Having started out producing in Ableton with a collection of MIDI-connected synths and drum machines, Klostermann explains, “My whole workflow changed. I got more and more analogue synths, and I thought, I need to jam more and to track more.” Now, he says, with a Ableton Push at the centre of his setup to provide sequencing, he can work on his rhythm tracks without even booting up the DAW.
“I don’t need to switch the computer on,” he says. “Once it’s a nice loop and basically working, then I start tracking. I do functional jams; I start just with a kick, bring everything in, then take everything out and let it run for a few bars. Because I’m going to rearrange it in the DAW.”
It was while working on the Matrix at his previous studio that his current production process evolved, Klostermann says. “I have a habit for drum machines. With the Matrix, 16 channels weren’t enough, so I bought a 32-channel submixer for my drum machines. I used the six group outs and summed all the kick drums on one channel, snare drums, claps and rims on another channel, and so on. My drum loops were made of six mono tracks — four channels of drums and two channels of distortion — and I could easily edit them in Ableton. That was a game changer for me.” He is currently transitioning to working in Avid Pro Tools, he says.