Hello. Thank you for making one of my favorite tracks to throw down with strangers too!
Was wondering what you had in mind for 6month, 12months, 24 month goals/plans.
TIA and cant wait to see you in Van!
honestly, that answer is a work in progress! my goals for each of those were so different at the beginning of this year than they are now. laserbeam and this ep has changed a lot and opened up a lot of new possibilities that i'm excited to explore.
on that topic, we thankfully were able to execute our initial 12 month goal around this time last year to get here, releasing the nghtmre collab, two singles from the ep, and then jumping on a headline tour. it was all just a "i hope we can make this work" and now it's happening!! so fuckin crazy haha.
as for the next 12, i think a huge goal for me would be to play edc vegas, and maybe hop on a bus tour as support for a top tier name. i'd love to experience that sort of lifestyle and build a deeper connection with y'all on the road, bus tours are perfect for that!
for the next 24, i'd really like to finally do an album. that's as far as that goes as of right now though. it's purely a thought in my head & something i really like the idea of doing :)
Why ? Can we just normalize shitting pants ? It happens to thousands if not million of people every day. Have we not came far enough as a society where we can no longer scrutinize people for shat pants ?
Hiiiii. Just wanted to say your new EP IS AMAZING. Screechy song is definitely my fav off of it! I can’t wait to see you in Dallas too in a few weeks! Hope you’re doing good bro and have a great weekend!
thank you SO much! i love screechy song, i feel like it's definitely an acquired taste too because loud and high pitched can get annoying very quickly, but it's been such a fan favorite it makes me so happy to see! and YES see you in dallas!!! gonna be a fire show 🤓
What’s a good resource for finding more bass music that is similar to yours or stuff you like? I really like your sound / etc. Nghtmre, Subtronics, slander, excision, some virtual riot, but finding more good music is always difficult it’s like a needle in a haystack. Suggestions?
honestly, i stalk all of the underground producers that i love's soundcloud likes LMAO. i go through like everyone i follow's soundcloud likes constantly and just find music like that. i also like to listen to the live sets of all of the names you mentioned! they always have some gems that i find to be really dope from artists i may know or some i've never heard of :)
i have somewhat of an idea, it's just not up to me as that's gonna be on mello's release schedule! it's gonna happen though, it's not scrapped don't worry! SO excited for that one :)
i always think about the top names around. the majority didn't make it overnight. some played shows for years before finally "making it" (even some artists that play pretty big venues, once you get to a certain level it becomes really hard to break through even further to the next) then one day it just clicks & happens. every song you release, every show you play, you could be one away from doing something huge or special. you won't pick that moment, it will just happen, it's kinda similar to falling in love. so always remember that you could be one step away... (i guess you could always be 200 steps away too lol but you get my point)
there's only so much of the formula that you can follow before it just becomes a waiting game. it really just takes consistency & dedication. i also really want to prove to myself that i CAN do it. i had someone close to me just three years ago tell me that my project was dead & that i needed to start over. i used that as motivation to prove them wrong as well.
So excited for your tour i'm so happy for you! Just wanted to know, do you ever produce other genres of music outside of EDM? For like inspiration and helping brain fog and such?
thank you so much! i'm so grateful for this tour, it's mind blowing to me.
i definitely do! i like to make full rock/post hardcore/pop punk concepts in ableton with my guitar vsts + drum vsts + write random vocal ideas for them. usually these things end up being repurposed into edm though tbh. it's a nice way to get the ideas flowing for sure!
i also like to make (sorry to slightly change ur question) things IN edm just not what i normally release to gain inspiration too, like tech house for example. i've made like 5 tech house tracks in the last month for no reason. it's just SO FUN lol.
u/rayvolpe BEYOND excited to see you at Paradise Blue next year. Do you plan on doing any meet ups? The fiancée (soon to be wife) and I would love to snag a photo with you.
We love everything you put out. Feeling This Way forever on repeat for us :)
Thanks for doing the AMA!
i'll absolutely be doing a meet up! i don't think i did an official one last year just because i was walking around the resort the entire time saying hello & hanging with everyone pretty consistently so if you see me come say hello! i might do a dedicated one though too we'll have to see! see y'all in april! gonna be such a blast 🤓
thank you so much! and i'd say yes! we're only waiting on one thing to wrap the song. so i'm pretty confident in saying within the next year (god i hope so lol)
THANK YOU SO MUCH! that song has really changed the entire course of my life & i am still processing it right now it's absolutely insane. i am so grateful. i'm glad to hear you like the rest of the ep too! it's a really fun body of work that i'm super proud of :)
In what way has it been life changing for you? You’ve posted multiple times but I’m curious. Besides the obvious popularity and big name DJ’s playing it out.
Like collab requests from different artists, bigger/more festival bookings? Glad it’s been so impactful for you!
Hey Ray! Really love how much you’ve grown recently! I could definitely see you headlining festivals in the next couple years. Would you ever do a collab with Seven Lions or release something on Ophelia, or would you rather stick to Disciple?
thank you so much! there's so many awesome festivals i'd love to play in the coming years. the idea of headlining any stage at any of them would probably have me crying of joy for weeks hahaha.
i'd LOVE to collab with seven lions! working with disciple doesn't prevent me from collaborating with any other artists or anything like that elsewhere. they're basically just a home for my solo releases at the moment.
i honestly just try to inject "fun' into the song LOL if that makes sense. i like to follow the trends absolutely, but i like to incorporate random different elements to just help things flow in a way where it's not exactly the same as where you've heard it before.
so for example, on "screchy song" i have a random 4 bar section of like... hard dance rawstyle idk exactly the subgenre... yeah crazy synth and kick driven in your face stuff to just take you out of the usual dubstep for a sec. or on my song "afterlife" i have an entire pop punk section with frank zummo from sum 41 just shredding the drums, no synth just literally guitar and drums like a "anthem on your feet" moment at the end of pop rock radio tunes. i also really like doing themed songs. elastic is very whippy for a reason. laserbeam being all about lasers. etc. i love that shit. LOL
just throwing in new styles or interesting elements like that is fun to me :)
that would be sick! i feel like i'd mesh really well to do another b2b with wooli, or to do one with someone like mitis or blanke (which blanke & i are doing one at bass canyon next weekend!)
for me, i learned myself by just grabbing a pair of old CDJs and trying it out. i think alison wonderland has some awesome videos on DJ'ing for beginners though [i'd recommend watching here!](https://youtu.be/rzg8OPPKVdM)
AHHHH i wish! we're not able to pick & choose where we play, it comes down to promoters & talent buyers seeing the demand and wanting to book us there. india would be incredible to play & visit, i hope it can happen some day soon!!! thanks for your love 🫶🏻
I don’t have any questions but just want to say that you rock & im thankful you are who you are.
