Welcome to an exclusive Behind the Scenes interview with Chicago-based DJ and music producer Shawn Jackson! With the release of his captivating track ‘FRESH’, Shawn is garnering attention in the Electronic music scene for his unique style and infectious beats. In this exclusive interview, we delve into Shawn’s creative process, exploring the inspiration behind ‘FRESH’, and discovering the techniques he employed to craft his signature sound.
Join us as we uncover the story, challenges, and influences that have shaped Shawn’s musical journey making ‘FRESH’ a noteworthy addition to his impressive repertoire; without further ado, let’s dive into this intriguing conversation with Shawn Jackson.
Hello Shawn, how are you doing?
Hi guys, I’m doing well, thank you for having me on this Behind the Scenes interview, excited to be here!
You recently released your track ‘FRESH’. What inspired you to create it, and how does it fit into your overall musical vision and sound?
‘FRESH’ came to me while preparing for my NYE gig in Tampa, Florida. At the time, I was listening to a bunch of Ultra and EDC sets on YouTube, and I was digging what Fisher, Mau P were playing and decided I would give it a try in the studio – adding something ‘FRESH’ and new.
The bassline on ‘FRESH’ is especially groovy and hard-hitting. Can you share with us how you crafted the bassline, and what specific techniques or tools you used to achieve that sound?
As with any bassline or melody I come up with, it’s random – I just play various chords over some percussion and then go back and chop it up into a simple loop, drop in Serum or Nexus (which are my go-to plugins) and determine which sound works best. From there it’s basically the EQ, compression and reverb for me – I have my settings saved and just drop in my custom rack, a few tweaks and then it’s done.
‘FRESH’ features a unique sonic palette and rhythm. Can you tell us about your influences when creating this particular track, and how you combined those influences into something fresh and original?
Again, listening to Fisher, Mau P and a lot of John Summit (another Chicago artist), was really the inspiration – their energy, the structure and passion really comes out through their craft – each of which I see myself working with in the near future (Lol).
Can you walk us through the creation of the drops on ‘FRESH’, and any interesting stories or challenges that arose during that process?
The process literally was 85% done on the plane to Tampa from Chicago, I finished it up the following morning sitting by the pool. Everything just came together well. I only planned to use it as filler track at the party and never intended to put more time into it – let alone release it (funny how those projects turn out to do well in the end).
Did you collaborate with anyone on the creation of ‘FRESH’, or was it a solo project? How did working alone or with others influence the final product?
This was a solo project, again, not a lot of time or thought went into it, I was just in the mood and something special came out of it. Though I enjoy working with others, I really love my alone time in the studio, I remain focused and diligent with the time I have to stay on task. With my schedule and apparel line, I need to schedule out my production time properly to ensure quality.
How do you approach mixing and mastering your tracks, and what specific techniques or tools do you use to achieve the final sound of ‘FRESH’?
I used Waves and Logic for years when mixing and mastering until I worked with a good friend who introduced me to Fabfilter and iZotope and was hooked – use them to this day religiously.
What kind of gear and software did you use when producing ‘FRESH’, and how did they help shape the overall sound of the track?
I’ve been working solely in Ableton for about the last 15 years, I have my set up dialed in which allows me to essentially complete a track from start to finish in about 5hrs.
How does the sound of ‘FRESH’ compare to your previous releases, and what new elements or ideas did you bring to the table with this track?
It’s completely out of my normal production style, though working out of your comfort zone is essential to any creation – I push myself daily in all aspects of my life and business, and it’s done well for me.
Finally, what are you currently working on?
I continue to build my catalog of unreleased projects for upcoming releases, which will allow me to tour more and promote the music, the Shawn Jackson Muzik brand and climb those rankings.
We would like thank Shawn Jackson for sharing his creative process and insights with us, his dedication to crafting unique beats and pushing boundaries is evident in the production and release of ‘FRESH’. Stay tuned for more exciting music from this talented artist as he continues to make his mark in the industry.
Listen and buy ‘FRESH’ now
https://soundcloud.com/shawn-jackson-muzik/shawn-jackson-fresh-original
https://www.beatport.com/release/fresh/4094933
Shawn Jackson Online
Beatport | Soundcloud | Instagram
