Fred Vanterra
Interview with Fred Vanterra
SBS: Fred! Thanks so much for taking the time to talk tunes with us brother-man. I suppose to start things off here, let’s make sure we’ve got everyone on the same page. How would you describe your music to people that have yet to hear it? What sets it apart from the rest of what’s out there in this music scene we share? How do listeners know they’re hearing YOUR music – how can they identify it?
Fred: Thanks for having me, Jer! I’m really excited to be here and honored to have this opportunity to do my very first interview about my solo music – such a cool moment for me.
When I try to describe my music to people who haven’t heard it yet, I always like to highlight two key aspects:
First, my music is extremely visual. When I’m composing, it’s like stepping into a vivid dream – I see landscapes, scenery, even entire music videos playing in my mind. This synesthetic approach shapes every piece I create, and I think listeners can really hear that sense of imagery and storytelling come through.
Second, my philosophy is rooted in the idea that music is for the heart, not just for the ear – a belief I share with Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (not J.S. Bach, the other one.). It’s about soul, not technical complexity. My compositions are relatively simple, but I focus on crafting powerful melodies and rich emotions. Those elements – the vivid imagery and heartfelt melodies – are what make my music unmistakably mine.
SBS: Maybe catch us all up a bit too. It had been about two full years in between our site featuring reviews on your albums Mythanien and Waikiki Synth before you eventually returned to us with “Gold,” your brand-new single. What did you accomplish creatively during the past two years? From what I understand, you’ve kept busy in a variety of ways…let the people know what you’ve been up to lately!
Fred: After releasing Waikiki Synth in 2022, I dove straight into my next big project, Terra. It was going to be a collection of folk-rock songs I’d written about a decade earlier – pieces that I’d always wanted to revisit, polish, and release. But then I hit a roadblock… turns out, I’m not exactly the world’s best singer, haha! That realization led me to shelve Terra for now and return to what I know and love: instrumental music.
From there, I started working on an idea that had been simmering in my head for a while – a “virtual orchestra” album. I invested in The Orchestra plugin by Best Service, which is absolutely incredible, and began exploring new sounds and arrangements. But life had other plans! I made a huge move from Germany to New Zealand, which brought a lot of exciting changes but also meant I had to press pause on my creative projects for a bit.
Fast forward to 2024, and I’m thrilled to say that I’m back with “Gold!” It’s not the full orchestral album I originally envisioned, but it’s a single that brings together the emotional depth and cinematic scope I love.
SBS: Let’s hear more about the making of your new single “Gold” my friend. From what I learned while I was reviewing the song here at our site, it’s technically part of the soundtrack to a “text adventure” game called Gold Miner. I guess it’s best that I start there! You read about my very, very limited experience with video games these days…so what the heck is a “text adventure” game? How does that work? Did the game itself exist before you did the soundtrack to it? What made you want to take your music in this particular direction…have you always felt like it would be well-suited for soundtracks?
Fred: Haha, Jer, I have to admit I was totally shocked to read about your zero video game experience. That’s gotta change, man! Let’s ease you in with something simple yet nostalgic, like a text adventure game.
So, what’s a text adventure? Imagine a game with no graphics at all – just text. It’s all about your imagination, solving riddles, making decisions, and answering prompts. That’s the essence of Gold Miner, a project I developed in parallel to composing the soundtrack for Gold. I’m no programmer, but with the help of ChatGPT, I was able to turn my ideas into actual code. It was an incredible experience to launch the game and the soundtrack simultaneously. If you’re curious, you can check it out here: Gold Miner on itch.io.
As for the soundtrack, it was a natural fit for me. Like I said earlier, my music is deeply visual and steeped in storytelling – it almost asks to be part of a larger narrative. And I’ve actually dipped my toes into this world before. My music was featured in a game called The Spirit, but Gold marks the first time my music is fully tied to my own game. That makes this release extra special for me.