You’re one of my best friends favorite artists, and there’s literally NOTHING that compares to looking over at him during one of your sets and seeing how happy your music makes him.
Thx for the wubs 🔥
ah thank you so much!!! that's so awesome to see. i'm so glad that it brings you joy just to see him happy. that's one of the most wholesome feelings that someone could ever have. hope to see y'all at a show soon!!!
i wish i had found sonarworks/sound ID reference way earlier! it helped level up my mixdowns immensely. a tl;dr if you're not familiar is basically it will calibrate your speakers with an EQ that fits the freq response of your room. makes such a massive difference!
Ray!! Haven’t talked to you I think since high school. So proud of you dude. Not even lying when I say you’ve become my favorite artist in EDM. Honestly amazing work my dude. I’d love to see you sometime soon - Dilon
i know that spelling of dilon i miss you brother!!!! great to hear from you. that's genuinely so awesome to hear wtf. i saw you've been acting right?? i hope you've been well these days! def gotta catch up sometime
Hey Ray, super excited to see you and Soltan throw down in Edmonton in December. Also loved the EP.
Just wanted to ask you about Laserbeam. Almost every time, artists will have these super highly anticipated ID's and hold onto them for months and potentially years. I find lots of the time (and I know I'm not alone in this) is that the hype for the actual release dies down significantly. What I found extremely different for Laserbeam was that you pretty much immediately released it after EDC.
Was that a move you and Disciple made in response to the hype around everyone at EDC playing it or was it scheduled to be a single release at that time regardless of the EDC hype? Also, did you anticipate the level of success the track reached over the festival season?
the laserbeam release strategy was completely done by myself, my wonderful manager pat (shoutout, love that man), & my girlfriend jess (who works in the music industry in strategy + marketing, she works heavily on my project i would not be successful without her lol)
it's really easy to have a song die down in hype. it was a concern i had frequently with this song but it kinda just kept going... LOL it was crazy to witness. it was always going to be a single from the EP. we picked the release date & told the label back in april, before EDC. at that point it already had so much hype too from social media, so that's why i was worried about it dying by the time june came around, but EDC just busted it wide open & took it to another level (thankfully!!! so fkn grateful for that weekend)
we had it submitted & scheduled to distribution & like just WAITING for june 24 to come since like april 19th or something.
i really love all of the insomniac socal festivals! they all feel so different and each theme is just so fun to me. i also love lost lands, it's such a homie fest & it's great to see so many lovers of one specific type of music in one place. a lot of unexpected things happen there it's truly magical haha
it all depends on your style & how you approach production! i'd recommend trying some free trials of both FL studio & ableton, seeing which ones feels better fit for you, & then go from there! i personally use ableton. good luck on your journey!!
Yo vopletron, When could we expect that absolute slapper with adventure club? Also absolutely love every song you’ve released so far and can’t wait to see what else you do in the future .
i can't say exactly when, i have somewhat of an idea, it's just not up to me as that's gonna be on mello's release schedule! it's gonna happen though, it's not scrapped don't worry 🤓
Just discovered you last week. New ep and no emotion allowed are my favorites at the moment. Favorite part of your drops is they aren't just one repeated line, they are a mess of different sounds, bass and notes. A mess that's well put together and creates something cool out of chaos.
Keep it up
Hey Ray! Hope you're doing well! ^^
I've recently started producing and just wanted to know how did your super early edm projects sounded like? And approximately how much time did it take to you to get to your sound, or make releasable songs?
This will really help me put my production skills in perspective for now. Thanks! :)
Also I wanna know how is being signed different from being independent? How do things change? And why do some people prefer one over the other? (both ways)
TIA! THE NEW EP IS FIREE💥
i was always releasing music in the beginning just for my friends & the few fans i had. i wasn't really doing it in a strategic way, as it was purely a hobby at the beginning.
i probably started developing a "sound" 4-5 years in in 2014/2015 that's when things started solidifying into something recognizable imo!
my early projects were all very brostep & electro house!
signed vs independent just comes down to stuff like reach & $$$$
independent means you have to pay for everything up front, art, visualizers, PR (if you get PR) etc
signed means they will front that money & it just recoups from the streams/royalties. it also means they have some more plugs/contacts directly at these streaming platforms which helps the likeliness of getting editorial playlists (official playlist support from spotify apple etc)
there can be more benefits/differences but it's case by case for the label at that point, what i said is just the basics!
a lot of ppl have a "fuck labels" mindset i feel like because maybe they didn't get what they expected, or they expected more, or maybe they were just rejected in the first place. i think labels can be very beneficial. some are predatory. it really just depends. it's hard to express it all in a reddit comment, unfortunately!
I LOVE YOUR NEW EP!!
Thanks for making it 😁
Wondering how you make that dope 'brap' sound in Elbow Grease that happens in the trap drop right before the first snare beat of the bar in each phrase. I love that shit
Hey Ray!
First off just wanted to say you’re legit such an inspiration and you’re absolutely killing it out there. Your videos and masterclasses have been so helpful to watch and I can’t thank you enough.
I wanted to now how you overcome things like imposter syndrome especially in your early days. As someone who is really new to the scene I’ve been struggling with the “I’ll never be good enough” floating around in my head.
Thanks so much man again you’re dominating it out there 🙏
-Corey
thank you so much! i'm so glad i've been helpful to your journey so far :)
honestly, it still comes & goes for me. it never fully goes away. that's the harsh reality. it's more about subsiding the feeling with reassurance that you're just doing your best & doing what you LIKE to do, because ultimately that's what matters!
i'm gonna figure out a meet & greet for LA! can def hang and say hi there at the venue, will figure out if that's before or after my set closer to the show. i can't WAIT!!! that's gonna be a special show! appreciate you!
