Full Transcript:

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John Kennedy: Hello, welcome to Tape Notes, hope you’re doing well.

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John Kennedy: Our new episode this week is with Gen Z trailblazer, d4vd, talking about his debut album, Withered, as well as some of his early breakout singles.

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John Kennedy: It really was fantastic to meet d4vd, such a charismatic figure and an amazing creative.

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John Kennedy: He recorded the whole of this album on his phone, and it was incredible to watch just how he did this.

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John Kennedy: He explains it really, really well.

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John Kennedy: Absolutely fascinating conversation.

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John Kennedy: d4vd joined us in Strong Room Studio 4, and you can watch the conversation in full on the Tape Notes Patreon page.

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John Kennedy: So head to patreon.com/tapenotes to check that out.

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John Kennedy: And you really should check it out.

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John Kennedy: He’s such a star.

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John Kennedy: As well as access to the full video episodes, Becoming a Patron also gives you access to all sorts of other content.

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John Kennedy: Episode previews, behind the scenes photos, gear lists, and as you’ll often hear in the episodes, the opportunity to ask questions to upcoming guests.

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John Kennedy: You can join us on Patreon from just three or five pounds, and it really goes a long way.

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John Kennedy: If you’re already a Tape Notes Patreon, thank you for your support of the show.

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John Kennedy: Now as I mentioned, this was a very phone heavy episode.

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John Kennedy: So if you’re someone that likes to get their early ideas down on your phone, then search for our partners Tape It, the iPhone recording app designed specifically for musicians.

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John Kennedy: So that includes a variety of recording choices, automatic instrument detection, markers, and of course, lots of tools to keep everything organized.

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John Kennedy: More on Tape It later in the show.

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John Kennedy: But if you’d like to try out for yourself, then head to tape.it forward slash Tape Notes.

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John Kennedy: Search Tape It on the app store or click the link in the show notes.

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John Kennedy: But now without further ado, let’s get started.

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John Kennedy: Hello and welcome to Tape Notes, the podcast that looks behind the scenes at the magic of recording and producing music.

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John Kennedy: Every episode, we’ll be reuniting an artist and producer and talking through some of the highlights from their collaboration in the studio.

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John Kennedy: So join us as we lift the lid on the creative process and the inner workings of music production to see what lies beneath.

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John Kennedy: Hello, I’m John Kennedy, and joining me for this episode of Tape Notes is d4vd to talk about how he wrote, recorded, and produced the album, Withered.

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John Kennedy: d4vd Burke, known professionally as d4vd, is an American singer and songwriter.

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John Kennedy: An avid gamer turned breakout artist, d4vd first made waves with his 2022 viral hit, Romantic Homicide.

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John Kennedy: Blending raw emotion with DIY roots, the track propelled him onto the global stage, setting the tone for a career defined by bold, genre-defying moves.

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John Kennedy: Following his viral success, d4vd’s fanbase continued to grow, and in 2023 he released two EPs, Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals, which also included his second worldwide hit, the track Here With Me.

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John Kennedy: By 2025 he had amassed over 31 million monthly listeners on Spotify, signed with Interscope Records and become one of the first artists to have over 1 billion streams on tracks before their debut album release.

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John Kennedy: Withered, his debut album, arrived in April 2025.

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John Kennedy: On it, the 20-year-old explores themes of love, identity and emotional decay.

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John Kennedy: Today I’m at Strong Room Studios and I’m joined by d4vd.

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John Kennedy: And what better way to start than by hearing something from the record.

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John Kennedy: This is Here With Me.

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John Kennedy: It is Here With Me by d4vd, and I’m very pleased to say that I’m sat here with d4vd to talk about d4vd’s debut album, Withered.

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John Kennedy: Here With Me doesn’t feature on it, but it is one of the early tunes that really blew up.

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John Kennedy: And it’s gonna be fascinating to talk to you, d4vd, because you’re sat there with your phone in your hand.

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d4vd: I am indeed.

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John Kennedy: And unlike a lot of our guests who turn up with their laptops or various different hard drives and stuff, you’ve got it all in your hand, in the palm of your hand.

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John Kennedy: And that is how you record these songs.

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d4vd: It is.

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John Kennedy: So we thought maybe we should start by kind of working out or explaining what you use to record.

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John Kennedy: Because the approach is quite different, isn’t it?

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d4vd: Absolutely.

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d4vd: Yeah.

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d4vd: Basically, what I use is BandLab’s app called BandLab.

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d4vd: All my files and songs are all just straight off the phone.

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d4vd: Literally thousands and thousands and thousands of songs in here from as of now.

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d4vd: Basically, back on how I got into BandLab, I was a YouTuber and a Fortnite streamer for the longest time.

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d4vd: And I was using copyrighted songs in my compilations.

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d4vd: So, I couldn’t make money off of it.

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d4vd: I told my mom about it and she was like, how about you just make your own music?

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d4vd: I was like, you know what?

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d4vd: Say less.

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d4vd: So, I looked up how to make music on iPhone the next day.

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d4vd: This app comes up and then I start using my little sister’s closet as the studio.

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d4vd: I put like robes and clothes up to kind of like get the sound installation and everything.

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d4vd: And then I was just making everything on the phone with the Apple ear buds.

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d4vd: No professional mic, no nothing.

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John Kennedy: Right.

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John Kennedy: And the idea was that these would be tracks that you would use in your gaming videos.

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d4vd: Exactly.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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d4vd: Just sound like soundtracks.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: So at that point, we’re using your voice?

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: You were as a kind of another sound, another texture.

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d4vd: Exactly.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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d4vd: Because I didn’t know how to sing.

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d4vd: So it was like I was just trying to figure out what made sense and how to use my voice in like weird ways and, you know, how to just make things sound good.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: Because when you go back right to the very first release, you know, that is a kind of humming.

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d4vd: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: More than anything, isn’t it?

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d4vd: Exactly.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: So that’s a good example of what you were creating to use in your videos.

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John Kennedy: Right.

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John Kennedy: So we’ll find out more about BandLab, I’m sure, as we have our conversation.

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John Kennedy: But the first track we’re going to dig into is Romantic Homicide.

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John Kennedy: So we’re going to listen to a bit of that and then find out how you created it.

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d4vd: Absolutely.

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John Kennedy: It is Romantic Homicide by d4vd, a song that has had billions of streams, d4vd, which is amazing, but recorded in your sister’s closet.

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John Kennedy: So maybe describe this closet, just how big is it?

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d4vd: Yeah, it’s a walk-in closet.

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d4vd: It’s about like maybe the size of, from this table to the preamp, and it’s like a box, it’s like a little box.

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d4vd: It’s really claustrophobic in there, and there’s no AC, there’s no vents.

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d4vd: So like most of the time when I’m in there, I might try to make the song as quick as possible, cause I’d be like sweating, like literally sweating drenched in sweat trying to finish the song.

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John Kennedy: Wow.

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d4vd: It’s crazy.

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John Kennedy: And at what point do you enter the closet as it were?

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John Kennedy: So musically, have you prepared all the tracks?

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John Kennedy: So do you just go in the closet to do the vocal?

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d4vd: It depends on the day.

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d4vd: So basically like when I was making this new album, I stayed up in Houston just like playing video games, and I’d like freestyle over tracks in bed, playing video games first, and I’d get the idea and like the foundation first.

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d4vd: And then when I’d like have an idea of what I’m singing, I just go in the closet and then make the song there.

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d4vd: But most of the time, I’m just like pacing around the room or trying to gather lyrics and melodies and just humming and freestyling and just seeing where it takes me.

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d4vd: And then once I’ve got the, once it clicks, basically, it’s like, yo, it’s time to get in the closet.

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John Kennedy: Amazing.

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John Kennedy: And so when you’re singing in there, are you singing to a track that you’ve created or?

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d4vd: Most of the time it’s like be so Romantic Homicide.

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d4vd: It was like the middle of summer 2022.

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d4vd: And I had just released about six songs at that point for Fortnite Motages.

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d4vd: And all the beats I got were on YouTube.

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d4vd: So I just look up like indie rock type beat or slow core type beat or things like that.

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d4vd: And I find like super niche, cool producers that nobody knows about.

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d4vd: And they’d have these beats up on YouTube and I just download them off YouTube and put them in BandLab.

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John Kennedy: Right.

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John Kennedy: Okay.

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John Kennedy: So kind of you got a few ingredients and then you start to explore.

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d4vd: Because I’m like big on instrumental speaking to me.

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d4vd: Like I usually don’t write a lot beforehand unless I’m hearing something because the foundation of the song is the beat on the instrumental, so.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: Really interesting.

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John Kennedy: So with this song, with Romantic Homicide, what was the first sound that you created for it then?

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d4vd: This is, I love talking about Romantic Homicide in particular because this is the only song that I’ve ever made where everything was done in one take.

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John Kennedy: Wow.

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d4vd: Like the entire thing.

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d4vd: So I’ll show you right.

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d4vd: Like the entire lead vocal, there’s no cuts.

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d4vd: No cuts.

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d4vd: The background vocal is no cuts.

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d4vd: And the entire thing is only one lead and then just some oohs and ahs in the background.

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John Kennedy: Right.

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John Kennedy: So I can see four channels.

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d4vd: Yeah, literally.

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d4vd: But the fourth channel isn’t even used the entire time.

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John Kennedy: Right.

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d4vd: This is literally three stacks.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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d4vd: It’s crazy.

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John Kennedy: So on the top one, what’s on the top one then?

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d4vd: The top one is just the lead.

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John Kennedy: So that guitar line, is that taken from something you found on YouTube?

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d4vd: That’s YouTube.

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d4vd: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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d4vd: That’s the guy named Dan Darmawan.

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d4vd: He’s from Indonesia.

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John Kennedy: Right.

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John Kennedy: OK.

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d4vd: He produced this one and Here With Me 2.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: But he’s not actually there with you.

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d4vd: No.

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John Kennedy: So, Evan, it’s interesting because there’s various different people that are credited as co-writers, but some of them will be the other side of the world.

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d4vd: Exactly.

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John Kennedy: And you’ve just happened upon their song.

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d4vd: Exactly.

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d4vd: It’s so crazy because the Internet can build connections multiple countries away.

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d4vd: And it’s like, how in the world would the song even be made if I wasn’t on YouTube this day or that day or this day?

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d4vd: So, it’s a beautiful thing to be able to connect with people from miles and miles and miles away.

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John Kennedy: Yeah.

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John Kennedy: And what you’ve taken from him is just that guitar line and the beat.

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John Kennedy: That’s it.

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d4vd: That’s it.

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d4vd: Yeah.

00:10:44.697 –> 00:10:48.597
John Kennedy: So let’s hear that again and then explain what you decided to add.

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John Kennedy: Right.

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d4vd: So, I’m in the closet.

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d4vd: I just heard the beat.

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d4vd: What day was this?

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d4vd: This is like July or June.

00:10:56.097 –> 00:10:58.197
d4vd: It’s July like 13th.

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John Kennedy: Right.

00:10:58.437 –> 00:10:59.217
John Kennedy: So, it’s really hot.

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John Kennedy: This is Houston, Texas.

00:11:00.397 –> 00:11:00.877
John Kennedy: Yeah.

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d4vd: Really, really hot.

00:11:02.097 –> 00:11:06.297
d4vd: And I just made another Fortnite montage.

00:11:06.297 –> 00:11:08.157
d4vd: My views are going down.

00:11:08.157 –> 00:11:10.417
d4vd: It was like a really sad day, essentially.

00:11:10.417 –> 00:11:11.377
d4vd: And I was homeschooled too.

00:11:11.377 –> 00:11:14.217
d4vd: So, I was making this before I started my schoolwork.

00:11:14.217 –> 00:11:16.437
d4vd: And I was like, I got to make a really sad song today.

00:11:16.877 –> 00:11:18.597
d4vd: And I tried to find the saddest beat possible.

00:11:18.597 –> 00:11:22.357
d4vd: I found this on YouTube and I got in the closet and I was just like freestyling humming.

00:11:22.357 –> 00:11:27.937
d4vd: And then as soon as I heard the first like 15 seconds, I knew what I had to say.

00:11:27.937 –> 00:11:29.937
d4vd: And the first word I said was, I’m scared.

00:11:29.937 –> 00:11:31.337
d4vd: And everything else followed after.

00:11:31.697 –> 00:11:35.137
d4vd: It was the most flow state-like thing of all time.

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John Kennedy: So, those extra hums that we’re hearing, they’re added afterwards?

00:11:51.997 –> 00:11:53.717
John Kennedy: So these are improvised words.

00:11:53.717 –> 00:11:56.377
d4vd: Yeah, literally, every single word is improvised.

00:11:56.377 –> 00:12:02.657
John Kennedy: Which is kind of amazing, because when you listen to the song, it’s almost like a mini drama or something, because it has a twist at the end.

00:12:02.657 –> 00:12:04.977
d4vd: Right, exactly, it’s like an entire story.

00:12:04.977 –> 00:12:07.237
d4vd: The thing is, the song is so short that it makes sense.

00:12:07.237 –> 00:12:11.237
d4vd: It was so easy to kind of just like conjure up these things to be able to go on the fly.

00:12:11.237 –> 00:12:12.297
d4vd: And it’s so simple.

00:12:12.297 –> 00:12:15.237
d4vd: There’s three seconds of space between every word.

00:12:15.237 –> 00:12:18.177
d4vd: It was just clicking, clicking, clicking, clicking.

00:12:18.177 –> 00:12:24.597
d4vd: And then the chorus, the biggest part, which is the one that went viral on TikTok, you hear how the pitch is actually lower.

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d4vd: So this is my original voice that I recorded in.

00:12:27.277 –> 00:12:29.377
d4vd: And then I sped it up two different times.

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d4vd: So the release version is a half semitone up.

00:12:33.317 –> 00:12:37.557
d4vd: And then the one that went viral on TikTok is like five semitones up.

00:12:37.557 –> 00:12:44.577
d4vd: So I mess around with pitch and I mess around with like frequencies a lot in different songs and stuff like that, depending on how it sounds sonically.

00:12:44.577 –> 00:12:44.917
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:12:44.917 –> 00:12:46.897
John Kennedy: And when are you doing that afterwards?

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d4vd: After.

00:12:48.017 –> 00:12:53.217
d4vd: I have another program called DJ that I use for like BPM and tempo and pitch and stuff like that.

00:12:53.217 –> 00:12:53.517
John Kennedy: Right.

00:12:53.517 –> 00:13:03.877
John Kennedy: So you’re there with your phone, using BandLab, recording the essence of all the sounds and creating the song in this instance, at that moment in time as you play it to us.

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d4vd: Exactly.

00:13:04.717 –> 00:13:09.257
John Kennedy: And then you just took it away and put it into DJ and then kind of fiddled around with it.

00:13:09.257 –> 00:13:10.137
d4vd: Right.

00:13:10.137 –> 00:13:10.297
d4vd: Yeah.

00:13:10.297 –> 00:13:11.677
d4vd: I can show you how that process works too.

00:13:11.677 –> 00:13:14.177
d4vd: So after that, so I’m going to play the chorus.

00:13:14.337 –> 00:13:14.737
d4vd: Chorus.

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John Kennedy: So, in the 2 minutes 30 seconds that this song lasts, so then you stay in the closet to add those backing vocals?

00:13:33.904 –> 00:13:34.524
d4vd: Right.

