Sydney producer Jack Grace is one of our favourite emerging songwriters in the country, hands down – a stance that’s only been validated with the release of his brilliant debut EP River.

With a gorgeous sound that translates beautifully to the live stage, we were keen to chat to Jack about his gear setups past and present, ranging from a $4000 Roland to… a tiny Italian drum.

River is out now through Solitaire Records, and Jack has been announced for A Festival Called Panama in Tassie on March 10-12, alongside the likes of Kurt Vile, Margaret Glaspy, DD Dumbo, Koi Child and more – yes please.

Talking Shop With Jack Grace

If you were forced to tour in a van and only had room for two or three piece of equipment, what would you bring and why?

Laptop, keyboard/synth, MPC. A lot of what makes my sound is the way I get around a keyboard – the source of that sound doesn’t really bother me that much. Analogue or digital, shitty sample packs… it’s all just starting points. The MPC gets me in the opposite direction of what I do on the keyboard – the physicality of it dictates the sound, which makes the process fun.

How has your current rig evolved over the years?

It hasn’t really evolved that much… I started with a laptop and Roland Phantom module with a midi keyboard as I was using Pro-Tools and didn’t know how to rewire stuff, so I was just playing beats in off the module. Where my rig has evolved is in the monitoring and analogue/digital conversion.

What’s unique about your setup?

I’m not sure if my setup is particulary unique. I haven’t ever had the money to afford myself to indulge on beautiful gear like i’d like too. My motto is “do what you can with what you have.”

How does it vary between the studio and the live stage?

I virtually have to pack up my studio to play live, its annoying!

What was some of the first gear you got?

After the family piano it was a Roland Phantom, which was insane at the time… I saw a video on MTV with Timbaland using one and I was like, “I need that.” It took me like three years to save for it, ’cause it was like $4000… It’s still the most expensive piece I’ve ever bought, and I got it when I was 17. I sold it about 6 years later when I thought I really needed the cash for, like, $400 bucks..

I’m an idiot.

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How has your understanding of the gear you need changed over the years?

There’s been a lot of demystifying. I’ve had to put time into areas that I was really weak in, like understanding some of the maths behind music. I find myself using less and less gear, and making stuff that I’m happier with.

Does the gear you use influence the song that results from it, or the other way around?  

Yeah, this is two way street. I tend to like to separate the process of production from songwriting. It’s different parts of my brain. The physicality of instruments like the piano (or any keyboarded instrument) does affect the song for me.

The chromatic/linear nature of the layout definitely affects the harmony; even if I’ve just had a tune come to my head, I can completely reframe/recontextualise that melody depending how I choose to on the piano/synth… I’m getting pumped just thinking about it now.

That’s one of my favourite parts of the process, and I think this effects the overall song for sure. In simple terms, if I set the tune of ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’ in a minor key, it emphasises the word “Had”… that changes everything.

What’s the weirdest piece of gear that’s been given to you by a company?

Nobody has ever given me anything.

What’s the weirdest or most obscure piece of gear you’ve paid money for?

When I was 13 I bought a little drum from a street vendor in Italy. I drove everyone mad with it.

What’s the oldest piece of gear in your rig?

My DAW – still on Logic 8!

Are there pieces of gear in your rig that you see as a perpetual problem-solver?

I use my piano to problem solve the most… Even if I never use piano on the track, or add piano to the track, or even have any chords on the track… I just play the song on the piano and it helps me understand what I’m dealing with. It’s so familiar, and I feel comfortable on it.

I’ve been playing some form of keyed instrument almost every day since I was five, so yeah, I guess that makes it “perpetual”… Perhaps it’s actually the “perpetual” problem-maker as well – but that’s probably another interview.

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