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Stefano Pasquini
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Interview:10 questions
1. When did you start making music, what is/was your motivation to do it?
When I was about seven I saw a TV series about Verdi and wanted my parents to buy me a piano, which of course they couldn’t afford. So a few years later I got a little Yamaha keyboard, but I got quite bored of it quite soon. At 12 I finally got a guitar and started learning a few chords, and things about music. I guess the first motivation to do it was following Verdi’s steps. Then at 16 I joined a punk band called Ghignaghignawosh!, and that was all a different music.
2. Tell me something about your living environment and the musical education.
Low/middle class family, although quite educated, they paid for some violin lessons when I was 15. I practically had no musical education at all, apart from a few violin lessons which I quit when I realized I was too old to get into music college. I kind of taught myself how to play guitar, which I can’t do really well, and that’s about it.
3.Is making music your profession? What is the context in which you practice music nowadays?
No, I am a professional visual artist, so I use music at times for soundtrack of my videos or for installations, and I guess it’s kind of a hobby for me, although I consider music to be something higher than any other art.
4. How do you compose or create music or sound? Have you certain principles, use certain styles etc?
I have three different methods. 1) The songwriter method: I play the guitar until I find some catchy chords that can go well together, sing a little melody over it and eventually write the lyrics. 2) The computer method: I sit at the computer with a lot of sounds and noises ready to be used and put everything together with softwares such as Acid Pro, then keep playing the piece and add to it until I am satisfied, or tired. 3) The conceptual method: everything starts with a concept, with the idea that will make the piece finished. With this the final work can end up not being music at all, it could become a performance or a canvas, what counts is the idea that caused it to exist. Often it ends up being a hard to listen jumble wave file so thick with noise that I just save on my computer and leave to it.
5. Tell me something about the instruments, technical equipment or tools you use?
I have quite a collection of music toys, including my daughter mini piano and mini guitar. Cheap Chinese plastic instruments are also favorite, then I have a justabout decent microphone, a 4 track recorder, and then a few music softwares and an 80’s Casio keyboard.
6. What are the chances of New Media for the music production in general and you personally?
Well, things have totally changed in music since people can afford to have a decent computer in their house and make music with it. As far as I am concerned, I have no problem using high tech devices next to a stick to make a piece of music or an artwork.
7. How about producing and financing your musical productions?
Yes, how about YOU producing and financing my musical productions? Jokes apart, once I did get paid for a performance I did that included music made by me. That’s about it, I think.
8. Do you work individually as a musician/soundartist or in a group or collaborative? If you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
I generally work alone, but I did collaborate with other “proper†musician at times, and it’s always been very interesting. I think music, for its abstract nature, almost always involves a component of sharing. Sharing ideas in producing a piece, sharing the emotions of a song, the sharing of mp3s by P2P…
I guess I like both, composing with a band is very thrilling, composing on your own is very free, I love it when nobody tells me what to do!
9. Is there any group, composer, style or movement which has a lasting influence on making music?
Undoubtedly Richie Warburton, a young and talented UK musician whom I had the pleasure to meet personally. In my childhood the Beatles had a major influence, especially the Lennon works. Sergio Leone, Linz, Francesco De Gregori, Brian Eno, Josh Gura.
10. What are your future plans or dreams as a soundartist or musician?
I have been planning to produce my third album, but I haven’t had much time for it. I am hoping it to be done by 2008, I’ll keep you posted! The dream is to be able to live exclusively off my art, but I’m not too far from it, so I guess the real dream is being picked by a Chelsea Gallery!
www.lomohomes.com/stefpasquini, more sound on http://www.audiostreet.net/artist.aspx?artistid=34181 and http://commoncontent.org/user/1308
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