00:13:34.524 –> 00:13:35.944
John Kennedy: For another 2 minutes 30?

00:13:35.944 –> 00:13:36.184
d4vd: Yeah.

00:13:36.184 –> 00:13:39.844
John Kennedy: So, then one other layer, and then you’re out of that closet.

00:13:39.844 –> 00:13:41.764
d4vd: Literally, it’s that quick.

00:13:41.764 –> 00:13:51.004
d4vd: And then the rest of the process is just me hitting the three dots, and then pressing download, exporting it to DJ, opening up DJ, this is what DJ looks like when you open it.

00:13:57.604 –> 00:13:57.924
John Kennedy: Right.

00:13:59.184 –> 00:14:00.664
John Kennedy: And that’s the whole track, just speeding up.

00:14:01.004 –> 00:14:01.404
d4vd: Exactly.

00:14:01.404 –> 00:14:04.764
John Kennedy: You can’t go into individual…

00:14:04.764 –> 00:14:11.044
d4vd: You can in BandLab, but when I do it, I like to do it all at the same time, so nothing sounds so weird, and you know, modulated and stuff like that.

00:14:11.044 –> 00:14:14.684
d4vd: And basically, I just, I usually do a random number, see what sounds good.

00:14:14.684 –> 00:14:19.304
d4vd: And in this case, it was like 6.6, and this is the version that’s on streaming.

00:14:22.404 –> 00:14:25.344
d4vd: And I was like, yo, that sounds really good.

00:14:25.344 –> 00:14:27.584
d4vd: And then I just dropped it like that.

00:14:27.584 –> 00:14:27.904
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:14:27.904 –> 00:14:28.384
d4vd: Literally.

00:14:28.384 –> 00:14:29.144
John Kennedy: Time for school.

00:14:29.144 –> 00:14:29.644
d4vd: Exactly.

00:14:29.644 –> 00:14:30.224
d4vd: Time for school.

00:14:30.224 –> 00:14:31.864
d4vd: Right after that, I had to do like six assignments.

00:14:31.864 –> 00:14:32.404
d4vd: It’s crazy.

00:14:32.444 –> 00:14:33.024
John Kennedy: Right.

00:14:33.024 –> 00:14:33.564
John Kennedy: Wow.

00:14:33.564 –> 00:14:34.944
John Kennedy: This is kind of mad.

00:14:34.944 –> 00:14:38.024
John Kennedy: So in a way, the speed is a combination of things.

00:14:38.024 –> 00:14:44.244
John Kennedy: You know, you’ve kind of got your own built-in deadline, because it’s like you’re doing this at kind of morning breakfast time.

00:14:44.304 –> 00:14:45.744
John Kennedy: So you’ve got a vision.

00:14:45.744 –> 00:14:47.804
John Kennedy: You said, right, a sad song today.

00:14:47.804 –> 00:14:52.704
John Kennedy: And this is almost like a release to set you up for a good day, in a way.

00:14:52.704 –> 00:14:53.264
d4vd: Exactly.

00:14:53.264 –> 00:14:56.804
d4vd: Get the self-expression out, get everything out, and then start the day.

00:14:56.804 –> 00:14:58.084
John Kennedy: And then do your schoolwork.

00:14:58.084 –> 00:15:00.264
John Kennedy: And then do you go back to the tune afterwards?

00:15:00.264 –> 00:15:00.544
d4vd: Oh yeah.

00:15:00.544 –> 00:15:03.244
d4vd: Well, I’m listening to the like, I’m listening to what the entire time I’m doing my work.

00:15:03.244 –> 00:15:04.524
d4vd: Okay.

00:15:04.524 –> 00:15:05.864
John Kennedy: The advantage of homeschooling.

00:15:05.864 –> 00:15:07.984
John Kennedy: Nobody saying, take those headphones off.

00:15:07.984 –> 00:15:08.804
d4vd: Keeping them on.

00:15:08.804 –> 00:15:09.404
John Kennedy: Right.

00:15:09.404 –> 00:15:09.684
John Kennedy: Right.

00:15:09.684 –> 00:15:10.044
John Kennedy: Okay.

00:15:10.044 –> 00:15:12.444
John Kennedy: So it’s still, you’re still in a way working on it.

00:15:12.444 –> 00:15:13.304
John Kennedy: No thinking about it.

00:15:13.944 –> 00:15:18.504
John Kennedy: So at this point, you’re just thinking in terms of songs to soundtrack your YouTube videos.

00:15:18.504 –> 00:15:19.244
John Kennedy: Right.

00:15:19.244 –> 00:15:20.724
John Kennedy: So where would you have seen this?

00:15:20.724 –> 00:15:23.804
John Kennedy: This is a sad song to reflect what in your game?

00:15:23.804 –> 00:15:27.804
d4vd: The thing is about this song in particular was too sad for a Fortnite montage.

00:15:27.804 –> 00:15:28.164
d4vd: Right.

00:15:28.164 –> 00:15:30.344
d4vd: So I was like, I don’t know what to do with it.

00:15:30.344 –> 00:15:31.204
d4vd: And I didn’t want to drop it.

00:15:31.204 –> 00:15:31.924
d4vd: I didn’t want to drop it.

00:15:31.924 –> 00:15:41.804
d4vd: So I showed my mom and we were on the way to like, I think to the grocery store after I finished my work and I showed it to her in the car and she was like, this is way too violent.

00:15:41.804 –> 00:15:42.684
d4vd: You can’t release this.

00:15:42.904 –> 00:15:44.544
d4vd: You’re talking about killing people in a song?

00:15:44.544 –> 00:15:45.924
d4vd: No, my son can’t do that.

00:15:45.924 –> 00:15:47.404
d4vd: And I was like, oh man.

00:15:47.404 –> 00:15:49.484
d4vd: And I went home and I started scheming.

00:15:49.484 –> 00:15:54.284
d4vd: I was like, wait a minute, if my mom doesn’t approve of it, this reminds me because I wasn’t always homeschooled.

00:15:54.284 –> 00:15:55.844
d4vd: I went to public school at one point.

00:15:55.844 –> 00:16:01.164
d4vd: And every time I was in, I got some new clothes from like my grandparents and stuff like that.

00:16:01.284 –> 00:16:04.044
d4vd: I bought new clothes and I put together a fit for school.

00:16:04.044 –> 00:16:06.204
d4vd: I knew it was fly when she didn’t like it.

00:16:06.204 –> 00:16:07.844
d4vd: I knew it was cool when she didn’t like it.

00:16:07.844 –> 00:16:09.644
d4vd: So same thing applies to music.

00:16:09.644 –> 00:16:11.744
d4vd: I knew it was a good song if she didn’t like it.

00:16:12.104 –> 00:16:15.024
d4vd: So, I was like, all right, she doesn’t like it, I’ll post it on TikTok.

00:16:15.024 –> 00:16:16.224
d4vd: So, I sped it up even more.

00:16:16.524 –> 00:16:18.304
d4vd: This is how to sped up sound.

00:16:20.744 –> 00:16:22.164
d4vd: This is what everybody knows on TikTok.

00:16:28.620 –> 00:16:41.000
d4vd: Put that on TikTok and promoted it as Alvin and the Chipmunks, cause like the pitch and speed so high, it sounded like Alvin and the Chipmunks, so I was like, Alvin and the Chipmunks making original music, and then boom, overnight, I got a million and a half views.

00:16:41.000 –> 00:16:43.340
John Kennedy: Wow, and did you put a visual with that?

00:16:43.340 –> 00:16:45.880
d4vd: Yeah, it was literally just the screen recording of BandLab.

00:16:45.880 –> 00:16:46.540
John Kennedy: Right, right.

00:16:46.540 –> 00:16:55.660
d4vd: Yeah, like I just screen recorded it, and all you see is just like the file, just the screen moving like that, with a little text on the screen, and people write it up.

00:16:55.660 –> 00:16:56.440
d4vd: It was crazy.

00:16:56.440 –> 00:16:57.600
John Kennedy: Say those stats again.

00:16:57.600 –> 00:16:59.440
John Kennedy: Overnight, it got how many?

00:16:59.440 –> 00:17:00.680
d4vd: 1.3 million.

00:17:00.680 –> 00:17:01.160
John Kennedy: Overnight.

00:17:01.160 –> 00:17:01.940
d4vd: Overnight, yeah.

00:17:01.940 –> 00:17:02.660
John Kennedy: Right.

00:17:02.660 –> 00:17:06.060
John Kennedy: So then you go back to TikTok and you think, what?

00:17:06.060 –> 00:17:07.700
d4vd: I’m like, yo, this is happening.

00:17:07.960 –> 00:17:08.400
d4vd: It’s it.

00:17:08.400 –> 00:17:09.100
d4vd: This is it.

00:17:09.100 –> 00:17:12.240
d4vd: So after that, I literally just, I had a Distro kids subscription at the time.

00:17:12.240 –> 00:17:14.200
d4vd: It was like, it takes two days to process.

00:17:14.200 –> 00:17:15.600
d4vd: Put it in immediately.

00:17:15.600 –> 00:17:16.700
d4vd: Two days later, it comes out.

00:17:16.700 –> 00:17:18.140
d4vd: I’m like, yo, the sound was out.

00:17:18.140 –> 00:17:19.520
d4vd: Goes super viral again.

00:17:19.520 –> 00:17:28.280
d4vd: I got another million and a half views, like 2,000, 3,000 people using the sound, and yeah, after that, it was just like, it was up.

00:17:28.460 –> 00:17:30.400
John Kennedy: And how long was this clip at this point?

00:17:30.400 –> 00:17:31.100
d4vd: 15 seconds.

00:17:31.100 –> 00:17:32.400
John Kennedy: 15 seconds, right.

00:17:32.400 –> 00:17:32.820
John Kennedy: Okay.

00:17:33.400 –> 00:17:36.020
John Kennedy: So then what do you decide to do?

00:17:36.020 –> 00:17:40.680
d4vd: I released another song, because at the same time I made Romantic Homicide, I was also working on Here With Me.

00:17:40.680 –> 00:17:42.400
d4vd: I was working on Here With Me for about a week.

00:17:42.400 –> 00:17:48.660
d4vd: That was a really long song, because I made it inspired by the Disney movie Up.

00:17:48.720 –> 00:17:54.760
d4vd: So I watched Up, I was inspired by Carl and Ellie’s relationship when they get old and Ellie dies.

00:17:54.760 –> 00:17:57.200
d4vd: And I was like, yo, I got to finish their relationship in a song.

00:17:57.200 –> 00:17:58.780
d4vd: But the writing process for that song was weird.

00:17:58.780 –> 00:17:59.960
d4vd: I’ll pull up that file too.

00:17:59.960 –> 00:18:06.540
d4vd: The writing process for that song was weird, because it’s like, I kept having to go back to the scene and make sure I’m getting all the emotions right.

00:18:06.540 –> 00:18:10.720
John Kennedy: And this is in terms of creating the emotions lyrically.

00:18:10.800 –> 00:18:11.060
d4vd: Right.

00:18:11.060 –> 00:18:12.600
John Kennedy: Describing what’s happening.

00:18:12.600 –> 00:18:13.440
d4vd: Exactly.

00:18:13.440 –> 00:18:35.280
d4vd: Like you see, there’s so many different revisions of this, just July 15th, 2022, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 different revisions over the course of, how many days, five days, 4 a.m., 1 a.m., 4 a.m., 11 a.m., 9 50 p.m., 9 a.m.

00:18:35.280 –> 00:18:38.240
d4vd: again, 7 50 a.m., 8 a.m.

00:18:38.240 –> 00:18:41.960
d4vd: I was just working on it day after day after day, trying to get it perfect.

00:18:41.960 –> 00:18:45.320
d4vd: And I just couldn’t do it, because it’s in such a weird key.

00:18:45.680 –> 00:18:49.920
d4vd: It’s the first song that I had recorded where I wasn’t using auto-tune on.

00:18:49.920 –> 00:18:53.680
d4vd: So I kept having to re-record vocals, and this one has way more stacks.

00:18:53.680 –> 00:18:55.560
d4vd: Romantic Homicide had three total.

00:18:55.560 –> 00:18:58.220
d4vd: This one has so much more than that.

00:18:58.220 –> 00:19:05.140
d4vd: And I’m using different stacks and actually comping vocals together in those different spaces and stuff like that.

00:19:05.140 –> 00:19:05.960
d4vd: I’ll play some of this too.

00:19:13.111 –> 00:19:22.251
John Kennedy: But in a way, what you’re concentrating on, so the track, as in the bed, the beats, the other sounds, that’s all sorted in your mind.

00:19:22.251 –> 00:19:29.191
John Kennedy: What you’re trying to do is finesse the lyrics, but then finesse the vocal sound and then the backing vocals.

00:19:29.191 –> 00:19:32.031
John Kennedy: So that’s what you’re spending all that time doing.

00:19:32.031 –> 00:19:32.691
d4vd: Exactly.

00:19:32.691 –> 00:19:33.251
John Kennedy: Really interesting.

00:19:33.251 –> 00:19:48.811
d4vd: And another thing that boosted the kind of visibility for BandLab as like a whole, with my like artistic direction for it, was that there was already a bit of a community of BandLab on TikTok, like everybody’s promoting BandLab snippets and stuff like that.

00:19:48.811 –> 00:19:52.971
d4vd: But the reason I was able to break through, I think, is because of how professional my quality sounded.

00:19:52.971 –> 00:20:02.551
d4vd: And that’s because I was using earbuds, just like everybody else, but my presets, the plugins and vocal chains that I had, were so far ahead of everyone, because I was actually like taking time to practice them.

00:20:02.551 –> 00:20:04.171
d4vd: So I would notice-

00:20:04.171 –> 00:20:06.031
John Kennedy: And these are all built into BandLab.

00:20:06.031 –> 00:20:10.071
d4vd: They are, but you can create your own, and you can mess with your own EQ, your own compressors and all that stuff.

00:20:10.071 –> 00:20:17.891
d4vd: So when I was looking at other artists that were in the same space in BandLab, they would use the pre-made BandLab filters.

00:20:17.891 –> 00:20:20.191
d4vd: Like there’s one ambient rock and stuff like that.

00:20:20.191 –> 00:20:24.931
d4vd: Everybody would use the pre-made BandLab ones, and nobody would take the time to make their own.

00:20:24.931 –> 00:20:36.551
d4vd: So what I did was, before even starting a song, I’d listen to the track, I’d listen to how it sounded, I’d listen to it with like much more high-end and low-end or mid EQ, and I would make a preset for every song.

00:20:36.551 –> 00:20:38.211
d4vd: So I have thousands and thousands.

00:20:38.331 –> 00:20:39.931
d4vd: I should lowkey sell these lowkey.

00:20:39.931 –> 00:20:43.191
d4vd: Like there’s thousands of presets that I have made for different songs.

00:20:43.391 –> 00:20:50.811
d4vd: And this one in particular, it’s just a simple noise gate because the Apple earbuds pick up so much for that sound.

00:20:50.811 –> 00:20:57.291
d4vd: A simple compressor, BL 1176, which nobody uses anymore because they think it’s outdated, but I still use it, it’s fire.

00:20:57.291 –> 00:21:02.151
d4vd: Simple D delay and the simple style EQ that comes with the app.

