55 questions asked by listeners over the years, 2011–2014, answered by Esa — mirrored from the public Q&A on lackluster.org. (Questioner handles are kept as on the site; email addresses are not.)
Generated programmatically from sources ingested into this vault — do not hand-edit; re-run _publish/generate_music.py.
Now is May 2014. What is the one album or track you are currently listening to mostly? You can't pick your own! asked by Renegade:Master · 2014-09-08
Now is September 2014. Well, I don't have a single track that I keep listening to, well, actually I was listening to Pharrell's "Gust of Wind" quite a bit recently. Albumwise, I was listening to Aaliyah's Aaliyah LP for quite a while. and now I'm fairly sure that come 14 days from now, I'll be listening to Aphex Twin's Syro endlessly. At least I hope so.
What are your top 10 albums of all time? asked by zerozerosevenupdownleftright · 2012-11-14
I'm sure I have some, but what are yours?
What gear do you use? I don't care about the music, just the gear. I love gear. I love buying gear. I like turning it on and pressing the buttons so the lights come on. I like turning the knobs and feeling what they feel like. I DON'T like making music. So, what's your favourite gear? asked by vmstr · 2011-05-12
March 26 response: I like turning the knobs too. At home currently I have a Roland Alpha-Juno 1, Korg 03R/W (and a Korg RE-1 programmer), Korg X5D, Korg NanoPad, Korg NanoKontrol, E-Mu Orbit V2, 2x RME Hammerfall DSP Multifaces and a bunch of cables. Some very friendly people have entrusted a Roland Alpha-Juno 2, a Studio Electronics SE-1 and a Roland PG-300 AJ1/AJ2 programmer and a second Korg 03R/W in my sweaty hands. I've also got a knackered mixer and so forth but that never gets any use. I think my favourite gear is the Roland Alpha-Juno 2, I like it's sound. A friend used to have a Roland Juno-60 and he lent it to me every once in a while, but then he made up his mind to sell it and suddenly I had no access to it. I love all gear. - May 12 2011 update: I had to sell the Roland Alpha-Juno 1, Korg X5D, E-Mu Orbit v2, Korg NanoPad to be able to buy food and pay rent.
What computers have you had and which ones do love the most? asked by Little computer People · 2011-05-12
Solder-it-yourself Telmac1, Telmac 600, Salora Fellow, Atari 800XL, Atari320XE, Atari 600XL, C-64, C-128, C-128D, Amiga500, Atari Mega St (German), IBM PS/2 286/10mhz, 486/33, 486dx2/66mhz, 486dx4/100mhz, K6/333mhz, K700, AMD1.4ghz, Sony Vaio PCG-GRX690, Sony Vaio VGN-FS495VP, HP"fast enough"AMD TowerPc, MacBookPro 15" 2.66ghz Intel CoreDuo. I never had a Spectrum, Amstrad or MSX - would've been nice. As to favorites, I think I've liked all of them when I've had them, but stability +audiowise I've enjoyed the MBP heaps. The Sony Vaio's have performed very well, especially with RME Multiface. I have fond memories of running my BBS on the IBM PS/2 286/10mhz (BTW, the official Logo of Awkward Silence Recordings is the IBM PS/2, so there's an interesting connection between my childhood, a label, and a forthcoming Kaneel/Lackluster split 3" on their label [came out 23 may 2011]). It would've been splendid to get to run Logic on the Atari Mega ST - but back then I had no gear.. I really loved the Amiga500 for sheer coolness.