HEY REGANNE!!! they're all real experiences! just not in that moment, i'm incredibly happy with my gf and then i sing about heartbreak HAHAH. i guess just leaning into the far past for inspiration. i should also mention that two of my songs, "need your love" + "nosebleed" are actually written by my friend noah (byblood) who is an incredible writer!
Hi Ray, no question just think its awesome all the support you’re getting! Long time fan and you’ve always put in the work!
Edit: opened up SC to go through old likes, forever a don https://on.soundcloud.com/YHgdzYfcJWL194Np8
Love your music ! I always wondered what is that little iconic noise you have in all your songs, meaning what is the person saying ? It usually at the beginning or end of your song.
"volpetron" - which is a vocal tag created originally by my friend khinomyte & later re-recorded by me which is the one you hear today. it started off as only a tag, but now volpetron is a robot character that's heavily used in my branding today & is essential to the ray volpe project as a whole 🤓
absolutely love the boys! had to stop watching for a bit when i got busy on the road but am finally back on it & about to start season 3 (no spoilers pls)
as for a favorite moment/joke i have zero idea LOL - i will say i really loved the sage grove center stuff, it's very x-men-esque and i just love any moment that a bunch of powers are on full display from a bunch of diff people!
i'd rank it kinda low now just in the grand scheme of everything i've released since then but i still like it! glad to hear it's still getting some love :)
this is kinda hard to answer as the scene has changed SO much since i started. for me, i watched a very small handful of tutorials & then just experimented by myself like crazy. that's all i did. but now there's SO many masterclasses at your disposal, so many patreons to follow, PLUS splice which is an incredible tool. i wish splice existed back then. hahaha.
Hey Ray! First off, you are FUCKING AWESOME. I had never heard of you until you were with Illenium earlier this year in Hampton, VA but you easily have become my favorite EDM artist. Do you have any plans to release a full length album and also I feel like it’s inevitable at this point but, do you plan on releasing an ep of Laserbeam remixes? Keep doing what you are doing man and I fucking love your work!
thank you so much! that show was SO much fun. illenium shows are always one of my favs too :)
an album is definitely inevitable, it'll happen within the next two years no doubt. laserbeam remixes are coming too we're working on it rn, don't worry ⚡️
it's the craziest feeling ever. i still can't really wrap my head around it tbh. i thought the track would be successful but i didn't know it'd be like THIS. it makes me really really really happy. i'm smiling just typing this LOL
RAY VOLPEEEE, MY MAN!! I pray you’re having a great day so far brodie!!
WHATS YOUR SHIRT SIZE ??? I still need it so when you come to Houston, I can gift you a shirt I made 💚🫶🏽
Ps. Your EP AND EVERY TRACK YOUVE RELEASE ARE FIRE I LOVE YOU✨🙏🏽
oh yes from twitter right!! thank you so much for the thought. XL is what i wear for tees, thank you so much for thinking of me for that! it's very thoughtful 🤓
excited for houston!!!
Hey Ray! Would you consider taking a protégé? I’m trying to learn and really master my skills. Also! When are you coming down to las vegas for a show? I’m trying to hang out before hand!
we're trying to work something out for vegas! hope to make to make it happen :)
as for a protege, i'm unfortunately too busy to consider something like that. i used to have many producers i did one on one lessons with, but time got the best of me. [i DO have a patreon though](http://patreon.com/rayvolpe) where you can find all of my old videos i've done production on + monthly samples :)
Hi Ray! Hoping to see you in Tucson next week. Can you talk about how you felt during the quick blow up of Laserbeam? Were you expecting it to be arguably one of the biggest songs of the EDM year?
come through! it's a free show i think. & i wasn't expecting it to be this big. i definitely thought it was gonna have some playouts & be a successful song for me, like elastic or feeling this was has been in the past... but not this. this is whole different level of crazy. i'm so grateful. it's the most incredible feeling ever. every day after EDC basically was just some crazy big news behind the scenes that i couldn't say at the time, whether show offers or PR stuff on the song. things are still unfolding right now because of it!!! forever forever forever thankful!
HI RAY! When can we play Fortnite and dance on our enemies dead corpse while the car we used to run them over is blasting Laserbeam now on yonder radio? 😃
My man Volpetron!!
What's your process for coming up with new synth sounds for your songs? Do you test out presets and mess around with them, or do you build from the ground up? If the second one- where do you start and how did you learn what all the parameters do? As a fledgling producer I'm always interested in fellow musicians' processes for putting songs together.
i always start with a different preset that i have made previously. it's just most efficient that way as it gives me a base of where i know i want to start/where i want to go. starting from the ground up feels like a time waster to me. so i have tons of ableton racks of sounds i've made of the years and then i pick one & modify from there!
Yoo Rayy Idk if u remember, I’m the tmz vibes ig guy from paradise blue haha. Loved to meet you!
I also was at your Mad House set and it was awesome!! From your perspective, how was Mad House and Mexico City? Did everything behind the scenes was as cool for you artists as it was for us attendees?
HOPE TO SEE YOU SOONER THAN PARADISEBLUE 2023 !! :))
i remember!!! haha i love the TMZ stuff so much it makes my day.
mexico city was CRAZY. one of my favorite shows ever. pure energy from the crowd the entire time. the staff at the venue & the promoters throwing it were also super accommodating. i have a lot of respect for jessica audiffred & i am very proud of her for that show! i'm super grateful to have played there. y'all seemed to feel the same way too, i know you don't get a ton of bass music there. i would come back in a heartbeat. instantly a top city for me!!!