SBS: How much of a relationship does the game itself have with the song during the creative process? Are you playing Gold Miner like, one step at a time, writing music that fits each and every moment – or is it more simple than we might realize…maybe it’s just a matter of making a certain type of music with a certain type of vibe, and then retroactively seeing where it fits within the game? I guess the real question is how do you go about ensuring that “Gold” became a perfect pairing with the actual game? How do you test something like that out…what’s the process really like for those of us that don’t know?
Fred: Great question! I was actually working on both “Gold” and Gold Miner at the same time, so the creative process became this dynamic back-and-forth. I’d take an element from the game – its vibe, its quirky moments – and try to translate that directly into the music.
The game itself is like a treasure chest of surprises. The basic premise is simple: you’re an Indiana-Jones-style gold miner exploring a mountain, searching for treasure. But the scenarios? They’re wild. Sure, there are straightforward moments like finding treasure chests or deciphering ancient runes – but then you’ve got completely unexpected encounters like a rap battle, a district office, or even a quiz show. It’s a fun, unpredictable experience.
That unpredictability is what I aimed to capture in “Gold.” I wanted the track to feel like the game –starting with tension and anticipation at the beginning, leaning into the quirky and playful elements in the middle, and finally delivering a sense of epic culmination by the end. I kept testing the song against the game’s flow, making sure the energy matched the moments. That way, even if you’re just listening to the track on its own, you can still feel the essence of the game.
Read our review on Fred Vanterra’s new single “Gold” by clicking here!
SBS: What would you say the value of the cross-promotional aspect in this adventure with Gold Miner will be for your music Fred? Is it really fair to assume that people playing the game would then rush over to your Spotify page right afterwards to hear more of what you do – or is there more to it than that? My gut tells me that each aspect (Song/Game) kind of has their own separate audience…like, as in, someone playing the game might not even fully realize how much the soundtrack actually contributes to their experience. I’m not suggesting it’s not a crucial part of it – I’m sure that it is – but what I’m saying is that they might just not recognize the role it plays while they’re caught up in the moment and actually playing Gold Miner – make sense? So I’m just wondering what you think about that I suppose…do you think you’ll find there is any noticeable crossover traffic from people that play the game and come to your sites to hear more from you – or is a credit like this more for your own resume and something that can potentially help open doors for new opportunities for your music later?
Fred: Absolutely, both the game and the song are designed to stand on their own – you can enjoy one without even knowing the other exists.
However, I do think there’s potential for some crossover. While not everyone playing Gold Miner will immediately head to Spotify to listen to “Gold,” or vice versa, I believe there will be curious players and listeners who want to explore the other half of the experience. That’s why my promotional campaign highlights both releases together in some posts but also focuses individually on each in others – so people can discover them at their own pace.
But even if the crossover isn’t massive, having a project that blends music and gaming is a fantastic addition to my portfolio. It’s something unique that I think will stand out and potentially open doors for new collaborations, whether in soundtracks, interactive media, or beyond. It’s really a win-win for both creative and professional growth.
SBS: Compared to what you’ve done in the past…stuff we’ve heard like on Waikiki Synth & Mythanien – was there a similar process to composing “Gold” or was it totally different this time around because there was a different purpose as to why it was created? How was the making of “Gold” similar to what you’ve done in the past with your music, and what made this experience unique for you as well Fred?
Fred: Creating “Gold” was unique, but in many ways, the process mirrored what I did with Waikiki Synth. While I was excited to experiment with The Orchestra plugin, I barely scratched the surface of its many presets and possibilities. Ultimately, I used it more for its incredible orchestral sound library, which gave me access to instruments like flutes and harps. The main melodies? Those were still played on my synths, just like with Waikiki Synth. The difference is that this time, instead of square leads and synth pads, I leaned into those orchestral textures to shape the sound.
