Interview No. 120

Interview By: @The-Great-One

Every 10th interview, I try to shed some light on some underrated folks or make an event out of it. Today's guest is no different. His works are probably very unknown, but his variety shows a creative spark. He started off as a humble writer and has moved to the Audio Portal. With songs such as Nothins-messy nature, Nothins-The Eulogy of my heart, and Nothins - Relax in the dark as just a small sample of what he has done. If you don't know him, you should, he is none other than @Nothins.

Q: How did you find Newgrounds and why did you join?

A: Originally, I had a lot of free time. By a lot, I mean every waking hour was free time. I didn't care all that much for school and I was high bored of it. Eventually I was on mini clip, and started looking for a flash site where the games didn't all suck completely. Alas I found a few, tea games was one I used quite often but it grew into something I no longer liked. I ended up stumbling upon Newgrounds, and it was something amazing. The creativity of every one was astounding to me. By no means do I think of myself as creative. Just don't. But some of the people here... There are very few words. There are many wonderful things. and many not much so. But it's glorious as a whole.

Q: When and how did you become interested in writing?

A: I was in English class in the 9th grade I think, and I wasn't one to pay attention in class (seeing a pattern yet?), So I usually just sat there and drew, one day I was thinking of line rider and planning out a map I could do, and I drew some guy giving head to Barney. I had to cover it up, so somehow I made it into a worm of sorts. And I got something stuck in my head. And that's how Wormy was born. As for The Nothing War, On Mangafox I was in a thread called The Great War of Honor, and I role-played as Nothins. Also one of the reasons I use this name, but that's another story. So I get stuff started usually when I'm bored.

Q: The Nothing War: Pre Nothins is a story that you started three years ago and have recently picked back up. What can you tell us about this story and when will we see its ending?

A: I love this story, but it's such an old story it's something I can't stand to type. My writing was horrible and even typing the up the small amount I did, I had to edit quite a lot of it. The story is about the Master. Can't spoil the ending, because I still need to type it up after mid terms are done, but I can say that in the latter series I was planning, he has a pupil called Nothins.

Q: Wormmy The Squirmy Worm Wormmy is quite the humorous story. How did you come up with this idea and what inspired you to expand it more?

A: I explained this a bit before. Once I got that little phrase down I started to want to write a children's book. Half way, I was running out of ideas and said screw it, hence why Wormy takes a weird turn way way threw it. I was going to make a second one. About squirrels and coconuts, or something of the sort. But what rhymes with squirrel...

Q: When and how did you become interested in music?

A: I honestly, do not remember, it was one of them things I was like "Hey, I want to try that" Same was with Cinema 4D, a 3D modeling software, and drawing, and a few other things.

Q: Your first submission to the Audio Portal would be entitled from the past is the future. You state you were still learning, so what did you learn that would come to produce this? Can you tell me anything about the title of the song?

A: It technically wasn't my first, one of the better songs, smooth like-ish I did long before. At the time Newgrounds had a lot of problems with people voting everything with a zero. But any way. My goal with the song was to mix in some oriental instruments you don't usually hear, or at least sound like it. I think I didn't do too badly with this. My other goal was keep it simple at fewer than three different instruments. Something else I always try to do with song. Keep them simple and enjoyable. As for the title. As with most things, I pull the name out of the nether regions of my brain. You can ask me about any song title, it's usually the first think in my head when I'm saving the file. Very few times do I actually try to name it.

Q: Nothins-messy nature is quite the quirky little outdoors song. What was the process you took into bringing this strange wilderness to life?

A: I am a loops user. I love taking loops and samples and what else have you, and making them fit together. I'm partly deaf in one ear, I'm also tone deaf. Using a piano roll doesn't do well with me. So using loops I get the same enjoyment as making a song many would with fruity loops and other programs. I used to use fruity loops, mainly for simple creating of bass or drum loops. Messey nature was one of the songs, I wanted to take totally different lops smash them together, and with a bit of unicorn magic, see if it works. Debatable if it did or not, but it could be much worse. As I say, losey goosey baby, losey goosey.

Q: A peaceful tranquility, Nothins-The Eulogy of my heart. One thing I like about this piece is that it starts off with this mystical aura, but slowly moves into this bittersweet tone. Was that intentional or a happy accident? Or am I completely off base entirely? Also could you give us some background into the name of the song?

A: No, I wanted something that evolved. The heart changes over time and I wanted a song that reflects that. So I tried to start off in point A, and have the song finish in point C. I don't want it to change entirely, but enough that you notice. It's like what your 20, and when your 40. When your 40, you still have that heart when you were 20, but things have changed, maybe for the better and sometimes not so much. But there is a difference there. That's what I was trying to point out with the song.