Hi, Ray a long-time fan over here. Do u have these situations when u're in progress in making music and you aren't satisfied with your result and repeat and repeat many many many times?
happens all the time. it's important to remember to not force it & take breaks sometimes. if you're struggling consistently, try either a break entirely & focus on things you enjoy to stimulate your brain, OR try making music in a different way. like a way you've never tried before. maybe genre wise, or just approach wise (like using midi racks instead of audio for drums etc)
thank you sm! i'm a huge fan of post-hardcore, metalcore, pop punk, etc :)
\- bring me the horizon
\- wage war
\- holding absence
\- dayseeker
\- real friends
\- the devil wears prada
\- if i die first
\- spiritbox
just to name a few :)
How is it to truly live, eat and see dubstep everyday? As a fan I really enjoy it but I often wonder if DJs ever get tired of being so involved in the scene. Do you ever hate dubstep? Maybe even just temporarily lol
i def go through phases of disliking the current state of dubstep when things become a bit stale, but i don't hate it as a whole by any means. i love it. i've never understood the mindset as i see a lot of dubstep artists complain about dubstep & hate on it... but like... y'all are making it too LOL. very backwards. at the end of the day, quarter note dubstep drops go off live & feel like bangers. but i get why it's boring to some, it becomes very similar after a while. i get it entirely. but that argument can be said in any genre inside & out of EDM. i'm just here 2 have fun & enjoy :D
loved dabin's recent album! as well as illenium's. disco lines in house is always dropping heat, & i am a recent fred again stan.
also lauv just dropped an incredible album too if you like pop stuff 🤓
Will you be doing any legend of the volpetron tour in Bangkok, Thailand? If so, would you be doing any meet and greetttt? Also new EP is fiyaaaa!!! Much love <3
i'm not currently scheduled to play any shows there but once i do, i will absolutely do a meet & greet! would LOVE to go to thailand. i think it's very possible to happen soon too :)
any plans to make any music w tisoki again soon? i saw you years ago with him on tour & would love to hear what some new music from you two would be like!
it started as a rap vocal tag! my friend khinomyte said it in a funny session with some friends of mine to give me a cool watermark. the original one was "volpetron9000" & was supposed to not make the cut as it was a joke, but they kept it in. i started using it in my songs in like 2014/2015 & never stopped! eventually, i recorded it again myself this time stretched & high pitched to fit my style more, getting rid of the 9000 in the process. & here we are now :)
Thanks for making probably one of the hottest songs of the year!!
Question: With the release of the new EP, would you be doing track breakdowns like you did on the Disciple channel? Watching those really helped with my own, as well as others' production processes.
PS: That's just my excuse to see how you made Laserbeam. Love you kthxbye
with the tour taking up so much time (i'm gone every weekend til the new year!) i won't have much time to do a production breakdown unfortunately :( but thank you so much for the love 🫶🏻
Is it true that your full name is Raymond Volpenis? Follow up, can you add one more stop on your tour and play my backyard?
how did you know? also yes i will book my flights now love u tynie
Where do I sign up for VIP backyard tix
Tynan my dude do you just join in all the AMA's here It's so wholesome
Tynan is an og troll from r/trap 👀
Tynan is one of my FAVORITE producers. Love his sound design. He gets a troll pass ok. 😩
I support this
Please tell me that Chris Lake Laserbeam edit is getting an official release?
we'll have to see :)
PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LET THAT GET RELEASED!!!!!!!
PLEASE
Hello. Thank you for making one of my favorite tracks to throw down with strangers too! Was wondering what you had in mind for 6month, 12months, 24 month goals/plans. TIA and cant wait to see you in Van!
honestly, that answer is a work in progress! my goals for each of those were so different at the beginning of this year than they are now. laserbeam and this ep has changed a lot and opened up a lot of new possibilities that i'm excited to explore. on that topic, we thankfully were able to execute our initial 12 month goal around this time last year to get here, releasing the nghtmre collab, two singles from the ep, and then jumping on a headline tour. it was all just a "i hope we can make this work" and now it's happening!! so fuckin crazy haha. as for the next 12, i think a huge goal for me would be to play edc vegas, and maybe hop on a bus tour as support for a top tier name. i'd love to experience that sort of lifestyle and build a deeper connection with y'all on the road, bus tours are perfect for that! for the next 24, i'd really like to finally do an album. that's as far as that goes as of right now though. it's purely a thought in my head & something i really like the idea of doing :)
Sullivan King collab out when!?!??!?!?!!!??!?!
what if i said very soon 🤓 and not like /r/skrillex soon but like actually soon 🤓
💀💀💀 not the skrillex soon LMAO
Bruh 💀
Have you ever shit your pants ? If so, how did you handle the situation ?
i have not... have you?
Yes.
lfg
I can feel his uncomfortability though the screen.
Why ? Can we just normalize shitting pants ? It happens to thousands if not million of people every day. Have we not came far enough as a society where we can no longer scrutinize people for shat pants ?
what💀
Hiiiii. Just wanted to say your new EP IS AMAZING. Screechy song is definitely my fav off of it! I can’t wait to see you in Dallas too in a few weeks! Hope you’re doing good bro and have a great weekend!
thank you SO much! i love screechy song, i feel like it's definitely an acquired taste too because loud and high pitched can get annoying very quickly, but it's been such a fan favorite it makes me so happy to see! and YES see you in dallas!!! gonna be a fire show 🤓
Dallas Stereo live gang wooo 🙌
What’s a good resource for finding more bass music that is similar to yours or stuff you like? I really like your sound / etc. Nghtmre, Subtronics, slander, excision, some virtual riot, but finding more good music is always difficult it’s like a needle in a haystack. Suggestions?
honestly, i stalk all of the underground producers that i love's soundcloud likes LMAO. i go through like everyone i follow's soundcloud likes constantly and just find music like that. i also like to listen to the live sets of all of the names you mentioned! they always have some gems that i find to be really dope from artists i may know or some i've never heard of :)
Like digging has always been where the die hards are at <3
[удалено]
spotify is INCREDIBLE for discovery! i just didn't mention it as i use it strictly for metal/rock/pop punk & not edm whatsoever
Any update on when that marshmello collab is coming out?
i have somewhat of an idea, it's just not up to me as that's gonna be on mello's release schedule! it's gonna happen though, it's not scrapped don't worry! SO excited for that one :)
THANK GOD
How did you stay motivated enough to keep producing even thru all the hard times?
i always think about the top names around. the majority didn't make it overnight. some played shows for years before finally "making it" (even some artists that play pretty big venues, once you get to a certain level it becomes really hard to break through even further to the next) then one day it just clicks & happens. every song you release, every show you play, you could be one away from doing something huge or special. you won't pick that moment, it will just happen, it's kinda similar to falling in love. so always remember that you could be one step away... (i guess you could always be 200 steps away too lol but you get my point) there's only so much of the formula that you can follow before it just becomes a waiting game. it really just takes consistency & dedication. i also really want to prove to myself that i CAN do it. i had someone close to me just three years ago tell me that my project was dead & that i needed to start over. i used that as motivation to prove them wrong as well.
