Infidel Interview #138: Ryderboy
First of, just want to thank you for participating in this edition of Infidel Interviews. Could you start off by giving a little information about you to the audience? Whatever you feel comfortable with, but name, age, and where you live would be pretty standard?
Hi! Thanks for the invitation. My name is Igor, I’m currently producing my one-man project called Ryderboy. Am 24 y o now, started to play music when was 12. Born and raised in Yekaterinburg, Russia and it’s also the place where I stay in present. It’s not as huge and famous as Moscow but it’s a beautiful town with its own features and atmosphere.
How do you enjoy where you live? Is there a vibrant music community where you are? Would you say you find that your local scene influences your attitude and/or creativity?
Actually I wouldn’t say so. I know many good local bands and musicians but my influences were always from the other places. Pretty far from it.
What do you see in the near, and far, future for your creative output?
I always try to think long-term when it comes to any project (honestly I had quite a lot but for some reasons they were closed). Ryderboy was developed mostly as a virtual project, I don’t have serious plans to play this music live (well, who knows), so in near future I want to start different collaborations with companies, brands, game and film makers to spread my music that way.
Do you consider yourself to be part of a particular sound or scene? What is your thoughts on the nature of genres and styles, and do you have any particular ones which you find to your enjoyment more, listening and/or production-wise?
You know it was always hard for me to define some particular genre for my music. Actually I just don’t care about it. I think somebody could describe my songs as IDM, synth pop or else, but I’d prefer ‘experimental’. Just because I always feel that I’m open to something new, something different.
Interview continues after the video and all further streaming content...
Would you say that your choice to pursue music has changed your life since you started? Would you say that creativity has evolved you spiritually, emotionally, or logically?
Yeah for sure! I can’t say that it has changed my life completely cause I loved music all the time as I remember and becoming a musician was a natural decision. Through years I found many friends in this sphere I now I realize that it gave me a lot of different experience. Although when I was a kid I defined myself mostly as an artist and I still really like to draw. Me and my wife work together as graphic designers and illustrators. But it’s all about creativity and expressing yourself anyway.
What would you say are your favorite themes and topics that inspire you to compose? What draws you to those themes?
Last time I find inspiration in extreme sports, mostly motorsports. I love racing, cars, motorcycles, all that stuff. The main thing is breaking the limits. Actually this is what all the sport is about. I deeply respect all the people who can force themselves to do crazy and beautiful things. Especially I love freestyle motocross. You have to be really tuff guy to do such things. But it’s not the only theme for me, I’m also interested in sci-fi and any futuristic concepts, it’s really exciting!
What would you say are your biggest influences when it comes to art and music? Are there any bands that you would say struck you with the chord that inspired you to peruse your current path of musical aspirations?
I think there are two huge influences on my musical path. The first one is french band Rockets. They were popular in late 70s with their space electronic music and spectacular shows. My father shown them to me when I was about 10 and they just blown my mind! Still love them and remember all the songs. The second one is Trent Reznor and his Nine Inch Nails. The most valuable thing he has given to me is that one man can create something truly exceptional and big. Although Nine Inch Nails is a band, I consider it as a brainchild of one extraordinary man. I’d like to meet him one day and just say ‘thank you’.
Are you musically self taught? Or have you had mentors along the way to help you develop?
I think I had very good base for it. My father played guitar and my sister too. Then I started to play her bass, heh. Most of the things I learned by myself, didn’t really care about musical theory but tried to trust my own musical ear. But then I decided to go to musical university and study some missed points. By that time I got many skills already.
When it comes to composing music, do you approach things with a clear vision in mind, or do you prefer to let songs feel themselves out? Do you have any particular techniques or tricks you use to keep yourself creative and consistent?
Mainly I prefer to let my creativity run free. I have patience to wait a few days for the real inspiration to create something worthy and even unpredictable. Fortunately I can afford it being an independent musician without any contract duties and deadlines. I also like to make short sketches, it may be some melody line or interesting beats or even a little piece of full arrangement that suddenly came in my head. Then I just forget about it. And when I want to make a new track I can listen to some of those sketches and it feels like I hear it for the first time, it charges me and gets a necessary dose of inspiration. Sometimes it works very well.
