| Jianne Paulo

The Creator Series: Joey Santos, DJ, music producer

For some, working from home has been a tough job to adapt to, but for DJ and music producer Joey Santos, this setup has been his norm for years. His work involves a lot of writing, filming, editing, and producing. He runs the GASthis! gear site and owns Love One Another Sound Production, and he has recently added Noiseless' London 12 Room Kit to his studio, an easy to use kit that can be a single box acoustic treatment solution. 

 

 

1. How have things been for you as a creator / creative since the lockdown? What have you been working on?
It’s been difficult, just like how things have been for almost everyone else. I’m a DJ, so I haven’t been able to play out since early 2020, so I tried to keep busy by putting out my own ambient and deep house music on Spotify and Apple Music. This 2021 my focus is more on producing and mixing for other artists, and that’s what’s been keeping me in the studio daily.
 
2. Are there any new things you would like to try out or start working on this year?
 
I want to spend more time learning my way around the guitar. I’ve been playing since I was a kid but I never got around to really exploring the instrument beyond the usual chords (I’m in a punk band - go figure!).
 
3. Tell us about your studio / creative space. Can you share with us what your current set-up is like and what was your journey like to get to where LOA is today? 
 
LOA has been around since 2003 when I started it as a side hustle back in college with friends. It’s gone through several iterations, and I closed the studio back in 2014 so I could focus on my job as a DJ gear / news content creator at the time. Then COVID happened and I got laid off from work, so we’re back here! My current set-up is a hybrid system that uses Universal Audio Apollo interfaces with Dangerous Music summing. When the situation calls for it, I track through the Soundcraft TS12 mixer - it used to sit in TRACKS (later Yellow Room Pasig) and is Angee Rozul’s desk. I still call it “Angee’s desk”!
 
4. What’s the first thing one should keep in mind when setting up their home studio or recording room?

Noise. The quieter it is outside and inside the room, the easier (and less costly) it is to improve how things sound.
 
5. How does a better sounding room help you creatively?

You can be creative anywhere, but being in a room that sounds good means you’re able to hear what you’re working on free from unnecessary noise and distractions.
 
6. From your IG posts, we can see that you have a Primacoustic LONDON 12 KIT installed in your studio. Could you share with us how this room kit has helped you in your space for your studio work? Why did you consider this acoustic treatment solution for your LOA studio?

I used to have custom acoustic treatment on my walls at my previous location which was great but was expensive. For my current build, I didn’t need that kind of treatment so I went with the London 12 because it had exactly what I needed to get my room under control.
 
7. Are there any other Primacoustic acoustic treatment solution items carried by Noiseless that you are considering as your next addition to your LOA studio? Which items and may we ask why you're looking at this/these item/s?

I want to get some Razorblade diffusers for my control room. 😊
 
8. Lastly, any tips for creatives, artists, musicians during this time?

Make something now, while you have time. When COVID is over and you can start gigging / working again, you’ll wish you started or even finished some creative project while you were still in lockdown. 



Follow Joey Santos over on Instagram (@djjoeysantos) and check out his Music Production Studio (@loveoneanotherph) for inquiries and inspiration.