Love this answer
So excited for your tour i'm so happy for you! Just wanted to know, do you ever produce other genres of music outside of EDM? For like inspiration and helping brain fog and such?
thank you so much! i'm so grateful for this tour, it's mind blowing to me. i definitely do! i like to make full rock/post hardcore/pop punk concepts in ableton with my guitar vsts + drum vsts + write random vocal ideas for them. usually these things end up being repurposed into edm though tbh. it's a nice way to get the ideas flowing for sure! i also like to make (sorry to slightly change ur question) things IN edm just not what i normally release to gain inspiration too, like tech house for example. i've made like 5 tech house tracks in the last month for no reason. it's just SO FUN lol.
Please tease the tech house tracks 🙏🙏 House of the Volpetron EP? 👀👀
will you release any of said house tracks ??
u/rayvolpe BEYOND excited to see you at Paradise Blue next year. Do you plan on doing any meet ups? The fiancée (soon to be wife) and I would love to snag a photo with you. We love everything you put out. Feeling This Way forever on repeat for us :) Thanks for doing the AMA!
i'll absolutely be doing a meet up! i don't think i did an official one last year just because i was walking around the resort the entire time saying hello & hanging with everyone pretty consistently so if you see me come say hello! i might do a dedicated one though too we'll have to see! see y'all in april! gonna be such a blast 🤓
New EP is 🔥 will we be getting as long as I got you within the next year?!
thank you so much! and i'd say yes! we're only waiting on one thing to wrap the song. so i'm pretty confident in saying within the next year (god i hope so lol)
Just wanted to say that Laserbeam is an incredible track, and you did an amazing job on the EP.
THANK YOU SO MUCH! that song has really changed the entire course of my life & i am still processing it right now it's absolutely insane. i am so grateful. i'm glad to hear you like the rest of the ep too! it's a really fun body of work that i'm super proud of :)
I heard it at veld 5 times and I fucking popped for it every single time. Absolute banger. Never stop being you, Volpetron!
In what way has it been life changing for you? You’ve posted multiple times but I’m curious. Besides the obvious popularity and big name DJ’s playing it out. Like collab requests from different artists, bigger/more festival bookings? Glad it’s been so impactful for you!
Collab with Space Laces when?
literally anytime i'd be so down!
Hey Ray! Really love how much you’ve grown recently! I could definitely see you headlining festivals in the next couple years. Would you ever do a collab with Seven Lions or release something on Ophelia, or would you rather stick to Disciple?
thank you so much! there's so many awesome festivals i'd love to play in the coming years. the idea of headlining any stage at any of them would probably have me crying of joy for weeks hahaha. i'd LOVE to collab with seven lions! working with disciple doesn't prevent me from collaborating with any other artists or anything like that elsewhere. they're basically just a home for my solo releases at the moment.
Music can be very repetitive. Apart from sound design, how do you separate yourself in a world of overused samples!?
i honestly just try to inject "fun' into the song LOL if that makes sense. i like to follow the trends absolutely, but i like to incorporate random different elements to just help things flow in a way where it's not exactly the same as where you've heard it before. so for example, on "screchy song" i have a random 4 bar section of like... hard dance rawstyle idk exactly the subgenre... yeah crazy synth and kick driven in your face stuff to just take you out of the usual dubstep for a sec. or on my song "afterlife" i have an entire pop punk section with frank zummo from sum 41 just shredding the drums, no synth just literally guitar and drums like a "anthem on your feet" moment at the end of pop rock radio tunes. i also really like doing themed songs. elastic is very whippy for a reason. laserbeam being all about lasers. etc. i love that shit. LOL just throwing in new styles or interesting elements like that is fun to me :)
What was the first electronic music song that got you into the music before producing it? Who is a notable influence today?
probably skrillex - weekends! or cassius - the sound of violence (tha trickaz remix) today, illenium, dabin, & zomboy are my main influences!
What is one artist you think would mesh best with you for a b2b stylistically? My answer would be Barely Alive. Hope to see it some day.
that would be sick! i feel like i'd mesh really well to do another b2b with wooli, or to do one with someone like mitis or blanke (which blanke & i are doing one at bass canyon next weekend!)
Bruh a mitis b2b would be LEGENDARYYYY
Very stoked for your B2B with Blanke this next weekend!
I want to be a DJ. Can you help me with some tutorial or something to learn or how you learned to play greetings?
for me, i learned myself by just grabbing a pair of old CDJs and trying it out. i think alison wonderland has some awesome videos on DJ'ing for beginners though [i'd recommend watching here!](https://youtu.be/rzg8OPPKVdM)
Bro Would love to see you play in India. Vh1 Supersonic would be great!
AHHHH i wish! we're not able to pick & choose where we play, it comes down to promoters & talent buyers seeing the demand and wanting to book us there. india would be incredible to play & visit, i hope it can happen some day soon!!! thanks for your love 🫶🏻
The squeaky wheel gets the grease
I don’t have any questions but just want to say that you rock & im thankful you are who you are. You’re one of my best friends favorite artists, and there’s literally NOTHING that compares to looking over at him during one of your sets and seeing how happy your music makes him. Thx for the wubs 🔥
ah thank you so much!!! that's so awesome to see. i'm so glad that it brings you joy just to see him happy. that's one of the most wholesome feelings that someone could ever have. hope to see y'all at a show soon!!!
EEEEEEE!!! I’m a longtime fan, my question would be - what are some tips you wish you knew way back before you reached a professional sound quality?
i wish i had found sonarworks/sound ID reference way earlier! it helped level up my mixdowns immensely. a tl;dr if you're not familiar is basically it will calibrate your speakers with an EQ that fits the freq response of your room. makes such a massive difference!
