Interview with JesĆŗs Ginard from Wavesfactory
Hereās an Interview We Did with JesĆŗs Ginard from Wavesfactory
Wavesfactory is and Audio Plugins and Software Instruments Company Based In Spain. Wavesfactory was Started in 2010. With the goal to deliver high-quality audio tools for musicians and engineers. A mindset on improving on every product release in terms of audio quality, ease of use and powerful but simple features.
- What got you interested in music?
I grew up in a family full of musicians. My two grandfathers played in the same band when they were young, both my father and my brother are superb drummers and my uncle is a band director. It's no surprise that I got interested in music from an early age. I've been studying classical music since I was 6 years old and followed studying modern music, guitar, piano and drums.
- Do you remember the first piece of music that moved you? And how has that influenced you?
I remember precisely the moment where a song really moved me for the first time. I was like 9 years old and I was listening to the song "Everything's Alright" from Jesus Christ Superstar's soundtrack. There's a crescendo when Jesus ends his part that gave me goosebumps all over my body. I was like "What the hell did just happened?" and my father that was next to me told me "this is because you like music so much".
- What are some of your favourite musicians, composers or sound Designers. and how Does that influence Wavesfactory?
I really like musicians who do all on their own because I feel sympathetic to them as I do everything in Wavesfactory.
People like Gotye who made a whole album on his parent's barn.
There're two spanish musicians that I also like very much: Guille Milkyway and Damien Lott. Both make stunning records in solitaire. They compose, produce, play, record and mix their own songs. That's definitely inspiring for me.
- What made you decide to start making sample libraries?
"Find something you'd pay to do and make that your job". That's what my father said to me at the time I ended my studies. I love computers, I love music, I love recording. If you do the math the outcome is Wavesfactory.
- I've been a fan since you started making cool inexpensive Kontakt Instruments. Wavesfactory has come a long way. Wavesfactory has great libraries and plug-ins.
Thank you! When I started in 2010 sample libraries were just too expensive for me, there wasn't libraries priced at less than ā¬50. I decided to start offering sample libraries at a lower price point.
Since I was just learning I think it was just fine at the beginning, but over the years I learnt a lot and the libraries were still priced at ā¬9.95. So in mid 2016 I decided to make the switch to a higher price point because I think that the instruments really deserved it.
- I would say everything Wavesfactory releases has character. What do you think sets Wavesfactory apart from others and makes you unique?
I think that what makes Wavesfactory different from the rest is that Wavesfactory is just one person and it's inevitable to print my personality in everything I do.
If we were a team of 30 people surely there will be a "company image" because every company has it, but it won't be that personal.
- Where did the Idea to Make Mercury Piano come from? It's a great piano library.
Thanks! I've been a Queen fan since I was 12, it's the only band that I listened in my childhood. I was following Metropolis Studios on Facebook and I saw a picture of the Studio A with their Fazioli with the title "Freddie's piano".
I know Queen recorded Innuendo and Made In Heaven in that studio, the 2 final records, so I asked "is this Freddie's piano or you just call it that way?". They said that it's actually Freddie's piano so we started arranging the sampling session.
- What Ā are some of Mercury Piano's Ā special Features?
Mercury is a very special instrument for me because I wanted to make it perfect in every way. I didn't want to make something that was just "ok", so I wrote down a list of my personal favourite piano libraries like Orange Tree Samples Rosewood Grand, Native Instrument's Alicia's Keys, Cinesample's Piano in Blue and also some others suggested by customers. "I won't release Mercury until it is at least as good as these libraries". It was a big challenge as you can imagine!
It took me a year to make the script, always comparing Mercury's current state with the big piano libraries. One day I came up with a new way of dealing with release samples that was much more realistic than the previous one (the one that everybody uses). When compared with the big boys Mercury sounded superb and alive. Going back to the other libraries was disappointing, I wanted to keep playing Mercury all the time. That was the time I said "OK, this is perfect!".
