Presently riding high in the new beat scene in South Africa, Tshego Nyatlo is a professional visual artist and designer who also works as Micr.Pluto (pronounced Micro Pluto) on his hip-hop infused electronica.

‘I am intrigued by new ideas and approaches to art,’ says the experimental music producer and DJ. ‘My workflow fluctuates a lot since I am constantly trying out new things, so it’s a bit hard to pin down. I usually start with recordings/collecting sounds which become the foundation of my compositions and try and build songs around those.’

His set-up, while simple, includes an Audient iD14 USB audio interface alongside a collection of sound creation tools. ‘The iD14 fits well into my process because it’s portable and I can record anywhere, but also great for my home studio because I prefer to mix my own music most of the time,’ he says.

‘My set-up is made up of Midi Keyboard, MicroKorg Vocoder, Akai MPK, Korg PadKontrol and Monotribe – and the Audient iD14 soundcard,’ he continues. ‘The preamps are great and have improved the quality of my recordings (which I do a lot of) and the interface is also user friendly which makes the working process so much better.’

Motivated by ‘the thought of having an infinite world of creativity to explore’, he has played many of the major festivals in South Africa without compromising his music, and particularly loves the energy of the city he calls home, Johannesburg. ‘It is enough to make me wake up and want to contribute something to it.’

Working on a number of collaborations at the moment, Tshego is focusing on a new EP to be released in 2017, as well as a compilation for his newly established label Subterranean Wavelength, which he describes as ‘collective movement of artists showcasing the Sub-Saharan African experimental music scene’.

His EP, Dead Rainbow: Broken Shadows ft Michaela Kruger, is out now and his work can be found across the relevant internet outlets, including a music video on YouTube. ‘I put artistic value before most things and never limit creativity,’ says Tshego.

Midas has announced the Compressor Limiter 522, a 500 Series outboard processor for live sound and music recording.

The Compressor Limiter 522’s range of mid-high audio frequencies is centred around 5kHz. Asits Presence control is adjusted above minimum, mid-high frequencies are increasingly boosted during compression, allowing a sound or instrument to cut through or seem more present in the mix. This variable presence function enables the 522 to effectively operate with two different ratios, one for low frequencies (LF) and the other for mid-high frequencies (reduced ratio).

When operating in its default mode (Auto switch not engaged) the 522 functions as a peak-sensing compressor, providing peak control via instantaneous changes in gain reduction. This allows manually adjustment of the attack and release times, so that the unit operates in peak mode with linear attack curves. When the Auto switch is engaged, the manual attack and release controls are bypassed and the compressor operates in RMS mode, automatically adjusting the attack and release based on the averaged input signal and the threshold/ratio settings. This produces a smooth, more relaxed compression that is perceived as more musical and natural sounding.

By default, the 522 is set to Soft knee compression (switch out) – only at the point where the signal level rises significantly above the threshold is full-ratio compression applied. This performance is similar to that of many vintage compressors due to non-linearities in gain reduction. When the Hard knee switch is activated, the 522 operates with a more sharply defined transition between under and over threshold for limiting style compression. In this mode a small amount of Soft knee is retained to keep the sound reasonably natural.

More: www.midasconsoles.com

A collective of producers, songwriters, musicians and publishers, MidCoast Music headquartered on the shores of the Great Lakes in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With 20-plus years in the production music business, production credits stretching back to the 1970s, and catalogues with industry powerhouse Warner/Chappell Production Music, MidCoast Music has carved out a niche delivering material for a range of genres for television, film and online.

In addition to its core group of musicians, MidCoast Music draws on a talent pool that includes Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), Robben Ford (Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis), Joe Bonamassa, Roscoe Beck (Leonard Cohen), Jon Cleary (Michael Jackson), Victor De Lorenzo (Violent Femmes), and countless others, and it has credits with every major network and shos from the Academy Awards to the Super Bowl.

MidCoast Music owner, executive producer and guitarist Chris Hanson keeps busy recording new material in the collective’s studio and on location around Milwaukee, the Midwest, and the nation.

