Technobabble

i thought I would write a post about the equipment and software that we use to do our recordings for two reasons. Firstly I think it’s interesting and secondly my band mates have absolutely no interest in what I’m doing as long as it sounds good in the end.

I am learning to produce as I go, we started the band in July of 2018 and it’s still a learning curve, every day as they say is a school day. We tend to master by sitting together and fiddling around till we all like the sound.

So the microphone we use for the main vocal is Kie’s Shure Super 55, which I love for its range of response and warmth. We use an X32 rack mount mixer for both live and studio work (yes I know it’s not 96K but to be honest by the time you’ve produced an mp3 or a CD I personally can’t tell the difference). Computer end I run Reaper with the Native Instruments Komplete package. I love the sounds in Komplete and am really enjoying exploring what they can do. All this is bought together by Reaper, amazing value product and highly recommended!

For “Take My Hand” the bass was recorded with my Warwick RockBass, the lead guitar is an LAG Roxane (found in cash Converters) and the drums were done using beats generated with MT drums and played using Drum Lab. We are using synth sounds and session strings from the Komplete package.

Guitars vary from the LAG, to a Hondo professional or an Admira Spanish guitar (charity shop purchase). Steve has guitars coming and going on an almost weekly basis so there are many more that I’ve already forgotten. Amping is done using Guitar Rig, god I love the ambient section. Basses include the Warwick, a Dean, a Tanglewood 5 string and on one song an upright bass sound from Komplete. Steve plays pretty much everything and we layer up tracks, with Kie adding vocals and occasionally guitar (on her beautiful black Hofner Verythin). I started off trying to play bass, the problem is what do you do when someone else is so much better? You let them play and learn to produce! We use a mix of artificial, electronic and real drums, Travelling in Time is a Cajon.

I don't claim to be an expert but so far the journey has been a fun one and very soon we'll release our first album! All this probably started as my mid-life crisis but I think that it's a damn sight better than blowing a fortune on a car. So if you have any suggestions/guidance for me I am open or if you have any questions then please ask :)

Take care,

​James xxx