Agyingo, the sounds engineer x’tra o

The journey of becoming one of the top hutch producers, in what we popularly refer to us sound engineer in the country has not has been an easy one. The name Agyingo may not sound familiar to you but the musician cum producer is one of the key players in the industry who is developing and recording our artists.

He has been partnering JQ his mentor to deliver but occasionally slip to do some few things here and there. Today we are going to chat with him and see whether he is his own man this is because of his attachment to JQ and know the lighter side of him stay tune as he spoke to Weekly Fylla’s DJ Amess.

WEEKLY FYLLA (WF): I am sure the hottest issue is the return of you and JQ to the Hush Hush studios. How do feel?

(AGYINGO): Well I think it is been a long time and it has been settled amicably. I am very happy that we are back and already we are doing well people should watch out for the dream team.

(WF): Can you briefly describe your self and what you do?

(AGJINGO): I was born Emmanuel Nana Agyemang Bonsu better known as Agyingo. Very calm, caring, down to earth, lives a low profile life, shy, romantic and accommodating. Music is my passion so apart from creating the avenue for others to sing I also enjoy and sing at the same time, in short a musician and sound engineer.

(WF): Can you describe your relationship with JQ. Are you playing a second class to him as others want us to believe?

(AGYINGO): I don’t think so and if people see it that way then it is their own cup of tea. We are in the same Church Resurrection Power and Living Bread and we were the instrumentalists with church band. I was the drummer and he was the keyboardist. Unfortunately he had the chance to undergo training under the tutelage of Freddy man and he in turn coached me even though I also worked with Freddy man. The man is important to me and even with that he doesn’t lord it over me but he gives me a free hand to work.

So far I have been working with him despite the fact that I some times sojourn out side for greener pastures. From Virtual Studios to CHM, Swigh Achimota, Richcity and a host of others.

He respects me and I also reciprocate and don’t forget two heads are better than one.

(WF): Lets jump from there and come to what we know about you today, sound engineer or producer, how will you assess your self?

(AGYINGO): Thank you, it has been up and down but I will still hold on until I get my own studio. Like I said I had training from JQ since there is no institution that basically trains potential people for the job but I think I have enough experience to work anywhere.

Seriously I am the brain behind some hit tracks in the country and I have worked with most of the big artists like Slim Buster, Obrafour, Tic Tac Philomina, KK Fosu, Bak Tye, Triple M, Castro and King David, did some remixes of Kofi Sammy, I have worked with Sim Do Studios in Takoradi before I came back to D’ Sharp studos at Nungua. One song that has touched my heart most is King David’s “Tse Obenke Me”.

I used the organ to play guitar to sound like analog. Currently I am working on Last K, Fontonfrom, of UK, Ebo’s latest, Mega Shooter and King David. People should watch out for King’s latest. It is a bomb.

(WF): Is it true that you discovered Castro D’ Destroyer?

(AGYNGO): I met him at Takoradi where I have gone to work as a residence engineer of Sim Do studio he came there and due to his respect and humility we became friends and I remember recording him. When I left for Accra he came down looking for me. I then introduce him to JQ who also expressed interest in him and he started featuring for people until he released his debut “Sradinam” and featured on JQ’s compilation and he has become part of us till today, even under your management. (Laughter)

(WF): How do people approach you to record them? Is it all that easy as music is release every forth night?

(AGYINGO): Before I go to the studio with my clients I assess them to see their level of preparedness and how good they are. I don’t look at the money factor alone but what best can come out of the two of us. If I found out that the person’s standard is below the belt I advice them on how they can go about it but if the person is not good musically sometimes I tell them to forget it and go to school.

(WF): But they came with their own money, why don’t you record them

(AGYINGO): We have our image to protect and safe guard our reputation. There are so many bad songs on air, low standard, poor quality of sounds and incoherent lyrics which doesn’t do us any good as parishioners.

(WF): In your opinion, what do you think has contributed to the downward trend of Hiplife?

(AGYINGO): Some of our musicians are lazy. They don’t sit down to write good lyrics with quality messages. Hiplife started with good messages but what do we see today, mediocre works and bad sounds. The other problem is good producers to push our music to the international level. The future is brilliant but there is more to be done. They need to consult people who have knowledge about the business and do more research. Most people have come to the highlife thing. Obrafour for example is doing more singing even in raps; Ofori Amponsah is not doing hiplife so we must abreast with current happenings.

Music is has become dynamic and supplicated which we can’t ignore. There are some songs if is played on the floor of Clubs; it puts the crowd off as they leave the floor. It tells you the bad sounds we have in the system.

(WF): But some of the engineers are blamed for the shoddy work and the problem of computerization, which is killing initiatives and creativity.

(AGYINGO): It can’t be generalized. We have equally good number of them but the problem might have come from producers and cost of production. Lack of executive producers is depriving the industry of quality works. So if the musician doesn’t have money to pay for his studio cost what do you expect the person to do?

Computer is being used all over the world even during live band performances. During recording sessions I sometimes play live instruments to add flavor to it but if the artist can’t afford the services of other instrumentalist we leave it like that.

 (WF): What plans do you have for the numerous undergrounds who need assistance?

(AGYINGO): I have my own camp called Qgya family. Very soon it will be officially launched to take care of talented musicians who need help.

(WF): A lot of musicians have been accusing sound engineers for disrespect, not holding to their contractual agreement and pirate their songs to friends before it is released. What is your opinion on this?

(AGYINGO): It is not all of us; you can ask those I work with. If you are an engineer and you do that then you don’t know what you are about. I know people do it but for me I seek the interest of my client first, in fact it is not healthy and a good practice, it must be discouraged. On my site you can only listen to music but you can’t down load.

(WF): So there is an iota of truth in it

(AGYINGO): Since there is Mensah in every household so also is bad nuts within the industry but to generalize it leaves much to be desired.

(WF): But you are not popular like JQ, Appietus and don’t you think popularity will carve you into doing that.

(AGYINGO): May be but I will do everything to put pragmatic system in place to help me work auspiciously with my artist. Good planning and organization is the word, trust me.

(WF): Your last word for those you work with.

(AGYINGO): Artists must do their homework well before they go to the studios to record. They should package their stuff well, humble themselves and be submissive. Also people can also reach me on www.myspace.com./agyingo and inaju76@yahoo.com.

(WF): Have a nice day

(AGYINGO): (Laughter) the same to you.