00:21:02.151 –> 00:21:07.251
John Kennedy: So you use that on your voice when you record to create the sound that you’re after.

00:21:07.451 –> 00:21:07.871
d4vd: Exactly.

00:21:07.871 –> 00:21:13.931
John Kennedy: So in a way, you’ve taken this tool, BandLab, and explored it to your advantage.

00:21:13.931 –> 00:21:20.431
John Kennedy: Whereas a lot of people were playing around and not necessarily thinking, well, I can do more with this.

00:21:20.431 –> 00:21:21.771
John Kennedy: So that’s the difference, isn’t it?

00:21:21.771 –> 00:21:25.091
John Kennedy: That you spent the time, put the energy and the hours in.

00:21:25.091 –> 00:21:26.431
John Kennedy: Exactly.

00:21:26.431 –> 00:21:26.851
John Kennedy: Wow.

00:21:27.051 –> 00:21:30.191
John Kennedy: And came up with your own version of applying things.

00:21:30.191 –> 00:21:30.391
d4vd: Yeah.

00:21:30.391 –> 00:21:32.031
d4vd: I mean, it got to the point where people thought I was faking it.

00:21:32.031 –> 00:21:34.011
d4vd: People were like, oh, there’s no way this is on BandLab.

00:21:34.011 –> 00:21:35.951
d4vd: He’s recording it in the studio and then pretending.

00:21:36.311 –> 00:21:37.531
d4vd: I was like, that good.

00:21:37.531 –> 00:21:38.251
John Kennedy: Right.

00:21:38.251 –> 00:21:38.811
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:21:38.811 –> 00:21:40.091
John Kennedy: Which is amazing.

00:21:40.451 –> 00:21:43.571
John Kennedy: It’s a fascinating process because you make it sound simple.

00:21:43.591 –> 00:21:47.371
John Kennedy: There’s effort, there’s ideas.

00:21:47.671 –> 00:21:53.511
John Kennedy: And it’s interesting that different things that you’re responding to, know that what was motivating you to create.

00:21:53.511 –> 00:22:00.771
John Kennedy: Because you’re inspired by the movies you watch, the games you play, and in a way, your musical education has been through that.

00:22:00.771 –> 00:22:00.991
d4vd: Yeah.

00:22:00.991 –> 00:22:02.791
d4vd: I mean, that’s all I had because I was homeschooled.

00:22:03.011 –> 00:22:08.231
d4vd: I wasn’t really going outside and, you know, doing other stuff that my peers were doing when I was in school.

00:22:08.231 –> 00:22:10.911
d4vd: So, it’s really all I had was movies, games and television.

00:22:10.951 –> 00:22:11.711
d4vd: Yeah.

00:22:11.711 –> 00:22:13.451
John Kennedy: But then, that’s a rich world.

00:22:13.451 –> 00:22:14.031
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:22:14.031 –> 00:22:15.331
d4vd: So much emotion to grab from that.

00:22:15.331 –> 00:22:15.691
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:22:15.691 –> 00:22:16.091
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:22:16.091 –> 00:22:17.031
John Kennedy: Fantastic.

00:22:17.031 –> 00:22:20.731
John Kennedy: Is there anything else to see and hear from Romantic Homicide before we move on?

00:22:20.731 –> 00:22:21.291
d4vd: It’s pretty much it.

00:22:21.291 –> 00:22:21.431
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:22:21.431 –> 00:22:22.351
d4vd: It’s a really simple song.

00:22:22.351 –> 00:22:22.651
John Kennedy: Okay.

00:22:22.651 –> 00:22:26.351
John Kennedy: So, a little reprise then of Romantic Homicide from The Master would be nice.

00:22:26.391 –> 00:22:27.691
John Kennedy: And then we can look at Crash.

00:23:37.504 –> 00:23:42.464
John Kennedy: So there it is, we get the crunching line at the end from Romantic Homicide.

00:23:42.464 –> 00:23:45.024
John Kennedy: And before we move on to talk about Crashing, I should find out.

00:23:45.024 –> 00:23:48.424
John Kennedy: So after the Scheme, what did your mom say?

00:23:48.424 –> 00:23:49.844
d4vd: Oh man, she was happy.

00:23:49.844 –> 00:23:50.624
d4vd: Right.

00:23:50.624 –> 00:23:56.884
d4vd: I mean, the thing is though, she didn’t know that I had dropped it until all the emails from the label started coming in.

00:23:56.884 –> 00:24:01.624
d4vd: So the song already had maybe five or six million streams, but at the time she found out I released it.

00:24:01.624 –> 00:24:02.784
d4vd: Because she’s not online.

00:24:02.864 –> 00:24:04.984
d4vd: She doesn’t have TikTok, she doesn’t have Instagram, so she didn’t even know.

00:24:05.564 –> 00:24:07.704
d4vd: And so it all became successful.

00:24:07.704 –> 00:24:08.284
John Kennedy: Yeah, yeah.

00:24:08.284 –> 00:24:09.384
John Kennedy: She didn’t reprimand you?

00:24:09.584 –> 00:24:11.904
d4vd: No, no, no, no, no.

00:24:11.904 –> 00:24:12.404
John Kennedy: Excellent.

00:24:12.404 –> 00:24:13.064
John Kennedy: That’s great.

00:24:13.064 –> 00:24:13.904
John Kennedy: We’re going to take a break.

00:24:13.904 –> 00:24:15.924
John Kennedy: We’re going to look at Crashing next.

00:24:17.544 –> 00:24:26.424
John Kennedy: This episode of Tape Notes is brought to you by LANDR, the all-in-one platform for musicians to create, master and release their music to over 150 streaming platforms.

00:24:26.424 –> 00:24:33.604
John Kennedy: Whether you need AI-powered mastering, industry-leading VST plugins, or a massive library of premium samples, LANDR has you covered.

00:24:33.944 –> 00:24:44.304
John Kennedy: Connect and collaborate with artists, sharpen your skills with over 200 expert-led courses, and when you’re ready to share your music with the world, with LANDR Distribution, you can ensure it reaches a global audience.

00:24:44.304 –> 00:24:49.684
John Kennedy: And today, I’m joined by Daniel Rowland, Head of Strategy at LANDR, to tell us more about it.

00:24:49.684 –> 00:24:50.544
John Kennedy: Hi Daniel.

00:24:50.544 –> 00:24:55.244
John Kennedy: So, what makes LANDR Distribution such a game changer for artists?

00:24:55.244 –> 00:24:57.104
Daniel: Yeah, John, thanks for having me on.

00:24:57.104 –> 00:25:04.604
Daniel: So, two big things kind of separate LANDR from everybody else in that regard, and one of them is, we don’t assume you know what you’re doing when you go to distribute your music, right?

00:25:04.604 –> 00:25:16.064
Daniel: So, we really put a lot of time in our intuitive release wizard that steps you through the process if you’re not comfortable with ISRCs or cover song licensing and all this stuff that we really make sure you understand that as you move through the process.

00:25:16.064 –> 00:25:18.944
Daniel: So, when you come back to do it again, it makes even that much more sense.

00:25:18.944 –> 00:25:23.104
Daniel: The other thing, and this is the biggest thing, is that we invest a lot in customer support.

00:25:23.104 –> 00:25:28.824
Daniel: You know, when you go to release your music, you’ve like decided the performance is right, the production is right, the song is right, the mix, the master.

00:25:28.824 –> 00:25:33.544
Daniel: You have to make all these decisions before you have the confidence to go actually release your music to the world.

00:25:33.544 –> 00:25:43.544
Daniel: And if the company you choose to go with lets you down, doesn’t answer your questions, doesn’t follow up with you ASAP, you’re never going to forgive them for that because you’re like exposed emotionally when you go to do that, right?

00:25:43.544 –> 00:25:45.844
Daniel: I think we’ve all been there as artists and musicians.

00:25:45.844 –> 00:25:48.624
Daniel: So we make sure that you feel like you are not just a number.

00:25:48.624 –> 00:25:59.004
Daniel: And I think it’s one of the nice parts of us being not one of the massive distribution companies that can’t really afford anymore to support their customers, but we’re right at that sweet spot where we can make sure that you feel taken care of.

00:25:59.064 –> 00:26:00.704
Daniel: And that’s been our thing forever.

00:26:00.704 –> 00:26:04.864
Daniel: Buy musicians for musicians, and the proof is in the pudding and that we actually come through on that.

00:26:04.864 –> 00:26:05.444
John Kennedy: Fantastic.

00:26:05.444 –> 00:26:10.284
John Kennedy: And how does the platform help artists grow their audience and connect with more fans?

00:26:10.284 –> 00:26:10.604
Daniel: Sure.

00:26:10.604 –> 00:26:13.164
Daniel: So one example is we’re a Spotify preferred partner.

00:26:13.164 –> 00:26:17.364
Daniel: So you get instant Spotify verification and the tools to pitch your music to playlists.

00:26:17.364 –> 00:26:31.724
Daniel: And unique to LANDR is we have a network of thousands of professionals across the industry for everything you could need for music production, whether it’s mixing, mastering, but also for marketing and distributing your music, developing plans to really get your music heard by as many people as possible.

00:26:31.724 –> 00:26:35.184
John Kennedy: But LANDR isn’t just about distribution, right?

00:26:35.184 –> 00:26:48.264
Daniel: No, LANDR started as an AI mastering company 11 years ago and has broadened to be everything you need from the day you come up with a song idea through mixing, mastering, plugins, samples, education and distribution.

00:26:48.264 –> 00:26:53.444
Daniel: And it’s all for one price that is the same price of any one of those services from another company.

00:26:53.444 –> 00:26:59.584
Daniel: So it’s everything you could need at the lowest price in the industry and it’s constantly evolving as we’re adding new features and services.

00:26:59.584 –> 00:27:02.744
John Kennedy: And I hear you’ve got a special offer for our listeners.

00:27:02.744 –> 00:27:03.564
Daniel: That we do.

00:27:03.564 –> 00:27:10.884
Daniel: So right now we’ve got 20% off of any LANDR subscription, whether that’s the Studio subscription, which is everything we do or even if you just want distribution.

00:27:10.884 –> 00:27:13.344
Daniel: Distribution you can get for as low as $24 a year.

00:27:13.344 –> 00:27:18.204
Daniel: That’s before that 20% discount and Studio sits at $99 again before the 20%.

00:27:18.744 –> 00:27:22.304
Daniel: So pretty low cost to get in the door and we see what we can do for you and your music.

00:27:22.304 –> 00:27:22.804
John Kennedy: Amazing.

00:27:22.984 –> 00:27:23.604
John Kennedy: Thanks, Daniel.

00:27:23.604 –> 00:27:31.644
John Kennedy: To find out more about LANDR Distribution and Studio, head to landr.com/tapenotes and get 20% off any subscription.

00:27:31.644 –> 00:27:37.964
John Kennedy: That’s landr.com/tapenotes or find the link in any recent episode show notes.

00:27:37.964 –> 00:27:40.024
John Kennedy: Now on with the show.

00:27:40.024 –> 00:27:45.704
John Kennedy: The next song we’re going to look at from the withered album by d4vd is Crashing featuring Kali Uchis.

00:27:45.704 –> 00:27:48.804
John Kennedy: We’ll find out more about it after we hear how it all sounds first.

00:28:47.913 –> 00:28:50.993
John Kennedy: It is Crashing by d4vd from The Wizard Album.

00:28:50.993 –> 00:29:01.373
John Kennedy: And d4vd, so this is kind of fascinating today because we’re kind of finding out your story in a way, because with the evolution of these tracks, things are changing in your life.

00:29:01.373 –> 00:29:11.373
John Kennedy: So having created Romantic Homicide, and originally, the initial idea was create a sad song, potentially to use in one of your YouTube videos.

00:29:11.373 –> 00:29:14.833
John Kennedy: People are getting in touch, people want a bit of the action, they want a part of d4vd now.

00:29:15.273 –> 00:29:19.333
John Kennedy: They’re kind of taking you seriously as a musician and producer.

00:29:19.333 –> 00:29:23.853
John Kennedy: So this is changing presumably what you’re thinking about, what your priorities are.

00:29:23.853 –> 00:29:24.313
d4vd: Yeah.

00:29:24.313 –> 00:29:27.433
John Kennedy: Because the YouTubing, that’s not so important.

00:29:27.513 –> 00:29:28.313
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:29:28.313 –> 00:29:36.473
d4vd: It was kind of crazy to see the dramatic shift because it was at a point where my Fortnite videos were doing better because I was putting my own music in them.

00:29:36.473 –> 00:29:42.373
d4vd: And because my music was royalty free, that allowed other creators to use my music and make money off of it as well.

00:29:42.373 –> 00:29:48.873
d4vd: But then after like a month or two, I started seeing the music do better than the Fortnite videos and people are listening to the songs more than watching the video.

00:29:48.873 –> 00:29:53.053
d4vd: So I was like, man, should I be doing Fortnite or should I be doing music?

00:29:53.053 –> 00:30:01.833
d4vd: So that’s when I moved to TikTok and started promoting myself elsewhere and started really pushing the music farther than the Fortnite content.

00:30:01.833 –> 00:30:02.233
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:30:02.233 –> 00:30:07.333
John Kennedy: And did this tie in with your exploration of the possibilities of BandLab?

00:30:07.333 –> 00:30:15.213
John Kennedy: When you’re thinking about making better music, no, I presume that was one of the things that led you to say, well, what can this app do?

00:30:15.213 –> 00:30:16.133
John Kennedy: What is in it?

00:30:16.133 –> 00:30:17.413
d4vd: I was really trying to push the boundaries.

00:30:17.413 –> 00:30:24.113
d4vd: I mean, even I even sent emails, like before I even was connected to the creator of the app now, I was literally sending them emails.

00:30:24.113 –> 00:30:28.093
d4vd: I was like, can you add this feature and add more tracks and add more plugins?

00:30:28.093 –> 00:30:29.573
d4vd: And I want this and I want that.

00:30:29.573 –> 00:30:30.633
d4vd: And I saw this on Ableton.

00:30:30.633 –> 00:30:30.993
d4vd: Can you add?

00:30:30.993 –> 00:30:35.333
d4vd: Then I was like really pushing the limits of this app like crazily back then.

00:30:35.333 –> 00:30:35.653
John Kennedy: Right.

00:30:35.653 –> 00:30:41.413
John Kennedy: So you actually reached out to the creator and looked at other things to see what was on offer.

00:30:41.413 –> 00:30:44.553
d4vd: I mean, yeah, even when I was, I even looked up like what’s the best Dawes?

00:30:44.553 –> 00:30:48.273
d4vd: And I was taking ideas from those and trying to see if I can get them on BandLab.

00:30:48.273 –> 00:30:49.113
d4vd: Because I didn’t want to switch.

00:30:49.113 –> 00:30:52.653
d4vd: And I still use this to this day because like Crashing, I made this a couple of months ago.

00:30:52.653 –> 00:30:53.933
d4vd: So I’m still using it to this day.

00:30:53.933 –> 00:30:56.433
d4vd: I mean, I’ve been making songs here while I’m in London.

00:30:56.433 –> 00:30:58.353
d4vd: So it’s like in the hotel room, just cooking up.

00:30:58.353 –> 00:31:01.393
d4vd: But yeah, this app is like, I’ll never, never switch from this app.

00:31:01.393 –> 00:31:01.733
John Kennedy: Right.