- Two of my favourite Wavesfactory Libraries are Drum Circle and Newmello I and II. Making Drum Circle must have been fun and challenging. Can you tell us about recording the library? And what are some of the most important features?
Drum Circle is a very special library since it was the first one that involved a large number of people and a big studio.
It's also the first library that featured Kontakt Scripting since that was the time I first started coding. For the first time I was able to implement the features I wanted like articulation remapping and built-in effects.
Perhaps the best feature on the library is being able to select any number of drummers playing at the same time.
Looking at it in perspective it feels to me like I took a big step forward.
- You guys were known for Kontakt libraries, where did the idea of making plug-ins come from? Track Spacer is definitely a one of a kind plugins. What did the idea come from?
I was recording original music for a tv documentary and in the mixing process I just thought I needed a plug-in like Trackspacer that will make the job much easier. I googled it, searched on forums for some time and I didn't find anything so I thought "I'm going to do it on my own!". At the time I didn't had the knowledge to code plug-ins so I got in contact with Xavier Oudin and together came up with Trackspacer.
- Can you explain what it does?
Trackspacer is a unique plug-in, no other plug-in can do what Trackspacer does even 6 years after its release.
It analyses the frequency spectrum of the side-chain signal, then it uses and internal 32-band EQ in order to reduce that frequencies in real-time.
It's similar to side-chain compression (or even multi-band compression), the difference is that a compressor will just analyse the envelope of the side-chain as a whole and will reduce the volume also as a whole. A multi-band side-chain compressor will analyse the envelope of the side-chain as a whole and will reduce the volume on multiple bands independently with different compressor settings. Trackspacer will analyse the side-chain in 32 chunks and will reduce each chunk separately. It's like having a 32-band EQ that reacts automatically inverting the spectrum of the side-chain.
Imagine you have a kick drum and a bass that are in conflict with each other. You will insert Trackspacer to the bass channel and have it listen to the kick (side-chain). Every time the kick hits Trackspacer will analyse the frequency content and will reduce it to the bass. That way the kick will always get on top of the bass when needed, but the bass will still retain all the frequencies when needed too.
- You have just released your second plug-in Spectre. So itās an eq/saturation and enhancer all in one. Ā Can you tell us about Spectre? Where did idea come from? Can you explain and tell us what it does.
Spectre is a sound-shaping tool that combines the best features of an enhancer coupled with a graphical parametric equaliser.
It processes the difference between the input signal and the EQ signal, introducing harmonic content to just the part of the spectrum that you want from a variety of saturation algorithms based on classic recording hardware.
I have loved enhancers since I tried the original Aphex Aural Exciter, then BBE Sonic Maximizer and on. I always thought of a plug-in like those in which I could set the type of saturation applied and exactly where and how-much. That's possible with a graphical EQ.
You can use Spectre as if it was a classic boosting EQ with different sonic colours and a very special sound.
- I love the idea of being able to saturate the signal as I want. I think youāve got a hit plug-in on your hands with this one.
Thank you! It has been very well received by the audio community and I'll keep releasing updates with new requested features.
- What applications do you see people using Spectre for tracking instruments, mixing and mastering? Please give some examples of what you think we should use it for.
Spectre is great on mixes, sub-mixes and mastering too.
I use it to make a fuller bottom-end on kick drum and bass by boosting on the 60 hertz range just a little bit using the Tape color with aggressive setting.
It's also very useful for getting sparkle on the top end by boosting the high-shelf on the Tube setting.
Try boosting the high-shelf in 'Side' processing mode and you'll get a stereo spread that's more natural and pleasing than regular stereo wideners.
- What are some sample instruments (non Wavesfactory) that you like or wish you made?
That's a very good question. I would probably say the Toontrack product line.
- Who are some of your favourite Kontakt developers? (non Wavesfactory)
I have special admiration for small developers that do all on their own like AudioThing, Orange Tree Samples and Fluffy Audio.
