RS: Your most recent book "The Remixer's Bible" is a great guide
to help up and coming producers and remixers. The book focuses on
Acid, Reason and Ableton Live - which begs the question, what software
do you use to produce dance music and why?
Francis Preve: Generally, I use the holy trinity of electronica
software: Reason, Logic, and Live. Though since version 6, Live has
become my primary workhorse since it's so fast and efficient. I can
whip up the framework for a track in a few hours using nothing but
Live. Of course, having all my favorite sounds in there as presets is
incredibly useful too.
RS: When you are commissioned for a remix, how do you approach it?
Is there a set method that you follow?
Francis Preve: There's no real set method, as such. I'm a huge fan of
house in all its forms - tech, electro, classic, deep - so I generally
just listen to the vocal (if there is one) and see where it leads me.
That said, I've been really focused lately on refining my own sound,
taking more chances, rather than just phoning in a track in the "style
du jour."
As for the process itself... Like a lot of remixers, I'll start with a
basic drum groove, lay the hook or vocal over that, and let the rest
of the parts come from that organically.
RS: When you work with other people, say Roland Belmares or Joe
Bermudez, how do you collaborate on productions?
Francis Preve: Well, Ro and Joe are both super-talented DJs, so they
come to me with fairly specific ideas about how they want to sound and
my job is to help bring that to life and add my own influences along
the way. With Roland, he was really focused on the tribal sound, so my
job was to deliver that - though to be candid, I really wanted to take
tribal to the next level in my work with him. To some degree, we were
able to achieve that with our mixes of Billie Myers "Just Sex" and
Amber's "Just Like That."
With Joe, it's much more of a collaborative process since we're both
listening to a lot of European electro and tech tracks. Basically, he
calls with a mix and visits Austin and we spend a few days listening
to the tracks we're spinning and create mixes that will flow
seamlessly into our sets. I create all the musical parts and sound
effects and some of the beats in Live and he makes suggestions along
the way. He has an awesome ear for what will work on the dancefloor.
Then he takes that, embellishes the beats and does the arrangement in
Pro Tools. Other times, it's a long distance project where he'll send
me the parts - vocals and such - and then I'll just do the track in my
studio and send him the parts to finalize the arrangement. We used
that technique on Hilary Duff's "Stranger" and it came out great, in
my opinion.
RS: You've also done several solo remixes - including a really
cool discohouse take on Gabriel & Dresden's "Tracking Treasure Down."
I've read that you are working with Organized Nature (their label).
How did you meet up with Josh and Dave?
Francis Preve: Josh and I met at South by Southwest back in 2000, when
we were both on a panel discussing music technology and production
tools. We totally hit it off and have been friends ever since. I've
gotta say it, Josh Gabriel is one of the kindest, wisest and most
talented guys in this industry! A true genius. When "Tracking Treasure
Down" was coming out, he called me to see if I'd try my hand at a
remix. I cleared my calendar and did the most concentrated work I'd
ever done. It really paid off and they asked me to do a mix for
"Dangerous Power" which is available on Beatport as well.
Josh has really encouraged me to develop the "Francis sound" and I'm
working on some original tracks for Organized Nature that hopefully
will be released in the next few months.
