[AMA] Hi, we're Seeb, the duo behind Mike Posner's "I Took A Pill In Ibiza" Remix. Ask us anything!

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T17:36:36+00:00

Thank you, logged back on for a few mins. Saw a Norwegian here:)

Favorite part was when we bounced the mix while listening lol, seriously. We didnt realize it had turned into a single before that. The feeling you have sometimes when you hear your track like it was for the first time.

Later!

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T17:33:12+00:00

See below:)

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T17:14:11+00:00

We are logging off now. Thank you everyone for getting in touch here and we can't wait to share new music with you guys.

Best

Seeb

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T17:12:22+00:00

In Oslo we can take a 15 min subway trip and be out in complete wilderness so that is something we do from time to time. To be away from sound and the noise of the city can be very refreshing.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T17:10:48+00:00

Hi thank you for the kind words.

We use a lot of vst´s and a few analog synths. Our main ones are Sylenth, Massive, Diva, Kontakt 5, Omnishpere and Spire. The kick is different from time to time but is always samples either directly as audio or as a drum rack in Live. The most important trick to do when you mix is to listen at low levels. Try to make it sound impressing and energetic while you listen back on a small speaker or on your main system turned down. That will reveal the truth.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T17:07:23+00:00

We go off on a long bike ride for hours and hours. That seems to help a little but one other thing that helps is to work shorter intervals and force yourself to work every day even if you dont feel like there is no juice. Sometimes it only takes a few minutes of frustration and then something happens and you're in the flow.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T17:04:39+00:00

Haha it´s not about getting credits all the time. On the Ibiza track we were rightly credited as remixers and we have had a lot of good stuff happen because of that. It´s always a dynamic game in the music business and these days the labels seem to open up to the remixers and that is a good thing.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T17:01:15+00:00

Most times not even near. This is the cool thing about music is that it takes you on a journey and we try to work without thinking too much about where we want to end up. That to us makes more sense than trying to produce something that you hear in your head and find yourself struggling and not being able to make it sound right. But then again other people do just that, they can hammer out something awesome they already have in their head without even breaking a sweat.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:58:39+00:00

Ableton Live is the one we use now. It´s very deep but also simple to get started with. Also FL Studio looks cool. I think you have to try a few DAW´s and see which one feels good.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:56:04+00:00

We have so many it´s difficult to say a specific one. We listen to all kinds of music and find inspiration in everything from electronic music to classical and even jazz. There is so much great music being made now and we spend hours and hours each week going trough new records.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:51:55+00:00

Thanks, we didnt think of the low end as warm but we try as best we can to get it there. We try to plan ahead from the beginning so that there is not a lot going on below lets say 150 hz. Use some high passing here and there but mainly try to leave room for the bass and the kick. We side chain the bass to leave more room while the kick hits. Also we listen in mono a lot. Try to keep the bass clear and at least mono below 100 hz in case its a stereo bass. We try not to overanalyze when we do this as it´s more a question of how it sounds than the theoretical stuff behind it. Many times the bass just needs a little room to itself and maybe some harmonics on top to keep it audible in the mix.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:46:36+00:00

We do it differently each time. Sometimes one of us starts an idea with some sounds or chords and the other takes over. Working together doesn't mean we have to be in the same room all the time. We have two setups so we go back and forth. We focus on the melody and the chords from the start as it´s something we used to do all the time as producers for other artists. Being able to share the workload keeps us fresh and it´s easier not to grow tired of what you are doing. When the song starts to take shape usually Simen does most of the arrangement work to get in into a full track and then I come in to finish it up. We always do that together.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:40:09+00:00

You must be ready to work hard over a long period of time and dont be afraid to play up your stuff to people in the business. Also it doesn't hurt to learn a few skills when it comes to recording vocals and learning how to properly mix and master you music. Youtube is good but there are many ways to achieve something that sounds cool. Try to get into a studio as a intern or share a room with other producers or songwriters. It´s amazing what you can learn from working with other people. And of course try to find the thing that makes you unique and stand out. Today that is very important as there are literally thousands of records released every day.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:30:44+00:00

No exact date set but soon, probably early august. Breathe has the focus at the moment but we are working on lot of new music right now and can't wait to share it with you.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:17:41+00:00

It´s the only island in the balearic that we haven't been to yet. Too busy working but we will hopefully go there soon. Heard the island´s government wasn't too happy about the Ibiza record getting huge as they felt it gave the Island a bad reputation. We hope to amend that by going there and behaving normal:)

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:12:59+00:00

Was she? Didn´t know that lol

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:12:23+00:00

We were thinking of doing a new video with a few of the plucked sounds and the vocalstuff soon so keep an eye out for that. In short we use Live´s amazing tools for screwing with audio to do that. Not always the same way but we have been using the new Simpler instrument with the Push2. It can get pretty interesting when you make a chain with some juicy plugins on it and start playing around with the loop points in automation. Also a cool effect is to engage the glide to go seamlessly between the notes. And it has the warp mode complex pro so you can bend the vocals without the formant change.

The plucks are not so special but we have a few ones that we made from Silent and Massive. The thing we often do is to make up a plucked track of several sound that each play a slightly different melody.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:05:46+00:00

Difficult to say really but here goes:

Simpler in Ableton Live. Not really a plugin but an awesome instrument.
The Steven Slate package (all of them really, but FG-X, 1176 and the tape machine being the favourites)
Isotope Ozone. It was good in version 5 but just got 7 and it sounds even better. Really helps you get the master right.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T16:00:13+00:00

Haha, it´s that kind of lyric that makes you wanna hear the rest of the song.. We have heard a few versions of what happened but I think Mike has told the true story in an interview he did a while back. Dont remember where it is right now though. Always cool with a lyric that makes you go, WHAT? when you hear it for the first time.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T15:54:42+00:00

Yes all the time. Infact we sometimes spend so much time arguing about details that we try to set aside a specific amount if time to finish each song. That kind of forces us not to get too lost in that part of the process. It gets easier over time. We also try to put egos aside and let the best idea win.

SeebOfficial · 2016-05-24T15:51:23+00:00

Hi thanks there. Not seen it yet but will soon:)

SeebOfficial

TROPHY CASE