Now, compared to Mythanien, the process was night and day. For that album, I went full minimalist –just me and my Kawai digital piano. Every song was almost a single take, no additional instruments, no virtual layers, just raw emotion and the simplicity of a piano man at work. So although “Gold” might feel more Mythanien-esque, it definitely brought me back into that multi-layered, tech-heavy workflow of Waikiki Synth.
SBS: Are there more songs from the “Gold” sessions that we haven’t heard yet – or have you been working on other music in the background behind the scenes? I remember when we first crossed paths and I reviewed two of your albums within two weeks…and here we are, two years later and I’ve got one song! This is definitely not my kind of math Fred. The numbers are all going in the wrong direction for a music fan like me. “Gold” is a great song, don’t get me wrong – but are you holding out on us? Where’s the rest? Certainly there’s a vault somewhere that is filled with unreleased Fred Vanterra tunes, right?
Fred: Haha, you got the numbers a bit mixed up there, mate. While you did review two of my albums in quick succession, there’s actually a full three-year gap between Mythanien (2019) and Waikiki Synth (2022). Not everyone can work at your pace, I’m afraid! 🙂
That said, you’re absolutely right – I do have a vault full of unreleased Fred Vanterra tracks. We’ve talked about Terra and the entire orchestral project (Code name Tutti). On top of that, I have an idea folder that’s stacked with almost 800 files! So, rest assured, I never run out of inspiration. The challenge, of course, is turning those ideas into fully fleshed-out songs and then finding the time and resources to get them published. It’s a slow process, but there’s definitely a lot more to come.
SBS: If I recall correctly, you had also mentioned something to me about writing a German Fantasy novel! Amazing! That’s a huge accomplishment…believe me, I know how much effort it takes and how difficult it can be…I think I’ve started about fifty novels at this point in my life and finished precisely zero of them – so congratulations my friend, that’s truly an achievement! What can you tell us about the book and when are you expecting that it’ll be released? Are you going with a professional publisher, or putting it out there as an independent? What’s it all about? We’ll take any details you wanna share!
Fred: Yes, that’s correct! The German fantasy novel has been a huge project for me, and I’m really excited about it. In fact, the story-writing part is already finished – the manuscript is sitting right next to me on my desk! The tricky part now is all the fine-tuning and editing, which is taking a lot more time than I expected. Because of that, I don’t think it’ll be ready for release until sometime in Q4 2025. But trust me, it’s been a labor of love, and I can’t wait to share it with everyone.
The book will take place in the same world as my album Mythanien, so fans of the album might recognize some familiar locations. Many of the cryptic song names, like “Amry” or “Taama,” are actually places in the fantasy world the novel is set in. It’s all connected, and I’m really excited to explore it in a new medium.
As for the release, my goal is to find a professional publisher this time around, which is something I’m working toward. I’m hoping to go that route rather than self-publish, so fingers crossed that I can make that happen.
SBS: From the outside looking in, it seems like what you’re creating within the realm of Vanterra Arts is one massive umbrella for all-things-art. It could be music, it could be games, it could be writing – and I’m sure it could be many other things as well! From your perspective, can you explain what your vision for Vanterra Arts is to the people out there? What does it include now, and what would you like it to become in the future? Do you have a concrete plan to help Vanterra Arts reach your vision for success?
Fred: Yes, that’s exactly it. When I created Vanterra Arts, it was a deliberate decision to name it that way rather than something like Vanterra Music. Although I wouldn’t compare myself to a genius like David Bowie, I do relate to something he once said in an interview. He referred to himself as an artist who just happened to use music as his vehicle for expression. While that’s a bold statement, I can really connect with it. For me, I see myself primarily as a “creator.”
Most of the time, my work takes shape within the realm of music, but I’ve also poured my creative energy into stories, illustrations, maps, and yeah, even games. There are no limits to what can fall under the Vanterra Arts umbrella – anything that sparks my creativity can be brought to life.
