Artist interview #7
Erata
Artist
Q: Who are you? Where are you from? And where are you going?
A: My name’s Guillaume Vaillancourt, I’m from Montreal and I make music under the Erata alias. I’m mainly interested in pursuing music that lives within contrasts. I want it to feel like it is sculpted, textural and yet that it maintains enough softness to create proximity and intimacy with the listener. I don’t want my work to be alienating, I want it to have a sense of clarity, to feel like it has a tangible pulse.
Q: What brought you to music production? Why are you loving it?
A: Having access to all the assets you need to make a song in a single workspace has always felt very empowering to me creatively. I love to learn and create by nature and music production brings me a sense of freedom and challenge that both keep me going through the highs and lows. It has always felt true to me as a personal pursuit.
Q: For how long have you been producing? And what are the main pieces of your setup?
A: I would say on and off for about six years, there’s still so much I want to do!
A: I’ve gotten accustomed to using my Push 2 controller as a musical sketchboard, a lot of core melodies and harmonies were born on it. Other than that, I like using tools that have a sense of randomness to them since they can bring a new perspective to a track like ShaperBox by Cableguys or the Crystallizer by Soundtoys.
Q: How do you see (and go through) the technical sides of production and especially the Mixdown stage?
A: It’s always a journey to get better on the technical side, I’m getting by but I still have a lot to learn. When it comes to mixing, it definitely is an artform in itself. A mistake I’m trying to learn from is getting too attached to a mix and being afraid of losing a certain balance by making changes since I think a mix is something that should feel organic and be open to change if need be.
Q: What’s your latest release? And do you have any upcoming projects?
A: My latest release, Idylle is a six track EP released on February 24th. I poured a lot of energy into it but I’m ready to move on and explore new territories so I’m excited to get back into composing.
Q: Anything else you would like to share, maybe for people beginning music production out there?
A: I would say that it can get overwhelming fast, it’s important to focus on a few tools you’d like to learn and to give yourself constraints. It’s also really helpful to listen to a large quantity of music and use the tracks you like as a reference point for the work you’re creating. Setting realistic goals and getting into the habit of working everyday, even if it’s only for an hour or two, will help you make progress regardless of your schedule. Try to think about a time in the day where you’re the most carefree, that’s when you should have that appointment with yourself to write music.
Q: To finish with some music, what’s your favorite track those days ?
A: I’ve been listening to the new Daphni record quite a bit. I think Cloudy might be my favorite.