00:31:01.733 –> 00:31:03.953
John Kennedy: Just because it’s so instant and user friendly.

00:31:03.993 –> 00:31:04.733
d4vd: Exactly.

00:31:04.733 –> 00:31:05.253
d4vd: Exactly.

00:31:05.253 –> 00:31:06.093
d4vd: Ideas on the fly.

00:31:06.093 –> 00:31:09.733
d4vd: Like I’ll be recording snippets and ideas of songs on the car ride over here.

00:31:09.733 –> 00:31:11.953
d4vd: Like it’s that easy to use.

00:31:11.953 –> 00:31:12.393
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:31:12.393 –> 00:31:13.313
John Kennedy: Amazing.

00:31:13.313 –> 00:31:29.333
John Kennedy: But there is a change in the different kinds of people getting involved with you, both labels, but other musicians, producers, you know, your way of working is changing or have you told your sister you’re going to have to put your clothes somewhere else?

00:31:29.333 –> 00:31:49.153
d4vd: I mean, yeah, it’s funny because I started using the studio a little bit more as the years went on and I was here in London in November to create half of the project and I found myself even taking songs from the studio and bringing them back and re-recording them on BandLab just to get that sound back.

00:31:49.153 –> 00:32:02.733
d4vd: Cause sometimes you lose a bit of the imperfections and you lose some of the authenticity from recording on such a perfect setting and such a perfect mic and expensive equipment and you kind of lose that flavor of the songs.

00:32:02.733 –> 00:32:07.253
d4vd: And yeah, I just want to keep it as raw as possible sometimes.

00:32:07.253 –> 00:32:07.653
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:32:07.653 –> 00:32:10.813
John Kennedy: So the mic you’re using is the built-in mic on your iPhone?

00:32:10.813 –> 00:32:13.613
d4vd: Sometimes, no, it’s the Apple earbuds, the Ableton earbuds.

00:32:13.893 –> 00:32:20.253
d4vd: And I also use a Beta 58 sometimes as within a Focusrite interface for background vocals and different leads and stuff.

00:32:20.253 –> 00:32:29.633
d4vd: Because I found out that the mic you use, well personally, the mic I use kind of makes the song, you know?

00:32:29.633 –> 00:32:35.333
d4vd: So if I’m using the Apple earbuds, it’s like a very specific kind of song, maybe some bedroom pop.

00:32:35.333 –> 00:32:37.553
d4vd: If I’m doing like alt stuff, I use the Beta 58.

00:32:37.553 –> 00:32:40.853
d4vd: If I’m doing a more R&B, maybe I’ll use a Neumann on the phone.

00:32:40.853 –> 00:32:44.533
d4vd: But it’s all through BandLab, but it all depends on like what the vibe is for the song.

00:32:44.593 –> 00:32:48.733
John Kennedy: Yeah, this is interesting because you have explored quite a few different styles in a way.

00:32:48.733 –> 00:32:53.653
John Kennedy: Your own particular style has evolved and is continuing to develop.

00:32:53.653 –> 00:33:05.173
John Kennedy: But also there have been other projects that you’ve been able to be part of, like Arcane or Invincible, things where you’re all commissioned to come up with something that is fitting a template or a brief.

00:33:05.173 –> 00:33:09.653
d4vd: It’s so, yeah, I mean, I love doing that because it’s so easy to do.

00:33:09.653 –> 00:33:16.873
d4vd: I feel like when I was coming up in music, like what I was already doing was the soundtracking and I was commissioning myself essentially.

00:33:16.893 –> 00:33:24.233
d4vd: So I love having a template or a rough draft or something to score any visuals I’m looking at.

00:33:24.233 –> 00:33:28.913
d4vd: I love getting inspiration from something that I’m making music for.

00:33:28.913 –> 00:33:36.073
d4vd: I mean, even when I’m making these songs now, like the song I made two days ago in the hotel, I was just watching the boys on Amazon Prime.

00:33:36.073 –> 00:33:42.293
d4vd: I was literally just watching TV shows, watching movies and just like letting what’s on the screen predict the next lyric.

00:33:42.293 –> 00:33:44.293
d4vd: Like I’ll see somebody do something in the action on screen.

00:33:44.293 –> 00:33:45.073
d4vd: That’s the next lyric.

00:33:45.073 –> 00:33:45.673
d4vd: That’s the next line.

00:33:45.673 –> 00:33:46.373
d4vd: Or this is the chorus.

00:33:46.373 –> 00:33:48.153
d4vd: So it is this cool stuff.

00:33:48.153 –> 00:33:48.753
John Kennedy: Amazing.

00:33:48.753 –> 00:33:50.713
John Kennedy: So Crashing is the next song we’re going to look at.

00:33:50.713 –> 00:33:52.553
John Kennedy: Record and written only a few months ago, you say?

00:33:52.553 –> 00:33:53.873
d4vd: Yeah, I’ll walk you through the process.

00:33:53.873 –> 00:34:01.353
d4vd: Basically, after I came back from London, I was in Houston for about two weeks and I was trying to make a song a day for two weeks on BandLab, just by myself in the house.

00:34:01.353 –> 00:34:03.293
d4vd: And I was just playing Call of Duty.

00:34:03.293 –> 00:34:04.813
d4vd: I recorded the entire process too.

00:34:04.813 –> 00:34:06.513
d4vd: We documented the entire thing on camera.

00:34:06.553 –> 00:34:07.733
d4vd: I was playing Call of Duty.

00:34:08.553 –> 00:34:10.873
d4vd: My producer sent me some beats, three beats.

00:34:10.873 –> 00:34:13.213
d4vd: And I was just playing the game, freestyling over them.

00:34:13.213 –> 00:34:15.033
d4vd: And I was trying to find melodies and stuff like that.

00:34:15.033 –> 00:34:16.133
d4vd: And I heard this one.

00:34:16.133 –> 00:34:21.153
d4vd: And the arrangement that got released is different than the one that I recorded because there’s an extended intro in this one.

00:34:21.153 –> 00:34:23.193
d4vd: I’ll play it real quick for context.

00:34:30.583 –> 00:34:34.823
d4vd: So, this intro comes in, and then there’s actually a chorus before the first verse in this version.

00:34:52.963 –> 00:34:54.223
d4vd: And then the first verse comes in.

00:35:10.416 –> 00:35:13.236
d4vd: And that’s the kind of arrangement for the first one.

00:35:13.236 –> 00:35:16.956
d4vd: This is before I thought about having Cali on it as a feature.

00:35:16.956 –> 00:35:18.656
d4vd: This is my original second verse for it too.

00:35:18.656 –> 00:35:19.936
d4vd: I’ll play this.

00:35:21.156 –> 00:35:22.456
d4vd: Oh, nope, that’s Cali’s version.

00:35:22.456 –> 00:35:24.756
d4vd: Oh, that’s Cali’s version.

00:35:24.756 –> 00:35:25.556
d4vd: Hold on, where’s mine?

00:35:48.779 –> 00:36:00.019
d4vd: But it always sounds like when there’s stuff like that, that’s like really low effort, you can tell I’m not even like trying on them, when it feels like there’s something missing in terms of like, just like flavor and elevating it and taking the song to the next level.

00:36:00.019 –> 00:36:03.979
d4vd: So I reached out to Kelly, I was like, yo, I have this open verse for you if you want to try anything on it.

00:36:03.979 –> 00:36:07.759
d4vd: She instantly fell in love with the song, and she sent the verse back the next day.

00:36:07.819 –> 00:36:16.899
d4vd: Like she works so fast, and I put it in BandLab just to see how it sounded with like my own presets and plugins and stuff like that, and it sounded so good.

00:36:16.899 –> 00:36:19.159
d4vd: And the rest is basically history with that one.

00:36:19.159 –> 00:36:20.699
d4vd: It’s basically from the closet.

00:36:20.699 –> 00:36:22.419
d4vd: Then it’s to her and then she records it.

00:36:22.419 –> 00:36:28.939
d4vd: And then this is the first time I think I’ve put a major artist on a YouTube beat.

00:36:28.939 –> 00:36:30.099
d4vd: That’s crazy.

00:36:30.099 –> 00:36:32.259
d4vd: Like that’s the power of BandLab too.

00:36:32.259 –> 00:36:36.499
d4vd: It’s like you never know what can happen with these producers and people that you connect with online.

00:36:37.519 –> 00:36:38.779
John Kennedy: How did you connect with Carly?

00:36:38.779 –> 00:36:39.799
John Kennedy: Had somebody introduced you?

00:36:40.119 –> 00:36:42.459
d4vd: She actually co-signed me a long time ago.

00:36:42.459 –> 00:36:44.879
d4vd: She was singing Here With Me Online in like 2022.

00:36:44.879 –> 00:36:49.779
d4vd: And she’s been a fan of the music, like just mysteriously in the background for many, many years.

00:36:49.779 –> 00:36:52.839
d4vd: She’s been one of my favorite artists for a very long time.

00:36:52.839 –> 00:36:55.459
d4vd: And my A&R actually connected us, Matt Morris.

00:36:55.459 –> 00:36:55.879
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:36:55.879 –> 00:36:59.399
d4vd: And we got in the studio a couple of weeks before I went to London.

00:36:59.399 –> 00:37:03.999
d4vd: We tried doing some melodies in the studio together just to see how the vibes were.

00:37:04.019 –> 00:37:08.499
d4vd: You know, when you first meet somebody and you meet an artist and you’re trying to feel like a few of the vibes of how they work.

00:37:08.499 –> 00:37:10.119
d4vd: And we got some cool melodies out of that.

00:37:10.119 –> 00:37:13.379
d4vd: And then that was like the foundation of our working history.

00:37:13.379 –> 00:37:15.039
d4vd: And then this song was the second step.

00:37:15.039 –> 00:37:15.419
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:37:15.419 –> 00:37:15.639
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:37:15.639 –> 00:37:17.119
John Kennedy: So you had that little relationship going on.

00:37:17.119 –> 00:37:18.499
John Kennedy: You’re able to just chuck something over.

00:37:18.519 –> 00:37:19.019
d4vd: Exactly.

00:37:19.239 –> 00:37:20.159
John Kennedy: And see what she thought.

00:37:20.159 –> 00:37:27.839
John Kennedy: So and then you took what she sent you back and put it through your presets to create the d4vd sound in effect.

00:37:27.839 –> 00:37:34.259
John Kennedy: And what we’re looking at and hearing, you know, this is the door that ends up on the final record.

00:37:34.259 –> 00:37:35.179
d4vd: Yeah, literally.

00:37:35.899 –> 00:37:37.419
d4vd: It’s like the coolest thing.

00:37:37.419 –> 00:37:40.419
John Kennedy: And yeah, I’ll ask this after we’ve heard a bit of the vocals.

00:37:40.419 –> 00:37:41.879
John Kennedy: Can you solo her vocals at all?

00:37:41.879 –> 00:37:42.539
d4vd: I got you.

00:37:42.539 –> 00:37:44.719
d4vd: And I named this preset after too.

00:37:44.719 –> 00:37:46.759
d4vd: It’s this Kylie Lee vocal preset.

00:37:46.759 –> 00:37:49.919
d4vd: So whenever I’m recording any bedroom pop, I’ll use the Kylie vocal preset.

00:38:18.022 –> 00:38:19.482
John Kennedy: What is in the preset, then?

00:38:19.622 –> 00:38:21.002
d4vd: What things are you doing?

00:38:21.002 –> 00:38:22.822
d4vd: I’m gonna show you.

00:38:22.822 –> 00:38:24.322
d4vd: So I got the Graphic EQ.

00:38:24.322 –> 00:38:25.562
d4vd: All BandLab users know this one.

00:38:25.562 –> 00:38:28.882
d4vd: This is like the most used EQ of all time in BandLab.

00:38:28.882 –> 00:38:39.202
d4vd: Plus 8 dB on 100 hertz, minus 2 dB on 200 hertz, minus 6 dB on 400 hertz, 800 hertz is minus 0.9, and just like all the technical stuff.

00:38:39.202 –> 00:38:43.842
d4vd: And then I up the levels a bunch just to get her vocals to be on the level with the track.

00:38:43.922 –> 00:38:45.242
d4vd: A simple D delay again.

00:38:45.262 –> 00:38:49.082
d4vd: It’s like 33 milliseconds of delay on that.

00:38:49.082 –> 00:38:55.862
d4vd: And then the EQ, I got a lot of high end on it because her vocals were really low end heavy when they came in.

00:38:55.862 –> 00:39:02.382
d4vd: And then another compressor on top of that, TechLab, and then just a regular reverb that comes in BandLab.

00:39:02.382 –> 00:39:08.502
d4vd: And another chorus on top of it to give it that kind of, what’s the word I’m looking for?

00:39:08.502 –> 00:39:13.482
d4vd: Like that super, it’s like a ghostly sound.

00:39:14.022 –> 00:39:15.222
d4vd: That I use on a lot of my vocals.

00:39:15.222 –> 00:39:15.822
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:39:15.822 –> 00:39:18.582
John Kennedy: Do you have the vocal that she sent you?

00:39:18.722 –> 00:39:19.562
d4vd: The raw one?

00:39:19.562 –> 00:39:20.362
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:39:20.362 –> 00:39:22.182
d4vd: I don’t, let me see.

00:39:24.002 –> 00:39:25.702
d4vd: That already had reverb on it when it came in, yeah.

00:39:25.702 –> 00:39:27.582
Daniel: Yeah.

00:39:27.622 –> 00:39:29.542
d4vd: But it’s just like super dry.

00:39:29.562 –> 00:39:31.602
d4vd: It’s some bass degree reverb on it.

00:39:39.722 –> 00:39:44.082
d4vd: And then the difference between that and the one I added.

00:39:46.642 –> 00:39:47.602
d4vd: Hear the difference between that?

00:39:48.302 –> 00:39:50.262
d4vd: Just elevates it a little bit more.

00:39:53.782 –> 00:39:55.302
d4vd: And then back to the raw.

00:40:05.242 –> 00:40:08.862
John Kennedy: And going back to the track itself, we just have a bit more of that.

00:40:31.365 –> 00:40:34.425
John Kennedy: So, I mean, there’s a real precision to how you set your presets.

00:40:34.425 –> 00:40:34.945
d4vd: Yeah.

00:40:34.945 –> 00:40:38.905
John Kennedy: No, how long did it take you to realize what you were doing?

00:40:38.905 –> 00:40:39.705
John Kennedy: And-

00:40:39.705 –> 00:40:40.465
d4vd: A long time.

00:40:40.465 –> 00:40:47.545
d4vd: I mean, in the span between releasing my first song, Runaway, and then releasing my second song, You and I, was four weeks.

00:40:47.545 –> 00:40:59.785
d4vd: So I spent like maybe five or six hours a day for four weeks figuring out what EQ was, and looking up YouTube tutorials, and figuring out like what in the world music was, and just figuring out how to use that in BandLab.

00:40:59.785 –> 00:41:13.445
d4vd: So I just figure out what EQ is, what a compressor is, what delay is, what reverb is, and how to use that, and what is the difference between a reverb on FO Studios, between Ableton, and different plugins, and how there’s not those plugins on BandLab.

00:41:13.445 –> 00:41:21.085
d4vd: So I got to kind of copy the plugins that aren’t available on BandLab, and are available elsewhere, and kind of replicating that in BandLab.

