Soklo
Soklo is an LA based artist known for getting jagged, glitchy guitar sounds. After growing an audience from sharing unfinished ideas online, he pieced together his self titled debut album. Since then, Soklo has been touring his album and producing other artists in the studio...
What has previously been your approach to guitar?
Iâve always been drawn to experimental guitar playing. In particular, I was influenced by trying to cover more sonic ground than usual because I used to play in a two piece band. Even after that project ended, I have carried that philosophy on.Â
How do you use Submarine pickups?Â
I like to use the Submarine pickups by pitching up the 3 highest strings 2 octaves while adding a heavy amount of reverb and also pitching down the 3 lowest strings an octave with a lot of fuzz. There have been some other combinations but thatâs been a favorite of mine lately.Â
What influence has the pickup had on your creative process or workflow?Â
Dividing my sounds per string has me playing in more of a call and response fashion. There is something really cool to me about skipping strings and phrasing things where the ranges of guitar parts jump drastically.Â
Photo: Vanessa CindyÂ
What have been the surprising discoveries in the time that you've been using it?
In my studio albums, I frequently mic strings acoustically while playing distorted electric guitars. This combination of sound has been hard to achieve live but it was a pleasant surprise to hear that I could get a pretty similar sound with the Submarine pickup.Â
Do you plan on using it in any other projects and if so what ideas to you have for its future use?
I will be using it to play bass and guitar at once with a bass vi. In this setup, I am playing bass vi and sending low strings to a bass amp and higher strings to a guitar amp that has the sub frequencies filtered out.Â
How do you use it in a live setting?
I am designing a new live show where I will use it plugged into a 2 input interface and sculpt my tones using ableton. I wonât be using amp simulators but Iâll be able to do more effects that are production based and less traditionally used on guitar.Â
What is your favourite gear? Hardware, software, pedals, anythingâŚ
Some of my recent favorites have been the Empty Head effects Falling Man pedal. Also, the Yesterday effects 8 bit fuzz pedal. Both effects are super awesome and unique.Â
What in your current arsenal has been the most inspiring/interesting to use with the pickup?
Iâve been enjoying using it with my 12 string jazzmaster. That already has such a layered sound and adding the Submarine is a whole next level of texture.Â
How has having multiple guitar outputs changed how you use these?
Itâs allowed me to think in a less limited way in terms of playing and tone sculpting, especially live.Â
What equipment would you most like to see developed as a companion to Submarine Pickups?
itâd be so cool if there were more effects that have multiple channels of processing and outputs so that you could plug all 6 string outputs into different ins on the same effect.Â
Photo: Steph ButchkoÂ
Have you got any tips for other Submarine users?
My main tip is to experiment and think in terms of sound design rather than in terms of guitar tone.Â
What are you currently working on?
Iâm currently finishing both an EP and a second full length album. The EP is an exploration in glitchy folk inspired guitar playing. The album is an exploration in glitchy fuzzed out rock.Â
What are you listening to at the moment?
Lately, Iâve been listening to Hudson Freeman, Guerrilla Toss, and Sex Week.Â
For forthcoming releases, tour dates and further info follow Soklo on instagram @soklo___ Head here to watch an episode of Dweezil Zappa's the Lesson in which Soklo shows him the SubPro pickup...
A Deep Dive With... is an ongoing series where we interview Submarine users, explore their creative process, share tips, and hopefully inspire you to discover new ways to make the most of Submarine's creative potential.
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