Dylan Lake AKA ill.Gates is a North American electronic music producer whose genuine, high-energy attitude is felt throughout his rumbly EDM world.
The urgent, robotic undertones in his music move with a soul that keeps planets in orbit. Keep reading to find out what’s behind his lively take on Pigments, Arturia’s software for every shade of synthesis.
_Synth harmony
ill.Gates welcomes us in his studio by saying “it is a cold gray day outside, but we got all the color we need with the new Pigments synth from Arturia.” The state-of-the-art software abounds with powerful engines, smooth modulation capabilities, and studio-grade effects. It rightfully gets praise from the creator of rippling productions:
I love synthesizers. I collect them and I use them for two main purposes. Number one, getting tracks done, so that I can release records and tour. And number two, getting lost in the sound and just falling in love. It's rare that you find a synth that ticks both of those boxes. And for me, Pigments is that synth.
_United battlebot army
Eager to dive into the Pigments 3.5 update, ill.Gates goes straight into playing with the Battlebot preset. The evolving mechanical nature of the sonic bot sparks an instant reaction in the producer: “Yeah, that’s gnarly. Battlebot, you get a little heart.” Stamping presets with the heart icon gathers anyone’s favorite presets into one playlist, available for instant recall when you need it.
Pigments has an infinite spectrum of sound, allowing for true freedom of sound sculpting. It’s also built to guide your music with complex and expertly engineered presets. Computer Rhythm Toms is another of Dylan’s favorites.
It's crazy. I think I once spent a whole afternoon making a sound like that from buildup - and it's just right there. All you gotta do is pick Computer Rhythm Toms.
With Pigments, you can transform your sound painting skills from a bored art class drawing to Salvador Dali levels - and get there fast.
It is a joy to use and it is so fast to get exactly what you need.
_Need some Dojo for your mojo?
Easiness of use is an important factor to empower producers of all levels. And that’s something ill.Gates is passionate about - his Producer Dojo YouTube channel is all about giving guidance to aspiring producers on how to create the music they want and establish a thriving career in music. With over 37k followers on Instagram and over 105k followers on Facebook, his community is alive and well, making it fairly easy to recruit the right people into the world of sick drops.
An intuitive piece of gear is what makes that process even smoother. When playing around with the Natural Drums preset, Dylan reflects:
I was really impressed with the playability of those sounds. They are so responsive, and that tablet drum sound was so intuitive to play.
The music software Arturia makes is not telepathic per se (at least not yet), but we emulate that dynamic as much as humanly possible. “I just knew exactly what that sound needed and could just riff on it without thinking about it. It was amazing.” With Pigments, all the colors of rumble are at your fingertips.
_Go gentle into the night
Both mystery and frenzy have a place in the moody, energetic, pumped soundscapes ill.Gates pours out. Choosing elements that coexist in harmony is always a unique path for all creatives. What makes this path more efficient is being able to dip into diverse sonic worlds at any given time.
The mysterious, potent sound of Borderline Forrest resonates with Dylan wildly: “Oh, it’s so lush! This is insane! That patch is really something.” The tenderness of this gentle sound can mix incredibly well with the dubstep-inspired roars.
Encountering the Micro Bells preset was a near-spiritual discovery for Dylan: “Man, that's just super gorgeous. That little bend, it's so delicate. The reverbs sound expensive.” His awe is a testament to Arturia’s undying dedication to make sound exploration possible for people of all sonic backgrounds.
I don't know what I'm more impressed with, the design of the synth, or those amazing presets. Try it out. You'll fall in love with music all over again.
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