00:41:21.185 –> 00:41:30.045
d4vd: So everything that is popular in the major DAWs, I’d have to replicate that by myself from scratch in BandLab.

00:41:30.045 –> 00:41:30.545
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:41:30.545 –> 00:41:34.445
John Kennedy: So you kind of gave yourself a crash course in studio production.

00:41:34.445 –> 00:41:35.465
d4vd: Essentially, yeah.

00:41:35.465 –> 00:41:36.525
d4vd: Like engineering.

00:41:36.525 –> 00:41:38.005
d4vd: Engineering 101.

00:41:38.005 –> 00:41:38.765
John Kennedy: Amazing.

00:41:38.765 –> 00:41:46.905
John Kennedy: But clearly motivated and clearly driven, because you were thinking, you enjoy this, I’m enjoying this, and I want to make it better.

00:41:46.905 –> 00:41:53.525
John Kennedy: I want to be able to use this tool that I’ve stumbled upon that I really like using, that it works for me.

00:41:53.525 –> 00:41:55.765
John Kennedy: But also bring in these other things.

00:41:55.765 –> 00:42:01.225
John Kennedy: So how did you attempt to say, like, get to know Ableton or get to know-

00:42:01.245 –> 00:42:01.905
d4vd: I didn’t.

00:42:01.905 –> 00:42:03.445
d4vd: I mean, like I never even downloaded it.

00:42:03.745 –> 00:42:04.505
d4vd: I never touched it.

00:42:04.505 –> 00:42:11.245
d4vd: It was just like, I’d Google it or go on YouTube and watch other people do it and be like, okay, that sounds cool.

00:42:11.245 –> 00:42:12.265
d4vd: That’s my turn.

00:42:12.265 –> 00:42:17.065
d4vd: And then doing what people said was impossible to do on BandLab, and I just did it on BandLab.

00:42:17.065 –> 00:42:19.485
d4vd: I was like, yeah, I’ve been using this for so many years.

00:42:19.605 –> 00:42:22.265
d4vd: It’s almost trial and error at this point.

00:42:22.265 –> 00:42:37.045
d4vd: I’m even finding new ways to make presets now for alternative music, because every single genre, I have to relearn it, because there’s different ways to kind of make it sound as authentic as possible and stay true to the genre itself.

00:42:37.045 –> 00:42:43.505
d4vd: So I started making a couple of rock songs, and I was listening to a lot of Def Tones and Nirvana, and I was like, how do I sound like Kurt Cobain on BandLab?

00:42:43.505 –> 00:42:45.405
d4vd: How do I sound like Chena Moreno on BandLab?

00:42:45.405 –> 00:42:52.565
d4vd: Most people can just be like, on FO Studio, they can import a vocal chain onto their thing, but I had to do it from scratch on BandLab.

00:42:52.565 –> 00:42:58.445
d4vd: So I got to listen to these songs and kind of mimic each and every individual plugin.

00:42:58.445 –> 00:42:59.465
d4vd: It’s a fun process though.

00:42:59.825 –> 00:43:00.825
d4vd: It’s not taxing at all.

00:43:01.145 –> 00:43:01.625
d4vd: It’s so fun.

00:43:01.625 –> 00:43:05.045
John Kennedy: It’s something you find interesting and stimulating and challenging.

00:43:05.045 –> 00:43:05.405
d4vd: Literally.

00:43:05.405 –> 00:43:14.625
John Kennedy: But also it’s like your mind is switching into some kind of EQ zone, where you’re listening to something and thinking, hmm, that’s a kind of certain kind of EQ.

00:43:14.625 –> 00:43:18.625
John Kennedy: Maybe if I do it in this little section, I could maybe replicate that.

00:43:18.625 –> 00:43:19.685
d4vd: Exactly.

00:43:19.685 –> 00:43:23.925
John Kennedy: But going back to Crashing, that musical, the guitar, etc.

00:43:23.925 –> 00:43:25.285
John Kennedy: Where has that all come from this time?

00:43:25.285 –> 00:43:26.305
d4vd: My producer, Velvet.

00:43:26.305 –> 00:43:26.605
John Kennedy: Right.

00:43:27.305 –> 00:43:30.925
John Kennedy: So you worked on that together at the same time?

00:43:30.925 –> 00:43:31.505
d4vd: Not even.

00:43:31.905 –> 00:43:35.585
d4vd: He basically prepares things for me because he knows how fast I work.

00:43:35.585 –> 00:43:38.765
d4vd: So he prepares these beats for me and I just cut it in one day.

00:43:38.765 –> 00:43:39.445
John Kennedy: Right.

00:43:39.445 –> 00:43:41.585
John Kennedy: How much of a beat will he give you?

00:43:41.585 –> 00:43:42.725
John Kennedy: How long will that?

00:43:42.725 –> 00:43:43.165
d4vd: It depends.

00:43:43.165 –> 00:43:48.885
d4vd: Sometimes it’ll be like 20 seconds just to see if I like it, if he wants to finish it and sometimes it’ll be like full 2 minutes 50 seconds.

00:43:48.885 –> 00:43:57.085
d4vd: So this one that he sent for Crashing is originally, it was originally 4 minutes 20.

00:43:57.085 –> 00:43:57.545
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:43:57.545 –> 00:44:02.665
d4vd: And I cut it down, took the intro out, took the first chorus out and it ended up being 3 minutes and 50 at the end.

00:44:02.665 –> 00:44:03.045
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:44:03.345 –> 00:44:05.265
John Kennedy: And so he’s coming up with that guitar line.

00:44:05.265 –> 00:44:06.325
John Kennedy: He’s playing that guitar line?

00:44:06.745 –> 00:44:07.245
d4vd: All live.

00:44:07.245 –> 00:44:07.465
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:44:07.465 –> 00:44:08.145
John Kennedy: All live.

00:44:08.145 –> 00:44:08.365
John Kennedy: Right.

00:44:08.365 –> 00:44:11.925
John Kennedy: And just recording it and then saying, right, I’m going to send it over to d4vd, see what he thinks.

00:44:11.925 –> 00:44:12.745
John Kennedy: Yep.

00:44:12.745 –> 00:44:14.765
John Kennedy: And then are you chopping up that?

00:44:15.265 –> 00:44:18.365
John Kennedy: I mean, I know you made it shorter, but do you rearrange things?

00:44:18.365 –> 00:44:21.265
d4vd: Yeah, I do a lot of the arrangement myself, because sometimes the stubby sense is kind of messy.

00:44:21.265 –> 00:44:23.705
d4vd: I’m sorry about it, but the earbeats are kind of messy sometimes.

00:44:23.705 –> 00:44:25.265
d4vd: And I’ll use another song for reference.

00:44:25.265 –> 00:44:27.205
d4vd: I did a song called Where Did It Go Wrong?

00:44:27.705 –> 00:44:30.265
d4vd: It was the first single project.

00:44:30.265 –> 00:44:35.525
d4vd: And there’s an outro part that I started rapping on.

00:44:35.525 –> 00:44:37.445
d4vd: And the original instruments didn’t have that.

00:44:37.445 –> 00:44:40.625
d4vd: It was just like the guitar ends at the final chorus.

00:44:40.625 –> 00:44:56.165
d4vd: So I took the chorus and then I removed the drums and then I basically got the stems from them, took the drums out, and added another guitar on top of that, doubled the guitar with one of the presets I have that’s a vocal doubler.

00:44:56.165 –> 00:45:05.805
d4vd: And I put that on the guitar line and I was able to kind of craft this Frank Ocean-y sounding outro that cuts in, that wasn’t originally there.

00:45:07.765 –> 00:45:08.425
d4vd: You saw all of that.

00:45:15.725 –> 00:45:22.605
d4vd: So this is all just me just messing around and figuring out what I like and what I don’t like, and I’m able to remove things, add things as I please.

00:45:22.605 –> 00:45:23.785
John Kennedy: Yeah, really interesting.

00:45:23.785 –> 00:45:26.425
John Kennedy: And try different styles of vocalizing.

00:45:26.425 –> 00:45:27.085
d4vd: Exactly.

00:45:27.085 –> 00:45:31.765
John Kennedy: No, switching it up, thinking, well, maybe, I like that sound of a bit of rapping, I can do that.

00:45:31.765 –> 00:45:32.945
d4vd: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:45:32.945 –> 00:45:38.425
d4vd: So I think out of the box, I don’t like to be confined by specific things.

00:45:38.425 –> 00:45:42.185
d4vd: People think that, oh, you got a YouTube beat, like, the beat is the song at the end.

00:45:42.185 –> 00:45:46.245
d4vd: No, like, reach out to the producer, get the stems, and it becomes a collaboration.

00:45:46.245 –> 00:45:47.685
d4vd: Like, I collaborate with these producers.

00:45:47.685 –> 00:45:50.665
d4vd: I don’t have them just make me something, and that’s the final thing.

00:45:50.665 –> 00:45:56.105
d4vd: We’re always working on it, always expanding, always adding and removing things and making the song as gay as it can be.

00:45:56.105 –> 00:45:56.785
John Kennedy: Yeah, yeah.

00:45:56.785 –> 00:46:00.965
John Kennedy: And do you think, because ultimately this is quite do it yourself.

00:46:00.965 –> 00:46:03.945
John Kennedy: No, you don’t know any rappers, I’ll do some rapping.

00:46:03.945 –> 00:46:06.065
John Kennedy: It’s not like you set out, I’m going to do it.

00:46:06.245 –> 00:46:08.045
John Kennedy: I don’t know any singers, I’m going to do the singing.

00:46:08.485 –> 00:46:10.045
John Kennedy: Do you think that’s linked in with the homeschooling?

00:46:10.045 –> 00:46:16.725
John Kennedy: Do you think, you know, being there, homeschooled, kind of in effect, doing it yourself, that’s the approach you’ve brought to this?

00:46:16.725 –> 00:46:17.845
d4vd: Honestly, yeah.

00:46:17.845 –> 00:46:24.565
d4vd: I mean, homeschooling has probably been one of the best life lessons of all time for just self-sufficiency.

00:46:24.565 –> 00:46:29.705
d4vd: Like when I was learning BandLab, it was like, I had a set out to do that myself completely.

00:46:29.705 –> 00:46:32.705
d4vd: I started learning how to code by myself.

00:46:32.705 –> 00:46:42.705
d4vd: Like when I was in the early stages of homeschooling, I had to do two electives for my college credits because when you’re homeschooled, you have to kind of just build credits to be able to graduate.

00:46:42.705 –> 00:46:46.505
d4vd: So I learned how to code C++ and Java for like two years.

00:46:46.505 –> 00:46:49.965
d4vd: I was making like little mini games and I was credited towards my graduation.

00:46:49.965 –> 00:46:53.185
d4vd: I learned how to build computers, which is also credited to my graduation.

00:46:53.185 –> 00:46:57.365
d4vd: So all my gaming PCs, I play games and I build those myself and stuff like that.

00:46:57.365 –> 00:47:00.065
d4vd: Like I just love doing things and figuring things out on the fly.

00:47:00.065 –> 00:47:00.545
John Kennedy: Right.

00:47:00.545 –> 00:47:03.485
John Kennedy: So you’re amassing a whole set of different types of skills.

00:47:03.805 –> 00:47:05.045
John Kennedy: And who’s supervising that?

00:47:05.045 –> 00:47:05.705
d4vd: My mom.

00:47:05.705 –> 00:47:05.885
John Kennedy: Right.

00:47:05.885 –> 00:47:07.485
John Kennedy: And how does she know all that stuff?

00:47:07.485 –> 00:47:08.645
d4vd: I mean, she doesn’t.

00:47:08.645 –> 00:47:11.425
d4vd: The thing is with being homeschooled is it’s so lenient.

00:47:11.425 –> 00:47:19.745
d4vd: Like we had me and my brother and now my sister, we use this program called Time for Learning, which it basically creates a curriculum for you.

00:47:19.745 –> 00:47:23.065
d4vd: And all my mother has to do is just check in once a week.

00:47:23.065 –> 00:47:24.485
d4vd: She doesn’t have to teach me anything.

00:47:24.485 –> 00:47:25.785
d4vd: So she’s the teacher.

00:47:25.785 –> 00:47:27.425
d4vd: Maybe she’s the principal of the homeschool.

00:47:27.425 –> 00:47:30.445
d4vd: She’s not really the teacher, but we just learned everything online.

00:47:30.445 –> 00:47:32.105
d4vd: So that’s how we were able to just like learn whatever.

00:47:32.105 –> 00:47:33.165
d4vd: And we make our own hours too.

00:47:33.245 –> 00:47:34.325
d4vd: So I could wake up at 12 p.m.

00:47:34.325 –> 00:47:34.745
d4vd: and do my work.

00:47:34.745 –> 00:47:35.625
d4vd: I wake up at 9 p.m.

00:47:35.625 –> 00:47:36.385
d4vd: and do my work.

00:47:36.385 –> 00:47:41.365
d4vd: As long as I get something done before Saturday, which is the allocated time throughout the week, it’s fine.

00:47:41.365 –> 00:47:42.285
d4vd: So I had time to do music.

00:47:42.285 –> 00:47:43.165
d4vd: I had time to do gaming.

00:47:43.165 –> 00:47:46.205
d4vd: I had time to do montages and learn how to code and build computers.

00:47:46.205 –> 00:47:47.225
d4vd: I had time to do everything.

00:47:47.225 –> 00:47:47.985
d4vd: It was crazy.

00:47:47.985 –> 00:47:48.545
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:47:48.545 –> 00:47:49.205
John Kennedy: Amazing.

00:47:49.205 –> 00:47:49.945
John Kennedy: Amazing.

00:47:49.945 –> 00:47:50.345
John Kennedy: Right.

00:47:50.345 –> 00:47:51.645
John Kennedy: We’ve got another song to look at.

00:47:51.645 –> 00:47:53.265
John Kennedy: We’re going to take a quick break.

00:47:53.265 –> 00:47:56.625
John Kennedy: And then the next one we’re going to look at is You Left Me First.

00:47:58.745 –> 00:48:04.105
John Kennedy: This episode is supported by the brand new Songwriting Masters Programme at Trinity Laban, London.

00:48:04.105 –> 00:48:09.725
John Kennedy: As a world renowned conservatoire, Trinity Laban offers exceptional education and training in the arts.

00:48:09.725 –> 00:48:20.165
John Kennedy: And this September, you can join their world leading experts and industry professionals for their Masters in Songwriting, designed to give you the knowledge to build a lasting and successful career in the industry.

00:48:20.165 –> 00:48:28.725
John Kennedy: And very excitingly, I’ve got Dr Tony Briscoe, music production pathway leader at Trinity Laban here to tell us a little bit more about it.

00:48:28.725 –> 00:48:29.405
John Kennedy: Hi, Tony.

00:48:29.405 –> 00:48:30.445
John Kennedy: Thanks for speaking to us.

00:48:30.845 –> 00:48:32.905
John Kennedy: Can you tell us more about this course?

00:48:32.905 –> 00:48:33.405
Tony: Hi, John.

00:48:33.405 –> 00:48:34.485
Tony: It’s great to be here.

00:48:34.485 –> 00:48:47.405
Tony: So this year, we’re offering a brand new course at Trinity Laban, an MA in Songwriting, and it will really offer people who are interested in Songwriting an opportunity to really advance their skills in there.