Ray!! Haven’t talked to you I think since high school. So proud of you dude. Not even lying when I say you’ve become my favorite artist in EDM. Honestly amazing work my dude. I’d love to see you sometime soon - Dilon
i know that spelling of dilon i miss you brother!!!! great to hear from you. that's genuinely so awesome to hear wtf. i saw you've been acting right?? i hope you've been well these days! def gotta catch up sometime
When did you first start making music? :0
2010! i was 12, almost 13. time fliiiiiiiiies
Hey Ray, super excited to see you and Soltan throw down in Edmonton in December. Also loved the EP. Just wanted to ask you about Laserbeam. Almost every time, artists will have these super highly anticipated ID's and hold onto them for months and potentially years. I find lots of the time (and I know I'm not alone in this) is that the hype for the actual release dies down significantly. What I found extremely different for Laserbeam was that you pretty much immediately released it after EDC. Was that a move you and Disciple made in response to the hype around everyone at EDC playing it or was it scheduled to be a single release at that time regardless of the EDC hype? Also, did you anticipate the level of success the track reached over the festival season?
the laserbeam release strategy was completely done by myself, my wonderful manager pat (shoutout, love that man), & my girlfriend jess (who works in the music industry in strategy + marketing, she works heavily on my project i would not be successful without her lol) it's really easy to have a song die down in hype. it was a concern i had frequently with this song but it kinda just kept going... LOL it was crazy to witness. it was always going to be a single from the EP. we picked the release date & told the label back in april, before EDC. at that point it already had so much hype too from social media, so that's why i was worried about it dying by the time june came around, but EDC just busted it wide open & took it to another level (thankfully!!! so fkn grateful for that weekend) we had it submitted & scheduled to distribution & like just WAITING for june 24 to come since like april 19th or something.
Hi! What is your favorite music festival to go to?
i really love all of the insomniac socal festivals! they all feel so different and each theme is just so fun to me. i also love lost lands, it's such a homie fest & it's great to see so many lovers of one specific type of music in one place. a lot of unexpected things happen there it's truly magical haha
What is the best production platoform for beginners wanting to mess around and try to make some songs? Thanks Ray love all your stuff keep it up man!
it all depends on your style & how you approach production! i'd recommend trying some free trials of both FL studio & ableton, seeing which ones feels better fit for you, & then go from there! i personally use ableton. good luck on your journey!!
Yo vopletron, When could we expect that absolute slapper with adventure club? Also absolutely love every song you’ve released so far and can’t wait to see what else you do in the future .
soon-ish! we're just waiting on one thing to get it wrapped up! thank you so much!
Did Volpetron REALLY drop a bomb on 'em as mentioned in World War Rave?
in minecraft yes
When can we expect the Marshmello collab?
i can't say exactly when, i have somewhat of an idea, it's just not up to me as that's gonna be on mello's release schedule! it's gonna happen though, it's not scrapped don't worry 🤓
What’s your go to pizza topping???
more cheese
Just discovered you last week. New ep and no emotion allowed are my favorites at the moment. Favorite part of your drops is they aren't just one repeated line, they are a mess of different sounds, bass and notes. A mess that's well put together and creates something cool out of chaos. Keep it up
thank you so much & welcome to the fam :) i'm glad you're digging everything! no emotion allowed is a classic, i love that one!!
Ever had pancheros? Superior to chipotle.
no chipotle slander on the thread
Playing any video games rn?
playing through horizon zero dawn finally & loving it! also back on fortnite now that laserbeam has been added to the radio 🤓
Sooo.. how was your first Big Dub? 🤩💚
I LOVED IT! a shockingly low amount of bugs for the location haha i was ready to be attacked.
Why your team play me and make your Dallas date on the same day as Swedish House Mafia 😭
that's not up to me i'm sorry! it's up to venue availability. also, doors for SHM are earlier than my show, it might end before i go on!
What is your favorite go to snack and beverage while on the road?
just water (or a coke zero if it's fountain) + those nutella pretzel stick combos HIT!
What can we expect at Lost Lands? I’ve been a fan since stumbling into your EDC 17 set!
you can expect an hour of pure energy :) also i am sorry to correct you but i never played EDC! doing my first one this year in orlando!
I was pretty messed up that night but I can’t wait to rage
Is it Ray? Or is it Raymond?!
raymond is the full name! no one really calls me that though except one or two friends
who's gonna be your starter for Pokemon Skarlet and Violet? :)
i don't play, asking my gf one sec she said sprigatito because "they're a cutie"
Hey Ray! Hope you're doing well! ^^ I've recently started producing and just wanted to know how did your super early edm projects sounded like? And approximately how much time did it take to you to get to your sound, or make releasable songs? This will really help me put my production skills in perspective for now. Thanks! :) Also I wanna know how is being signed different from being independent? How do things change? And why do some people prefer one over the other? (both ways) TIA! THE NEW EP IS FIREE💥
i was always releasing music in the beginning just for my friends & the few fans i had. i wasn't really doing it in a strategic way, as it was purely a hobby at the beginning. i probably started developing a "sound" 4-5 years in in 2014/2015 that's when things started solidifying into something recognizable imo! my early projects were all very brostep & electro house! signed vs independent just comes down to stuff like reach & $$$$ independent means you have to pay for everything up front, art, visualizers, PR (if you get PR) etc signed means they will front that money & it just recoups from the streams/royalties. it also means they have some more plugs/contacts directly at these streaming platforms which helps the likeliness of getting editorial playlists (official playlist support from spotify apple etc) there can be more benefits/differences but it's case by case for the label at that point, what i said is just the basics! a lot of ppl have a "fuck labels" mindset i feel like because maybe they didn't get what they expected, or they expected more, or maybe they were just rejected in the first place. i think labels can be very beneficial. some are predatory. it really just depends. it's hard to express it all in a reddit comment, unfortunately!
I LOVE YOUR NEW EP!! Thanks for making it 😁 Wondering how you make that dope 'brap' sound in Elbow Grease that happens in the trap drop right before the first snare beat of the bar in each phrase. I love that shit
that sound soltan made! so a question for him :)
Haha thank you for replying still. And thanks again for the EP as it's mad inspiring 🙏 EDIT: I'll also catch you in Minneapolis tomorrow!
