[From the Fall 1992 issue of Korg Proview]
[Transcribed by Ben Stein]
 
Inside the 01/W with the Multifaceted Eddie Jobson
 
ProView: What led to your involvement with Korg?
 
Eddie:  I was most taken with the M1: the natural quality of the
sounds, the tremendous number of useable timbres and transparency
of the effects.  I later heard the Wavestation and concluded that
Korg was really making great sound instruments.  Now that I've
been working with the 01/W, I'm particularly impressed with the
way in which sounds can be multi-layered without losing their
tonal integrity and spatial placement.
 
PV: What special techniques did you use in creating your 01/W 
Pro Performance Sequence "Sketch for Orchestra #4"?
 
Eddie: The sequence was created on an external sequencer and
transmitted over the sixteen MIDI channels.  I prepared the sound
palette by first copying two combinations--the main strings and
horn/trombone combi.--into tracks 1 through 8 and 9 through 16. 
I then selected programs for the unused tracks.  Having created
the palette, I then played with the effects to create an ambient
hall and chorus setting that worked well with all the sounds
individually and together; it was necessary to use the chorus
because the strings really needed it.  Once the orchestra was
sitting in their empty rehearsal hall, I could start to write the
piece.  Occasionally, if I needed additional sounds, such as the
pizzicato strings, I simply typed in program changes onto a track
which wasn't being used at that point.  Then it was a question of
careful performance of each instrument using a volume pedal on
MIDI control 7 for both expression and for blending each part
into the mix; mod wheel, of course, for vibrato control; and
pitch wheel for creating purposefully out-of-tune notes on some
instruments, such as the clarinet, to add to the realism.
 
PV: Your sequence seems to have a lot of different time changes. 
Did you use any kind of metronome or click?
 
Eddie:  You know, it's very funny but I never think in terms of
time signatures.  I'm happy to try to answer the question but
it's really not important to me personally--I'd be just as happy
if everything I wrote was in 4/4.  The feel of the piece is most
important to me, in this 01/W sequence the programming may be
something of a clever exerciese but the music shouldn't be; when
I'm writing, it really is about trying to communicate something;
a series of emotions, a place and time, an atmosphere, a mood, or
just a feel good grove...how many beats there are in a bar isn't
that relevant.  Consequently, I rarely use a click track and
wouldn't think of it for a piece like this; I'm not going to go
in after the fact and try to program in rubatos!  I just play
each part as though I were that instrumentalist--listening to all
the other players and trying to be part of the ensemble. 
Obviously, it's important to think like an oboist or flautist as
you're performing those parts.
 
PV: Are there any studio projects, live performances or new
sequences on the horizon?
 
Eddie:  I have no immediate plans to record another album or go
back on tour although I am toying with the idea of both. 
However, I've enjoyed programming, and look forward to doing more
of it in the future.
 
[Caption accompanying b/w photo of Jobson]  A "Musician's
Musician," Eddie Jobson is an award-winning keyboard player,
classical composer and almost single-handedly established the
violin as a legitimate rock instrument.  His bio includes stints
with Roxy Music, Frank Zappa, U.K., Procul Harum, Incredible
String Band, Jethro Tull, Yes, Joachim Kuhn, Ryuichi Sakamoto and
a number of solo projects.]