Kevin James is a Gearwire MVP Candidate nominated for his posts on DJForums.com. Kevin came from a very musical background and his passion for and progression deeper into music seems like a very natural thing.

What is your background?

I come from a small city outside Boston, MA - Fall River. I was raised in a very Portuguese, musical house hold, and was playing the clarinet, and keyboard at a young age and throughout high school.

I started as a Mobile DJ when I was 16. (I) Saved my pennies and bought some gear, and just went to it. Shortly after, I became submerged in the EDM scene. I ditched the PAYING, mobile DJing in favor of the non paying bedroom / occasional night club gig. About four years ago I started producing my own music, mostly house music, but lately I have been venturing in to Hip Hop, and Electronica.

How did you get started in music and what advice would you give to someone who just started?

I got started when a friend told me he just got a really cool program called "Reason". Soon as I laid hands on it, I was hooked. When a beginner asks me how to get started, I usually tell them to check out Rebirth. Rebirth is now free software based on the legendary Roland TB-303 Bassline synth, and the TR-808 and 909 drum synths. It was available before Reason. I tell newcomers to check that out first because it is free! If they like it then I usually recommend stepping up to Reason, and a real DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) such as Ableton, Cubase, or Pro Tools. Another big piece of advice I can give any newbies to music production, is READ, READ, READ! There is a wealth of information available in those manuals that come with the software mentioned above. Read the manuals, even when you are away from the studio. You will learn something new everyday. I know I do. YouTube is another great place to watch video tutorials on how to get the sounds you crave.

Who are your musical influences and what genre do you listen to most?

This is always a tough question. I listen to a wide range music. I think my biggest influences have to be Daft Punk, Timo Maas, Pink Floyd, Guster, The Beatles, and almost anything produced in the 60s-70s. I am amazed at how some producers achieved the sound they did back then, before the digital age came running along.

What's your inspiration?

Tough question here. I think my biggest inspiration is my love for music. Music makes my world turn - any kind of music. When I am in the studio working on a song, and I feel like my creative energy is drained, I take a minute to go outside and listen to some older recordings from The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, and I think, "Well if they could pull this off with tape recorders, without any computers, then surely I can come up with something decent on my own with my PC."

What's your motivation for helping people out on forums?

The current music industry is a mess. It is all about making money, not about making quality music. I figure, the more people making music at home, pumping out quality tunes either for free, or on an indie label, will help push the music industry in a new direction. I also feel really good when someone I helped bangs out an amazing tune, or just finally figures out how to do something like that side chain compression they always wanted.

What's your favorite piece of gear and why? What gear do you use?

Ah another tough question. Over the years I have had a good amount of gear, often sold when I get sick of it, for a new piece. Wouldn't it be nice to keep all of it! Anyway, I think right now my favorite pieces are my CME MIDI controller and Ableton Live. I know Ableton is not really "Gear" but it cost as much as a decent Midi Controller, and I use it daily, so it's gear to me!

I think Ableton Live is such a great piece, because it allows me to get ideas down QUICKLY and efficiently. It is as stable as any hardware sequencer, but it much easier to use. It falls short on a few features that higher-end DAW's like Pro Tools have, but for me, and for most people recording and producing at home, it is all I need.

What are your favorite sources for gear-related information?

Gearwire, DJforums, and Cnet. To be honest I am on DJForums quite often throughout the day. Soon as a new piece of gear is introduced, there is often a post about it, so I stay somewhat up to date with everything. I like to check out whats new on Gearwire once a week or so.

What's the best music related advice you've ever received?

"Don't follow the so-called rules, and never make music for the wrong reasons." See above.

What's the best and worst thing about being a musician?

I know so many people who do not have any real hobby. They work and watch tv and do nothing really. I feel to be balanced in life, you need to have a passion for something. My passion is making tunes, and djing. The best thing for me is that satisfaction of doing something I love with my free time and being able to share it with the world. It is even better when I play out at a club, or an event and get to see first hand people's reactions to the music.

I can't really think of a bad thing about being a musician, except for maybe eating Ramen noodles for a few weeks to save cash for a new piece of gear.

What is the best and worst thing about online forums?

Best thing is the feedback you can get on your projects, and the feedback you can give others on theirs. Before I became active in a few forums, now mainly djforums.com, I only had 2 people locally that could critique my work, and give me feedback. Now I have hundreds of people who are willing to give a listen and let me know how to improve - not only on a local level, but international!

The worst thing has to be not being able to see the person you are talking to and getting a better feel for their situation.

What music-related topic do you think is most neglected on forums?

On the particular forum I frequent, it is mainly EDM production. There are many topics on how to get the sound of another guy, but not enough discussion about how to do something different.

What are the 5 forum posts/threads where you are most proud of your contributions? (Give actual URLs)

• Alright you Ableton heads, pitch bend is killing me -Ableton / Reason ReWire Tutorial
• Ableton Live! - Time Warping for DJ use
• CDJ200 - Modification - Slip-Mat!
• Free Stickam Ableton Live Class Tonight - 11:30PM
• Which DAW do you use?

Anything else you would like voters to know? Any interesting music related stories?

I am just an average dude, nothing really amazing here. I am not a traveling international DJ / Producer, so no wild and crazy stories just yet. Maybe in the future.