Belfast-born techno artist and producer, Linear B, brings over 18 years of experience to the forefront of the techno scene. With a passion for synths and stripped-back drum grooves, Linear B continuously evolves with each new record.
Photo credit: Linea B – Official
Linear B’s music is characterized by sci-fi melodies and heavyweight kicks, taking listeners on a journey into another dimension. In his latest venture, Linear B returns to his Rainbow Tipi label with his comprehensive debut album, ‘Healing Time.’ The album, written over the last few years, features three previously released tracks that have been edited and revisited.
‘Healing Time’ reflects the creative process during and after the pandemic, exploring new vocal depths as Linear B steps up to the microphone. The album delves into thoughts and feelings, expressing frustration, uncertainty, power struggles, conflicts, and the freedom of choice.
‘Healing Time’ is set to be released on October 6th, 2023. To celebrate the release, Linear B invited EG into the studio for five studio tips to overcome fear and take risks.
1. Always take a little time to set up your workspace
Wherever that may be for jamming out ideas, nothing worse than trying to hook up kit before you start. In the last few years we have moved home and I have built a new studio but for a good while I was without a permanent workspace; most of my latest album was made on kit in hotel rooms, family spare rooms, and cupboards! Before that I worked extensively with outboard equipment and synths in a permanent studio but during the move, I exclusively made tracks inside the DAW using samples and plug-ins, a dj mixer, and the odd outboard synth, whatever gets results works, don’t feel you have to have all the latest flashy kit or perfect workspace to achieve great results.
2. Spend time just jamming
Jamming is the key for crafting a sound before you even start the recording process or mix down, currently, I jam outside of the DAW on external sequencers and modular synths hooked to a midi time clock before I even switch on the computer, don’t try and do the arrangement at the same time as the creative part. I tend to start with drums and bass lines if they groove then the rest should be a breeze, just vibing on the kit is the best part just throwing ideas together being free to express, let the track inspire you, listen listen listen.
3. Don’t follow the crowd
Try and put your own twist on things, one of my things is I always try and do something different than the project I worked on previously, don’t be afraid to take risks, and get experimental. I go out with a field recorder or a phone and record my own noises. Strive to be creative, use your vocals spoken or sung, don’t look back, keep pushing on, be dogged, remember normally you are your own worst critic, and accept that not everyone will be into what your doing, better to be an artist flinging paint up the walls and making, it’s great to express yourself.
4. Edit, mix, arrange
Once you’ve got your ideas together and recorded, get back into the track and create space with the grooves pull back on all the busy bits, less is always more. I work with an engineer most of the time and a lot of even my great ideas get binned in the end. My tracks are a remixer’s dream there are probably 20 tracks edited out at times which is fine as they can go in a pool for new tracks.
Check each track for pitch and tone, I’m terrible at putting parts in the wrong key, using a plug-in tuner or analyzer helps to get parts in tune, once tracks are tuned get each part in the right eq spectrum no need having loads of bass on hi-hat parts and the opposite for drums and bass, creating space within the eq spectrum stops the track from sounding to muddy, once the arrangement is complete with all the fxs and whizz bangs, bounce it down with a generic mastering tool…. Won’t mention any here, each to their own.
5. Listen back
Obviously, duhhh, listen to the track on various systems to see if everything sounds good on different mediums, headphones, car, stereo, etc. Share with friends and DJs, get back in, and tweak the mix if need be, don’t get frustrated and bin the track, shelve it and move on to something new, come back to the track give it time to breathe, come back to it again edit if need be and then move on, one track doesn’t define you. Send out demos, don’t feel rejected by no replies, people are busy, and labels are inundated with demos, if you get signed don’t expect them to release it straight away it could take months, once you’re really happy with your mix downs get them professionally mastered stick them in a file and make more. If you got loads start your own record label and put them out yourself, and that’s another trip altogether lol. Good luck.
Linear B’s ‘Healing Time’ is set to be released on October 6th. Pre-order your copy here.
Follow Linear B: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram | Facebook
