earplugs, because I want to hear when I grow old). I'm an album type of person, so hit play on an album and let it go to completion. So yeah. Cruising. Suddenly. I hear this massive gnarly noise and I start completely freaking out. I'm doing like 70mph at that point, and hear all these nasty noises and am thinking...oh no. What did I do to my poor car now! I disengage the clutch and let off the gas to try and figure out if it's something in the engine or the transmission or something else. Noise is still there. I start running all of the possibilities of what could be making all of these crazy sounds I am hearing. And then I realize. Oh. One album ended. There was a period of silence between that album and the next album had started. And the noises I was hearing were a very very loud intro to 13 Angles on My Broken Windowsill that was initially hard to identify with crappy speakers, wind noise, car noise, and ear plugs. Huge sigh of relief once I realized it was just your music and not my car trying to murder itself for a second time.

Thank you for the scare! Thank you for all of the noise you make. And thank you for the incredible music you've made over the years. My only request would be that one day, before you leave this realm, to share the intricacies that have gone in to the creation of your music over the years. I would love to know if that's a soup can with a ball bearing in it being used for convolution or something crafty in csound or something else entirely. Any chance we'll be able to get something like that someday? Either via a book or production notes or something like that?

What an awesome post. Thank you so much. Love this and am seriously glad I didn't wreck your speakers or car!

Some day I would love to write a book and also I'm planing on starting to do some web casting of my creation process in the new room. That's if I can get the internet here to be a little faster!

Hello BT,

You have such an extensive catalog of music from over the years--'Remember' has always been one of my favorite pieces of music. Have you ever considered going through some of your previous work, pulling your favorite/top tracks and remixing and/or remastering them into a new album?

We are doing that with IMA and ESCM

BT, you have been a favorite musician of mine for a long time! I saw you live at paradiso earlier this year and had a great time. Onto questions...

Do you think there is a connection between numbers, nature, musical frequency and a human's ability to perceive them? Do you think that there is a fundamental relation between these things that control our reaction to it?

You seem to be immensely talented at creating sounds with a computer, but how do you balance keeping "normal" sounds and notes in your songs with effects and filters that are more "noisy"?

Who are some artists that inspire you? currently or in the past

What are some fun things that you like to do with your family?

Ok ill stop :) but i think i will be seeing you again soon :D

Yes there are quantifiable connections between rhythm, math, frequency and how we perceive them.

Start with this : The forward masking principle. As with film, music plays with the refresh rate of your brain. There really is absolutely no difference between pitch and rhythm other than frequency. Your brain can't perceive a paradiddle a 22hz so it perceives it as a pitch (a low one at that!). I could go on and on about this subject for hours. I invite you to Google case studies about perception as it relates to music. I've read countless hours about this and there is fascinating things to discover.

As it relates to creating things with a computer, this is why I like to play physical instruments and manipulate the performance to make something that has an organic and human component to it but is new.

I love being outside with my family, that's the best :)

Thanks for the great questions!

I have a couple of questions for you.

1. Is that true that 'Somnabulist' is in Guiness World Record Book?
2. Will you still experiment with this kinda electronic rock like on 'These Hopeful Machines'?
3. I think you use modular synths in your studio. What is your favourite module?

1. Yes! I have the certificate framed somewhere..
2. I'll always experiment in my music. Can't estimate in what direction, but I love trying new things and using live instruments in my music.
3. Some of my favorites are circadian rhythms, erbe verb, zdsp with the valhalla card. It's hard to choose honestly, I love them all quite a bit.

Hi Brian,

1. What is your favorite movie that you scored, as far as the movie itself is concerned?
2. Which movie was the most challenging to score?
3. What is the latest on the Ima / ESCM remasters?
4. What's the latest book you read that you would recommend everyone read?

Thanks, and congratulations on the new album! It's an incredible piece of music and I consider it to be your best work from the last 10 years.

