My name is Rene Steuns and I'm the product manager at Prime Loops. I'm on a never-ending mission to push sonic boundaries, so I'm constantly thinking about how we can continue to inspire millions of music producers out there with tasty new cutting-edge sounds.
Where do you think music will go?
Let me put this short: The next 10 years in music production are going to be INSANE. We will be witnessing numerous unexpected developments as well as new innovations within a relatively short period in this field.
Would you say that there is a strong link between music and technology?
Absolutely! People have finally rediscovered that you don't have to be a virtuoso or a fully trained engineer to express yourself. Very similar to what happened in the mid 70s actually, when the whole punk thing started taking off. Right now the majority of styles or trends in pop culture are driven by technological progression though, rather than social movements. You can easily record your own music at home, make some visuals and create your own fan base… You don't even need a label to get heard! There is a real DIY spirit in the air right now, inspired by affordable (and user-friendly!) technology.
Is there also a downside to all the technical progress?
Well at the same time we have all become a lot more self-absorbed, mainly down to some of the benefits of these technologies. However, this will dramatically change over the next few years: Light speed internet access via fibre-optic service, augmented reality and real-time holograms will soon help us become a lot more sociable again!
So what else does the future hold?
There are so many amazing new ways to create, perform and experience music today, which we are all very excited about here at Prime Loops. Just check out some of most recent 3d Kinect midi/audio controller hacks on youtube and you'll get a feel for what I mean. All of these developments will also have a major impact on what live shows will look like in the future, exciting times ahead!
But hasn't everything been done in music already?
Definitely not! There are still a lot of areas, which haven't been explored yet! In the future it'll be all about developing your own trademark sound, more than ever. That's where we come in with Prime Loops!
So what will be the next big thing after Dubstep then?
I strongly believe that we'll have to stop thinking in genres! Free your mind! As opposed to full-on genres it will be more about particular sounds and specific samples in the future. Just think of some of the stylistic elements and sonic ingredients which make a recording sound "contemporary" these days: wobble basslines, side-chained synth hooks, trance riffs, auto-tuned vocals with tapestop/choppage effects for example. Producers from all around the world have stopped thinking in boxes and have finally started using these sounds across ALL genres, almost modular! This new approach is fascinating, and it will open a lot of doors in the future!
No more genres? This sounds scary!
Well, just have a look at the charts, it's already happening: Whether it's the Black Eyed Peas flirting with Dutch house, Britney going Dubstep, Sleigh Bells recording with Beyonce, Usher riding the Euro-Dance wave or David Guetta producing U2. Everything is possible!
And finally, do you have any tips for upcoming artists or producers?
Most importantly: be different, if you want to stick around for a bit longer you gotta be original! Be brave and make a difference! If you're working with lyrics start introducing your own lingo, if you're responsible for the music side of things then don't be afraid to swap conventional sounds and samples with new flavours and unexpected elements. Also, before you go out there, have a good think about what a strong look could be, think about what will trigger people's imagination. There's a lot of people out there that are tired of this whole reality and authenticity thing, it's never been easier to get people's attention!