My goal is to keep pushing the boundaries of what Vanterra Arts can encompass, creating more immersive experiences and reaching people through a variety of creative channels. Right now, the plan is simply to keep creating, keep expanding, and see where the art takes me. There’s no concrete map, just an endless horizon of possibilities.
SBS: With the rise of AI in technology, and a more financially-prioritized world set to take over in the years ahead – what do you see as the main challenges ahead for art & music on an independent level Fred? Are they basically the same obstacles that have always existed, or will art & music face entirely new roadblocks and opposition than we’ve experienced in the past? It’s already tough enough for the average musician & artist to have their work recognized – but are there any reasons you can think of to be optimistic about the future ahead when it comes to the creative community? What might change?
Fred: It’s definitely a challenge to predict what the future holds, but right now, I view AI as something that could actually empower independent artists, especially those working with limited budgets. Take my first album Mythanien, for example – I remember how costly it was to hire a professional mastering studio. Today, you can get your song mastered by an AI for just a few dollars with a single click. While I chose to master both “Gold” and Waikiki Synth on my own, the point stands: many tasks that were once expensive and time-consuming can now be done much faster and more affordably.
That said, this is also a double-edged sword. As AI takes over many aspects of music production, jobs in the industry – especially in areas like mastering and production – are at risk. This is not entirely new, though. The music industry has already seen a shift in jobs and responsibilities, particularly when music moved from physical to digital releases. With these changes, new challenges arose, and artists have had to adapt.
One major obstacle today is the sheer volume of content being produced. With the rise of digital distribution channels, we’re seeing more independent music than ever before, which is fantastic in many ways. However, this abundance also makes it harder than ever for artists to stand out and get noticed. It’s one thing to create music; it’s another to get heard in an ocean of voices.
Ultimately, I think the core challenges are still the same: getting your work recognized, standing out in a crowded marketplace, and dealing with financial limitations. But I also believe there are reasons to be optimistic. With AI making certain aspects of production more accessible, it’s allowing artists to create high-quality work without needing big budgets or studio backing. It may not solve all the challenges, but it does level the playing field a bit, offering more opportunities for the independent creative community to thrive.
SBS: What would you say is the most positive memory or achievement you’ve had with your music? What makes this particular milestone so memorable, and how does it continue to inspire you now?
Fred: There is one milestone that stands out, one that truly touched my heart and continues to inspire me. After the release of Mythanien, when COVID-19 hit, I decided to donate a significant number of my CDs to hospitals across Germany. At the time, hospitals were in complete turmoil, and the medical staff were stretched to their limits. I just wanted to give something back to those who were working tirelessly to keep everything afloat, and all I had at my disposal were these CDs piling up in my stock.
What really moved me were the replies I received from the hospitals. Many of them shared that my music was being played in their break rooms to help the staff relax, and some even used the CDs for palliative and psychological care to calm patients. Knowing that my music played a small part in bringing comfort during such a difficult time is something I’ll never forget. It’s a reminder of the deeper purpose behind my work, and it continues to inspire me every day.
SBS: You’ve officially made it to the end of the interview my friend – thank you again for your time! As far as I know, there’s never been a single interview conducted anywhere on Earth that has managed to cover everything that someone would have wanted to talk about, so we keep this final space open for you to say anything else you want to or address anything we’ve left out! This is what we call the ‘SBS Open Floor’ Fred, and the floor is yours – all the best to you brother-man, make sure to keep in touch!
Fred: The only thing I’d like to say is a heartfelt thank you. Thank you for your work, for giving indie artists like myself a platform to share our stories, and for taking the time to review and interview us. You’re the real hero for us indie artists, and I truly appreciate what you do. Please keep up the great work and continue to support the creative community in the amazing way that you do. It means more than you might know. ♥
Find out more about Fred Vanterra at his official pages below!
Main Website: https://vanterraarts.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanterraarts
Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vanterraarts
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY_1uKJDpz6bh_rINYSykNg
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5tnaLSTowpgrTRfm5nS3dn
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