What is your favorite movie and why? You can also list 5 favorite movies instead of one but please tell why! asked by Forest Grump · 2011-05-12
I'm not what you'd call a film connoisseur, one thing I can say is that I like highbrow, lowbrow, mediumbrow and even some unibrow films. Having just opened up a IMDB account, I've been adding tons of films to my watchlist (up to 179 films on the list now) - and have discovered that I've never seen Soylent Green or Network (1976). Now that I've seen Network, I'm surprised that people always told me to watch "They Live!" and "Wag the Dog" but no-one ever mentioned Network to me. So, sorry, I can't help with a fave movie or a top5.. I like Sci-fi, comedy, fantasy, drama/thriller and any other genres of films. There's some decent documentaries such as Garbage Warrior. I'm eagerly waiting for Revenge of the Electric Car and the forthcoming Water Fuel Film (Dark Horse Entertainment).. Also I've got my eye on the forthcoming full-feature-length documentary on the life and times of Wilhelm Reich (this would be a more fully fledged documentary than Man's Right to Know (part 1, part 2, part 3). I'd love to see "Cold Fusion: Water From Fire" (with James Doohan, aka Scotty from Star Trek). Also it'd be decent to see "The Secret Life of Plants" (Stevie Wonder did the soundtrack for this). I just became aware of there being a bio-pic on the life of Lenny Bruce. I'm still waiting for the definitive documentary on R. Buckminster Fuller, and a 2-3 hour one on Walter Russell. My favorite documentary-series is the Energy From The Vacuum science series. I like useful stuff when it comes to documentaries..
What would be your ultimate live show like if you had unlimited resources? Dancing bears, maybe? asked by The Remedy Is You · 2011-05-12
While I do have some ideas I've been cooking up since 2005, I'm not going to lay them out here for anyone to steal. I was going to mention "genres" for visual generation and audio generation but even that would be giving too much away. Not dancing bears, that I can say for certain. No people involved, either.
IMHO you've got the right aneswr! asked by Adelaide · 2011-05-12
IMHO you've got the right queitson!
When the world will end? asked by JPEG · 2011-04-08
I'll quote Wagon Christ on this one: "It is Always Now, All of it is Now".
What do you think of clubbing? Would you consider doing music for clubbing? asked by Oi! · 2011-04-07
Seems like it's a bunch of people going into a little box, where they have no access to high-quality water or high-quality air/oxygen, and then they listen to some music and get totally smashed. Music for clubbing could only happen if I somehow generate enough rhythm into my life to make it possible to create music that changes every 4 or 8 bars - and if I really become capable of starting to learn how to make rhythm trax that have progressions, buildups and breakdowns - oh and drops.
I like your music, and I like your site. But where is the Tutorial section? asked by Flasher · 2011-04-07
What kinds of tutorials did you have in mind? This site has a bit of a big back-log of things-to-be-implemented, but I would definitely like to know what you mean by a Tutorial section :)
Hello, Esa. Thanks for your answer. By Tutorial section I mean some tips and tricks for musicians who are not at the level of yours. And to make this a question... Will you? asked by Flasher · 2011-04-07
Well.. I don't really agree with: "not at the level of yours" and that would never be a good reason to do Tutorials. But I will eventually have some setup-tricks or tutorial-like tips, like I already kinda have on http://www.scene.org/~esa/renoise , for instance. I'm not the kind of person who thinks that I've got anything "advanced" to say about sound-design, but hooking up specific things can be quite nice (and worth) tutorializing. I'll eventually have a little page on how to ImpulseTrackerize Renoise (screensets (=Global View Presets), shortcuts, etc). These kinds of things I'll do, I don't really think there's anything else I'm "supposed" to do. I'm open to suggestions, of course.
If Mrs. Hypothetical finishes creating a track, and Mr. Hypothetical says 'This track sounds closely like this other track from 20 years ago." Should Mrs. Hypothetical... A) Go back into project file and make melodic and/or bassline/sequential/rhythm changes to make the track sound less like the other track B) Keep the track the way it is because it sounds awesome to her. C) Go to a head doctor to erase all subliminal thoughts/memories...as it could have been a possibility that Mrs. Hypothetical had already heard this older track years before creating her's and it may have unintentionally influenced her creation. Or.. D) (insert optional Lackluster answer here) Thank you for your time. asked by robotrobot · 2011-04-06
First of all Mrs. Hypothetical should dump Mr. Hypothetical. Second of all, B is the correct answer - especially if Mrs. Hypothetical did the whole tune from scratch and just happened to hit on a melody/anything created decades ago by someone else - something which she's completely sure she wasn't thinking about when she made the tune.
