Intro To Music Theory
1) How did the two of you meet and form Intro to Music Theory?
A: We originally met through a summer performing league called Drum and Bugle Corps in.. 2010? 2009? Think marching band on steroids, travelling across the United States and competing in NFL stadiums for a couple months. Afterwards, we stayed in loose contact while pursuing performing and educational careers in Southern California and Las Vegas before joining up to teach university level music in Hainan, China in 2017. Our first time performing together as horn-wielding DJs was in 2018 at our regional Burning Man, 'Dragon Burn' outside of Shanghai. Once we saw how much the crowd loved the addition of brass instruments on stage, we were hooked!
2) What made you want to experiment with different sounds to make It's An Attitude?
A: We started with a classic House groove, chopping up a drum fill for the snare roll. Once we had a rough idea for the structure of the track, our friend Tristin Morin, aka Futurebum, laid down a guitar riff that was also chopped into several grooves. We drew upon sounds and techniques from our first sing 'Joyce,' and armed with new production knowledge.
3) What's your process like when producing a new song?
A: A track is usually born out of one element - the bass line, a groove, a sample - and eventually the rest of the track is built around it. Sometimes we will grab our horns early on in the process, or the horns will be the last thing we reach for. Most of the time, we have a certain sound, texture, or emotion we are trying to achieve, which can serve as a roadblock if you aren't careful and staying open to where the track really wants to go. We've had some tracks that take only a couple days to create, and others that we bench for a couple months and revisit if we are getting stuck. We do all of our mixing and recording in house.
4) Who are some artists who inspired your music style?
A: A lot of the musicality and live feel in Thievery Corporation's writing and sampling is a huge influence on our approach. We're brass musicians from the start, so we draw inspiration from the greats who straddled genres and forged fusions such as Roy Hargrove, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Bob Mintzer, and Herbie Hancock, just to name a few. Also, huge shout-out to Disclosure for their production streams. We learned a ton through watching them during lockdown.
5) What are some of your favorite tracks that have inspired you?
A: That's a hard one to pin down! If we had to pick one, it would be 'Abu Simbel' from WhoMadeWho. We are massive fans of their live approach to electronic music. The dream is to share the stage with them one day!
6) What's next for you in 2022?
A: Definitely more tracks on the horizon, more collaboration with other artists, and we're eyeing an extended stay in Europe - we would love to perform there and meet the locals, especially where House is a big part of the clubbing culture!
Follow Intro To Music Theory:
Twitter - @itsmustachetime
Instagram - @introtomusictheory
Spotify - Intro To Music Theory
