Fashion
March 16, 2015
An Interview with Hiroyuki Honda of HSW (Part 1)
An Interview with Hiroyuki Honda of "HSW" (Part 1)
It is with great regret that the brand and shop of "Honda Sound Works," led by Hiroyuki Honda, a master of effector production, closed at the end of April. When asked the reason, he replied, "From now on, I want to support artists in creating their sound and deepen my work as a staff member involved in sound production, such as recording." While it is a shame that the effectors made by Mr. Honda will no longer be available, I was very happy to have this opportunity to speak with him.
photo by Jamandfix
My Only Interest Is the Sound That Emerges
Yui MochizukiThis is the first time I've had a proper conversation with you, Mr. Honda. Could you tell me about your background?
Hiroyuki HondaWhile working at Pearl Musical Instruments, a specialist in drums, the company began to focus on instruments other than drums, and I became involved in planning and buying, which led me to encounter guitars. Through my work importing British guitar amps called Peterson and handling guitars called G&L, I had more opportunities to meet guitarists in Japan and around the world. Listening to various sounds naturally honed my skills.
MochizukiSo, you started with drums?
HondaAfter that, I managed the ESP shop in Kanda Jimbocho for about two years, and then moved to a specialty store for vintage effectors called Ebisu Gang.
MochizukiYou were a catalyst for the vintage boom, weren't you?
HondaWhile repairing famous vintage effectors and listening to a wide variety of sounds firsthand, and also maintaining vintage guitar amps, I had many thoughts.
MochizukiWhat were you thinking?
HondaIn Japan, there was no after-sales service for what were called vintage items, so I wanted to provide that properly.
MochizukiSo that's how Honda Sound Works began!
HondaI'm not interested in brands at all, fundamentally. What I care about is "making everyone's sound sound good." So, while producing the sound for a friend's brand, I was asked if I could develop effectors and release them myself, which is how it started.
MochizukiSo you started at someone else's suggestion?
HondaSince I have no interest in brands, it's called "Honda Sound Works" (laughs). When you check all vintage instruments, there's a huge gap between them and the characteristics of modern instruments. I thought it would be interesting if I could bridge that gap myself. Also, what makes me completely different from a typical engineer is that I have absolutely no interest in electrical circuits or parts...
MochizukiOh, really! I always thought that was your specialty.
HondaMy only interest is the sound that comes out. I just create what I imagine. If I think the sound of a certain band from a certain year is cool, I listen to it over and over, and then I go through trial and error to figure out which circuit to use to produce that sound. I'm also particular about using current parts, not old ones. Since I'm living in this era, I want to surpass the past using today's parts.
MochizukiHow do you proceed when you make an effector?
HondaSince I'm in the sound production business, I have reliable technicians build the products, and I do the final tone adjustments myself. However, the tone can change subtly depending on the capacitors, wires, and how the ground is connected around the jacks, so prototyping is challenging.
MochizukiSo, it's really your ears that create them, isn't it?
HondaMy theme is people. The guitarist is the primary source, so I rely solely on my ears.
To be continued in (2)
*The shop has already closed.