What do you think of snow? asked by SWAN · 2011-04-01
It's a really interesting form of water! I like how it sounds and feels under your shoes, and, well, what's not to like & think of snow?
What would you describe as fresh? asked by fromage frais · 2011-03-28
The present?
What do you think of sports? asked by soccerball · 2011-03-28
Apparently they involve breathing and water. Doesn't sound too bad, does it?
What do you think of singularity? asked by Mr. Feet (ex Mr. Hands) · 2011-03-28
I think it's one of the best demos I've ever been involved in. Zden did a good job of it and the tune is okay. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV6saRwiRQA
Do you enjoy traveling? What countries would you like to visit? asked by bookface · 2011-03-28
I do enjoy traveling. For now, I'd like to visit the United States of America. I'd go to Homestead Florida and check out Ed Leedskalnin's (originally a Latvian) Coral Castle [ http://www.coralcastle.com/ ]. I'd go to Rangeley Maine and visit the Wilhelm Reich (originally an Austrian) Museum [ http://www.wilhelmreichmuseum.org/ ]. I'd go to Taos New Mexico and visit the Earthship Visitation Centre ( http://www.earthship.net/ ) and rent a room in the Phoenix Earthship [ http://earthship.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9&Ite… ]. Joshua Tree California: Integratron [ ww.integratron.com/ ] , the Dymaxion House at the Henry Ford Museum [ http://www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/dymaxion/index.html ], the San Francisco Exploratorium [ http://www.exploratorium.edu ] and a couple of other places [ http://goo.gl/hqv7R for a map ].
Morning! What is the best scent? asked by Artistocrat · 2011-03-28
Learning to use my sense of smell is just one of those things I'm re-developing, in addition to allowing for natural deeper breathin' to occur in my body.
What kind of music you don't like? asked by mouse · 2011-03-28
Preposterous, feigned/forced, fake/artificial, un-feeling/senseless.. Oh and predictable (note: this does NOT mean repetitive or simplistic, instead cheesy/cliche). I guess you could say that I don't really like stuff I can't seem to access in any way. There's this certain sound when someone is "trying" to do something but the sounds aren't hitting home - a kind of sonic deafness that I don't like hearing. Will this do as an answer for now?
There are things we don't know about yet in the world. What things you don't know about yet? asked by 0^^0 · 2011-03-28
I don't know how invisible light changes into visible light, electricity, magnetism and gravity. I don't know how one would be able to compose chord progressions and extremely subtle melodic riffs and runs - without learning classical music composition. I don't know/perceive the shape of magnetic fields, especially in regards the Bloch wall. There are many other things I don't know about yet but I won't write a book as a response to this simple question :)
What is your favorite software effect plugin, like vST maybe? asked by Technical Itchy · 2011-03-28
The one I have the fondest memories is Battery 1 (Native Instruments). The minimalistic interface is absolutely excellent. Having moved to Intel OSX however, I'm really sad to not have access to it. http://www.modernbeats.com/images/battery_main.jpg <- The interface of Battery 1. If Battery 3 could have the same interface, I'd upgrade from Battery 1 to Battery 3 in an instant.
Do you have hair? Can you describe and rate it? asked by weird surfer boy · 2011-03-28
I've been under the misimpression that I have hair. It seems to be in or around my head and seems to have a mind of it's own.
Melodies or rhythms? Why? asked by Mancunian Cymbals · 2011-03-28
Melodic Rhythms, Rhythmic Melodies.