1- Monster. Adore this film and what it says. 2- Hmmm, actually that's easy: Zoolander. I quit that one because Ben Stiller is such an egotistical asshole. 3- I'm about 75-80% there. It's a monumental project. Thanks for being patient. 4- 1 Second After. Be forewarned, it's heavy (but a great thriller)

do you have plans to return to Guatemala?

I'd love to come back soon

hi BT. I have no idea what your music is or what your place in the world is. if you could write a song right now about the first thought in your mind, what is it and why is it about toilet paper? k thanks good luck shout me out at your fuckin show aye m8

This is why I'm on the fence about cannabis legalization.

I just wanted to say thank you for all the wonderful music you have created, you are without a doubt my favorite artist. When I think back to the various times in my life, I think of them in relation to which one your albums I was playing on repeat during that era. Your music has seriously had a extreme impact on my life, and in a lot of ways has helped shaped it. Your music is the only music I get emotional over when listening to it.

I saw you once in Scottsdale AZ at your tour for ASAW, you took a photo with my cousin after the show, but I was too shy to shake your hand and thank you in person like he did - I hope I have that opportunity again in the future. Thank you for all your music, and I will forever wait to hear what you come up with next.

I suppose a need an actual question for this AMA - I'm a big fan of classical music as well, - what artists do you look to for inspiration, and who are your favorites? Any album recommendations?

Man what a nice post, thank you so much for the kind words. Next time I'll find you somehow!

Classical music is just such a beautiful quilt of extraordinary beauty. The early 20th century stuff is my favorite. I'd check out Mahler, Debussy for a start.

Been listening to the song Nectar basically on a loop for the past 5 years or so. How did you arrive at the title "Nectar?" What is your usual process for naming songs?

Often, songs I like to name more the feeling and in an almost surreal or oblique fashion. I usually write a list of hundreds of song titles for something until I find something I love that sticks.

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Great questions!

I was contacted yes and asked to see the game. I love video games but don't have a ton of time to play them. I keep up with lots of the new stuff but am for sure a Galaga/Tempest/Mrs. Pac Man kind of guy.

What was it like producing a TV show?

An absolute blast. Writing score for TV is very hard and fast paced though. Basically an albums worth of material a week!

Hey BT, an honor to have you reading my message. Would just like to say that although I love all your work, Flaming June was the absolute seminal moment for me. So, thanks for that! Wanted to ask you what Studio Monitors you use. Have you had much experience with linear phase correction systems. Do you rate them?

Killer questions and thanks for the kind words about Flaming June! I use Maudio BX5a's and a sub for near fields. I love them. People laugh, but I don't care at all. They point out all the flaws.

I recently got ATC soffit mount monitors for my new studio. They are not in yet but I've listened to them many times now and I know it'll be a game changer.

Some of the linear phase correction systems are good, but bottom line is you want a room without parallel walls and good treatments. I've never had one myself, the room we've been building is my first!

How the heck does one make Cubase work on an Atari computer?

That's where it began! http://tamw.atari-users.net/cubase.htm Also, the atari's have incredible timing for MIDI. So many of the best records in the 90's and 2000's we're made on that system. Almost all Drum and Bass and Breakbeats.

Would you please give me a sneak peak of what your new music sounds like ? Trancy, housy, electronicasy ?

Expansive, dense, atmospheric but with huge electronic rhythmic figures and ostinatos + lots of surprises. It's kind of unnamable honestly. Check it out.

Hey BT - congratulations again on the awesome new record! I have a question (or two) for newer/up-and-coming producers:

Obviously you have a mastery of technology, synthesis, and all things production. If you were to recommend a handful of VSTs and/or pieces of hardware that you think are integral to be proficient with using, what would your top three be? Also - do you make most/all of your own drum samples?

Thanks as always.

Hey thanks so much!

