Rodney 'Darkchild' JerkinsHit-maker, master producer with V Collection X
Grammy award winning producer, Rodney Jerkins aka Darkchild, climbed the ranks of his craft at a young age, leading to a career at the helm of some widely recognised releases. From Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas and Maroon 5, Rodney’s dynamic skill and touch as a producer is responsible for over 170 million in record sales worldwide. A studio pro backed by the diverse sounds of V Collection X.
With roots in classical piano, gospel music and MPC experimentation, Rodney made a rapid ascent to R&B production mastery. As his oeuvre of chart-topping releases show, Rodney’s ability to generate memorable and addictive hit singles is undisputed - a craft that matches the musical zeitgeist of the time, and moves it forward. Rodney’s studio output reflects both his ambition and intuition, for a sound that can both carry a lead vocal and push a track into the heights of fandom. A mastermind production style brought to life with the V Collection.
From gospel to R&B greats
Influenced by an early-life exposure to gospel music, as well as his older brother Fred Jerkins and other eminent producers at the time - Rodney’s sights were set on a career collaborating with some of the world’s leading lights in pop music and orchestrating an innovative R&B sound.
I just had my mind set on one thing and that was to be a producer, and not just a producer but you know to be one of the best.
His familiarity with the Akai MPC60 - a cult-classic drum sampler - rings through in his production style, which combines playful, expressive vocal arrangement with sensual hip-hop instrumentation and gliding melodies and bassline progressions. The result is a crisp and effortlessly smooth fusion of R&B and hip-hop that has topped the international charts and resounded from countless car radios, sound systems and stage rigs throughout the 2000’s, 2010’s and beyond. A sound which has far from slowed in popularity, having a lasting impact on music today.
From the indelible kalimba flow from Whitney Houston’s “It’s not right but it’s okay” to the off-beat mastery of Michael Jackson’s “Heartbreaker”, Rodney’s releases ooze an elegance and style that defined a generation.
From oldschool to newschool
Born in 1977, Rodney’s career has spanned a music scene and production landscape that has evolved rapidly. Coming to prominence in the 90’s, he has witnessed the transition from the laborious and strictly analog studio workflows of yesteryear, to the streamlined DAWs and hybridized digital-analog production suites we see today. An evolution that Rodney states has become an “even playing field for pro and beginners”. From MPC to VST, Rodney’s studio embodies the past and the present, including a dedication to the V Collection for all his sound-making needs.
Once I really got into Arturia’s plugins, specifically the v collection plugin. I stopped using all my other plugins.
A reliance on V Collection
I used to have 3 or 4 other go-to’s, and I have not used those 3-4 go-to’s since i’ve been in the V Collection.
Alongside mixing, mastering and recording gear, the V Collection has become Rodney’s go-to for keys, chords, melodies and basses. We are shown Augmented WOODWINDS from the new V Collection X, with its morphing effects and advanced arpeggiation options.
You can take a sound which is like an organic sound and.. trip it out and make it sound like its coming from out of space somewhere which is really crazy.
Along with the new Wurli V and CP-70 V, Rodney also dives into Mini V with some expressive leads, and playful keyboard movement to match. It is clear to him that the entirely rebuilt Mini V reverberates with authenticity - which channels the depth and richness of the original analog sound in a way that can be felt fist-hand.
You know when something’s good is when you first turn it on and the first sound gets you”
The V Collection continues to support Rodney’s influential approach as a key component of his studio toolbox - offering reams of warm, rich and experimental sounds that both express a hardware presence and inspire his chart-leading releases.
A personal connection
Being with Rodney and learning about his prolific sound and influence as a producer, it is clear that he has a dedication to his craft and playful style that has captured the imagination of countless listeners.
He applauds the V Collection for its accessibility, breadth and quality as a go-to instrument suite. One which continues to evolve and bridge the sounds of the past with music-makers of tomorrow.
“What I love about the Mini V sounds is that it really feels like I actually have the board in front of me, right.”
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