The music industry is in a perpetual state of flux. In our current culture, electronic music has become a pervasive force within the industry. This musical niche is a breeding ground for new talent. These talents come from producers both young and old and from all across the world. With the Internet, electronic music has become a highly accessible powerhouse. Here, in the relatively humble city of Eugene, there are a number of ambitious musicians looking to tap into this niche.
Nathan Asman is a graduate student of the school of music. Aside from his academic pursuits, Asman produces with a full electronic jam band under the alias Hamilton Beach. The group is comprised of Max Miller on bass, Keith Randel on guitar, Travis Lien on drums and of course Asman himself. Asman and company bring together digital-electronic production with live sounds in a manner that goes beyond the common understanding of electronic music. @@http://www.uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Nathan*Asman@@ @@http://www.reverbnation.com/hamiltonbeach@@
“I feel like fusing electronic and live instruments is the best of both worlds,” Asman said. “The possibilities are endless and that adds more dynamic to the music that we can create and it allows us to explore different musical ideas.”
Asman is realistic and grounded.
“As a musician, you always have that aspiration to be the next big thing,” Asman said. “I would love it if that could happen but realistically you just have to get lucky.”
Asman boasts an authentic love for the art of music. He grew up surrounded by musicians. His father plays both the clarinet and saxophone professionally. His best friend growing up is a cellist who studied at Julliard and his parents, as prominent figures in Asman’s life, were both in the Utah Symphony.@@http://www.utahsymphony.org/@@
“I grew up in a very musical environment and I realized that music was my passion,” Asman said. Beginning with the piano, Asman made his way through several instruments including clarinet, tuba and ultimately settling with percussion and keyboards.
When it comes to electronic music, Asman questions the state of the industry and the role that he’d like to play in it.
“With electronic music these days I’m not really happy with how it’s going. Skrillex and that kind of stuff have really taken over and I’m just bored of it. I want new, original stuff,” Asman said. “The industry is getting flooded with the people that think they can download an illegal copy of Ableton and put a couple tracks together and say that they are a producer. I think that sometimes rubs me the wrong way because I put so much work into my stuff.” @@http://www.ableton.com/@@
Ultimately, Asman said, “I’m not trying to say that people shouldn’t write or produce music, I just want people to explore new sounds.”
With that notion in mind, Asman strives to take his sound to unique realms. Inspired by his favorite band, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Hamilton Beach reflects a genre within a genre. Electronic music has become so diverse that the amount of emerging talent is simply unquantifiable. Hamilton Beach strives to find its niche by exploring technology and instrumentation as a means of creating something meaningful and original. @@http://sts9.com/@@
As a musician, Asman is focused on creating music that not only fulfills his personal desires but also makes a lasting impact on his audience, whether it’s through live shows, his personal work or his academic endeavors.
“I want to make music that touches people in the way I feel when I listen to any of my favorite artists,” Asman said. “I want to produce something both artistic and creative that reflects who I am while still creating a sense of enjoyment within others.”
Asman hopes to pursue his Ph.D. and ultimately land a career in film and television scoring and soundtrack production. Wherever he finds himself down the line, one thing is certain: music will always inspire and define his character.