Artist: Probspot
Real Name: Rikard Fredriksson
Aliases: Probspot, Rico Soarez, Rikkard Fredriksson, Zinfandel
Website: http://www.probspot.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/probspot

Interviewer: Ross Baker (rb2k1)

Q: Hey Rico, thanks for doing this interview with APN. How and where do we find you at this present time?
A: No probs, I´m glad to be of service. Right now I´m in the studio.

Q: Who is Probspot? Just some background info.
A: Well, I am just a regular guy from Sweden with a passion for beats and bleeps. My real name is Rikard Fredriksson. I started making dance music around 1996. Back then I was really in to psy/goa trance and jungle. And eventually I got more and more in to house and trance. And the type of music I produce now is something in between I guess. My first original release was back in 2002 on dedicated musique, and in 2004 I signed a record deal with Lost Language.

Q: How, Why, and When did you get involved in electronic music?
A: It was a friend of mine back in school that introduced me to dance music, David Westerlund (david west, antiloop). He gave me some mix tapes and taught me the basics of working in a studio. And I got hooked pretty fast. Before that I was more into hard rock. I still have my old flying-v guitar in the studio. So I started buying studio gear with another friend. Shortly after that, we had our own basic little studio in his grandparent’s basement. Most of my early tracks where made on the classic 12bit ensoniq eps sampler, and a novation bassstation.

Q: What do you enjoy most about music production?
A: I guess it’s a nice feeling to create something out of nothing. Taking a little idea or melody, building some beats and seeing how it starts to evolve in to a finished production.Making the beats is probably what I enjoy most. And that’s usually what takes the most time as well. I do like the feeling of being in control of the creative process. I have a lot of experience from playing in bands where you have to compromise a lot to get anything done. Now I can do what ever I feel like which is great.

Q: If we walked into your studio what would we find?
A: Some of my old studio gear still hangs around collecting dust, like my first EPS sampler, synths like Roland jv1080, bass station a Yamaha 01 mixer and some outboard fx units. A pair of AKG 240 headphones and my 2 sets of speakers (nothing fancy, just regular speakers but with a lot of bass). My master keyboard is a m-audio radium 61 hooked up to my “out of date” PC (I’m getting a new one soon). As for software I use Cubase 4, Soundforge, plugins from waves. Some of the vsti´s I use: atmosphere, halion 3, pro 53, absynth 4.

Q: What advice can you offer aspiring producers within the electronic genres?
Patience, take your time perfecting your skills and tracks. It takes time. Try and find your own sound. There so many people making dance music these days, so you need to have something that makes your music a bit unique.

Q: Who do you look at as an icon or symbol within the edm genres?
A: There´s so many of them. These are some big acts I respect and admire: depeche mode, daft punk, The prodigy, Oliver Lieb, BT, Eric Prydz.

Q: What can we expect to see from you in 2008? Any special tracks in the works right now?
A: Production wise things have slowed done a bit for me due to studies, but hopefully I’ll be able to put out a few productions and remixes anyway. The only thing planned right now is a few remixes and a track called abydos, that will be released on amenta records early this year.

Q: If you could collaborate with any artist out right now who would it be?
A: Hmm…hard to say, it would be cool to work with someone outside my own genre. Maybe do some ambient, or chill out stuff with someone.

Q: Your discography includes a number of Remix works, how do you usually go about taking on any given remix?
A: Yeah I’ve done more remixes the original probspot tracks hehe. Well, when remixing I try to find the samples/elements of the original that I really like and use them in different ways. It’s cool to try out new chords and bass lines and make them fit the original vocals. Instead of using the original melodies. So usually I start with a simple piano sound, and play around with some different chords until I get something that works together with vocals or what ever sounds I have. When I come up with the chords I need, I add some drums and start to make a basic arrangement. It usually takes me a week to finish it.

Q: Are there any particular artists you’ve really enjoyed working with or remixing for?
A: The first remix I ever made that got released was antiloop - catch me, back in 2000. Making that remix was really something special. But it really sounds awful when I listen to today hehe. I enjoy remixing most tracks. But I guess it’s more fun to remix something with vocals for some reason. I’ve also enjoyed working together with Andrew Bennett, we have made a couple of tracks that worked out pretty good.

Q: What are your top 3 favorite tracks at the moment? Of all time? Top track of your own?
A: At the moment:
1. cirez d - teaser(deadmau5 mix2)
2. axwell&ingrosso feat salem al fakir - it’s true
3. david west - welsh morphology.

A favorite track of all time is a bit hard, but here are some classics I have enjoyed over the years:
1. deep dish feat prana - the dream
2. man with no name - sugar rush
3. Baby D - let me be your fantasy

As for my own tracks I guess foreplay is the one.

Q: After a successful 2007 what have been the highlights of the past year for you?
A: I think it was kind of cool that Paul Van Dyk decided to sample my dub mix of blows my mind and use it on his album track another sunday. First time I´ve heard anyone sample one of my tracks hehe. And I did some remixes that I felt quite satisfied with, like emjae - necromancer which did really well.

Q: I am sure the highlights will continue on into the years to come. Thanks again for doing this interview with APN, you definitely have many supporters on this site so we wish you best of luck with your future career!
A: Thanks

For more information please visit: http://www.probspot.com