Cristian Viviano, a self-taught DJ, musician, and producer from Palermo, has made a remarkable impact on the music scene. His performances have graced prestigious venues and festivals worldwide, including Fabric in London, Dream Beach Festival, Pacha Ibiza, and Mayan Warrior in Los Angeles. Known for his compelling sets and innovative productions, Cristian is capturing attention with the “Tu Destino EP,” which encapsulates the essence of his dynamic sound and marks an exciting milestone in his ongoing artistic journey.
Rebellion welcomes Cristian Viviano for his label debut with “Tu Destino,” a three-track EP that highlights his deep passion for the fusion of analog and digital elements in music production. After sharing the stage with label boss Damian Lazarus at Hi Ibiza, Viviano delivers a trio of exquisite tracks that reflect his eclectic style and rich musical background. Renowned for his versatile sound and powerful DJ sets, his previous releases have found a home on respected labels including Paradise, Hottrax, Get Physical, Maccabi House, and his own Descending Order.
Cristian shares, “I poured a lot of passion into this EP. I’m a big fan of analog gear, but I also recognize the potential of digital tools; blending both inspires me immensely.”
“‘In This World’ is a fusion of emotions layered over a deep, driving rhythm. The vocal and brass elements invigorate the space and resonate with your heart, creating a rich, immersive vibe.” – Cristian Viviano
In my studio setup, I merge analog machines with the digital realm, a blend that serves as my muse, enabling me to have a great time experimenting and jamming with my gear. Today, I’ll explain how I created the second track of my latest EP released on Rebellion.
Groove
For the groove, I utilized my DSI Tempest and the MPC X.
Bassline
The bassline comes from my Elektron Analog Keys. I began with a bass preset, tweaking the cutoff, oscillator, and various effects until I achieved the sound you hear in the track.
The plugins I used on the bass line are:
- FabFilter Pro C2
- L1 Limiter
- Kickstart 2
- EQ Eight
Wind Instruments
Wind instruments are from Kohsetsu Imanishi, Hiromu Takahashi, and Saburo Tanooka.
The vocal is from an artist whose work I admire greatly, Annie Brown Caldwell — its lyrics and soulful depth resonated with what I was searching for. I edited the vocal, applying EQ corrections using Ableton’s original tools, which work efficiently, much to my CPU’s delight.
Workflow
I start jamming with my analog machines, and once I capture something I like, I immediately record it live on separate channels through the mixer to the DAW. There, I refine the project by adding, editing, and finalizing it.
When I’m traveling for gigs, I often check for samples on Loopcloud, where you can also find my sample pack titled “Underground Analog Session.” Even without my studio, if I’m inspired, I create music with whatever is around me. I enjoy playing guitar and piano, embracing music in all its forms.
One valuable insight I can share is my project workflow, which I designed as a preset for my personal use. I create groups to keep my projects organized, which significantly enhances the mixing process. I organize everything into groups for drums, percussions, basslines, leads, effects, vocals, and instruments, making my projects more intuitive and easier to work with.
Track Creation Steps
- Jamming with my analog machines
- Using the live scene, I start to play live, as I often do in my live performances. Once I have arranged the scenes, I record from live to the editor scene, where I edit and finish the track.
Plugin Suggestions
- Portal (I use it for vocals or melodies)
- Kickstart 2 (a must-have plugin that I use to give the kick side chain space; it’s applicable on basslines, percussions, or melodies)
- For equalization, I use FabFilter and Waves plugins like L1
- For VSTs, I recommend Pigments, Nexus, and Serum
- For analog machines, I use Elektron Analog Keys and DSI Tempest, which in my opinion work very well together
The post HOW IT WAS MADE: CRISTIAN VIVIANO ‘IN THIS WORLD’ REBELLION (INDIE DANCE) appeared first on Magnetic Magazine.