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Audé’s equally adaptable when it comes to technology. He honed his DJ and production chops in the analog world – and he still loves that sound. However, the digital applications that have come his way are too powerful to resist. So Audé uses the strengths of each format, while minimizing their drawbacks. Certainly, that approach has allowed him to flourish. In the remix realm, he’s topped charts with mixes for Sting, t.A.T.u., and Annie Lennox. (He recently finished a mix for Yoko Ono’s “Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him.”) Production-wise, he’s worked with Paul Oakenfold, DJ Dan, Keoki, Charles Feelgood and Christopher Lawrence. On the DJ tip, the L.A.-based Audé, 34, enjoys a busy schedule with current residencies in St. Louis (Velvet) and San Diego (On Broadway). We recently caught up with the 14-year DJ veteran for his take on the digital revolution. DJ Times: What has been the most revolutionary digital product for a music producer? Audé: The introduction of a digital recording software like [Digidesign’s] Pro Tools—being able to have total recall was revolutionary. Going from 16-bit to 24-bit was revolutionary. Making tracks on a laptop is revolutionary. Using the Internet to send files or listen to music is revolutionary. DJ Times: And for the DJ? Audé: The introduction a CD player with pitch control was huge. Now, with digital pitch and time compression on CD players/computers, it’s really overwhelming on how many more options there are when you’re DJing. I’m trying not to get too caught up in technology when I spin, and just concentrate on keeping the dancefloor moving. DJ Times: When DJing, what’s your format breakdown? Audé: Mostly vinyl, maybe 10-percent CDs. CDs are cool if you can’t find something on vinyl, or to basically keep your old stuff on. Most good club systems are EQed for vinyl. It takes a lot on the sound guy’s part to EQ the same system for vinyl and CDs. When you play CDs you usually gotta cut the mids and boost the lows. MP3s are OK to listen to at home, but I still think they suck live. DJ Times: What effect on DJing as a whole has the digital revolution had? Audé: I think that it has made it easier to take your entire record collection with you, rather than carry 20 record boxes like back in the day. DJs have more options and in turn benefit from being able to give the audience a wider selection of music on any given night. At the same time, this can be a bad thing, as it’s possible to have too many options. Frankly, I think there are a lot of “confused” DJs because of this. Most new DJs are struggling to fit into a genre like “tech” or “progressive” when they should just concentrate on finding music they love. DJ Times: How do you prepare music to play digitally? Audé: I use Pro Tools for any and everything recording-wise, period. Once the tracks are recorded, I put a Waves L1 Ultramaximizer on them to boost the level a bit. DJ Times: What are the main components in your studio? Audé: Apple G4 and [Digidesign] Pro Tools HD. These are the only things I need, except sounds. Other items I can’t live without include the Empirical Labs Distressor [analog compressor], Studio Electronics SE-1 [analog synth], Brent Averill 1272 mic preamp, Alesis Andromeda A6 [analog synth], Linn Drum, Roland 909, Sound Toys plugs, Waves plugs, McDSP plugs – and Steve Miller, my engineer.  DJ
Times: Has the “ease-of-use” of the plug-in culture
helped or hurt dance music? Audé: I have definitely benefited from digital formats, but the listeners are having a hard time weeding out the crap, as there is so much more to go through. Everybody talks about [Propellerhead’s] Reason. I think it’s funny when I hear about guys making tracks on this stuff because I actually had to learn how to use a 16-step sequencer and program a drum machine in step mode with rests and accents. I don’t particularly care about making a track in a few hours; I only care about the end result. I don’t think it really matters what program you use. Software-wise, they all do just about the same thing a few different ways. Great songs are great songs. There is no software that I know of that will make a crappy track sound good. DJ Times: Give me an example of how the digital studio breakthroughs have benefited your DJ performance? Audé: Easy. I can finish a track in the afternoon and test it out that evening. DJ Times: How has digital technology made it easier for you to produce/remix electronic music? Audé: Life was hard before digital music. You had to record stuff to tape, wait for it to rewind, pay for an expensive studio, spend a lot of money on really expensive gear, and cart equipment around in a truck. What the hell I did without Pitch N Time and Auto Tune, I have no idea! Now, I just tell the computer what I want and it does it. Technology has really helped my mixes to sound halfway decent. Gear is getting cheaper because of technology and I can now work at home because of technology. My studio gear takes up 25-percent the space it used to. I really look forward to trying new things out and embracing new ways to make music. I embrace technology. |
