Show Off Your Studio: Ashibah’s North Harbour hideout
The Danish/Egyptian artist shows us around her quaint space after her new release with Jean Bacarreza.
Email sarah@ashibah.com
Website ashibah.com
Socials Instagram | Facebook
Key kit
- Novation Peak
- Neumann TLM 49
- The Advocador MIDI controller
- Fender Rhodes
- Moog Minimoog Model D
- Arturia MiniLab MKII
Ashibah is on a mission to get the whole world on its feet. The Danish/Egyptian DJ and producer has already taken South America by storm and has broken through internationally after a collaboration with Nora En Pure on We Found Love, and a solo release on DFTD, Devotion, landing on number two and number four on Beatport, respectively. She also collaborated with Brazilian artist, Vintage Culture, on the dance hit Circles, racking up almost 100m views on YouTube.
Her latest release is with Jean Bacarreza, marking their third collaboration with Nobody Else. We took the opportunity to head over to her Denmark studio and learn why the Novation Peak is her favourite synth and how she maintains a positive vibe.
Tell us a bit about the studio, Ashibah.
It’s located in Copenhagen, Denmark in an area called North Harbor and it’s right on the waterfront. The building is full of all kinds of small companies and creative folk making a living doing what they love and that’s an amazing energy to be around.
How do you use your studio?
We do everything here. It’s important for me that my studio isn’t only a place for work but that it has a cosy and positive vibe so you want to stay and hang. I spent a lot of time getting the right lighting and set up so anyone can feel at home.
I also installed a vinyl and CDJ booth, so anytime you need a break and want to play some tunes, you can. All while you enjoy a glass of wine from our neighbour’s incredible collection of French wines which they specialize in.
Which DAW do you use?
I use Ableton Live for production and live performances. I use Logic Pro if I’m recording audio and producing vocals.
What is your favourite piece of gear?
The Novation Peak, for sure. It’s so dynamic and has endless possibilities. I have made 80 per cent of my basslines and leads on it in the past year. I love it.
What atmosphere do you create in the studio?
I am a creature of habit, so I always start the day by putting on my favourite Sade tunes, prepare a good cup of coffee on our fancy barista coffee machine, light up my candles and have a look at my to-do list for the day.
What’s been the biggest investment in your studio?
Investing in the right people to teach me what I know. It was absolutely worth it.
If you were left on a desert island, what one item would you take with you to make music with forever?
My Zoom recorder. I could record all kinds of things and listen to them again when things get a little quiet and lonely in the desert.
We see you have four studio monitor set-ups, can you tell us a little bit about that?
Since I do all kinds of different work in the studio I like having different reference speakers to work with. It really helps my process.
How did you go about getting the acoustics right in the studio?
That took some time, I have to admit. When we got the room it was not treated at all. We built an extra wall, closed off lots of vents and took it one step at a time. The room has a high ceiling so we needed to work around that – the credit for that lies with my studio partner Philip. He led the way on this one, making the room sound perfect.
What is next on your shopping list studio-wise?
A Manley Reference Mic for sure. I tried it once and fell in love!
What is your dream piece of gear?
A Yamaha GC 1 piano to write tunes with my partner Nikoline.
What is your top piece of production advice?
Take your time, make lots of mistakes and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
What is the one piece of advice you would give someone starting out building a studio?
There are many ways to make music today. Find the set up that works for you, no matter how big or small, and don’t get intimidated by what’s out there.
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