skioakenfull's blog

In this video tutorial series by Computer Music Magazine, Ableton Certified Trainer Ski Oakenfull shows you how to make a track from scratch with Live Lite. Once you’ve watched part one about downloading and installing the software, check out these five videos to learn how to use it to compose, arrange, and finalize a song.

Alongside the 6-part series of tutorial videos about Ableton Live 11 Lite I made for the Feb '22 issue of Computer Music Magazine, I also did an interview. The one that was published was quite radically cut down, so here's the interview in full:

Can you give me a biog about yourself, how and why you got into music production?

My two main obsessions growing up were music and computers, so I suppose it was inevitable that I would end with a career producing music on a computer! I started learning the piano from six years old, as well as singing in the school choir. I was an 80’s kid with home computers in their infancy, so the first sequencer I used was called ‘MIDItrack Performer’ using an EMR interface on a BBC B computer. I connected my Yamaha DX-7 and Roland S-10 sampler, and together with a Yamaha 4-track cassette recorder (borrowed from my uncle), I was making early demos in my teens. At the same time, I was in a band at school, and we used to spend weekends rehearsing and playing gigs whenever we could. Our school friends were really supportive, making flyers and turning up to our small gigs.

Once I left school and went to University in London, I continued to get together with my school bandmates to work on demos. We were called ‘The K-Creative’ and influenced by Hip Hop, House, and Jazz. It led to us being signed to Gilles Peterson’s Talkin’ Loud label in 1991, and this was officially the start of my music career.

After releasing our debut album ‘QED’ we ended up going our separate ways, but I started to work more on my production skills, writing with other artists, making radio jingles, and playing at jam sessions to build up my network of contacts. This eventually led to a record deal with Columbia France in 2000, and I went on to release three solo albums, ‘Life Changes’, ‘Rising Son’ and very recently ‘Short Circuits’. Throughout my career, I have also played keyboards with bands and artists like Galliano, Raw Stylus, Two Banks of Four, and Kylie Minogue, remixed over 50 tracks, and worked at Xenomania. I currently release music on my own label, Primaudial Records, continue writing and producing with artists such as Incognito, Dave Lee, Duke Dumont, and Valerie Etienne, as well as having an ambient electronic project called Ayota.

And how did you go from there to become an Ableton Certified Trainer?

I recently made a 6-part series of tutorial videos about Ableton Live 11 Lite, to go with a feature in Computer Music’s February 2022 issue.
The video playlist is here: https://bit.ly/3Eyc8zr

You can purchase CM from the following places:

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I'm very honoured and grateful to be featured in the latest December edition of the Incognito newsletter. Thanks so much to Bluey for asking the questions ?
Read it here: https://www.incognito.london/so/6fNroWqCT#/main

This project that I worked on in 2020 has now been released in limited edition cassette. You can purchase it here: https://otocare.bandcamp.com/album/otocare-scene-1-soft-haze

This album features a blend of environmental sounds recorded in and around Memu. Hokkaido by Nick Luscombe and James Greer. Electronic music producer Ski Oakenfull created the musical pieces in response to the field recordings.

このカセットテープは、北海道、芽武周辺でNick LuscombeとJames Greer が集めたフィールドレコーディングにより構成されています。これらの環境音に応答する楽曲を、アンビエント・電子音楽プロデューサーのSki Oakenfullが作りました。

Context:
https://memuearthlab.jp/2020/11/10/otocare-scene-1/

At the Hospital:
https://memuearthlab.jp/2021/06/22/otocare-saiseikai-kanagawaken-hospital/

Credits:
released June 23, 2021

Field Recording - Nick Luscombe & James Greer (MSCTY)
Music composed and produce by - Ski Oakenfull
Production Guide - Hikari Sandhu (Memu Earth Lab)
Mix composition and production by - Nick Luscombe
Landscape Photography - Ryozo Morishita

In 2020 during lockdown in the UK, I composed some ambient music for a project commissioned by my good friend Nick Luscombe. He subsequently used the music to create a sound collage of field recordings made around Japan which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on 2nd May 2021
You can listen back to the show here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000vqjq
And the audio is available below as well.

Here is a description:

Tokyo based DJ, producer and broadcaster Nick Luscombe explores the sound of spring in suburban Tokyo through field recordings and music.

This soundscape is inspired by Nick’s work with the Tokyo University Otocare project. Oto is the Japanese word meaning sound and the research project works with hospitals and other high-stress environments to bring sounds of nature and specially composed music to positively impact lives.

Kids energetically playing baseball, the chanting of monks and the prayers of local people, rain falling during a thunderstorm and the arrival of the cherry blossom and the accompanying spring birdsong are just some of the many elements on this intoxicating Japanese audio adventure - all linked with its very own specially commissioned musical score by ambient musician Ski Oakenfull.

Click play to listen: 
Tags: 
DJ Mag August 2018

I was interviewed by DJ Mag earlier this year, and was really chuffed to see the article appear in the August issue. I discussed my deconstructions for Point Blank Music school, and how they have evolved over the last six years. I'm attaching a photo of the piece below which you can download.

Floating Worlds - Ayota

Ski's new 14 track Ayota album was released on 7th September 2015 on Primaudial Records. Many of the tracks feature on a short film entitled 'Verona' which you can find out more about here: www.soliloquypictures.com

Buy/Listen now:
Ski's Record Shop
iTunes UK
Amazon UK
Beatport
Traxsource
Junodownload
Google Play
Spotify
Soundcloud

Tags: 

Ski's new 14 track Ayota album was released on 7th September 2015 on Primaudial Records. Many of the tracks feature on a short film entitled 'Verona' which you can find out more about here: www.soliloquypictures.com

Buy/Listen now:
Ski's Record Shop
iTunes UK
Amazon UK
Beatport
Traxsource
Junodownload
Google Play
Spotify

Meanwhile here are some previews!

Tags: 

I've contributed two tracks to Bluey's second solo album 'Life between the notes' which is due out soon on Dome Records (UK and the world), Shanachie (USA), P-Vine (Japan).

The track titles are "Hold On" and "I'm Only Here To Remind You".

You can find out more from the Dome website here: http://www.domerecords.co.uk/latest-releases/bluey-life-between-the-notes/

Check out a preview of the track 'Hold On' (which is going to be a single) below!

Click play to listen: 

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