Jean-Michel Jarremeets
AudioFuse
Jean-Michel Jarre is a man who needs little introduction. Often cited as the “Godfather of Electronic Music”, the French composer and producer has been a pioneering force in the worlds of ambient, electronic and synth-pop for almost five decades.
When it comes to developments in technology, Jean-Michel has always kept an open mind and moved with the times and, in most cases, has been at the forefront of trying and testing out new machines and software, from modular hardware to digital keyboards and fresh plug-ins.
Following the announcement of Arturia’s debut interface, AudioFuse, inevitably JMJ couldn’t wait to get his hands on one to see what it could offer his creative workflow. After spending some time with the interface, Arturia caught up with him to hear his take on how it has fit into his time-tested, iconic setup…
I use the AudioFuse in very specific situations, for instance in a studio like here I can use it when I do a kind of “B studio” in the big studio. I’m more and more interested by instruments doing one thing, but perfectly, or just a few things but really perfectly, instead of having a machine doing everything but in a rather standard or even mediocre way.
The elements of the AudioFuse have been tailored to serve the sound of the producer and the instruments they’re working with. Throughout his career, Jean-Michel Jarre has explored the possibilities of a myriad of different instruments, both analog and digital, and the ways in which the two mediums can connect. This is something that we at Arturia are also examining, specifically through our emulations of vintage machines, like KORG MS-20 V and SQ80 V, as part of V Collection 9. The world of electronic music production is ever-changing and it's important we remain open to and embracing of its advancements — for JMJ that’s the key to keeping his work fresh.
Since I started I saw the evolution of technology. I started with hardware analog instruments, still very relevant today, then to the first samplers, like the Fairlight, to hardware digital instruments, to virtual instruments, plug-ins... First of all, emulating and imitating vintage instruments, and then becoming I would say at the adult age by creating specific instruments totally different from the first generation of analog synthesizers. I think that Arturia is actually constantly evolving, trying to create this bridge between the two worlds - the hardware and the software, the analog and the digital - and this I think is going to be the case in the 21st century because the only thing that’s not going to change immediately is the fact that we are analog animals.
Of course the future is going to be massively changed and transformed by artificial intelligence. My expectation in this field is the fact that suddenly your instruments more and more are going to be kind of collaborators, where you can feed some ideas, where you can feed maybe your own style, your own way, and then the instruments can create a kind of dialogue on the creative process. Actually it could be really cool to train your instrument in function of yourself. You have a dedicated partner knowing your style and knowing who you are, maybe more than yourself, and also going beyond what you can create and then challenging your creativity. That I think is going to be the next step.
Jean-Michel believes in the simple functionality and usability of any equipment he uses. The AudioFuse simplifies the workflow process making it easier to focus on the act of creating, whilst safe in the knowledge that it’s delivering your ideas in the highest quality possible. It provides instant access to everything you need to compose, record or produce from anywhere in the world, without limitations.
Every instrument should be with the philosophy of one button, one function. I hate all these buttons doing lots of things at the same time because most of the time, after a while, you don’t use 90% of these functions and that creates a completely unnecessary complexity.
Live performance has always played a major role in Jean-Michel’s work. He was one of the first composers to pair electronic music with visuals and, to this day, he’s still finding new and innovative ways to integrate these visual components into his ground-breaking outdoor shows. From the use of projections, lasers and lighting to Virtual Reality and digital avatars— the most recent example being his 2020 New Years performance in which his avatar played in a VR Notre Dam —he has helped to create immersive audio-visual experiences at his sprawling outdoor events, three of which have broken Guinness world records for the sheer scale of the audience.
When touring these spectacles, he needs ways to create a similar work environment to that of the high quality studios he has at home. While he’s on the road he uses the AudioFuse to note down ideas and work on projects; its multiple inputs and outputs allow you to connect everything from instruments, microphones and phono and line devices to master keyboards and speakers, and its compact size and sturdy, solid aluminium chassis make it the perfect travel companion during busy tour schedules.
It’s not only an audio interface, but it is also thought in the function of the nomad way of travelling. The fact that you can move from one place to another and you need, when you are in a professional environment, the quality of a studio and what you would have in the studio, the fact that you have enough plugs to face any kind of situation. I actually have two AudioFuses, so one is more dedicated to kind of “studio B” in this location, and also I use mainly the AudioFuse at home in my home studio and of course when I’m travelling.
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