Classical Music to EDM: The Unique Story of PepperJvck

Mason Vera Paine

DJ and Producer stops PepprJvck stops by the Mason Paine Show to speak about his unique path in the EDM industry and how his classical music training influenced his sound. For the latest on PepperJvck’s musical projects visit: Instagram.com/pepperjvckmusic https://75dc83.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/0.-PepperJvck-From-Classical-Music-to-EDM.mp3 Mason Paine and PepperJvck Transcription Announcer 00:00: Mason Vera Paine. Mason Paine 00:01: Jack Sheldy is a DJ and producer based out of San Diego, California, that goes by the name of Pepper Jack. Let's find out why he has caught the attention of many industry professionals and fans alike since his 2022 debut. Thanks for joining me, Pepper Jack. PepperJvck 00:15: Thanks for having me on, Mason. Mason Paine 00:17: You know, I read that you were classically trained. At what age did you start your training? PepperJvck 00:22: So, I actually started learning classical music around the age of ten. I started playing the piano from a next-door neighbor that I had actually, and then I transitioned that into being a cellist. And I was the first chair in our orchestra in junior high and high school for a while. And I ended up playing the cello for about eight years. Learned a lot of sheet music, how to read music, how to play in a quartet, how to play in an orchestra. I was in a symphony for a while. So, yeah, it's been a lot of different classical training before I got into electronic music later on in my life. Mason Paine 00:56: That's an impressive resume. How did you go from classically trained to gravitating towards dance music? PepperJvck 1:02: Yeah, so that's a great question, actually, because I've had a really diverse background in music. I started in symphonies and quartets and orchestras and that sort of thing, and then I actually got into rock music after that. So I was in a garage band, in my friend's garage. We would get together after school. We went to the same high school and just jam out. I was on the guitar. We had a keyboardist, we had a singer. We play anything from blues to jazz to rock music, and that was a lot of fun. PepperJvck 1:30: So I think that transition for me, from the orchestra setting into a rock band and then finally into electronic music, was just kind of natural for me because I was going from an instrument that wasn't that high tech, it wasn't amplified at all to something that was amplified, and I could create distortion on the amp I had with my guitar. And then eventually buying software and getting even more high tech by getting into house music and electronic music production. So for me, I think it was just that transition of getting more and more electronic, more and more amplified, and exploring all the capabilities I had at my disposal, especially. I felt like it was pretty unique having that classical background and just knowing what I know about music theory, chord progressions, minor skills, major skills, all of that knowledge I had, because I feel like a lot of people in Ableton kind of get into it from the dj side, like they dj venues and that sort of thing. And they get into it from a social aspect, and then they buy Ableton and get into production. But for me, it was really about using and channeling the skills I had with symphony aspects, with knowing my skills, my chord progressions and music theory, and coming into electronic music from that background. So I felt like that was kind of unique for my skill set and something that I always wanted to pursue. Mason Paine 2:50: Eventually, the more djs that I talked to, the more I realized how they start their career in one place and they'll end up in a totally different genre. Did that happen to you? Did you start out in, like, trance or dubstep and you found out that. No, man, I really like house. PepperJvck 3:07: Yeah. So I love all types of electronic music. I love dubstep. I grew up listening to Skrillex. I love house music,