I havre written about a lot of Frericks songs in the past so it was about time we could do a Behind the piano post about him! Let’s start!
Where are you from? And where do you live?
I am from The Netherlands. The Hague to be precisely.
How long have you been playing the piano, and do you play other instruments as well?
I started to play the piano when I was 7. Over the course of years I also learned to play guitar, bass, drums and recorder.
Tell us about how you started playing music.
I was always more fascinated by improvising than to ‘play by the book’. I grew up listening to funk and jazz and got really influenced by my uncle who played tunes of Oscar Peterson on the piano. I really loved trying to make up songs on my own. In my late twenties I received proper education at the conservatory in Utrecht with regards to jazz piano. That and my well-developed solfege technique helped me tremendously in my creative process of writing new music.
How long have you been making piano music?
I composed my first song when I was 12 years old for my first grungeband.
Tell us something about that moment you realized you could make songs yourself!
It felt damn good, and it unlocked some endless hunger to create more and more.
What are your favorite artists in this “piano genre”?
One of my all time favorites is Dutch pianist and composer Michiel Borstlap followed by Chilly Gonzalez. I also really like Jordane Tumarinson; a composer from France.
Is there one song which you play over and over again as soon as you sit down by a piano?
Pfff, that really depends on the mood I think. Lately I have been playing the song White Keys by Chilly Gonzalez a lot. I really like to vibe of that song. When I am in the mood for practise I play compositions from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. When it rains I play some of my own melodies over again.
What rules (in making music) needs to be broken?
That we should stop labeling music.
How do you record your music?
I prefer to do this at home. Big studio’s give me instant pressure.
Whats your take on sampled instruments?
They’re getting much better. I haven’t used them yet for a solo release, but I have added VST’s in other productions.
The last question is asked by my 6 year old son:
Where do all your songs come from?
From the small things I daily encounter