Smells Like Quarantine Spirit: Berend

Berend is a mixer and audio engineer who works and lives in Amsterdam. He has already worked together with several Dutch artists: Bløf, Teske, Stroomduiker, Mexican Surf, JAGD and Rêverie.

Together with Thom Schotanus he also hosts the Indie in Town podcast, in which they talk to several people that are part of the indie scene in The Netherlands.

I was curious to see how he is currently doing, whether he can still work or not. The whole music industry has been turned upside down because of this lockdown and virus, and I was interested to see what the effects have been for him personally and for his work as a mixer.

Hey Berend! Could you quickly explain what you do exactly as a mixer and audio engineer?

Berend: The way I explain it is: I help artists with developing their idea in the studio. This means that I think about the recording process, and that I have the tools and experience to help them with that.

This can mean something different for every project: with some artists, everything has already been recorded and only needs to be mixed. With other projects I am able to join the process a bit earlier. In that case, I can help create the songs and work on fine tuning them together with the artist or label.

Often it's somewhere in between the two: someone already has an idea or demo that we can start working on together. The mixing process - bringing all the recorded elements together and making it work - is something I primarily do myself, with feedback moments from the artist or label.

Have projects been cancelled for you due to Covid? Or are you still able to work?

Luckily I have my own studio, which is 5 minutes away from my house. So I can still go there every day, which I think is really good for me mentally. Because this way I am still able to start and end my day in a specific way.

There are a few projects that have been postponed, because unfortunately it is no longer possible to come together with multiple people in one space.

Sometimes I also do sound for live shows, tv or radio shows for bands such as Wies or HALYCON, and those have all been cancelled. Which really is a pity, because we had some really interesting gigs planned. For Wies, for example, we would have done a sold out show in Paradiso and they would have also played at Best Kept Secret this year.

Are you your own boss? What are the consequences for you and your studio? Do you perhaps have tips you could share with others who find themselves in the same situation?

Yes, I am a freelancer, like the majority of people who do what I do. I have lost projects because of the lockdown, but I am luckily also receiving financial support from the government.

Personally I would advise people to be open-minded about what they can still do. Work never stops in the studio. I have a huge to-do list with things I want to work on in the studio, or gear I could fix for others.

I have also been working on my own brand of studio gear, called Singular Audio. I haven't really had time to work on this in the last 6 months, but because certain projects have been cancelled I do find that I have more time to work on it now. With this brand, I am focused on creating gear that I would personally like to work with in the studio.

Making music is quite a technical thing, there's no denying. But a lot of gear is created by very technical people, and I find that often a certain creative intuition is lacking. That is why I want to focus on creating gear you can actually use, in the studio or when making music yourself.

Do you find time to relax? Are there certain things you have started doing more or maybe less due to being in lockdown?

Good question. I get really restless if I don't have anything to do, especially in the evening. So I have started creating little projects I can work on. Trying out new recipes or fixing something around the house. To make sure things don't get too dull or repetitious. I also really enjoy having my cat around.

How could people best support you right now?

If you have a keyboard, microphone or speaker lying around that needs fixing: I'm your guy! Or take a look at what Singular Audio is offering. I'm working really hard on it and there are some really cool things coming soon.

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Follow Berend:

@brndvnrden

berendvaneerden.nl

@singularaudio

singularaudio.nl

> Indie in Town Podcast