{"id":9234,"date":"2018-07-13T10:58:19","date_gmt":"2018-07-13T17:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sequential.com\/?page_id=9234"},"modified":"2018-07-16T09:06:14","modified_gmt":"2018-07-16T16:06:14","slug":"neara-russell","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sequential.com\/neara-russell\/","title":{"rendered":"Neara Russell"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Keyboardist Neara Russell combines creative musicality with diverse technical skills. A native Wisconsinite, Neara graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston with a full-ride Presidential Scholarship before relocating to Los Angeles as a full-time performing musician and writer\/producer.\u00a0Neara is currently touring as bandleader\/keyboardist for Atlantic artist Hayley Kiyoko. She is music director for artists Skylar Grey and Bonnie McKee, and has toured with Alina Baraz, Duke Dumont, Betty Who, and Bridgit Mendler.\u00a0As a writer\/producer, Neara recently co-wrote & produced the title track for Monogem’s “100%” EP<\/a><\/span> and has released three albums of original music.<\/p>\n

We chatted\u00a0with Neara about how she\u2019s\u00a0using the Prophet Rev2:<\/p>\n

What made you choose the Prophet Rev2?<\/span><\/p>\n

“I wanted an analog polysynth with classic Prophet sounds, but also needed a touring board with reliably stable oscillators and maximum programming flexibility. The Rev2 feels like a digital workstation to me while I\u2019m designing patches, then delivers that unmistakable analog sound for performance.”<\/p>\n

How are you using it?<\/span><\/p>\n

“I\u2019m currently on tour with Atlantic artist Hayley Kiyoko<\/span><\/a>, and my Rev2 is the only analog polysynth in my touring rig. I use it to cover pads, bass, and lead patches in the set. Hayley\u2019s music is particularly synth-heavy, so I get lots of opportunities to feature these sounds.”<\/p>\n

What’s one of your favorite things about it?<\/span><\/p>\n

“One of my favorite features for this particular set is the mod matrix. I\u2019m able to throw a filter on the mod wheel or an LFO on an oscillator, synced to a BPM, with an ease I haven\u2019t found in other boards. I love the bi-timbral option for keyboard splits. I also appreciate the ability to read parameters without pot jumping\u2014seems like a minor feature until you need to recreate a patch on the fly.”<\/p>\n

What does the Prophet Rev2 give you that other synths might not?<\/span><\/p>\n

“I\u2019ve taken this board around the world though many climates and have found the Rev2 to be 100% reliable. I\u2019ve had zero tuning issues and haven\u2019t needed a calibration yet. This is a solid, road-worthy board that is still able to deliver the Prophet sound you would expect.”<\/p>\n

Any interesting tricks or techniques you\u2019d like to share?<\/span><\/p>\n

“Pairing my Rev2 with a Strymon BlueSky was my favorite experiment so far! They sound great together. This also frees up my onboard FX for other stuff; I\u2019m workng on building a larger pedalboard specifically for my Rev2 to expand my FX options.”<\/p>\n