I also like Native Instruments, Spitfire Audio and Cinesamples.
- What are some of your favourite plugins (non Wavesfactory)?
I use Xferās Serum all the time for all types of synths, I think itās a masterpiece. I recently discovered OP-X by 'sonicprojects' and I absolutely love it. I don't know what it has but it triggers the nostalgia bit on me on every patch.
- Who are some of your favourite Plug-in developers? (non Wavesafactory)
If I had to choose only one I'd stick with U-he. I love their philosophy and style.
- Which Wavesfactory product are you most proud of?
Tough question again! When creating something there's always a feeling of "I could have done that bit better". I don't have that feeling at all with Sharine. Sharine sounds great, I love the interface (which took me a long time to do!) and it fixes a common problem with shakers and tambourines that wasn't even tried to be solved before. I'm referring to the problem that these percussion instruments have an amount of pre-roll or pre-shift before the main transient and you have to manually shift the midi notes in order for the transient to be placed on beat. Sharine advances the midi notes for you depending on the sample that it's going to be played.
- Whatās your favourite hardware or software gear to process samples?
The only process that I do to the samples is de-noising and I think iZotope RX is the best on the market right now being able to de-noise in bulk.
I don't process samples with EQ or compression not even at the recording stage, I like to provide samples as raw as posible and then provide effects in the library.
- What are some dessert-island things you use?
I recently discovered 'Talkbox' by 'mda' and I'm using it all the time for vocals, maybe just a touch of it on a saw-tooth synth following the main chords and the vocal gets fuller instantly. It's also a good way of getting that doubler effect.
I couldnāt live without Celemonyās Melodyne and Voxengo SPAN. I recently got a copy of Soundtheoryās Gullfoss and I think Iām going to love it⦠Ā
- What direction do you see Wavesfactory taking?
I would like to continue delivering unique plug-ins and Kontakt instruments as long as I can since it's what I love to do.
- Are you working on something that you would like to tells us about?
I'm working on new plug-ins, new Kontakt instruments and also new versions of old libraries like The Tack.
I have a few ideas for audio plug-in effects that have never been done before (like Trackspacer) and I don't know if they are useful or not until they are released, so I hope you like them! Iām sorry I canāt explain more on future projectsā¦
- Anything else you would like to share?
Thank you for the interview and good luck with The Tapeless World!
Also Be sure to check out there Plugins and Sample Libraries
https://www.wavesfactory.com/
IĀ Highley Recommend Trackspacer.Ā https://www.wavesfactory.com/trackspacer/
Trackspacer is an award-nominated plug-in that creates space in a mix by carving the frequencies that the main track needs into another track in real-time.
Trackspacer is no ordinary plug-in, it is similar to a sidechain compressor plug-in but much more powerful, transparent and precise.
TapeOp said: āTrackSpacer is a ridiculously affordable, easy way to get various elements of your mix to interact in useful and musical ways⦠Final words: buy it! It works!ā
https://www.wavesfactory.com/trackspacer/
Also Be sure to check Out
MERCURY PIANO - THE ICONIC FAZIOLI GRAND PIANO USED ON LEGENDARY HITS
Mercury piano is a grand piano instrument for Kontakt Player featuring a Fazioli F-228 recorded at Metropolis Studios in London.Mercury piano was one year in the making, taking care of the smallest details in order to make it perfect.The combination of the unique tone of this piano, exquisite recording and leading coding leads many to consider this as one of the best piano instruments on the market.
https://www.wavesfactory.com/mercury-piano/
Spectre is a sound-shaping tool that combines the best features of an enhancer coupled with a graphical parametric equaliser.Spectre processes the difference between the input signal and the EQ signal, introducing harmonic content to just the part of the spectrum that you want from a variety of saturation algorithms based on classic recording hardware.Spectre can be used on individual tracks, sub-mixes, the entire mix and is ideal for mastering.
https://www.wavesfactory.com/spectre/