V-Train is a multi-instrumentalist noted for his Lo-Fi and Hip-Hop creations. His instrument specialties include the piano, guitar, bass, drums, ukulele, and other percussion instruments. His career is a vibrant collection of 7 songs and 3 albums, which seems like a whole Lo-Fi playlist on its own. His most recent album, “Lo-Fi Sensation,” was published on June 17th of this year, and all of the beats were created on V-Train’s Akai MPC One, a superb solo instrument with a long history in the creation of Hip-Hop.
We got the opportunity to get down with Vernon “V-Train” Jeffries about the release of “Lo-Fi Sensation” to discuss his history in music, the process behind his new album, and much more. Relax and enjoy!
SONGWEB: Tell us about yourself and how your work as an artist is influenced by it.
V-TRAIN: I’m V-Train. My real name is Vernon Jeffries and I’m an inspiring beatmaker/producer.
SONGWEB: Who are your most important artistic influences?
V-TRAIN: My mother who was a pianist for a local church, my friend and music teacher Jon, and the Hip-Hop producers such as J Dilla and DJ Premier.
SONGWEB: Where do you get your inspiration and what trends influence your work?
V-TRAIN: I get my inspiration and influence from the Lo-fi community because they are a community of artists and producers who are talented in their craft and want to share their talents as beatmakers without having to rely on rappers to popularize their music.
SONGWEB: Could you tell us about your current project and its production process?
V-TRAIN: Lo-fi Sensation is a mix of original compositions and samples from different websites combined to create an excellent album. My main DAWs of choice is Cubase and FL Studio. The main hardware instruments I use to record music are the Roland FA-08 Keyboard and the Akai MPC One. Occasionally I would bring other instruments to record like the guitars or ukulele.
SONGWEB: In what ways has this project aided you in other aspects of your life?
V-TRAIN: Making music has always helped me when I have been in a funk, or I need an outlet to be creative when I am bored and need something to do in the house.
SONGWEB: Could you define briefly the objective or purpose of your work?
V-TRAIN: The purpose of the album is to showcase my work as a beatmaker and continue to bring Lo-fi Hip Hop to the forefront.
SONGWEB: Do you have any artist relationships, and how do they help you?
V-TRAIN: I have a friend named Jon who is an artist and teaches music. He gave me lessons in music production and my career just took off from there.
SONGWEB: Describe how we can help you advance your career.
V-TRAIN: I have a beats store on my website for rappers and producers to buy and use my beats. I am currently working on a Lo-fi sample kit and more for producers. If you can also share my website at http://www.vtrainmusic.com, that would be great
SONGWEB: What have your critics and collectors had to say about your work?
V-TRAIN: Most critics will say that my music is unique and stands out from the crowd. They love how I blend Lo-fi, Hip-Hop, and Jazz into one song and the chopping sample techniques I use on the Akai MPC One. Since I’m fairly new to the production game, I had some nitpicks or critiques on how loud certain instruments were and how I mixed the overall song. It’s a learning process but I get better each time.
SONGWEB: How do you hone your abilities?
V-TRAIN: I just build off a sample I found online or a chord progression I’ve created in my head.
Listen to “Lo Fi Sensation” by V-Train on Spotify and let us know what you think while you follow him with the links below to know more about him. Cheers!
https://www.instagram.com/vtrainmusic/
https://web.facebook.com/vtrainmusic?ref=pages_you_manage
https://soundcloud.com/vjeffries
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx9Qkv72NJ0ngHFR1ebRqZA