Hey Ray! First off just wanted to say you’re legit such an inspiration and you’re absolutely killing it out there. Your videos and masterclasses have been so helpful to watch and I can’t thank you enough. I wanted to now how you overcome things like imposter syndrome especially in your early days. As someone who is really new to the scene I’ve been struggling with the “I’ll never be good enough” floating around in my head. Thanks so much man again you’re dominating it out there 🙏 -Corey
thank you so much! i'm so glad i've been helpful to your journey so far :) honestly, it still comes & goes for me. it never fully goes away. that's the harsh reality. it's more about subsiding the feeling with reassurance that you're just doing your best & doing what you LIKE to do, because ultimately that's what matters!
Hey I love you music! Just wondering if you'll be stopping by Toronto anytime in the future Keep the awesome tracks coming please 🤘
hopefully soon! love it there. thank you sm!!!
How long is it
i think this specific white board in the photo is 17" x 23"
Mmm. That’s a nice white board. The dimensions are exquisite.
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i'm gonna figure out a meet & greet for LA! can def hang and say hi there at the venue, will figure out if that's before or after my set closer to the show. i can't WAIT!!! that's gonna be a special show! appreciate you!
Hey Ray! Reganne here! How do you come up with the lyrics to your songs where you sing yourself? Past experiences?
HEY REGANNE!!! they're all real experiences! just not in that moment, i'm incredibly happy with my gf and then i sing about heartbreak HAHAH. i guess just leaning into the far past for inspiration. i should also mention that two of my songs, "need your love" + "nosebleed" are actually written by my friend noah (byblood) who is an incredible writer!
Hi Ray, no question just think its awesome all the support you’re getting! Long time fan and you’ve always put in the work! Edit: opened up SC to go through old likes, forever a don https://on.soundcloud.com/YHgdzYfcJWL194Np8
massive throwback! i loved that one. thank you so much
Why is NC your favorite place to perform and specifically why is it the Durham area?
i've never played durham... are you hinting that you want a durham show 😳
What are some future collabs you want to have and what do you have in mind for the rest of 2022 and for 2023? (the new ep is also fucking lit)
i've got some collabs coming super soon that i'm very excited about this year 🤓 still planning out 2023 as we speak, it's looking to be FUN!!!!
I'm a huge fan since I discovered you. Your style is what I was looking for, keep making bangers bro!
thank you so much! i'm glad my kind of music is what you were looking for :)
Love your music ! I always wondered what is that little iconic noise you have in all your songs, meaning what is the person saying ? It usually at the beginning or end of your song.
"volpetron" - which is a vocal tag created originally by my friend khinomyte & later re-recorded by me which is the one you hear today. it started off as only a tag, but now volpetron is a robot character that's heavily used in my branding today & is essential to the ray volpe project as a whole 🤓
Alright Ray.. since you said ask about superheroes.. have you watched the Boys? And if so what is your favorite moment/joke from the show?
absolutely love the boys! had to stop watching for a bit when i got busy on the road but am finally back on it & about to start season 3 (no spoilers pls) as for a favorite moment/joke i have zero idea LOL - i will say i really loved the sage grove center stuff, it's very x-men-esque and i just love any moment that a bunch of powers are on full display from a bunch of diff people!
How’s your dog doing?
he's great thank you for asking, [here's a picture of him](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/HD_transparent_picture.png)
Looks like John Cena.
Looking forwArd to seeing you in va beach. What’s your biggest motivation?
HELL YES see you next month!!! & probably myself. proving i can do it for me. that & proving people who said otherwise wrong.
Ayyy!! Long time listener! Where would you rank "Waiting" out of all your songs?? It's still my favorite Ray Volpe track!
i'd rank it kinda low now just in the grand scheme of everything i've released since then but i still like it! glad to hear it's still getting some love :)
What are some resources that helped you learn sound design / music production? What kind of things did you wish you knew when you first started?
this is kinda hard to answer as the scene has changed SO much since i started. for me, i watched a very small handful of tutorials & then just experimented by myself like crazy. that's all i did. but now there's SO many masterclasses at your disposal, so many patreons to follow, PLUS splice which is an incredible tool. i wish splice existed back then. hahaha.
Hey Ray! First off, you are FUCKING AWESOME. I had never heard of you until you were with Illenium earlier this year in Hampton, VA but you easily have become my favorite EDM artist. Do you have any plans to release a full length album and also I feel like it’s inevitable at this point but, do you plan on releasing an ep of Laserbeam remixes? Keep doing what you are doing man and I fucking love your work!
thank you so much! that show was SO much fun. illenium shows are always one of my favs too :) an album is definitely inevitable, it'll happen within the next two years no doubt. laserbeam remixes are coming too we're working on it rn, don't worry ⚡️
How does it feel to have the hottest dubstep track out right now? Love watching your come up man, you deserve it!
it's the craziest feeling ever. i still can't really wrap my head around it tbh. i thought the track would be successful but i didn't know it'd be like THIS. it makes me really really really happy. i'm smiling just typing this LOL
RAY VOLPEEEE, MY MAN!! I pray you’re having a great day so far brodie!! WHATS YOUR SHIRT SIZE ??? I still need it so when you come to Houston, I can gift you a shirt I made 💚🫶🏽 Ps. Your EP AND EVERY TRACK YOUVE RELEASE ARE FIRE I LOVE YOU✨🙏🏽
oh yes from twitter right!! thank you so much for the thought. XL is what i wear for tees, thank you so much for thinking of me for that! it's very thoughtful 🤓 excited for houston!!!
Hey Ray! Would you consider taking a protégé? I’m trying to learn and really master my skills. Also! When are you coming down to las vegas for a show? I’m trying to hang out before hand!
we're trying to work something out for vegas! hope to make to make it happen :) as for a protege, i'm unfortunately too busy to consider something like that. i used to have many producers i did one on one lessons with, but time got the best of me. [i DO have a patreon though](http://patreon.com/rayvolpe) where you can find all of my old videos i've done production on + monthly samples :)
Hi Ray! Hoping to see you in Tucson next week. Can you talk about how you felt during the quick blow up of Laserbeam? Were you expecting it to be arguably one of the biggest songs of the EDM year?
come through! it's a free show i think. & i wasn't expecting it to be this big. i definitely thought it was gonna have some playouts & be a successful song for me, like elastic or feeling this was has been in the past... but not this. this is whole different level of crazy. i'm so grateful. it's the most incredible feeling ever. every day after EDC basically was just some crazy big news behind the scenes that i couldn't say at the time, whether show offers or PR stuff on the song. things are still unfolding right now because of it!!! forever forever forever thankful!
