Getting to know: Matthias Ranner
Ahead of his performance at Sub_Bar LIVE @ Yaam on Thursday 11th July, we shared a few words with Matthias Ranner, a multifaceted creative with experience in the video and circus fields. Also known as MaZ, Matthias is a social worker with a B.A. degree, an educated wilderness pedagogue, a FlowArtist and a Deafhood activist. His work focuses on two main areas: the psychology-driven aspects of human sociology and cultural practices. Through these areas, he aims to illuminate practical approaches by engaging in direct practice. Matthias' creations are full of contagious energy —immersive, physical, and instinctive— as if there were no barriers between his imagination and the synthesizers and sequencers he uses.
When you create music, what are you trying to recreate? Something you have inside, something you experienced already, or something else?
To me, it comes as it comes. Recreating is principally a part of the basis of creativity. Another part is, it's also creating by walking through. Letting it flow, simply as that. Thus, in my eyes, it's like painting. I grew up with the Windows Paint set by Microsoft instead of Adobe Photoshop, simply as that. Art is stimulation, and it depends on various emergences as well. Unlike a robot without any touch, it depends on any creative inspiration, or in another sense: the beauty of neurodiversity.
Do you feel your personality is reflected in the music you create?
Yeah, that's for sure, only it depends on the flavors and the limits. What's your setting like, siblings? Spinning as the chakras or whatever you're at, that's what I mean. So, let's batter up, as we humans are also neuro-batteries on a discovery.
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What has been the most difficult thing to learn during the course?
Understanding the musical terms created by hearing people. I am from an indigenous tribe called the “Deaf Community,” and our music is basically different from that of the hearing world. There are lots of open questions regarding language and terminology. Again: simply understanding the neurotical-based “plusses” and “minuses” of the batteries, the so-called network.
Do you have any preference in creating vibration? Are there specific settings you like when using synthesizers?
I like the vibrations of wonders, letting everyone find their own path. Pathful vibrations by Deaf folks (Deafhood). Imagine you're walking through a “visual vibe,” visual paths through the vibration. I don't have any special preference, but only one: just paint a pathful visualization on the haptic level, as the goal isn't the goal itself but the path. In short: equilibrium is the one preference. Oh, again that one: yeah, same as batteries need their balance. So you're welcome to dive into the deaf world, in the sense of a language through haptic visuality. Inclusion can be understood differently. Checkmate, dear hearing/audio-focused readers. ;)
