Interview: Pierce Fulton

November 29, 2011 By Zona 2,111 Comments

Pierce Fulton has been labeled somewhat of a prodigy since almost mastering every instrument he could get his hands on. He likes all types of music including… Classic Rock, Reggae, Metal, Classical, House, Trance and IDM. “Ask him to talk about any genre and Pierce can tell you exactly when he went through a phase and loved it”. He has played instruments in all types of bands and even the school orchestra. With such an expansive and passionate background in music, Pierce is able to pull from a huge spectrum of sound and influence in his productions. We had the opportunity to ask Pierce some questions and this is how he answered…

What initially inspired you to pursue music? (Artists, genres, ect…)

Well I’ve played music my entire life, since I was about 5 or so actually, and I guess the amount of time that came with starting at such a young age really inspired me to pursue it. As for electronic, it kind of hit me all of the sudden a few years ago and I think the dramatic differences that came with it really pulled me toward the genre. I also would just die in the corporate world working in a cubicle so jumping around stages sounds a bit more fun to me haha.

How long did it take you to get where you are today from that initial starting point?

I started producing electronic music in the summer of 2009 and at first it was a fun hobby because I was really fascinated in the style. At the time I was in a band, totally into different music, and had no idea my productions would ever go anywhere. And to be honest, I still have a long road ahead as I’m still a college kid just producing when I don’t have exams, but I like to see myself slowly making the shift to first gear. So I guess to answer the question it’s taken about 2 and 1/2 years to get where I am…which is not a long time whatsoever so I still see myself as just a beginner really.

What drives your music?

I guess just passion for something great to me is something that drives it. I’ve always been so not into making music in terms of what the public wants to hear, instead I really enjoy making something that I can personally value for being great. I even have a personal stash of songs that will never leave my computer that I use as a lot of inspiration…just sitting and appreciating something I made truly for myself really drives me to make more.

How does it feel to be so young and already so noticed.

It’s actually extremely strange…I had a goal to remain completely under the radar at my college and since this fall that plan has been falling apart. Kids finally found out I went here and started contacting me, but I still have my ways of being out of the spotlight which I really love. Lots of friends wonder why I try to stay unknown in my town but it’s as simple as the desire to completely separate school from the rest of my life, which I really enjoy.

Where do you see the music scene going? Dying down or inclining?

I think about this every day actually…this wave of EDM is so interesting to look into, especially from the US point of view. Some days I think it could last for another 5-10 years, other days I feel it could die by this summer..It’s just so hard to read. I feel that the only way to keep it alive is to keep pumping new and original material in the market. If styles become stagnant, the entire genre dies and down we go. But I do like to think that we’re going somewhere! Always staying positive

Does the current music industry drive artists to be well rounded in both a creative sense and business sense?

I’m happy you asked that because that is the second most pondered question in the ol’ Pierce Fulton noggin. It’s also extremely interesting to look into, the trade off of industry vs. the music itself. There are plenty of terrible musicians that have made it big and also a lot of brilliant musicians that stay in the shadows. And of course there are a lot of the other way around as well, but it’s extremely hard to judge what is more important to success these days. For me, I have a phenomenal team with my brother, who has managed me since the day we decided to do this shindig. I think having a solid and forward thinking team that knows what’s going on in the day-to-day world in combination with skills in production, theory, and general musicianship is the perfect formula. Also one thing I really bank off of is having a fundamental stage presence..I can definitely thank all the bands I played with growing up for helping with that.

How do you balance your time in the studio with your touring schedule? Difficult or easy? Are you still going to school?

Oh my god it’s a disaster hahaha. Last year I loved it because I would just kind of casually study and produce and the inspiration was constantly flowing. Right now I’m flipping through majors, clearing my monday’s and friday’s so my agent can book more gigs, and trying to produce on a much higher level of satisfaction. I guess my only issue with it is that my inspiration always comes at the worst times…like at 3 A.M. the night before I have 2 exams. That exact situation has happened so many times it’s awful haha. I’m just looking forward to my christmas break and summer vacation to really knock out some serious work.

What piece of hardware/software do you find the most useful in your productions?

Well I’m running entirely out of my laptop right now because I move so much. I hate it because I despise the thought of walking around with little rectangle that holds all of my work haha. I use Logic Pro for my producing and I guess the plugins I find most useful are all of these old vintage synthesizer emulators. You can take such a plain signal and manipulate it in so many ways, opening boundaries everywhere. When you just use presets, it’s all done for you and you don’t achieve the satisfaction of creating something new and personal, I guess that’s why I love the little old school ones.

What is the biggest challenge new producers face right now?

I’d say the biggest challenge is knowing what’s appropriate to put out and what’s not. I must say I currently regret putting out a lot of material I’ve done in the past, just because I rushed through it or something wasn’t right, and at the time I wasn’t concerned with that but rather just having material out. But as much as I hate it, it does provide some benefits in showing the development of my productions.

What aspects of a track do you most enjoy creating?

Ahh that’s a tough one. I’ve always been a melody guy but I also do looove rhythms more than anything in music. In the past, I’ve always studied the complexities of rhythms because it really fascinated me. So I guess the combination of a rhythmic, well composed melody and a driving beat is what I love to write.

What would you say is the most difficult part of producing music?

Finishing a track. I’m the worst actually with that. I have such a hard time letting a project go because after I feel that it’s “done” there are always things I can fix up or change to make better in my ears. But with that, the most enjoyable thing to me is when I truly feel that a project is finished…it’s just so rewarding.

A huge thanks to Pierce Fulton for taking the time out of his day to give us an amazing interview for our fans. Be sure to check out Pierces Facebook Page and buy tickets to his upcoming event in San Francisco this week. Also go to his Beatport Page and buy all his great music!