00:48:47.405 –> 00:48:54.545
Tony: So it’s a blend between academic and practical learning, which will help students really kind of refine their artistic identity.

00:48:54.545 –> 00:49:09.045
Tony: But it also has a multifaceted set of modules covering musicianship, lyrical craft, music production, music industry insights, and really get into the various aspects of what it takes to be an advanced songwriter in this industry.

00:49:09.045 –> 00:49:10.105
John Kennedy: It sounds great, Tony.

00:49:10.105 –> 00:49:14.245
John Kennedy: What is the one most important element that this course offers, do you think?

00:49:14.245 –> 00:49:17.345
Tony: Yeah, so I would say definitely it’s the collaboration.

00:49:17.345 –> 00:49:32.405
Tony: So there’s the online component where you’ll be sharing ideas, but there is also a writing camp, which is kind of modeled off the industry standard kind of writing camps, where all the students will get to Trinity Laban in London in Greenwich.

00:49:32.405 –> 00:49:39.925
Tony: They will be in the studio working together collaboratively to create a song from scratch to a professional standard at the end.

00:49:39.925 –> 00:49:41.925
John Kennedy: At the end of the year, what do you leave with?

00:49:41.925 –> 00:49:44.425
Tony: So you’ll leave with an industry-ready portfolio.

00:49:44.425 –> 00:49:49.285
Tony: You’ll gain a lot of one-to-one mentorship, which will take your raw craft to that next level.

00:49:49.285 –> 00:49:52.305
Tony: Also, those industry connection part is super important.

00:49:52.425 –> 00:50:03.325
Tony: So you’ll gain those connections through things like master classes, network events and also, of course, that songwriting camp, which will provide you a direct access to the industry professionals.

00:50:03.325 –> 00:50:04.125
John Kennedy: Thanks, Tony.

00:50:04.125 –> 00:50:08.985
John Kennedy: That’s Trinity Laban’s MA in Songwriting, now taking applications to begin this September.

00:50:08.985 –> 00:50:13.925
John Kennedy: To find out more, head to the link in a recent episode Show Notes or visit trinitylaban.ac.uk.

00:50:15.185 –> 00:50:19.625
John Kennedy: That’s trinity, L-A-B-A-N dot A-C dot U-K.

00:50:22.365 –> 00:50:26.985
John Kennedy: This episode is being supported by Tape It, the iPhone recording app for musicians.

00:50:26.985 –> 00:50:37.445
John Kennedy: As many of the fantastic artists and producers on Tape Notes have mentioned, recording voice memos, field recordings and capturing ideas on the go is crucial to the creative process and Tape It makes it effortless.

00:50:37.445 –> 00:50:48.385
John Kennedy: With Tape It, you can record straight from your lock screen, capture ideas in stereo, choose between multiple recording formats, drop markers to highlight key moments and create shared mixtapes with friends and collaborators.

00:50:48.945 –> 00:50:50.705
John Kennedy: You can even view your recordings on a map.

00:50:50.705 –> 00:50:56.105
John Kennedy: Whether it’s a quick melody or a full song idea, Tape It helps you stay creative without the clutter.

00:50:56.105 –> 00:51:02.985
John Kennedy: So click the link in a recent episode Show Notes, or head to tape.it forward slash Tape Notes to download Tape It for free.

00:51:02.985 –> 00:51:08.505
John Kennedy: And for even more, check out Tape It Pro and use promo code Tape Notes for 20% off.

00:51:08.505 –> 00:51:10.945
John Kennedy: That’s tape.it forward slash Tape Notes.

00:51:10.945 –> 00:51:12.025
John Kennedy: Now on with the show.

00:51:15.285 –> 00:51:19.205
John Kennedy: The next one we’re going to look at from d4vd’s withered album is You Left Me First.

00:51:19.205 –> 00:51:21.145
John Kennedy: I think d4vd, you’re going to play us a Blast of the Master.

00:51:21.185 –> 00:51:21.365
John Kennedy: Yep.

00:51:21.685 –> 00:51:21.825
d4vd: Yep.

00:51:22.365 –> 00:51:22.805
d4vd: That’s it.

00:52:45.535 –> 00:52:48.795
John Kennedy: It is d4vd with You Left Me First from The Withered Album.

00:52:48.795 –> 00:52:50.515
John Kennedy: And how did this one start then, d4vd?

00:52:50.515 –> 00:53:01.115
d4vd: This one started, well, let me find the files, because sometimes I name these songs different names when I’m recording them, and then I change the name after the fact of it being exported.

00:53:01.115 –> 00:53:04.635
d4vd: So let me just find this file real quick.

00:53:04.635 –> 00:53:09.075
d4vd: At first it was called Why Do I Try, which is the first line of the chorus, and then we changed it to You Left Me First.

00:53:10.075 –> 00:53:12.775
d4vd: This one started, I made this right after I made Crashing, actually.

00:53:12.775 –> 00:53:13.235
d4vd: That’s crazy.

00:53:13.235 –> 00:53:16.075
d4vd: A day after I made Crashing, I made this song.

00:53:16.075 –> 00:53:18.195
d4vd: My producer Tyler Spry, he sent this to me.

00:53:18.195 –> 00:53:20.055
d4vd: We do a lot of work together with Ryan Tutter.

00:53:20.055 –> 00:53:29.875
d4vd: I met him through Ryan in 2023 and 2024, me and Ryan and Tutter, me, Ryan and Tyler, excuse me, did a lot of songs together for like sync and TV and stuff like that.

00:53:29.875 –> 00:53:35.015
d4vd: And me and Ryan secured the song with 21 Savage for Call of Duty, the Call of Duty soundtrack.

00:53:35.575 –> 00:53:35.835
d4vd: And Tyler-

00:53:35.835 –> 00:53:37.515
John Kennedy: And where are you doing that?

00:53:37.515 –> 00:53:40.415
d4vd: We did those in LA at Ryan Studio.

00:53:40.415 –> 00:53:43.435
d4vd: And then this one I did in Houston by myself again.

00:53:43.435 –> 00:53:46.055
d4vd: So Tyler just sends me beats on the fly sometimes when he makes them.

00:53:46.955 –> 00:53:49.935
John Kennedy: So when he’s sending you a beat, it’s kind of recently formed.

00:53:49.935 –> 00:53:50.895
John Kennedy: It’s not just the beat.

00:53:50.895 –> 00:53:51.535
John Kennedy: There’s the guitar.

00:53:51.535 –> 00:53:52.335
d4vd: Oh yeah, Tyler.

00:53:52.575 –> 00:53:59.315
d4vd: So when I go to Velvet, I’m going for like things I can mess around with and things that I can like always rearrange and things like that.

00:53:59.315 –> 00:54:02.375
d4vd: But Tyler is like so like fundamentally and traditionally trained.

00:54:02.895 –> 00:54:07.295
d4vd: He always sends like the perfect structure because he’s just like a hit maker period.

00:54:07.295 –> 00:54:13.395
d4vd: So he sends the beat as is and it’s always perfect.

00:54:14.875 –> 00:54:15.995
d4vd: So he’s always structured out.

00:54:15.995 –> 00:54:20.295
d4vd: He structures it out with the intro and then the first verse and then the chorus and then a bridge.

00:54:20.455 –> 00:54:22.735
d4vd: And then the outro is like his main structure.

00:54:22.735 –> 00:54:24.135
John Kennedy: So he’s thought that all through.

00:54:24.395 –> 00:54:25.715
John Kennedy: You could well change all that.

00:54:25.715 –> 00:54:26.055
d4vd: I could.

00:54:26.055 –> 00:54:26.715
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:54:26.715 –> 00:54:27.855
d4vd: But it’s usually so perfect.

00:54:27.855 –> 00:54:29.435
d4vd: I don’t ever have to.

00:54:29.435 –> 00:54:35.975
John Kennedy: Because it’s interesting because your music seems to bring together lots of different genres in a kind of fresh kind of way.

00:54:35.975 –> 00:54:38.175
John Kennedy: So there are and there are eras.

00:54:38.495 –> 00:54:44.015
John Kennedy: It goes back through decades because there’s almost like a do-wop aspect to what you do.

00:54:44.015 –> 00:54:47.415
John Kennedy: Especially if the way that you’re laying these vocals on your own.

00:54:47.415 –> 00:54:47.835
d4vd: Yeah.

00:54:47.835 –> 00:54:48.255
John Kennedy: No.

00:54:48.255 –> 00:54:50.115
John Kennedy: But so there’s that side to it.

00:54:50.115 –> 00:54:57.575
John Kennedy: There are bits that sound like shoegaze or dream pop or, but it could also has a rock and roll thing going on.

00:54:57.575 –> 00:55:02.335
John Kennedy: Maybe even a little country tad there sometimes with the guitars.

00:55:02.335 –> 00:55:06.915
John Kennedy: As you were saying, you have done some more upbeat things, some raw rock numbers.

00:55:07.415 –> 00:55:14.935
John Kennedy: It’s interesting because it seems to me, maybe I’m wrong, but your musical knowledge is taken from your other interests.

00:55:14.935 –> 00:55:17.955
John Kennedy: Your interest in movies and in games and TV.

00:55:17.955 –> 00:55:20.695
John Kennedy: So it’s like you’re soaking up all that knowledge.

00:55:20.695 –> 00:55:23.255
John Kennedy: Then you work out, oh, that’s from there, is it?

00:55:23.255 –> 00:55:25.895
John Kennedy: In order to get to the essence of it and work out, how can I do that?

00:55:25.895 –> 00:55:26.435
d4vd: Yeah.

00:55:26.435 –> 00:55:29.035
John Kennedy: Then you learn about deftones or whatever.

00:55:29.035 –> 00:55:29.855
d4vd: Because I’m a sponge.

00:55:29.855 –> 00:55:31.735
d4vd: Like I’m an information sponge.

00:55:31.735 –> 00:55:34.275
d4vd: So everything I see, I want to do myself.

00:55:34.275 –> 00:55:35.135
d4vd: Like everything I see.

00:55:35.135 –> 00:55:41.275
d4vd: If I’m looking at like these keyboards in here too, like how do I get a MIDI in BandLab and figure out how to use the keys on BandLab?

00:55:41.275 –> 00:55:42.615
d4vd: Like I’ve done that too.

00:55:42.615 –> 00:55:47.595
d4vd: Sometimes I made a song a few months ago where it needed drums.

00:55:47.595 –> 00:55:56.675
d4vd: So I basically just took the phone mic and started banging on the walls for the drums and I started like just clapping for like snaps and stuff like that.

00:55:56.675 –> 00:55:58.675
d4vd: Like I’m really intricate like that sometimes.

00:55:58.955 –> 00:55:59.695
d4vd: I want to get better.

00:55:59.695 –> 00:56:04.675
d4vd: Like there’s always something else to learn and more instruments to be to master and things like that.

00:56:04.675 –> 00:56:05.915
d4vd: But I’m going to get there eventually.

00:56:05.915 –> 00:56:07.115
d4vd: But I’m just taking my time with it right now.

00:56:07.115 –> 00:56:08.795
d4vd: I’m just really going, taking my time with it.

00:56:08.795 –> 00:56:09.155
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:56:09.155 –> 00:56:09.455
John Kennedy: Yeah.

00:56:09.655 –> 00:56:17.935
John Kennedy: And the whole goal is to realize the idea, whatever you’ve got in your head, the sound that you’re searching for, the emotion that you’re trying to tap into.

00:56:17.935 –> 00:56:21.195
John Kennedy: And as time has gone on, you’ve been spending a few years doing this now.

00:56:21.815 –> 00:56:27.335
John Kennedy: Are you using songs to express other things that are going on in your life, maybe?

00:56:27.335 –> 00:56:27.835
d4vd: Absolutely.

00:56:27.835 –> 00:56:28.015
d4vd: Yeah.

00:56:28.015 –> 00:56:29.695
John Kennedy: So is this an example of that?

00:56:29.695 –> 00:56:30.795
d4vd: This is, too.

00:56:30.795 –> 00:56:38.935
d4vd: I mean, I feel like with this project, with the first album, it’s so much different and so much more vulnerable than anything I’ve ever released.

00:56:38.935 –> 00:56:41.915
d4vd: Because when I was homeschooled, I made Petals to Thorns the first EP.

00:56:41.915 –> 00:56:47.335
d4vd: I was living vicariously through these characters I’m watching on TV or people I’m meeting on Fortnite and things like that, you know.

00:56:47.335 –> 00:57:05.955
d4vd: So to be able to step back from that and go on tour for the first time and travel the world for the first time and get in relationships for the first time and things like that, things that I hadn’t had the chance to do in my teenage years because I was just inside all the time, this project being purely about myself and my own experiences is the most beautiful thing ever because I haven’t done that before.

00:57:05.955 –> 00:57:10.295
d4vd: I think the fans are going to resonate with that even more as well because they haven’t heard this side of the music before.

00:57:10.295 –> 00:57:15.055
d4vd: It’s always been like, oh, it’s like basic sad music and it gets billions of streams.

00:57:15.055 –> 00:57:22.595
d4vd: But now I wonder how the music that actually comes straight from the heart is going to resonate with the fans too, so I’m just excited.

00:57:22.595 –> 00:57:25.695
John Kennedy: Having been on tour, what’s the setup when you play live?

00:57:25.815 –> 00:57:31.215
d4vd: The setup, I have a drummer, a drummer Devin and my guitarist Mike for right now and me.

00:57:32.055 –> 00:57:36.275
d4vd: We have a bunch of different live enhanced versions of these songs that we play live.

00:57:36.275 –> 00:57:42.615
d4vd: So we take the master and we go on and we overproduce it, I call it for live.

00:57:42.615 –> 00:57:48.755
d4vd: We came up with the live version of Romantic Homicide from that, and it’s been the most viral thing of all time.

00:57:48.835 –> 00:58:00.195
d4vd: I remember I was on Scissor Tour and we played it for the first time on the Scissor stage, and there’s this note at the end where I belt crazy the chorus, and it went viral, 13 million views every time we posted.

00:58:00.195 –> 00:58:01.255
d4vd: It was so crazy.

00:58:01.255 –> 00:58:01.835
John Kennedy: Wow.

00:58:01.835 –> 00:58:04.235
John Kennedy: So you’re transforming into a performer.

00:58:04.235 –> 00:58:08.315
John Kennedy: Was there a performance aspect to doing the YouTubing?

00:58:08.315 –> 00:58:08.575
d4vd: Yeah.

00:58:08.575 –> 00:58:15.015
d4vd: I mean, that’s probably why I don’t get nervous when I go on stage, because I’ve been this performative person my entire life.

00:58:15.015 –> 00:58:18.775
d4vd: I’ve been able to be on camera and just fool around all the time and not care.

00:58:18.775 –> 00:58:21.455
d4vd: So yeah, I mean, that’s been great for doing stuff like this.

00:58:21.455 –> 00:58:23.395
d4vd: Two interviews, I’m able to interact with cameras.

00:58:23.395 –> 00:58:27.495
d4vd: I’m able to hold a conversation and things like that, that other artists would be terrified.

00:58:27.695 –> 00:58:28.735
d4vd: I don’t have anxiety.

00:58:28.735 –> 00:58:32.055
d4vd: I don’t care what people think about opinions and stuff like that.

00:58:32.855 –> 00:58:34.415
John Kennedy: When did you first start YouTubing?

