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A Beat A Day = More Creativity (Swing Johnson Interview)


First and foremost, who is Swing Johnson and where is he from?

I'm beatmaker, vinyl collector, Hip-Hop fan since forever, i come from south of France.

I stumbled upon your production on YouTube. Currently you are in the midst of producing a day every day of the year. Where did you get this idea from?

It's a performance, like in Art. That consists of making something here and now, you use an impulsion, a wave of motivation, a wave of inspiration, you try to capture the moment, and like that, just you DO.

Sure it's a risk, there are day with and without risks, it's simply the life.

I try to make the best in the present time.


Has your production improved due to making beats everyday?

Yes I think, it's like "pratice makes perfect", but after all the beats are made with the AKAI MPC60. There are time limitations, a simple floppy disk of 768KB, it's approximately 13.1 seconds of sample time and I think that it breeds creativity.



Describe your beatmaking process. Do you have a set routine?

Generally it's the same set routine, I look for a sample. I sample from every where, vinyls, audio tapes, you name it.

After I make my drum set, kick, snare, etc, I sequence and for finish the beat on the computer (little final EQ and limiter). After that I post the beat on YouTube.

The process can take a few hours or it can fluctuate depending on that day.


What artists inspire Swing Johnson?

Marley Marl, J Dilla, Pete Rock, Dj Premier inspire me in regards to beatmaking. My hip-hop influences include Afrika Bambaataa, Krs One, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Das Efx, Gang Starr, Company flow, Dj Krush and the list goes on.



What are your goals once you finish a full year of making beats everyday?

I simply want to improve the creativity and I hope to stay in the groove throughout the year.

I devote a chapter of my life to something that I love which is music. Sometimes after 2 hours of listening to music it is hard to find what I want. It is not easy but I persevere.

After this year I would like to take the time to rearrange the mixes and work on my mastering skills.


Will this project consist of instrumentals only or will you have featured artists on the project?

All my beats are made for emcees to rap on (some are just instrumentals). At the end of the day I would like to make a net tape with a selection of beats that are chosen by different emcees (12 beats for 12 months).

I would like to have Idiomz on it, Praverb and other emcees from around the world.


How can the masses get in contact with Swing Johnson?

You can contact me by email: swing.johnson@gmail.com

Facebook
My Official Website
SoundCloud


Any final words?

Thanks to Praverb.net for this interview

Faith, courage and perseverance


Make sure you take the time to check out Swing Johnson's YouTube channel and support him on his quest for creating a beat a day.

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