Technology On Song
The Age
Thursday June 7, 2007
New Buffalo (aka singer/songwriter Sally Seltmann) tells Darren Levin she's not anti-technology, despite her new earthy approach.
What prompted the stripped-back approach for your new album, Somewhere, anywhere?I got sick of using a sample, and I was really enjoying playing the piano. I wanted the focus to be on the lyrics as opposed to the big, full arrangements going on.Do you think the electronic touches of past releases were getting in the way of the songs?In the past that was the feel I was going for. I change with each album, they each need to be treated differently . . . I'm more a songwriter than a sound nerd.Do you think technology offers you too many options?Yeah, sometimes. I like the fun of having an old, beat-up guitar that hardly works and one microphone as opposed to having 50,000 options of how you can make something sound.You recorded the album in a shed by the sea with a century-old Thurmer piano. Were you going for an antiquated feel?I'm quite fond of things that sound old-fashioned and homemade. I wanted to have that feel going on.Is fair to say that the piano was your muse on the album?Yeah. And also for me, after playing a lot of live shows, I found it enjoying as a performer to just be playing the piano and singing at the same time.The piano is a family heirloom. Do you know much about its history?It's from my husband's side of the family. I think it's from his grandfather's side of his family. His grandfather was originally from Germany.Was the piano in reasonably good condition when you received it?It's old and rundown, but I liked that quality. It's still in beautiful condition if you get it tuned up.What precipitated your move to the coast?I just wanted to try something different. I grew up in Sydney and was used to being near beaches all the time. We're the kind of people that move around a bit.Could you have created Somewhere, anywhere in the city?It would've been a different album. Where I live now, when I'd open up the door of the shed during the recording there'd be huge trees everywhere. One night there was a full moon and clouds going over it. Out here I'm so much more aware of the changing of the seasons and the sound of the birds. I used those elements throughout the album.What equipment did you use to record the album?I did it on ProTools on the computer. I used an old synthesiser, too, so it's not an analog album. I'm not anti-technology. I didn't want the album to be that way. I definitely wanted to have it a bit more wooden, natural sound. Sort of folk, but without being folk at the same time.Do you work better in solitude?When you're doing a lot of touring, you're on the road and around people all the time. The way that I record is by myself, at home drinking cups of tea. Those are two totally contrasting parts of the job. Sometimes I find that (recording alone) difficult, but other times I think I just naturally do like working by myself. I made sure with this album that I . . . invited people down to play them the songs. Sometimes someone's reaction or facial expression can make you really rethink what you're doing.Were you influenced by any particular sounds on this album?I was listening to a Minnie Riperton album called Come to My Garden and White Noise, a psychedelic/experimental band. And the film The Wicker Man. I was enjoying the craziness of that film, the soundtrack and the eerie folk-gone-wrong element of it. I knew I wanted the piano to be the main instrument, but I still wanted to have that eerie, off-centre element to it.Will you ever return to your electronic roots?I think that I'll always change the way I do things. Even though my album is more piano and acoustic sounding, the way that I work is very technology based and the way I arrange has a lot to do with cutting and pasting and moving things around on ProTools.Five favourite things1. Apple Powerbook2. iPod3. Roland SH-2000 synthesiser4. ProTools5. Vintage drum machine
© 2007 The Age
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