1. I'd say pick a DAW that feels comfortable and stick with it. Lots of people start of FL and feel pressured to switch. It's way more powerful than just about anything honestly. I'd say pick a DAW and learn it inside and out. Also, study music! Sounds weird maybe but harmony and theory will help anything you're doing.

2. I do make my own drums. It's one of the most fun things about producing. Check out the kick/808 combo on Artifacture. That took 2 days to get the spectral weighting right of the different notes. That's one of the most fun things about making music to me...drum programing. Hence : BreakTweaker!

Big fan since the mid 2000s! Any interesting or creative pieces of gear/plugins that you have come across in the past while?

My favorites over the last 3 years that have completely changed how I work are the release version of BreakTweaker, RX and Cubase 8.5 + VEPro.

Hey BT! How is your writing process and workflow different in your film/TV work to your artist material? Any advice for aspiring film composers on writing great material on tight deadlines? Thanks! Love the new album :)

It's super different and yes here's my advice. Avoid the temp. Like listen once if possible and use as a "hits" map never to be listened to again.

Go 1000% on instinct. It's always rushed. Stick to your guns when you know it's right and aids the final vision of the film.

Hiya BT!!! You are absolutely amazing and I love the variety of equipment you use. I saw you have picked a kiwi modded JX-3P and wanted to know what is your opinion of it? and what kind of sounds do you like to make with it?

Thanks!

Man that thing is like "insta" 80's electro (think Shannon). It's great for bass and brassish pads. The Kiwi mod for it is stunning. My fav Kiwi mod is for the Juno 106. Wait until I post pictures of my final Juno mods. It's insane. Went with metal endcaps like the Jupiter 8.

The Kiwi mod guys are killing it!

How do you think you've evolved from Ima, ESCM, Fast and the Furious, etc?

I've learned double what I know about music since IMA. Maybe triple!

Hey BT, Longtime fan. New album is amazing and I can't stop listening to it. We've met a few times and every interaction you've shown how down to earth and humble you are.

I have 2 Questions: 1. Would you ever consider re-making/re-working other songs from your extensive library like what you did for EO or the collaboration that you did with Tritonal for Calling Your Name on ASAW or the mashup of Mercury and Solace vs. Redux that you did a few years back?

Question 2: Can you reveal any information about what we can expect from All Hail The Silence?

Thank you kindly!

1- Probably not, I'd much rather make new music 2- The All Hail the Silence record is spectacular. One of my favorite things I've ever done. I love Christians voice so much and these songs and programing and the way it was made is just truly something special.

Hi Brian, amazing work with the new album as always. My question was regarding minimalism. I create similar tracks that rely on complex sound design and micro-edits. Sometimes I end up going overboard with it and end up losing the essence of the song. How do you strike this balance and not over process your songs?

That's an awesome question. I really am trying to zoom in an out (so to speak not literally) constantly after I reach a point in the composition.

I ask myself often "am I showing off or does this aid the composition" a lot.

Great question!

A huge thank you for your years of music that you share with us. "Meraki" is the term that comes to mind with what you share. The recent release is beyond words and I can only begin to imagine the rest of your composition to be released.
Did you need to implement new techniques for your album? Create new ways to get the correct sound that you were trying to achieve?

Thank you so much for the kindness. Yes lots of new ideas and techniques on this one. A favorite is using RX for sound design and combining only partial spectrums together to create a new sound.

So many new things it's crazy!

how do you make those atmospheric tunes? what synth are you using?

Every synth on earth. Kinda serious.

Hey BT, long time fan since coming across ESCM in high school. I have two questions:

1. You've been in the electronic music scene for quite a while now. What are the things that have changed the most?

2. If you could have a day with any living or deceased composer that you haven't already spent a day with, who would it be?

1- How music is disseminated. By far this is the biggest change. Also ITB as opposed to in the studio!

2- Debussy

Hello BT, long time of your since Somnambulist. Congratulations with your new album release. It's fantastically chill!