Q: The first song I ever listened to by you is also my favorite of yours and that is Nothins - Relax in the dark. You said that this one was made out of boredom. I'm curious about this, what is the difference between putting a lot into your work and being driven by inspiration and making something when bored? What is the process you took into making this?

A: This. To this day, it is still the most played song of mine besides muwalaha, and its many incarnations. I loved this song. I was up late one night with nothing to do. I needed something that would either put me to sleep or calm me down, but not be cluttered or filled with all these unnecessary sounds. To me Relax in the dark did this perfectly. As for the effort. Using loops makes it easy and hard. Sure you have the instruments, but you don't have the one you really need. Ones close, but never the one you quite one that would fit perfectly. When I'm not trying I'll usually mess with sampled for a good +5 hours, usually having it set to repeat once its over, listen to it for a good 20 minutes, make a few changes and repeat. By this point I have heard it so much I can't tell if its good or it sucks. So I save the file and don't mess with it for a few weeks or even a month later. Helps clear everything out. However for Relax in the dark. It only took me two days or so. Everything just fit into place. It is the only song that I have had, that everything lined up smoothly and elegantly if you wish.

Q: A lot of your songs hold this peaceful nature or club nature. You change this formula up a bit with Nothins - Mello dramatic. You said the original was too long so you scaled it back. Why do you think it was too long? What was the inspiration behind this piece?

A: Well it's weird, in my mind if you're doing something related to a movie, or a movie type theme, it should be short and to the point if it's not in a movie its self. It gives off the range and spectrum it should without all the unneeded build up in movies. The dramatics wasn't needed. Most of my songs, tend to take that peaceful vibe to them. I just like it. When I first started I wanted to be doing very simple techno, and a little mix of trance. With a little dip into house. But as I went on, I found I was a lot better at chillout and ambient styles, and they were an enjoyable time spent making. I still do a mix of some styles, but my main one is Ambient. Probably always will be.

Q: Nothins - Moonlit bells is an interesting song that intrigues me. Mainly because you state...

"An idea I had been messing with, turned out completely different then what I thought it would."

What was the original idea and how did it come to be this?

A: I don't know if you ever watched Skins? But I know in seasons 6 the opening theme was quite nice. I tried to make something with that feel. For some reason I had all I needed but it wasn't working out quite nice. Then I remembered that game where you have to select matching tiles. I played it a lot when I was younger. There was one level where it takes a lazy tone to it, and the music also does this. The tiles were TV and animals on couches and such. Very lax and easy going. About half way thru the song when I decided it wasn't going to work, I deleted two of the key instruments, and it started to remind me of that feeling. So I went with it. What was supposed to be an upbeat happy going song, turned into a lazy mild moving one. Not what I wanted, but of the songs I have done, I'm happy with it.

Q: Although Nothins - Relax in the dark is my favorite by you. I do have to say that Nothins - Pab bad is by far your best work. With so many songs done already and many Random Beats, we come to this. You say it's not really a song though, why is that? Also how does it feel to look back at your earlier works and see how you have grown?

A: Random beats was to job ideas in my mind, it was me playing around with idea for songs, and some made it into songs like Underwater arrhythmia. Songs to me, should range from two minutes to five. No more no less, unless it's a trance, or a remix. A one minute song, isn't a song at all. I was playing with a more "hip" I guess, vibe and wanted to see where I got me. I am impressed with it, but it's too short to be a song. It's one of those I need to go back to and do some work one, like with wild wild space. They are short. Plain and simple. But Thanks for that, Relax is also a favorite of mine.

Q: What tools do you use to create your music?

A: A Casio midi keyboard, a cowbell, and a few different programs depending what it is I'm doing.

Q: What advice can you give to those looking to improve their music?

A: Don't listen to what others say. You're making music because you want to. You shouldn't be in it for fame or fortune. I'm no deadmau5 or Soulero, but I just try to make things I like, things I can put on my iPod at the end of the day and listen to and be like "I'm happy with this." That's what you need to do. If you're happy with it, then that's all you need.

Q: What is in your opinion, the definition of music?

A: Whatever makes you feel good and conveys emotions. Music is a powerful tool and has the voice of a generation. It can be used for great things. It's all about finding that one word and that one note, and having it roll all into one glorious song that gets people to "feel them feels"

Q: What can we expect from Nothins in the future?

A: A Few songs, Not as many as back in 2010. I've slowed down. But a few, as well as a rework of the newer songs, and maybe I'll keep typing up The Nothing war. With me, you never know what I'll do next. Maybe I'll make a sex tape and upload the audio...

To be honest, I found Nothins on a whim. The first song I heard by him was Nothins - Relax in the dark. It was just beauty to my ears. As I heard more from him, I just had to interview him and bring him to light. To be honest though, I had someone else planned for this No. 120 spot, but I have yet to get the questions back, so I thought why not have this underrated musician? His works enraptured me, maybe they will do the same for you.