Grammy-nominated DJ/Producer/Remixer Jay-J certainly has his hands full. With a syndicated international radio show, international DJ performances, numerous studio dates, his own Shifted Music label and a recent project for the upcoming Olympics, spare time is in short supply. Recently, we snuck in a few jet-lagged minutes with him after he returned from a weekend of gigs in Brazil, to discuss his use of Oxford plug-ins.

What is your project for the upcoming Summer Olympics?

It’s for Coke and I was asked to be a part of a group of graphic and visual artists that designed these limited edition aluminum bottles. The bottles and a theme were given to eight different music people including myself, in order to create unique pieces of music to accompany each one.

My theme was happiness, so I hooked up with a great singer, Lucy Woodward, and we got together and wrote this song. Also, interestingly, they gave us a basic melody line that all the pieces had to include as a kind of unifying reference.

I used the Oxford Limiter on the final mix, and hit it pretty hard because I wanted it very present and upfront. It really gave the mix that ‘polished’ sound.

What else did you use on this Olympics piece?

Of course I used the EQ on the bottom end for kick and bass and the Dynamics on the bass as well. There are also EQ and compression on vocals, as well as EQ on the Rhodes and all the guitars – which are a bunch of different harmonized parts.

The bottles have officially been released in a collectors set with all eight bottles (no Coca-Cola included) and a booklet about the music people and graphic artists and the CD. Coca Cola has been distributing the different bottles to varying regions all over the world for distribution at promotional events surrounding the Olympics. A little refreshment from a great looking bottle!. It’s just a really cool project.

Where is your studio located?

I mainly work out of Puremix Studios in the East Village, New York, along with producer/mixer Fab Dupont.

What is your primary instrument?

A: It’s actually the computer. I started playing guitar and bass years ago when I was in high school, took lessons and played for many years. Slowly but surely I became more of a computer geek and in conjunction with that, was able to afford to work with artists who were way better than me on those instruments. Over the last 10 years, I’ve lost my chops. I was mediocre on the keyboard, and now it’s good to have the budget to afford great musicians.

Which Oxford plug-ins are in your ‘arsenal’?

I use the EQ, Dynamics and Limiter on just about everything that I do. Actually, I use Inflator and the Reverb on everything as well. I also like using the Limiter, primarily on the mix bus.

What is your main production platform?

Pro Tools. After spending many years on Logic, several years ago I switched to Pro Tools. It was a completely new way of working and I also do my midi inside Pro Tools. However, I also use a lot of live instruments – things like Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, bass and guitars.

In the studio, we use the Focal speakers, which sound great. Combined with the Oxford software, we also use the Dangerous 2-bus for analog summing, a GML 9500 Mastering EQ for the mix bus, Avalon mastering EQ’s and some things like Chandler/Neve, Chandler EMI, and an Empirical Labs Fatso compressor.

You’re vocal productions are quite powerful. Tell us about how you use the Oxford Plug-ins on them.

They are always going through the EQ and Dynamics. I usually hit my vocals pretty hard and with my style, which is R&B influenced dance music. I use the Dynamics to go for a very saturated, upfront vocal sound, with a pretty fast attack and a fairly fast release. I almost use it like a limiter.

I also use the Dynamics sidechain to tame certain frequencies in the vocals. A lot of times I find myself doing that in the 2kHz range, or in the 200-300 Hz range. Overall, I use the EQ for sculpting and then the filters for bottom end to get the ‘muddiness’ out. As for the Reverb, I tend to set my mixes up with two of them; with one larger sound and one smaller. Therefore I have two different spaces when I need them.

Which EQ type do you turn to the most?

I tend to use Type 1 because I can achieve the sound I want quickly. Actually, I read through the Dynamics, Inflator and Limiter manuals to figure out the best way to use them. But recently, I went through the EQ manual and learned more about each type, so I’ve started using Types 2 and 3 as well. But for the most part, I use Type 1.

I’ll also use the GML type for vocals - just to kind of get that ‘air’ on the upper frequencies. Sometimes I also use it with snares and hats, because it’s not piercing - helping to create the illusion of ‘air’ on top.

A lot of the real important sounds in my music go through the EQ’s. Even some of the hi hats, because of the sweetness of the high end. I’ll put it on some of the drum loops as well.

How do you use the Limiter?

What I do is route individual channels and groups out in 16 busses to the Dangerous 2-Bus. The Master section has insert buttons and we’ve got the GML hardware EQ and compressor set up on that. So I go out through the 2-Bus, into the Master with inserts, then out and back into the computer.

The Oxford Limiter is added after the mix is summed and bought back into the computer on an audio track. Then I record that track internally, rather than bouncing to disk. From there I adjust the Limiter, and then process the file. This way, I’m able to play with different versions and levels. Then I export that out to a CD and, since I’m a DJ, get to check it on different systems.

Tell us about your radio show.

It’s a syndicated show that airs on over 55 different outlets on the internet, and it’s basically live from where my DJ set is recorded - in venues all over the world. So I capture it at the event and then edit it at home on my Digidesign MBox rig. For that, I use the Oxford EQ, Dynamics and Limiter to sweeten each of the live recordings. Every two weeks I deliver a new mix that goes out.

That same edit goes on my Podcast on iTunes, as well as XM Satellite radio, Music Choice on digital cable, and the various global internet stations.

What other projects are you doing?

I just finished a remix of an artist called HiFi Mike and the title is Warning. It’s on an Australian label and is one of my favorite remixes of all time.

Also, my label Shifted Music has a new song coming very soon called Sumtin, by Yogi featuring Briohny Thomas. And of course there is Happiness, which is the song for Coke.

Using the Oxford plug-ins on all these?

Oh yes. It’s nice that I’ve got these great plug ins that can make my music sound just that much better in today’s digital world. I think they help provide those feelings that people appreciated years ago from the analog sound, being able to capture and use that with the precision of digital and the total ‘recall-ability’.

They also make using them fun and easy. I can work wherever I am and use my Oxfords by just carrying my iLok. Sometimes I don’t have to bring it though, because most of the guys I know that are professionals with studios that I would want to work in are already using the Oxford Plug-ins.

Sounds like you’ve got a good gig going!

Oh yeah. I’m traveling on weekends, at then end of the day it’s a dream come true. I’m living my dream. My day job is making music and by night I travel the world. Who can ask for anything better.

Interview and editorial provided by Rich Tozzoli

Back to top