Show Off Your Studio – Part Twenty

It’s MusicTech’s Show Off Your Studio feature, where your studio could become famous! Get in touch through the MusicTech Facebook page to show us where you produce your music…

BlackBox Sound

Interviewee: Alexander Tschiggerl
Contact: office@blackboxsound.com
Web: www.blackboxsound.com

MT: Tell us about the key components of your studio?

Logic Pro running on an Apple Mac Pro 12 Core 3; MoTU PCI Audio with 3 2408 mk3; Avid EuCon Artist; two Soundtracs Project 8 analogue boards (one for recording and one for summing and mixing)

Mackie HR824 Mk2 monitors (5.1 setup); Focusrite ISA 428 MkI with AD converters; Sonnox OXF-R3 EQ; OXF-R3 Dynamics; Lexicon PCM 96 and 480L Reverb; TC VSS reverb; 2CAudio AetherVerb; SSL Duende bus compressor, E&G Channel, X-EQ; Eventide chorus/delay; Akai S1100; E-mu Emulator E5000, E6400 and E-mu Emax II samplers; Emagic EXS24 mkII sampler; Ultrabeat; Sculpture; EVB3; Roland Super JX-10, JX-8P, Alpha Juno 2 and Waldorf Microwave II synths; Rhodes MK-60; Neumann, Avantone and AKG mics.

Which DAW do you use, and why?
I use Logic Pro, because I’ve worked with it from the beginning when Emagic built it. I like it for everything: composing, recording and mixing.

What is your favourite gear and why?
The Focusrite ISA 428 with the Avantone CV-12 microphone. Why? It’s the sound handling – it’s my dream team.

How often do you spend time in your studio?
Six days a week.

How do you use your setup?
I use it for recording bands, my own projects and with up-and-coming artists.

What is next on your shopping list?
More microphones, and possibly a new sound system with a newer workstation.

Is there anything that annoys you about your current studio setup?
The Apple/Logic update cycles are frustrating, especially when sometimes there are bugs in the software.

What is your dream piece of gear, either real or imaginary?
An SSL Duality, Neumann U47, Telefunken mic, Neve 1073 Pres and EQs.

Do you have any advice for MusicTech readers about setting up a studio?
Sort your rooms and acoustic out first (along with your monitor system), then work out the ergonomics, and finally then sort your gear.

Do you have any studio anecdotes for us from your time running BlackBox Sound?
Well, I have worked for George Clooney and Arnold Schwarzenegger – they called me to attend a press conference for the movie Batman & Robin in 1997. {Alexander, tell us more please! Ed]

Shaun Cronin

Web: meetandjam.com/studios

Tell us the key components of your studio?
Logic Pro X DAW with plug-ins – perfect for mixing using a powerful 15-inch MacBook Pro; Rode NT1-A condenser microphone and Shure SM58 dynamic microphone and Focusrite recording audio interface.

Which DAW and why?
Logic X, because you can compose, sequence and mix in one program in a more intuitive, user-friendly way, especially when compared to other DAWs.

What is your favourite gear and why?
I like my Rode NT-1A microphone, because it allows you to record with a well-balanced sound with very low noise, which is really good for recording professional-sounding vocals. It’s very good value for money, as well. My flat response monitor speakers are great, too.

How do you use your studio?
I’m producing tracks and recording vocals for a singer’s EP which we intend to support by touring the major festival circuit next summer. I would like to record more singers and musicians like that.

Does anything annoy you about your set-up?
My MPD16 has USB connecting issues; it doesn’t stay connected for long, so I have to plug and unplug it every now and then. Next on your shopping list? I would like to buy either an MPC Studio or Native Instruments Maschine, because I would like a bettter drum machine, as I’m going to need it for future live work, so I need to upgrade my MPD16.

What is your dream piece of gear?
An SSL mixing desk, because it’s a legendary piece of equipment. I miss the sound of desks and being hands-on with mixing rather than doing everything from a laptop.

Any advice?
Don’t buy expensive equipment immediately; learn the basics on cheaper equipment and learn how to troubleshoot when your setup isn’t working straight away.

Meet & Jam Studio
Web: meetandjam.com
We’ve teamed up with Meet&Jam Studio, a new service for studio owners to rent out their facilities across the UK and US. Sign up to the service at meetandjam.com and you will automatically be considered for inclusion in this, MusicTech’s (award-winning) Show Off Your Studio!

James Green

Contact: djjammrz@gmail.com

Tell us the key components of your studio?
M-Audio Axiom 25; Samson C01U condenser mic; Behringer MS40 studio monitors; Korg Volca Sample & Volca keys; Akai S2000 sampler; AKG K240 MKII headphones; Presonus Audiobox.

Which DAW do you use and why?
FL Studio 12 (Fruity Loops). It is easy to use and has a fantastic workflow, that works great for me. The interface has been updated recently, and some new, cool features have been added. It has never let me use any other DAW!

What is your favourite gear and why?
The Korg Volca Sample, as you can create complex ideas on the go such as creating melodies, breakbeats for drum ’n’ bass, plus it also has the ability to resynthesise samples to create strange and magical noises. Finally, it’s analogue, so it creates a nice, warm sound.

How do you use your studio?
At the moment, I’m producing an experimental drum ’n’ bass album with a friend of mine, which we shall be releasing soon.

Next on your shopping list?
A nice pair of KRK RP5 G3s and sound proofing.

How often do you spend in your studio?
All the time that I can get, if I’m not at my music college (Platform One College Of Music – Isle Of Wight).

Any advice?
Get sound proofing, some good studio monitors, good headphones (my ones are AKG K240 MKIIs and they sound great) and a decent computer. It doesn’t matter if it’s Mac or PC.