Mat Peters plays guitar and synths in Manchester-based Post-Punk band ist ist. He also makes his own ambient music and produces under the name Kim’s Garden.
Ist Ist started as a heavy punk band in 2014. Mat joined in 2018 as the songs started to become a more experimental and the use of synths was becoming more prominent. The band’s sound is now a mix of 80’s Goth, Post-Punk, and electronica. Their debut album, Architecture is due to be released in 2020 through Kind Violence Records.
We chatted with Mat on how he’s using Sequential instruments in his music:
What made you choose Sequential?
I chose the Prophet Rev 2 because I needed that classic poly synth sound, and for me the Prophet has always grabbed my ears. Sequential gear always has that next level of design and craftsmanship that makes them a joy to program and really helps me get my ideas out there.
How are you using it?
I use the Prophet as my main poly synth for live. I run it through a Boss RE-20 Space Echo and the Eventide H9 for reverb. I also use the built-in modulation effects on the Prophet for extra texture. The Pro 2 is also now in the live set up to help me play songs from the band’s upcoming debut album. The Pro 2 has helped me a lot because I can use it to cover all the Moog-type bass stuff but also the DX7 FM sounds that I’ve done on the album. I can also use it as a secondary poly synth if I need to as well. It’s really taken the live set-up to the next level.
What’s one of your favorite things about the two instruments?
I used the Pro 2’s modulation sequencer on the first track on our upcoming debut album Architecture for the rumbling bass drone on Wolves as I set the sequencer to modulate the filter envelope amount. I’ve also been using the Pro 2 as a hub for my modular system recently as well, and I’m having a lot of fun with that. The CV inputs and outputs make for some really fun patching options.
What do they give you that other synths might not?
The flexibility of these two synths really gives me the tools to express the ideas I have in my head. Also, the build quality of these machines gives me the confidence to go out and use these synths everyday and not worry about any issues.
Any interesting tricks or techniques you’d like to share?
Recently I’ve been loving the sound of the wavetable shapes in the Pro 2. I send pitch CV from the Tip-top audio quantiser module to control the pitch of the Pro 2 oscillators then send all sorts of nice LFO modulation from the modular to control the wave shapes. You get these beautiful evolving soundscapes. I’m still just scratching the surface of how I can use modular with the Pro 2 but it’s making me very excited and the sounds I’m getting are really nice. I love my DX7 but I was surprised with how nice the FM stuff is in the Pro 2, and of course it’s much easier to program!
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