00:58:34.415 –> 00:58:40.935
d4vd: I started YouTubing really early, like 2017, 16.

00:58:40.935 –> 00:58:42.435
John Kennedy: So you’re like 13?

00:58:42.435 –> 00:58:42.955
d4vd: Yeah.

00:58:42.955 –> 00:58:43.595
d4vd: I was really young.

00:58:43.755 –> 00:58:46.395
d4vd: I started doing Minecraft content because Minecraft was really big back then.

00:58:46.775 –> 00:58:49.075
d4vd: I would just record on my phone and my voice was so…

00:58:49.075 –> 00:58:50.595
d4vd: I’m going to find a video to it.

00:58:50.595 –> 00:58:52.735
d4vd: My voice was so high, bruh.

00:58:52.735 –> 00:58:54.935
d4vd: And like, I’ll find it because I want to find it right now.

00:58:54.935 –> 00:58:55.835
d4vd: That’s so crazy.

00:58:55.835 –> 00:58:57.655
d4vd: And I was doing Minecraft content for a bit.

00:58:57.655 –> 00:58:59.595
d4vd: Then Fortnite came out and that was the big hit.

00:58:59.595 –> 00:59:02.055
d4vd: And I was on Fortnite.

00:59:02.055 –> 00:59:04.575
d4vd: But let me find this real quick.

00:59:04.575 –> 00:59:09.135
d4vd: It is d4vd here from Viper and…

00:59:09.235 –> 00:59:10.215
d4vd: Oh my gosh!

00:59:10.215 –> 00:59:11.915
Daniel: Oh my gosh, it’s Hero Brian.

00:59:11.915 –> 00:59:14.515
d4vd: It is Hero Brian.

00:59:14.515 –> 00:59:15.735
d4vd: Oh my gosh.

00:59:15.735 –> 00:59:17.195
John Kennedy: It’s amazing hearing you.

00:59:17.195 –> 00:59:19.235
John Kennedy: I mean, you as a little kid.

00:59:19.355 –> 00:59:20.915
d4vd: Yeah, literally, man.

00:59:20.915 –> 00:59:22.135
John Kennedy: Yeah, it’s fascinating.

00:59:22.135 –> 00:59:28.395
John Kennedy: It’s such a different kind of, well, story to a lot of the standard musician stories.

00:59:28.395 –> 00:59:29.515
John Kennedy: But this is the way.

00:59:29.515 –> 00:59:37.375
John Kennedy: This is the new way that people are being able to utilize this technology to their advantage and in effect, develop themselves.

00:59:37.655 –> 00:59:42.915
John Kennedy: No, this is something that you wouldn’t have predicted, this whole d4vd Rockstar musician vibe.

00:59:42.915 –> 00:59:43.875
d4vd: Literally, yeah.

00:59:43.875 –> 00:59:45.675
John Kennedy: So tell us about You Left Me First.

00:59:45.675 –> 00:59:49.215
John Kennedy: So you’re telling us about Tyler, created the music.

00:59:49.215 –> 00:59:52.335
John Kennedy: Let’s go through the track and see what else you did.

00:59:52.335 –> 00:59:55.975
d4vd: Yeah, so it starts super simple again.

00:59:55.975 –> 00:59:59.695
d4vd: The only thing that has stacks and layers is the chorus.

00:59:59.695 –> 01:00:01.375
d4vd: So it starts out with this first verse.

01:00:15.755 –> 01:00:16.835
d4vd: Just freestyling at this point.

01:00:16.835 –> 01:00:19.655
John Kennedy: Have you found that you’re getting more confident as a vocalist?

01:00:19.655 –> 01:00:20.795
d4vd: Absolutely.

01:00:20.795 –> 01:00:21.655
d4vd: Absolutely.

01:00:21.655 –> 01:00:29.655
d4vd: I mean, and this one is really laid back just because the production is very laid back, but when it’s time to send it, honestly, at the end, I might play you guys like a London exclusive that I made two days ago.

01:00:30.655 –> 01:00:31.515
d4vd: I’ll play you guys some stuff.

01:01:04.385 –> 01:01:07.665
John Kennedy: Had singing been a part of your life in any other way?

01:01:07.665 –> 01:01:12.585
d4vd: You know what, yeah, for a very short while though, I was in church choir when I was about seven.

01:01:12.585 –> 01:01:17.745
d4vd: Gave up on that, and after a year, my mom tried to get me into piano lessons.

01:01:17.745 –> 01:01:20.225
d4vd: I gave up on that like two weeks after that too.

01:01:20.225 –> 01:01:25.205
d4vd: So music has been a part of my life in various eras, but I’ve never stuck to it.

01:01:25.205 –> 01:01:28.745
d4vd: I was also in middle school band before I got homeschooled in sixth grade.

01:01:28.745 –> 01:01:30.685
d4vd: I played the flute in the band.

01:01:30.685 –> 01:01:35.625
d4vd: So it’s come and gone, and then it stuck when I started making it.

01:01:35.625 –> 01:01:36.925
John Kennedy: Yeah, yeah.

01:01:36.925 –> 01:01:39.205
John Kennedy: What else should we look at from You Left Me First?

01:01:39.205 –> 01:01:41.325
John Kennedy: And there’s another voice at the end.

01:01:41.325 –> 01:01:44.605
d4vd: Oh, yes, the added voicemail.

01:01:44.605 –> 01:01:50.405
d4vd: So there’s an extra layer that I added throughout the album where you hear like little voice bites and things like that.

01:01:50.405 –> 01:01:52.805
d4vd: Cannot disclose who the voice is because copyright.

01:01:53.665 –> 01:02:00.725
d4vd: But just, you know, sound bites and things to add an extra layer of authenticity and storytelling to the project.

01:02:00.725 –> 01:02:02.465
d4vd: And there’s an interlude as well.

01:02:02.465 –> 01:02:07.765
d4vd: A main motif of the album is the invisible string theory, the Korean ideology of the invisible string theory.

01:02:07.765 –> 01:02:19.705
d4vd: And I have this alter ego called Itami, which means pain in Japanese, where everybody is connected from this invisible life force that connects you to either your soulmate or friends you meet or people you encounter in your life.

01:02:20.145 –> 01:02:29.325
d4vd: And I flipped that for this story, as in everybody is connected to Itami, my alter ego, who was like the agent of chaos in my entire aesthetic.

01:02:29.325 –> 01:02:33.625
d4vd: You see him in various music videos, he’ll pop up and he’s basically like the evil version of me.

01:02:33.625 –> 01:02:36.525
d4vd: And he’s kind of garnered this cult that followed after him.

01:02:36.525 –> 01:02:46.085
d4vd: And in the One More Dance music video, you followed a relationship of two of the cult members and they’re going around with me in the trunk to bury me after I died.

01:02:46.085 –> 01:02:48.265
d4vd: And they’re just like wreaking havoc on the city.

01:02:48.585 –> 01:02:57.085
d4vd: And that’s the kind of cool piece to show, just like the layers that I have to this lore and this world building that I’m doing leading up to this album.

01:02:57.085 –> 01:02:58.665
d4vd: So I’ve been working on it for years too.

01:02:58.665 –> 01:03:01.765
d4vd: So it’s kind of amazing to see it come to fruition in music.

01:03:01.765 –> 01:03:07.645
John Kennedy: So these bigger ideas, these conceptual pieces, it was always going to be part of what you were going to do.

01:03:07.645 –> 01:03:07.925
John Kennedy: Yeah.

01:03:07.925 –> 01:03:14.245
d4vd: I mean, when I wrote Atami into just like existence, it was originally for a manga because I’m big into anime and stuff like that.

01:03:14.245 –> 01:03:15.845
d4vd: So I was going to make a comic book and a manga.

01:03:16.465 –> 01:03:18.405
d4vd: And I just had it in the vault for a long time.

01:03:18.405 –> 01:03:22.465
d4vd: And then once music started, I made the Romantic Homicide music video.

01:03:22.465 –> 01:03:31.565
d4vd: And I was like, this is where we have to bury them, I feel like, because it’s a huge opportunity to capitalize on something that I had for many years and didn’t have a place for.

01:03:31.565 –> 01:03:34.445
d4vd: But the music was doing so well and I didn’t do a music video yet.

01:03:34.445 –> 01:03:37.845
d4vd: It was so cool to kind of be able to express that finally.

01:03:37.845 –> 01:03:40.425
d4vd: And it stuck with the fans and it stuck with me.

01:03:40.425 –> 01:03:41.725
d4vd: So he’s here to stay.

01:03:41.725 –> 01:03:42.085
John Kennedy: Yeah.

01:03:42.105 –> 01:03:42.685
John Kennedy: Fantastic.

01:03:43.185 –> 01:03:47.265
John Kennedy: And it’s really interesting because you’re interested in that.

01:03:47.265 –> 01:03:48.685
John Kennedy: Who knows what will happen in the future.

01:03:48.685 –> 01:03:49.265
d4vd: Right.

01:03:49.265 –> 01:03:50.085
d4vd: Exactly.

01:03:50.085 –> 01:03:52.365
John Kennedy: Because you’re going to be making your own movie, really.

01:03:52.805 –> 01:03:53.125
John Kennedy: Yeah.

01:03:53.125 –> 01:03:54.405
John Kennedy: Soundtracking that yourself.

01:03:54.405 –> 01:03:55.005
John Kennedy: I mean, I don’t know.

01:03:55.005 –> 01:03:58.565
John Kennedy: It just get that sense that these bigger plans will emerge.

01:03:58.565 –> 01:03:58.785
d4vd: Yeah.

01:03:58.785 –> 01:04:00.045
d4vd: I mean, Childish Gambino is doing it.

01:04:00.045 –> 01:04:01.625
d4vd: Donald Glover is doing it with his movies.

01:04:01.625 –> 01:04:04.005
d4vd: His next album is going to be soundtracking the project he’s putting out.

01:04:04.005 –> 01:04:06.925
d4vd: So yeah, I’m excited to just, I’m inspired by so many things.

01:04:06.925 –> 01:04:08.585
d4vd: I just can’t wait to put things in motion.

01:04:08.685 –> 01:04:09.425
d4vd: So crazy.

01:04:09.425 –> 01:04:10.505
John Kennedy: Fantastic.

01:04:10.505 –> 01:04:13.085
John Kennedy: We’ve got some questions we ask everybody who comes on Tape Notes.

01:04:13.085 –> 01:04:15.165
John Kennedy: Our own questions, but we also have some questions from Patreon.

01:04:15.165 –> 01:04:15.765
d4vd: Oh, sorry.

01:04:15.765 –> 01:04:19.945
John Kennedy: But before we go into those, maybe let’s have a blast of the end of You Left Me First.

01:04:19.945 –> 01:04:20.465
d4vd: Gotcha.

01:04:20.465 –> 01:04:23.905
John Kennedy: Maybe a little snippet that goes into the voice, the message.

01:05:17.295 –> 01:05:19.395
John Kennedy: When we listen to the album, is there a story?

01:05:19.395 –> 01:05:20.155
John Kennedy: Is there a through line?

01:05:20.155 –> 01:05:22.075
d4vd: There is definitely a through line from start to finish.

01:05:22.075 –> 01:05:37.075
d4vd: And the great thing about that is I’m actually doing a merch piece, not a merch piece, but I did a journal where I documented behind the scenes of every song and the motivations and the backstories behind each track in detail, which is going to be released very, very soon.

01:05:37.075 –> 01:05:43.715
d4vd: And it kind of goes into the background behind the voicemails and also the interlude where I’m having the conversation about the invisible string theory and all that kind of stuff.

01:05:43.715 –> 01:05:47.315
d4vd: So it’s all going to be contextualized in the future, which is going to be really awesome to see.

01:05:47.315 –> 01:05:48.475
John Kennedy: Fantastic.

01:05:48.475 –> 01:05:52.435
John Kennedy: Right, before we get into our own questions, a few from some of our patrons.

01:05:52.435 –> 01:05:57.135
John Kennedy: Spencer says, Your song, There Goes My Baby, has had me curious about your songwriting process.

01:05:57.135 –> 01:05:59.475
John Kennedy: The hook is so infectious, it’s such an earworm.

01:05:59.475 –> 01:06:03.855
John Kennedy: When you start your writing process, what takes priority at first?

01:06:03.855 –> 01:06:04.375
d4vd: That’s a good question.

01:06:04.375 –> 01:06:09.535
d4vd: I mean, I can walk you through a more recent song for this one, because this is a good segue into that.

01:06:09.535 –> 01:06:15.755
d4vd: So two days ago, I got sent another beat pack, a London beat pack.

01:06:15.755 –> 01:06:20.075
d4vd: And I was just sitting in a hotel room at like 3 a.m.

01:06:20.075 –> 01:06:20.575
d4vd: in the morning.

01:06:21.075 –> 01:06:27.695
d4vd: And usually when I hear a beat first, I usually think of what background vocals go under this to lead me into a hook.

01:06:27.695 –> 01:06:32.895
d4vd: Because melodies, there’s so many songs out there, and so many things have been done already.

01:06:32.895 –> 01:06:38.315
d4vd: But when I’m working on melodies, I kind of think of what has been and what hasn’t been done and what strikes nostalgia.

01:06:38.315 –> 01:06:43.435
d4vd: So when you listen to like Romantic Homicide, it sounds like it was made in like the 80s.

01:06:43.435 –> 01:06:45.415
d4vd: You know, when you listen to Here With Me, it sounds like an old song.

01:06:45.415 –> 01:06:48.355
d4vd: So how do I make things sound old, but also sound fresh?

01:06:48.355 –> 01:06:49.715
d4vd: So I go straight to the chorus usually.

01:06:49.975 –> 01:06:57.975
d4vd: I hum through the verses and once the chorus sits, once the instrumental lifts up, is that’s when I start like saying real words and stuff like that.

01:06:57.975 –> 01:07:01.275
d4vd: So this is a song I made two days ago.

01:07:01.275 –> 01:07:05.555
d4vd: And you hear the background vocals in these verses right here.

01:07:13.235 –> 01:07:17.135
d4vd: But all the stacks, these background vocals are…

01:07:17.135 –> 01:07:19.895
d4vd: These came first before anything else.

01:07:22.355 –> 01:07:24.415
d4vd: Much solo than Freud, so…

01:07:29.875 –> 01:07:32.075
d4vd: Those usually come first every time.

01:07:33.135 –> 01:07:35.075
d4vd: And then the chorus, once the instrumental lifts up.

01:07:47.422 –> 01:07:48.842
d4vd: And then that’s the chorus.

01:07:48.842 –> 01:07:51.702
d4vd: And then I’ll skip the first verse completely and go straight to the second verse.

01:07:51.722 –> 01:07:55.342
d4vd: Cause I know right now, I’m in like that, like you said, featuring myself.

01:07:55.342 –> 01:07:58.122
d4vd: So if I want to find a rapper, I’m the rapper at that point.

01:07:58.122 –> 01:07:59.502
d4vd: So now I go straight into the second verse.

01:08:06.083 –> 01:08:07.723
d4vd: Audio’s cutting out, but you get the idea, you know?

01:08:07.723 –> 01:08:08.743
John Kennedy: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

01:08:08.743 –> 01:08:13.863
John Kennedy: So that’s kind of upfront, exclusive stuff that is still an idea stage.