Speaking of Somnambulist, that song was released in 2003. Technology is much more advanced now than what it was 13 years ago. I see a recent trend in the trance community that producers are revisiting old tracks, and updating it newer sounds (e.g. Armin's Old Skool album, Robert Nickson doing a 2016 version of his trance classic called "Out There")

As such, do you think about your old tracks and go "Ah, I wish I have done it differently, but it wasn't possible back then with the limitations in technology?" If so, do you have plans to update the tracks with newer sounds?

Thank you! PS: We have the same birthday :)

Sweet happy birthday!

And yes this is exactly what Electronic Opus is, reimagining my old songs and doing things now that I couldn't then!

a few months ago, I learned you worked with Britney Spears on a song but it was never released, what happenned?

It was released!

1.) Has recent events of certain new up and comers soured your taste for trying to cultivate a protege or are you still always on the lookout for the next young one that aligns with your style?

2.) Any future plans to release BT specific albums (not AHTS) in vinyl; upcoming or past? Would love to get my hands on a vinyl version of These Humble Machines.

1- No not at all. I love sharing insights and knowledge with people coming up. I think unfortunately there is a generational entitlement culture thing that tells young people that they deserve success and accolades without effort or knowledge. This one I can't fix unfortunately. I can however mentor to well raised, head square on their shoulders, people coming up and I love doing this.

1. I love this idea and am looking at ways to do just this

Yay! Glad you're doing an ama. I've loved your music for a very long time.

I make music too, it's my passion, so it's always nice to ask the pros some questions :).

1) at what point did you realize you were getting good at what you do and you should release your music?

2) who are, in your opinion, some of the most creative and talented producers out there today?

3) what's your favorite synthesizer (bonus points if it's not something like massive or serum)

4) what's your most memorable performance?

5) what gives you the most enjoyment with music?

6) are you a full-time musician, or do you do other things on the side?

7) what are your favorite genres of music? Of electronic music?

1) Probably around the age of 16 I started to think I could actually make music my living.

2) James Blake is stunning. It's hard to impress me honestly and usually when I am, it's like "wow that guy know's how to figure 8 mic a piano" or sweet compression on the overheads. Mic'ing and engineering dynamic music are becoming like the dark arts.

3) A revision 2 Prophet 5. Hands down. I can make an album with that instrument drums included. It's what all other synthesizers want to be. Dave Smith is an immortal genius. He changed the face of music single handedly. Bonus for inventing MIDI.

4) Probably in Australia when the power went out and I played Flaming June on the piano for 20 min. EDC in Vegas with my wife and daughter was pretty special too.

5) Making sounds I've never heard before and combining things in a way I've never heard that results in an unusual emotional impact.

6) Full time. I'd say making electronic things is a close second.

7) I like very treated live music (live drums) with synths. Like LCD sound system, Mute Math are my favorite sounding records.

Thanks for the great questions!

Hi Brian, over the years you’ve amassed an incredible amount of hardware, software and library of audio samples. You’re in the process of finishing your new studio. How do you handle being overwhelmed by choice of tools when approaching tracks? Do you have rules you set for yourself to avoid being overwhelmed?

YES! Great great question.

I say. Today you get "Voyetra an jupiter 8 and RX" That's it. Go. For every small goal, I band delimit what I'm allowed to use. Always

Hello sir, I'm a huge fan. Is there a full album from All Hail the Silence in the works? If so do you have any idea on when that could be available?

After Christmas and some tour dates too :)

First off, absolutely floored by the new album. Incredible sounds and atmospheres in it, really made me look at my own musical ideas and how I keep trying to shoehorn myself into a "box" so to speak. Any suggestions on not getting stuck in a genre and just writing? I always seem to go back to trance no matter how much I try and make something different.

Also, I know you don't just produce trance but what are your views on the current scene and where it's headed? I feel like it's lost the creativity it once had, everything feels so formulaic.

