Desert Island Kit: Kyle Watson
Monday, October 1, 2018 - 12:24
"The one piece of kit I can’t live without is my Native Instruments Kontrol S keyboard and software combo. I work entirely in the box and currently don’t run any external hardware, so this is one of the very few items that sits on my studio desk! I bought it pretty soon after it came out so I’ve had it for a good few years now.
"I love it for many reasons, but primarily it helps me get my ideas down really quickly. I can flip through all my soft synths with one dial and find great starting points for the sounds I have in my head. Nothing is more frustrating than losing creative energy because you can’t find what you need quickly, and this solves that for me. It’s also great for finding weird and obscure sounds that are usually hiding away in a preset bank of a synth I never use."
"The macro dials on the top of the keyboard are way better than using a mouse and are great for modulation – I use a lot of modulation in my basslines and textures so I often map parameters to these dials and record crazy automation by tweaking them. Often what comes out in the end has a more human and organic feel to it which is something I think is important.
"One of its tricks is the built-in arpeggiator. I’ve been experimenting a bit with arpeggios recently, and actually ended up using this feature on the closing track off my new album ‘Into The Morning’. It’s got me out of many a creative block before and, while it may not be as exciting as a piece of vintage gear, I absolutely love it!"
Kyle Watson's new album 'In The Morning' is out now