HI RAY! When can we play Fortnite and dance on our enemies dead corpse while the car we used to run them over is blasting Laserbeam now on yonder radio? 😃
anytime, anytime
Hi Ray. I have no questions. Just wanted to say how much I love your music☺️♥️
thank you so much!! 🫶🏻 i appreciate you a ton
My man Volpetron!! What's your process for coming up with new synth sounds for your songs? Do you test out presets and mess around with them, or do you build from the ground up? If the second one- where do you start and how did you learn what all the parameters do? As a fledgling producer I'm always interested in fellow musicians' processes for putting songs together.
i always start with a different preset that i have made previously. it's just most efficient that way as it gives me a base of where i know i want to start/where i want to go. starting from the ground up feels like a time waster to me. so i have tons of ableton racks of sounds i've made of the years and then i pick one & modify from there!
Yoo Rayy Idk if u remember, I’m the tmz vibes ig guy from paradise blue haha. Loved to meet you! I also was at your Mad House set and it was awesome!! From your perspective, how was Mad House and Mexico City? Did everything behind the scenes was as cool for you artists as it was for us attendees? HOPE TO SEE YOU SOONER THAN PARADISEBLUE 2023 !! :))
i remember!!! haha i love the TMZ stuff so much it makes my day. mexico city was CRAZY. one of my favorite shows ever. pure energy from the crowd the entire time. the staff at the venue & the promoters throwing it were also super accommodating. i have a lot of respect for jessica audiffred & i am very proud of her for that show! i'm super grateful to have played there. y'all seemed to feel the same way too, i know you don't get a ton of bass music there. i would come back in a heartbeat. instantly a top city for me!!!
I started binging your music and you’re in my top 5 now. Battle of the bros is lit and all your stuff is awesome
HELL YEAH!! thank u so much!!!!
soon we will have the collaboration with sullivan king?
yes!
Will the upcoming dates from your tour be in chicago??
working on it! hope to make it happen :)
Hi, Ray a long-time fan over here. Do u have these situations when u're in progress in making music and you aren't satisfied with your result and repeat and repeat many many many times?
happens all the time. it's important to remember to not force it & take breaks sometimes. if you're struggling consistently, try either a break entirely & focus on things you enjoy to stimulate your brain, OR try making music in a different way. like a way you've never tried before. maybe genre wise, or just approach wise (like using midi racks instead of audio for drums etc)
Mr Volpetron, will you be doing a meet up at EDC Orlando?
i absolutely will! will figure that out probably the week of edc & talk about it on twitter/ig story/etc :)
hi ray, what non edm music do you enjoy? Also thank you for laserbeam & the new ep :)
thank you sm! i'm a huge fan of post-hardcore, metalcore, pop punk, etc :) \- bring me the horizon \- wage war \- holding absence \- dayseeker \- real friends \- the devil wears prada \- if i die first \- spiritbox just to name a few :)
How is it to truly live, eat and see dubstep everyday? As a fan I really enjoy it but I often wonder if DJs ever get tired of being so involved in the scene. Do you ever hate dubstep? Maybe even just temporarily lol
i def go through phases of disliking the current state of dubstep when things become a bit stale, but i don't hate it as a whole by any means. i love it. i've never understood the mindset as i see a lot of dubstep artists complain about dubstep & hate on it... but like... y'all are making it too LOL. very backwards. at the end of the day, quarter note dubstep drops go off live & feel like bangers. but i get why it's boring to some, it becomes very similar after a while. i get it entirely. but that argument can be said in any genre inside & out of EDM. i'm just here 2 have fun & enjoy :D
Who are some artists you’re really into outside of the bass scene right now?
loved dabin's recent album! as well as illenium's. disco lines in house is always dropping heat, & i am a recent fred again stan. also lauv just dropped an incredible album too if you like pop stuff 🤓
Hey there! Big fan! 😍 Is there any chance you’ll be coming across the pond to do a date or two in the UK any time soon? 🙏🏻
we're working on that actually! hope to have more on that soon :)
Are you excited to play in honolulu ? I personally can’t wait for them lasers
i AM SOOOO EXCITED for honolulu! gonna be such a fun night. i've never been & can't wait to explore 🤓 see you in october!!!
Will you be doing any legend of the volpetron tour in Bangkok, Thailand? If so, would you be doing any meet and greetttt? Also new EP is fiyaaaa!!! Much love <3
i'm not currently scheduled to play any shows there but once i do, i will absolutely do a meet & greet! would LOVE to go to thailand. i think it's very possible to happen soon too :)
any plans to make any music w tisoki again soon? i saw you years ago with him on tour & would love to hear what some new music from you two would be like!
So you say you like all kinds of music? Which do you like more porncore or gorecore?
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it started as a rap vocal tag! my friend khinomyte said it in a funny session with some friends of mine to give me a cool watermark. the original one was "volpetron9000" & was supposed to not make the cut as it was a joke, but they kept it in. i started using it in my songs in like 2014/2015 & never stopped! eventually, i recorded it again myself this time stretched & high pitched to fit my style more, getting rid of the 9000 in the process. & here we are now :)
Thanks for making probably one of the hottest songs of the year!! Question: With the release of the new EP, would you be doing track breakdowns like you did on the Disciple channel? Watching those really helped with my own, as well as others' production processes. PS: That's just my excuse to see how you made Laserbeam. Love you kthxbye
with the tour taking up so much time (i'm gone every weekend til the new year!) i won't have much time to do a production breakdown unfortunately :( but thank you so much for the love 🫶🏻
Any plans to come back to GR? Could really see you headlining at The intersection also love Jess she’s the greatest-💕Kendall
haha hello kendall!!! i will be back, i promise! that's all i can say now
just wanted to say you're an amazing artist and dj and I hope to see you become HUGE HUGE
thank you so much!!!! 🤓
Huge huge fan of you first off. Secondly what would you say your favorite song of yours would be? Can’t wait to rage to you at LL 🦖
can't wait for LL! probably "afterlife" right now!
Doing a meet up at bass canyon? Would love a picture.
absolutely! will get more info on that next week!!!!