Jean Pierre shares his biggest inspirations, key music production tools, and gives an insight into the making of his exclusive new sample pack for Sample Market
If you're at all in tune with the Tech-House scene, you'll be well aware of Jean Pierre's unique take on the genre. His minimalist, percussive style has seen him release music on the likes of Cuttin' Headz, Pakate Records, Ultra, and many more record labels.
Having played at legendary venues such as Space Miami, Hï, Pacha, and Amnesia, Jean Pierre knows exactly what goes into a track that is guaranteed to get the dancefloor moving. His recent sample pack for Sample Market's Artist Series contains over 300 high-quality audio samples, which includes a range of royalty-free one-shots, basslines, loops, modular textures, FX, and much more.
We caught up with Jean Pierre to hear more about his Artist Series sample pack, his studio setup, creative process, future projects, and much more.
Please could you start by introducing yourself and your musical background?
"Of course! My name is Jean Pierre, I'm a DJ and producer originally from Queens, New York, now based in Barcelona. I started my DJ career in Cali, Colombia, while visiting my father around 2001. Later, I relocated back to NYC where I was educated by the club scene at Sound Factory, Vinyl (The Arc), Pacha NYC, Cielo, and of course, Output (RIP)."
Who have been the main musical inspirations in your career?
"Carl Cox, Marco Carola, The Martinez Brothers, Ricardo Villalobos, and Zip have all been huge inspirations. Thomas Melchior has always been a G too."
You're originally from America, but have spent plenty of time in Europe too. Have you noticed many differences in the music scenes on each side of the pond?
"In Europe, I feel the music is around you 24/7, with so many amazing artists and venues. America is a melting pot of sounds, and that doesn't take away from the incredible talent it has nurtured; it's just a different energy to Europe."
Congratulations on the release of your Artist Series sample pack for Sample Market! Please could you summarise what the pack is about, and what producers can expect to find in there?
"Being my first sample pack, I wanted to push myself to deliver a high-quality product that truly represents me. Most of the sounds were created with my Squid modular drum machine and my Elektron gear. I also used the Diva and Analog Lab plugins to create basslines and melodies, with sequences coming from the SEQUND sequencer by 510k.
"I kept reworking the grooves until they felt exactly right. The vocals are special too, since they include recordings I've taken throughout the years, which even include a shaman from Colombia."
Having seen the promotional video for the pack, hardware is obviously a huge part of your production process. How important was your hardware in the creation of this pack?
"It helped me enjoy the process without staring at a screen for hours. I'd just jam out for hours, record, and capture the best segments. That's where the magic happens. Record, record, record."
Were there any particular writing, sound design, or processing techniques that you used a lot while constructing this pack?
"A lot of sounds were processed with the H3000 VST plugin by Eventide, using both individual sound presets and sound design presets. The plugin has an insane amount of well-organized presets for processing. I also leaned on Native Instruments' Guitar Rig 6 for additional processing and special effects. The Special FX preset bank is pretty wild, and can transform individual sounds in unique and unexpected ways."
Could you talk us through some of your most-used pieces of gear, and how you use them in your workflow?
"Right now, I love sampling from my Roland MC-505 groovebox. The swing and sound quality of this unit are incredible; the drum grooves, sounds, and bass are all stellar. Another favorite is the Squid Salmple (yes, Salmple) from Busy Circuits. It's a Eurorack 8-channel audio and CV sampler, designed for real-time sampling, editing, and mangling within a modular setup. It comes with a USB loaded with 90 insane sample banks. I have it synced with my Beatstep Pro and set the randomizer at 25% on the drum section, then record the different sequences. It's really cool and sounds great."
What advice would you give producers who are looking to secure more releases and DJ sets?
"Work hard, create, and have fun. Enjoy the process and let the music guide you, that's when you'll create something special, often when you least expect it.
"Try to go out and show support to collectives and venues. Let people see you! Sometimes a booking can come from simply having a chat or a drink with a promoter at a party."
Finally, as summer draws to an end, what will you be working on over the winter?
"I'm super happy to announce I've finished my first studio album, dropping October 17th right before ADE. It will be released on my label Pakate Records. It includes 11 original tracks along with some exciting collaborations. I also have releases coming on Mood Child, Sight Barcelona, Two and a Half Cats, Ultra Records, and NYC's own Risqué. Stay tuned!"
Thanks to Jean Pierre for taking the time to speak with us. Jean Pierre's Artist Series sample pack is now available exclusively on Sample Market, and you can keep up to date with him via his Instagram, Soundcloud, and Spotify.