All dance music feels formulaic right now but don't loose heart this happens every 5-7 years. It'll all come out in the wash.

Thanks so much for the kind words and in response to "shoehorning" yourself, you first have to not care if people don't like what you do. This is step one.

can do you some tutorials for you tracks?

They'd take years honestly but I am going to do some live streaming of composition when the new studio done.

who would you like to work with in the future?

Kronos String Quartet

Where are the granular pre-transients in Break Tweaker? And do you have any more software on the way?

Yes more software on the way. Phobos by collaboration with Spitfire Audio is convolution as a synthesizer.

You can for sure make granular pre-attack transients in BreakTweaker with 2 timelines, I do this all the time for "sloppy clap" ala Deadmau5

What was it like to be in Apple's 17-inch PowerBook G4 promo video? Can you say what was involved in the shoot?

(To this day, I still get a kick out of the "oh my God!" reaction to the backlit keyboard.)

It was awesome but I remember the stylist trying to comb the sides of my hair back.

First off, you're the man. You've brought electronic music to a whole new level throughout your career and constantly reinvent the genre. It's obvious you love to explore new areas of creativity and I give you mad recognition for that.

But, I also noticed you like a good remix here and there. When I saw you many moons ago, you played a remix of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Is remixing something you still do for fun? Besides remixing your own work, that is. Any other "classics" that you've remixed that we may have not heard?

Thanks for doing all that you do and inspiring so much life in your fans.

Thanks so much Jarrett. Well honestly quite a long time ago I realized (other than mashups live) remixing takes the same amount of time as writing a new piece of music. I just would rather make new things.

Thank you for the kind words, really appreciate it.

BT — Thanks for sharing your music and work with us.

Talk with me a bit about touring... Do you have plans to tour more? Do you enjoy touring? What the right balance for you?

I FINALLY got to see you in Austin two or so years ago, and I'd love to see you make another stop around here

I love touring but not all the time. We are currently planing some All Hail the Silence stuff that will be a blast!

Hi BT,

You are my favorite musician I have ever seen live and I love how much passion you put into your music. You are a great dude! You ever plan on collaborating with tiesto in the future? I loved your classic tracks together. Rock on!

I hope yes. Love Tijs.

Hey BT! Huge fan. Last time I managed to see you was at Def Con...

http://imgur.com/a/DJmX2

As I recall, the guy who opened up for you got engaged in the beginning of your set. Great moment, and thanks for playing a free show to a small passionate crowd.

I wanted to ask generally about your setup and workflow for live shows. As a (very) amateur DJ/producer I find myself drawn to guys who aren't just beat-matching records together but are doing more in terms of live composition. Do you have any general tips for that kind of performance?

Yes for sure. There are so many great ways to do this now but I'd say check out Ableton Live and the plethora of controllers out there. It's a great start. Start building a template with everything you can think of to control! Reverb density, eq's, flange speed...Stutter Edits you name it.

That was a blast at DefCon. Mad respect for the hacking community.

Hello from México! I want to know what your favorite track of all yours albums o productions!?

Good Morning Kaia

What was it like directing This Binary Universe and does that question make you feel like god? :~P

Nothing makes me feel like God. Directing was a blast, I love working with visual artists and nearly went to art school instead of music school so I am very comfortable conversing in their colloquial language!

Hi there BT, I have to be honest, I started to be one of your fans after TBU and it still is one of those albums that I can't find anything like it. That being said, is it possible to have a making of in regards to your new album? I find it amazing how you talk about your creative process and would listen to or watch it for hours, hope you consider a side-project such as a youtube channel where you just talk about this stuff and do random music. So, once more, could we expect some kind of making of?

I love this idea. When the new room is set up I'll do some FB live videos of specific compositions and how certain parts were created. Deal :)

Do you have a camp that you tend to play at more often than not at burning man? Or do you keep to the burning man theme and just go with what ever happens year to year?..

This was my first (of many many) times.