Our Gear, Our Voices
Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander music makers
Meet King Marie
DJ, singer, performer
My family passed down the love and knowledge of music to me at a very young age. I started singing and performing at age 5 & was about 10 years old when I started writing poetry and putting melodies behind it to make my own original music. I'm grateful to have found my voice at such an early age and have music be the outlet to express myself.
Whether recording vocals or DJing, quality equipment is essential to not only making me feel comfortable and confident but being able to produce at high quality as well.
King Marie's essentials
Meet Sally Kang
Keyboard, Bass, Vocals - Run River North
Music was something I always enjoyed listening to and sharing with whoever would be willing to receive a mix CD from me. I loved being able to share current moods/seasons of life with friends and didn’t think much of it until my time began in a band, RRN. Aside from singing with Alex, the lead singer, I started seeing how sound could also be a different kind of voice in our songs we were creating. Creating parts on the keyboard/piano released a different texture that I felt I could add without having to sing out loud.
Sally Kang's essentials
The Must-Have
This was something that was introduced to me during a writing session with Dave Sitek. He had a plethora of synths in his studio and while he had a drum loop going, I was playing on his Mellotron keyboard and instantly fell in love. (Also, the color changes on the back as you rub it and it lets others know what mood I am in.)
Traveling with multiple keyboards and wanting to run each line through my small pedalboard was a mess until I found this pedal.
My first “real” piece of gear I bought back when we recorded our first album. It’s a staple that has everything you need to play clear piano sounds to a rhodes and wonderful organs.
This was added to my board later on, but I had the most fun running it through my Nord for the chaotic piano parts in some songs we were working on for live shows during bridges that needed some extra tension.
Meet Yvette Young
Front-woman, Covet
Not to be dramatic, but I think without guitar I would not be here today. At the time I was learning, I was listening to a lot of folk and Midwest emo. I think I was also very influenced by my classical upbringing but I wanted to put like…a rock or punk spin on things. I’m so inspired by all genres- post rock, edm, jazz, metal, emo…to be making music is about celebrating what excites you. I think that’s the only true way to sustain your passion.
Yvette Young's essentials
The Must-Have
I know this is my signature so it’s really a no brainer to list this! I love the single coils I have in it and it just feels so comfortable to me. When I pick up this guitar it always puts me in a good mood.
I use it both as a rhythmic pronounced delay and also a lower mix textural reverb-y pad underneath what I’m playing.
Adds girth to specific sections and fun for when you’re playing alone and want to sound full.
Meet Tiana Ohara
Producer, Guitarist
My imagination was running wild as a kid, and I started making up songs as soon as I could play open chords on the guitar. I'd sit in my room for so many hours just playing because music was, and still is my safe space and outlet. I got to immerse myself in alternative, classical, and jazz music growing up and then dug deep into R&B music in my late teens. Every musical connection and experience I've had has shaped me into the musician I am today. My creative process is quite simple: I just make things that feel good to me.
Tiana Ohara's essentials
Chorus is one of my favorite effects and this is one of the first pedals I ever bought. I'll usually have it on the multi type with the speed, depth, and mix knobs at about 11 o'clock to get a sweet lush sound. I include this in all my guitar & bass pedalboard builds for myself.
I've been using this as my main guitar for a couple of years and it feels like butter! I love the body contours and the neck profile.
This one really makes me feel like I'm on a playground. You can get such whimsical sounds out of it! I love running all of my instruments through it.
This is a newer addition to my gear collection, but I've become quite fond of it already. I can make musical ideas on the go since it's a super compact standalone synth and it also doubles as a MIDI controller via USB which is a huge plus. Excited to take this one on tours this year.