Do you still use or enjoy dabbling in trackers? asked by Snowrobot · 2011-03-28
I still use and enjoy messing around with trackers. In the past 6 years I've been having a load of fun with ReViSiT ( http://revisit.nashnet.co.uk ), Renoise ( http://www.renoise.com ), Schism Tracker ( http://schismtracker.org ), Impulse Tracker ( http://www.users.on.net/~jtlim/ImpulseTracker/ ). I'm kind of paying attention to Oskari Tammelin and his Buzz Tracker re-creation-project ( http://www.jeskola.net/buzz ) (and his new laptop funding project). I'll never drop trackers, the workflow is ridiculously fast. I think Renoise2.7 is currently (March28,2011) the most advanced tracker I've ever used, ridiculously so, even. I'd use ReViSiT a lot more if it existed as an AU/VST for OSX, but what can you do. One tracker that is often forgotten about is zTracker - the ImpulseTracker clone that only sends midi out ( http://ztracker.sourceforge.net/ ) . Luckily it's been opensourced so you can modify the keyshortcuts and whatnot. The coolest thing about zTracker is that it saves .MID - which you can immediately slap into, say, Logic. I wish zTracker would be available for OSX also (what a surprise)..
Some days are like not the others. What are your favourite days? asked by oneHitStevieWonder · 2011-03-28
Most of them end with the word day at the end..
Are you oho? asked by el monsieur baguette! · 2011-03-27
................Awkward Silence
Which animal do you prefer, ducks or cats? I like cats but at the same time, I wonder which of both has the funniest style... asked by Jean Louis De la bassline · 2011-03-27
Cats can be fun or moody, I'm slightly allergic to cats so I make sure I eat a lot of coriander if my eyes start watering - it really works. Do ducks make good pets?
how is a duck different from each other? asked by chaircrusher · 2011-03-27
Maybe it's a mallard?
I've been trying to understand music for some time now. How do you perceive it? asked by Duke Rock · 2011-03-27
There's something invisible right next to/inbetween the notes that hits you right there.
will you marry me? asked by mkid · 2011-03-27
Figuratively?
What was your greatest moment in composing music? asked by Rather Further Hither · 2011-03-27
Failure.
I want it all but how much does it cost? asked by Professor · 2011-03-27
I would estimate approx 500million dollars will finance most of it. This would be considered risk-money.
Here's a scenario: you have unlimited funds to buy fruit. What fruit would you buy? And you can't answer just with "all". asked by Basil Sherwood · 2011-03-27
8ball says Avocado
Have you done any collaborations with other artists? Are there any artists you would really like to work with? asked by grandmaster flasher · 2011-03-27
I've collaborated with my mate Mikko Havukainen (RIP) [Happyarpeg was the name of the track, released on Kahvi Collective], and Psy-Sci for V/A:1mmv2, and I sent an unfinished track (aatu) to Esem and he worked on it and placed it onto his album (Esem: Scateren) [Aatu/USSN]. I've given Blamstrain permission to use snippets of a live-gig of mine on Disfold (credited), and did once kind of muck around with the parameters of the EMU Orbit V2 of mine at Blamstrains and that became "Pride Pigs" which I think he released on some compilation release of his. I think that's about all the collaborations I've done thus far. I hesitate to consider any artists I'd like to work with, because while it might make sense to me, personal chemistry might get in the way. I haven't ever really had the habit of sharing, but this might change. I think collaborating with people has become one of these stumblingblocks that I'll have to get through.
What are your future plans for the future? asked by Albert · 2011-03-27
Revisit and reinvent the past
What is your favorite music genre? asked by Robert Miles · 2011-03-27
Future Garage
Can you describe your current sound? asked by teachers from planets · 2011-03-27
"Capture Last Take"
I think you should make music for movies. What kind of movies would you like to score? asked by Retrostiffy · 2011-03-27
Movies with advances. Nah. Documentaries on Free Energy and Alternative Energy technologies. Apart from that, movies with advances.
What has been your favorite gig so far and why? asked by thesearenumbersbutyoudecodethemaslettersinyourbrain · 2011-03-27
I'm not sure I can really answer that question, for, you see, I kind of deal with gigs as segments. In some country, the hospitality might be amazing, and the gig go relatively okay, the lodgings be excellent and so on, but elsewhere maybe there's no crowd but the performance went well. I don't think there's a real answer for this question..
