[ check out Tat Tong's music ]
1. Did you learn music since young?
Yup, I started learning keyboards at 4 under the Yamaha Junior Music Program. I eventually settled with the piano as my main instrument, and at 8, I got selected for the special composition programme at Yamaha Music School. During the 11 years I was in that programme, I was taught to understand music on both a cerebral as well as an intuitive level. For example, we would often listen to pieces of classical music and do structural analyses of the themes and development techniques, but at the same time, we would also be asked to improvise on a given motif (a couple bars of music) to create and perform a short piece of music on the spot, within minutes of hearing it. This sounds like really heavy stuff for young people to handle, but surprisingly it really didn't feel that way back then - to Yamaha's credit, they managed to gradually introduce those big musical terms while still getting the main ideas across to us.
2. How did you start making your own music?
Part of Yamaha's composition programme was an international competition of sorts held every year, where each student would submit an original composition which would be heard by judges in Japan. Winning works were performed either at the international concert in Japan, or the regional concert which was held in various countries around Asia. Therefore, under this programme, I started making my own music when I was 9 or 10, although I wasn't very good then. My works were selected for the regional concerts in 1995 and 1999, and I got to perform them in Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City. Years later, during college, I would revisit these skills and use them in the context of pop music, but back then, I was just having fun creating these huge instrumental works for piano, string instruments, electronic keyboards, drums, etc, in every imaginable style.
3. What is your current setup?
I'm currently working on a PC (not Mac!) running SONAR 6.2 Producer Edition which is a terrific DAW if you ask me.
Like most project musicians these days, I don't have much if any outboard gear - I do most effects processing using either native effects (Waves Platinum Bundle, Sonitus:fx) or the stuff on my TC PowerCore Compact external DSP processor. I'm using a Studio Projects C1 mic to record vox, through a trusty Edirol UA-25 audio interface that's been with me for 5 years now. I monitor through Sennheiser HD200 earphones and KRK RP5 + RP10s sub monitors. For keys I use the Edirol PC-50 keyboard which is a simple USB MIDI keyboard that works adequately. With fake instruments courtesy of IK SampleTank XL I'm pretty much all set. 4. Thinking of doing music as a career?
I'm currently having a very fulfilling career as an officer in the Republic of Singapore Navy, so I don't know if I'd want to do music as a career at this point. But I am definitely having fun exploring this side of myself, and who knows what the future may hold!
5. How can we improve the current state of music in Singapore?
I think the cliched answer to this is to improve the infrastructure, change mindsets, give young artists more chances to shine, etc, but my personal opinion is that it's already so much easier to break into the music industry in Singapore or Asia at large than in say the US or UK where the competition is much keener. On an individual level, it all boils down to sheer hard work to make your musical dreams happen. Let's not always blame the "stifling environment" or "lack of support". If you're truly passionate and talented, nothing in this world can stop you! If enough people do this, I think things will change for the better quite fast.
6. How did you find out about SOFT and what do you think of it?
Through Internet searches. SOFT is a fantastic place for musicians to group, provide mutual support, and share ideas, music, etc. I don't think there's any other musical forum quite like it serving Singapore musicians, and I look forward to reading more interesting posts in future!
[ check out Tat Tong's music ]
