How STLNDRMS Used Videos to Test Out Songs and Get Feedback for His 'Veggie tacos' Album
A look at the Atlanta producer's savvy use of videos across platforms.
In 2001 Atlanda-based producer and Controllerise co-founder STLNDRMS made his first beat while stationed in Italy as a United States Air Force senior airman and cable/satellite technician.
In 2006 he and his family relocated to Tokyo, Japan, where he recorded tracks for the video gamesĀ MadWorldĀ and the sequelĀ Anarchy ReignsĀ as anĀ MC named Ox.Ā
Though the good times in Tokyo seemed destined to last, a global recession coupled with an outrageous cost of living created an unsustainable situation. He and his family went back to the states in 2009 and he took a five-year hiatus from producing from 2011-2016.
As STLNDRMS eased his way back into beatmaking four years ago, he first shot videos of his productions and texted them to friends. This eventually led to the Facebook live video seriesĀ Beats+Chill and a significant presence on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
When he started to work on his April 2017 album Veggie tacos, STLNDRMS realized he could upload performances of the songs on the album to test out tracks and get audience feedback.
This kind of input proved very beneficial. āIāve been able to find out what people like and donāt like in real time vs. trying to figure out after a release, āWas that a good record or bad record?āā he told me in a 2017 Micro-Chop interview.
During the recording of Veggie tacos he continued to upload full-length videos of compositions like āRawā while sticking to a set formula.
Though his production setup has evolved in the three years since, this approach worked well for the debut effort in the Veggie tacos series.
It all started with the chops and drums. āI chop directly into the MPC,ā STLNDRMS told Micro-Chop. āMy drums are in there too. I really got one drum kit, and it has 15 drums in it, and thatās it. Half of those 15 are just variations of the same one.ā
The Akai MPC remained integral to his process throughout the creation of each song. āI construct it in the MPC, then it comes out through the mixer and I can EQ it and put some more FX on it,ā he told Micro-Chop. āI got eight outputs, I use four. I use two for the sample and two for the drums. Itās the simplest stuff ever.ā
Though he used a bit of EQ and effects for his instrumentals, he tried not to overdo it. āItās all on a board, itās within each individual channel. Iām not using plugins or anything fancy,ā he told Micro-Chop. āItās an old school hundred dollar or two hundred dollar mixer.ā
STLNDRMS also employed a Roland SP-404 for stutters and dropouts and a 303 for the vinyl sim FX. āThe 303 smashes everything ācause I use the world-famous vinyl sim compressor,ā he told Micro-Chop.
Throughout the making of Veggie tacos, a beat wasnāt considered done until it traveled through the 303 to get the sound just right. āI donāt care what Iām doing, it has to go through the 303 before Iām finished,ā he told Micro-Chop. āAfter that it goes straight to the camera or straight to the computer depending on what Iām doing, then out into the world.ā
Although STLNDRMS has since moved on to sequels like Veggie tacos 2, Veggie tacos III, and other projects, sharing videos of his work remains an important part of his creative process.