I don't understand much about politics. What do you undestand about politics? asked by ...QWERTY! · 2011-03-27
Seems to be a lot of talk about actions
What is the single hardest sound to conceive? asked by the most crowded number · 2011-03-27
The sounds you hear in your dreams
Can I interest you in this thing called synesthesia? In other words, are you able to see music? asked by INV(estors) · 2011-03-27
I haven't experienced this feature inherent in some human units.
I really love your ambient stuff. When are you going to release more ambient stuff? asked by I am doctor · 2011-03-27
I'm hoping to get the funds required to upgrade my Audiomulch 1.0 license to Audiomulch 2.0, because the way I use it tends to put me in this specific mindset. This isn't to say that there isn't an unreleased Esa Ruoho ambient album (On the Hangar of Spaceship Earth), but it'll require extensive mastering for it to be released (and artwork)
What is your favourite flavour of ice cream? I know you have made your own chocolate before... would you make your own ice cream? I like ice cream. asked by Jenoki · 2011-03-27
Having tasted homemade icecream, I think it'd be pretty pleasant to have an icecream machine :) As to fav flav, I'm a bit of a sucker for ... chocolate. Boring, I know.
I really think you are a nice guy. This is not a question. asked by Spent · 2011-03-27
This is not an answer
I wrote you a haiku: hello man you are man and I am man and you are man and we are men. Did you enjoy that? asked by El Topo · 2011-03-27
Are we not men who live and die? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1k33cPSr-Y
Do you listen to electro? asked by Larry Laffer · 2011-03-27
Do "The Other People Place" & Drexciya qualify? If yes, then yes. I guess they might qualify.
Would you consider a space trip? asked by Final Frontier · 2011-03-27
Is Elon Musk's SpaceX ready for tourist travel yet? To be honest, if I had to choose between the two of em, I'd go for his other offshoot, Tesla Motors and it's Model S.
So, let's say that you could get your hands on any synthesizers ever built, but you could only try out five. Which ones would you pick? asked by PiERU · 2011-03-27
I'll probably update this later but for now I'd love to get my grubby mits on the Roland JD-800, the Waldorf Wave, the Clavia Nord Rack 2 (or 3?), a 4 part multitimbral version of Moog Voyager and I'll leave the 5th as a mutation between Roland JX3P, Roland Jupiter 8, Nord Wave and a bunch of really random synths the names of which I can't remember.
Is love ok? asked by happydays · 2011-03-27
Perfectly acceptable.
Do you speak many languages? What languages would you like to learn? asked by Q? · 2011-03-27
I've got a fairly good grasp of English and a more limited grasp of Finnish. I have a few words of Swedish and German - I think the only language I'd really like to learn is German since a lot of material written by Schauberger is in German. I don't know if I need to learn any other languages for now on this planet.. But I do speak the common language of incomprehension!
Hi I would like to know about stuff. asked by esaruoho · 2011-03-26
Then ask a question, go ahead :)
What is henri iv's white horse's color? asked by Knos · 2011-03-26
Blue
I used to own a Yamaha CP-30. Does this make me hopelessly square, Mr. Lackluster?? asked by Zumbii · 2011-03-26
There is hope for you yet, Zumbii. Consult this interesting FAQ to correct your balance! http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Andrea_Rossi%27s_Cold_Fusion_Ene…
is it ok to ask cliché things? ... . also what's your favourite drink/foot/colour/smell? asked by f7 · 2011-03-26
It is okay. My favourite drink is fresh spring-water. I have a hard time picking which is my favourite foot, they both seem to be different but they somehow work together. I still like purple as my favourite colour, and am not too sure about my favourite smell, except maybe the smell of victory since Free Energy / alternative energy are finally having their "Emergence through Emergency" (R.Buckminster Fuller), 2011 is definitely the year for them.