01:08:13.863 –> 01:08:14.603
d4vd: Literally still an idea stage.

01:08:14.603 –> 01:08:15.623
John Kennedy: With the London Beats.

01:08:15.623 –> 01:08:16.283
d4vd: Exactly.

01:08:16.283 –> 01:08:17.763
John Kennedy: Amazing, exciting.

01:08:17.763 –> 01:08:21.363
John Kennedy: Rodrigo says, I know you used to be big on type beats.

01:08:21.363 –> 01:08:24.263
John Kennedy: What was your process when searching for type beats on YouTube?

01:08:24.263 –> 01:08:29.063
John Kennedy: And what advice would you give to producers that are posting type beats, looking to inspire more artists?

01:08:29.063 –> 01:08:34.143
John Kennedy: What makes you click on one versus the other, and what makes you actually want to write to one versus another?

01:08:34.563 –> 01:08:35.143
John Kennedy: Love crashing.

01:08:35.143 –> 01:08:36.123
John Kennedy: Shout out to Velvet.

01:08:36.123 –> 01:08:36.543
d4vd: Oh, wow.

01:08:36.543 –> 01:08:37.183
John Kennedy: Says Rajigah.

01:08:37.183 –> 01:08:37.963
d4vd: That’s a really good question.

01:08:37.963 –> 01:08:44.163
d4vd: I feel like three years ago was way easier because the algorithm on YouTube was much more condensed and much more to the point.

01:08:44.163 –> 01:08:47.083
d4vd: If you searched up a Steve Lacey type beat, you’d get a Steve Lacey type beat.

01:08:47.083 –> 01:08:51.963
d4vd: Nowadays, you search up a Steve Lacey type beat, and the type beats that pop up are not even close to his sound.

01:08:51.963 –> 01:08:55.703
d4vd: So I guess for me, I’m a very visual person.

01:08:55.703 –> 01:08:59.243
d4vd: I like producers that really put effort into their thumbnails.

01:08:59.903 –> 01:09:12.483
d4vd: So if I search up like slow core bedroom pop, Billie Eilish type beat, and the thumbnail is like some random person frolicking through a field, like that’s the vibe.

01:09:12.483 –> 01:09:15.163
d4vd: I want the thumbnails to tell me what the vibe of the beat is.

01:09:15.163 –> 01:09:16.723
d4vd: And if it doesn’t match, it’s not getting used.

01:09:16.723 –> 01:09:21.543
d4vd: So I like things that give you visual cues and insights to what the actual sound is before I click on them.

01:09:21.543 –> 01:09:22.923
d4vd: So that’s how I click on them.

01:09:22.923 –> 01:09:31.343
d4vd: And what depends, what makes me write on it is basically how the beat sounds in my head before I click on it.

01:09:31.343 –> 01:09:33.683
d4vd: Like I have a preconceived notion of what the sound is going to be like.

01:09:33.683 –> 01:09:36.123
d4vd: And if it’s not what I was envisioning in my head, I won’t use it.

01:09:36.423 –> 01:09:36.963
d4vd: Yeah.

01:09:36.963 –> 01:09:37.523
John Kennedy: Yeah.

01:09:37.523 –> 01:09:43.223
John Kennedy: Sean says, Sean Turcotte says, the piano in This Is How It Feels is beautiful, both in terms of sound and composition.

01:09:43.223 –> 01:09:46.843
John Kennedy: Was that recorded live in a studio or did you use a VST or a library?

01:09:46.843 –> 01:09:47.363
d4vd: For what song?

01:09:47.363 –> 01:09:49.163
John Kennedy: For This Is How It Feels.

01:09:49.163 –> 01:09:49.963
d4vd: Oh, So It Feels.

01:09:49.963 –> 01:09:51.503
d4vd: This Is How It Feels all live.

01:09:51.703 –> 01:09:52.063
d4vd: All live.

01:09:52.063 –> 01:09:58.243
d4vd: I did that in the room with Leve and Spencer Stewart, a very, very amazing producer.

01:09:58.243 –> 01:10:00.363
d4vd: And Leve played the piano on that actually.

01:10:00.363 –> 01:10:01.183
d4vd: Leve did the piano.

01:10:01.183 –> 01:10:01.563
John Kennedy: Right.

01:10:01.563 –> 01:10:01.803
d4vd: Yeah.

01:10:01.803 –> 01:10:02.923
d4vd: We were freestyling on that.

01:10:02.923 –> 01:10:06.263
d4vd: I think we have a video too of the entire process of that song.

01:10:06.263 –> 01:10:11.943
d4vd: But she was just on piano and then I just freestyled the chorus and then she did the verses and I was like, yo, this is the song.

01:10:11.943 –> 01:10:13.283
d4vd: It’s done at that point.

01:10:13.283 –> 01:10:15.083
d4vd: So yeah, it’s all live from Leve.

01:10:15.083 –> 01:10:16.003
John Kennedy: Amazing.

01:10:16.003 –> 01:10:18.643
John Kennedy: Jake says, what is your favorite BandLab FX?

01:10:19.623 –> 01:10:29.003
d4vd: Favorite BandLab FX, right now, my favorite FX have to be, because I’m in that alt space, so I’m going to give you some real grunge stuff.

01:10:29.003 –> 01:10:34.263
d4vd: I’m using a lot of the Vintage Limiter for that fuzz effect.

01:10:34.263 –> 01:10:37.223
d4vd: And then I’m also using BuzzFace for that really grungy sound.

01:10:37.223 –> 01:10:42.783
d4vd: I’m also using Stereo-wise to put the vocals in both ears at the same time.

01:10:42.783 –> 01:10:45.103
d4vd: And I’m using the Univerb reverb right now.

01:10:45.663 –> 01:10:46.643
John Kennedy: Interesting.

01:10:46.643 –> 01:10:51.683
John Kennedy: So we ask everybody who comes on Tape Notes, what equipment can’t you work without?

01:10:53.063 –> 01:10:56.723
John Kennedy: What would you, if there was a fire, what would you run out of the house with, as it were?

01:10:56.723 –> 01:10:59.283
John Kennedy: But I’m kind of thinking you’ve already answered that question.

01:10:59.283 –> 01:11:00.723
d4vd: Yeah, just the phone.

01:11:00.723 –> 01:11:01.883
John Kennedy: The phone and BandLab.

01:11:01.903 –> 01:11:02.963
d4vd: And BandLab, yeah.

01:11:02.963 –> 01:11:03.343
John Kennedy: Yeah.

01:11:03.343 –> 01:11:07.903
John Kennedy: So the other question we love to ask people is about advice.

01:11:07.903 –> 01:11:11.843
John Kennedy: So you’re at a really interesting position now where it’s really blowing up massively.

01:11:11.843 –> 01:11:14.383
John Kennedy: And have you received any advice?

01:11:14.423 –> 01:11:19.143
John Kennedy: Have you learned something in the last few years that you say to yourself maybe or?

01:11:19.143 –> 01:11:25.203
d4vd: Only piece of advice I really got was from SZA when I was on tour and she just told me to stay true to myself, which is, you know, cliche.

01:11:25.203 –> 01:11:40.103
d4vd: But hearing it from someone who has done it and is living proof of being herself the entire way through has kind of just like opened my eyes to a whole new thing, because I am an artist that can do every genre at any point in time.

01:11:40.403 –> 01:11:45.243
d4vd: And sometimes it’s not the right idea and not a good idea to do that even when you can.

01:11:45.243 –> 01:11:49.663
d4vd: It’s learning discipline in your own music and learning what to do and what not to do.

01:11:49.663 –> 01:12:01.783
d4vd: Even when you can do it, it’s like when I was making the first three versions of Withered, it was it started out as an R&B project and then involved into pop because I was listening to too much Sabrina Carpenter and then it turned into a whole bunch of different things.

01:12:01.783 –> 01:12:04.763
d4vd: But then as soon as I heard that, I was like, yo, wait, that’s not me.

01:12:04.763 –> 01:12:11.543
d4vd: I have to go back and listen to my own music, listen to what made me me and go back to BandLab and just like start from the ground up.

01:12:11.543 –> 01:12:18.843
d4vd: And that’s when it really clicked for me was to just stay true to my own sound and keep evolving that because I don’t have to switch my sound to get better at it.

01:12:18.843 –> 01:12:24.543
d4vd: I can just completely re-envision the way that I view that same sound and that’s what with it is.

01:12:24.543 –> 01:12:24.963
John Kennedy: Yeah.

01:12:24.963 –> 01:12:32.623
John Kennedy: It’s amazing what you’ve achieved from just using your phone in your sister’s closet to take going to on tour with SZA.

01:12:32.763 –> 01:12:33.603
John Kennedy: Yeah, right.

01:12:33.603 –> 01:12:37.103
John Kennedy: It’s interesting the trust that people are putting in you.

01:12:37.103 –> 01:12:42.823
John Kennedy: How do you think you communicate the fact that you can trust your vision, your talent?

01:12:42.823 –> 01:12:47.923
John Kennedy: To go out and support somebody as big as SZA is a big ask, but you stepped up.

01:12:48.363 –> 01:12:49.443
d4vd: The proof is in the pudding.

01:12:49.443 –> 01:12:55.743
d4vd: I feel like people just, especially SZA, SZA co-signed me a long time ago too.

01:12:55.743 –> 01:12:59.343
d4vd: She was on a Billboard interview and she shouted me out because she was listening to my music.

01:12:59.403 –> 01:13:01.603
d4vd: And the way she found my music was super cool too.

01:13:01.603 –> 01:13:08.003
d4vd: She was on a trip with her friends in Hawaii and she was at a surf shop and my song was playing at the surf shop.

01:13:08.003 –> 01:13:11.343
d4vd: And she asked the cashier who was playing and he said me.

01:13:11.343 –> 01:13:12.523
d4vd: And that’s how she found my music.

01:13:12.523 –> 01:13:16.703
d4vd: So I guess it’s just like believing in things you like at that point.

01:13:16.703 –> 01:13:19.463
d4vd: Because it’s kind of crazy from her perspective too.

01:13:19.463 –> 01:13:20.603
d4vd: Like I make music on my phone.

01:13:20.603 –> 01:13:22.163
d4vd: I’ve never played an arena like that.

01:13:22.223 –> 01:13:23.703
d4vd: Like it’s low key.

01:13:23.703 –> 01:13:25.463
d4vd: Most people would be set up for failure at that point.

01:13:25.463 –> 01:13:27.043
d4vd: Because it’s like, what do you do?

01:13:27.043 –> 01:13:33.423
d4vd: But I’m able to adapt to so many different situations and I was able to take advantage of that opportunity for 100 percent.

01:13:33.423 –> 01:13:35.543
d4vd: So yeah, I came prepared.

01:13:35.543 –> 01:13:36.563
John Kennedy: Yeah, it’s just fascinating.

01:13:36.563 –> 01:13:41.683
John Kennedy: Because in some ways this set up with a few cameras talking to me, that’s normal for you.

01:13:41.683 –> 01:13:47.663
John Kennedy: But stepping out onto an arena stage and performing to thousands and thousands of people, that’s not normal.

01:13:47.663 –> 01:13:50.303
d4vd: Yeah, because at that point, the biggest venue I played was like 500.

01:13:51.343 –> 01:13:54.183
d4vd: Going from 500 to 20,000 is like…

01:13:55.583 –> 01:13:57.483
d4vd: Man, I wasn’t scared though.

01:13:58.183 –> 01:14:06.663
d4vd: We made vlogs throughout that tour behind the stage every time I’d have to go out, I’d just be cracking jokes backstage before going out to all these people.

01:14:06.663 –> 01:14:10.123
d4vd: And it was so amazing because they were all fans of my music too.

01:14:10.123 –> 01:14:12.043
d4vd: Me and SZA’s fanbases are like this.

01:14:12.043 –> 01:14:17.183
d4vd: So every time I go out, they’re singing the words, they’re holding up the flashlights, they’re engaged, nobody’s on their phones.

01:14:17.183 –> 01:14:18.483
d4vd: It was so beautiful.

01:14:18.483 –> 01:14:20.583
d4vd: And even the people that didn’t know me, they knew the songs.

01:14:20.583 –> 01:14:22.243
d4vd: They didn’t know me, but they knew the song.

01:14:22.243 –> 01:14:27.363
d4vd: So I’d see like maybe half of the crowd turn out their flashlights and instantly Google who this is.

01:14:27.363 –> 01:14:33.563
d4vd: And then I’d get like a bunch of followers overnight just because of people finally recognizing that that’s the guy that made this song and that song.

01:14:33.563 –> 01:14:34.383
d4vd: So it was cool.

01:14:34.383 –> 01:14:34.883
John Kennedy: Right.

01:14:34.883 –> 01:14:35.223
John Kennedy: Brilliant.

01:14:35.223 –> 01:14:37.903
John Kennedy: And what a great thing that SZA did that in a way.

01:14:37.903 –> 01:14:41.743
John Kennedy: You know, these people know your music, they already know you, but she introduced them.

01:14:41.743 –> 01:14:42.523
d4vd: Exactly.

01:14:42.523 –> 01:14:43.243
d4vd: Thank you, SZA.

01:14:43.243 –> 01:14:43.823
John Kennedy: Yeah.

01:14:43.823 –> 01:14:44.623
John Kennedy: So good.

01:14:44.623 –> 01:14:46.303
John Kennedy: d4vd, thank you so much for coming in here.

01:14:46.303 –> 01:14:47.683
John Kennedy: It’s been absolutely fascinating.

01:14:48.463 –> 01:14:51.323
John Kennedy: Such an exciting process, an approach to things you’ve got.

01:14:51.323 –> 01:14:53.663
John Kennedy: And I think it’s going to be really inspirational for so many people.

01:14:53.663 –> 01:14:54.523
John Kennedy: Me too.

01:14:54.523 –> 01:14:57.783
John Kennedy: I think we should play another track from the album, an outro track.

01:14:57.783 –> 01:15:01.323
John Kennedy: Another little taste of d4vd to whet people’s appetite.

01:15:01.443 –> 01:15:02.343
John Kennedy: What should we go for?

01:15:02.343 –> 01:15:03.063
d4vd: You know what?

01:15:03.063 –> 01:15:06.043
d4vd: Let’s play a more upbeat one.

01:15:06.043 –> 01:15:07.563
d4vd: Play a little bit of upbeat.

01:15:07.563 –> 01:15:09.703
d4vd: This song is called What Are You Waiting For?

01:15:24.083 –> 01:15:29.383
John Kennedy: Thank you for listening, and in particular thanks to all of you who have signed up to support us on Patreon.

01:15:29.383 –> 01:15:33.903
John Kennedy: I’m just one part of the team that brings you Tape Notes, and it relies on your support.

01:15:33.903 –> 01:15:41.883
John Kennedy: Access to Patreon includes the full length videos of new episodes where possible, ad free episodes and detailed gear lists among many other things.

01:15:41.883 –> 01:15:45.683
John Kennedy: If you’d like to join, head to the link on our socials or website.

01:15:45.683 –> 01:15:54.383
John Kennedy: For pictures, highlight clips and behind the scenes content, head to our Instagram or YouTube channel, and on Discord, you can join the growing Tape Notes community.

01:15:54.383 –> 01:15:55.903
John Kennedy: Once again, thank you for listening.

01:15:55.903 –> 01:15:57.203
John Kennedy: Until next time, goodbye.