When it comes to making music it can be difficult to balance atmosphere, song progression, musicality, and excitement. Do you have any tricks, techniques, or methods that you commonly use to help your music sound coherent and engaging?
The key thing for me is to find the concept when it comes to an instrumental and to find the story when it comes to a song. When I have something to tell I can make my track sound naturally and fair. It all just goes like it should.
Do you spend a lot of time crafting your own sounds? Or do you value song crafting and effects tweaking more? Or do you find it's a balance between the two? What' your relationships with presets? When you make music are you primarily a hardware or software oriented musician? Or do you do a fusion of both? Are there any particular instruments, programs, or effects that you would say are vital to you making music?
For now I have no specific hardware, only my simple MIDI keyboard. I’m not a big fan of detailed sound crafting, well maybe I’ll become later. I have few plugins that I’m comfortable with, though I always ready to discover something new. Really love simple plugins or instruments from independent developers. I generally search for the right preset and then customize it a little. Sometimes it can be changed very much so you can never know what it was. You know, from time to time. Anyway all these things must work for the music. I know some guys who spend too much time on the sound and simply forget about making real music that could have any sense. You always need to find the balance.
Do you ever find it difficult to balance the creative and technical aspects of musical creation? How do you strike the balance for the need to craft and tweak your effects and sounds, in contrast to actually just getting the song itself created with structure and melody? What sort of element of creation do you prefer, the sonic shaping or the song creation?
Well, it depends mostly on my mood. Sonic shaping itself can be very inspirational process, it helps you to think harder and find some ideas. Sometimes I feel like I really want to write a song but have no interesting ideas. Then I just sit and start working with the sounds, finding interesting presets and trying to make it out.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have had to overcome in your musical career?
You know the musical career is a big challenge itself, heh. Honestly I don’t think I had some serious things to overcame yet. But the mentionable thing for me was cancellation of drinking alcohol before playing live shows. I started to play in a band since I was 14 and had some problems being on stage, just because I’m a shy guy. But then I learned to stay cool and all the things became much better since the time I stopped compensating my shyness that way.
Outside of Electronic music, what other genres could you see yourself composing music in? Or should I say, do you see yourself inspired by? Do you have any other musical projects that you are involved with, or do you have any other musicians or artists that you collaborate with in some capacity?
For now my only project is Ryderboy, I enjoy working in this direction. I used to play rock music in its different variations, so I still love it and get inspired by it. It’s obviously a normal thing to work in one genre getting inspiration from another. I sometimes work as a sessional musician and have a deal with many genres from synth pop to black metal. It’s funny and I think it’s useful experience. So actually I can see myself in many other genres.
What sort of new bands have come out in recent years that have caught your attention? Is there any bands out there you see yourself, or would like to, remix or collaborate with in the future?
I’m a big fan of Awolnation, I was really impressed by the energy and creativity of its creator Aaron Bruno. It’s probably the man I’d like to collaborate with. Royal Blood is also a good band. And AJR.
Outside of music, what are some of your favorite past times and emotional engagements?
I think it’s definitely the day I met my future wife! Although I can’t say it’s outside of music because she invited me as a bass player to join her band when she sang. But the music actually was just a context that time. I also remember the day I learned to stand up like a super hero (as I call it), you know a quick jump from lying on your back straight on your feet. Felt myself great that day.
Thank you so much for participating in this episode of Infidel Interview. Any parting words for your fans, or my audience?
Stay cool, listen to my music, be positive, become my fans, improve yourselves and take care of your loved ones! Oh, and do your thing whatever it takes.
Follow his latest activities on his social media streams Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram:
https://www.facebook.com/ryderboymusic/
https://twitter.com/ryderboymusic
https://www.instagram.com/igor_mikhailov93/
Download his music on his official Bandcamp:
https://ryderboy.bandcamp.com/
Stream his music free on Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/ryderboy-project
Watch his video content and stream his music on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJmd0ydeFdDftgnpgQju7ww
#Ryderboy #TheInfidelNetwerk #theProphet #Interview #MusicInterview #ElectronicMusic #DanceMusic #EDM #Dubstep #Russia