‘We have two main catalogues at – MidCoast Music Artist Songs and the MidCoast Wired Catalog,’ he explains. ‘The Artist Songs Catalog features artists and bands who have a life outside the world of production music, and we work with them to craft and record material that satisfies the requirements for production music while retaining the soul of their original creations. The Wired Catalog is more traditional production music created by composers with production music in mind at the outset. I end up recording a lot of the music in our catalogs and have worked with everything from singer-songwriters to traditional rock combos to full orchestras in every imaginable genre.’

Both in the studio and on the road, Hanson relies on Metric Halo hardware A/D and D/A conversion, preamps and Production Bundle plug-ins. In fact, he built the studio around Metric Halo conversion using four LIO-8 converters, a ULN-8 preamp/converter, a 2882 interface and a ULN-2 preamp/converter. The ULN-8, 2882, and ULN-2 regularly travel with him for remote recordings, and two of the LIO-8s are ready to travel as well for remote sessions that require large channel counts.

‘All of the Metric Halo interfaces work with all of the major DAWs, which is critical because we regularly bounce back and forth between Digital Performer, Pro Tools, Logic, soundBlade and even Cubase,’ Hanson says. ‘That’s especially appreciated for our remote sessions, where we have plenty of other things to worry about. Having a solid Metric Halo interface that works every time makes it possible to focus on the performance and the sound – not the technical details. In addition, I love Metric Halo’s preamps – they stand up there with our high-end hardware preamps back at the studio.’

After many years using other converters, Hanson went all-in on Metric Halo for MidCoast Music’s studio: ‘I suspect I’m not the only person who has built out a studio around Metric Halo conversion,’ he says. ‘It’s just so damn good.

‘The first time I stemmed out a mix through Metric Halo, my jaw dropped. This is the very best hybrid analogue/digital studio solution I’ve ever heard.’ Hanson pairs the Metric Halo hardware with analogue processors, especially Manley gear. His usual studio workflow involves primarily Manley preamps fed through the Metric Halo converters and into whichever DAW makes sense for a given project.

He uses Metric Halo Production Bundle plug-ins in the studio and especially on remote sessions, where bringing extra hardware is a burden. ‘Metric Halo plug-ins are really indispensible,’ he says. ‘I know a lot of manufacturers are coming out with a lot of great plug-ins these days, but when push comes to shove and I have to get the job done and done well, the Metric Halo versions do everything the other guys do and more – and Metric Halo does it with better sound and functionality.

‘I’ve been using Metric Halo ChannelStrip since it came out in 1998,’ he contines. ‘I love that the frequencies aren’t over-hyped. I can really shape the sound without colouring it, although it’s capable of colouring the sound as well. Really, you could put me on a desert island with just a Metric Halo ULN-8, Metric Halo ChannelStrip, and a couple of good microphones and I’d basically be able to do what I do in the studio. In fact, I did exactly that at a vacation cottage here in Wisconsin.’

He cites Metric Halo Character’s ability to add subtle distortions to a track and hold a mix together: ‘Metric Halo TransientControl is the best transient plug-in on the market – it’s punchier and more articulate than the other leading plug-ins. I’m also a big fan of using Metric Halo Multiband Expander to do frequency-sensitive noise reduction.’

More: www.mhlabs.com

Miloco Gear has become a new UK distributor for Burbank Audio Custom Series 75 consoles.

Custom made in Burbank California, the Custom Series 75 has been designed to be the ‘sonically purest analogue console in the world’, achieved by using analogue Neve technology such as the 1081 and 1073 class-A mic preamp and EQ, and 2254 compressors. This classic Neve circuitry is a faithful re-creation of the original, while taking advantage of modern assembly methods. The original circuits have only been changed where justified by an improvement in reliability or performance.

Two 2254 compressors, four stereo reverb returns, eight recallable scenes, monitoring of up to 12 sources simultaneously and comprehensive 7.1-channel monitoring are among the features found on the console. Available in a 16-, 24-, 32-, 40-, 48-, 56- or 64-module chassis, the Series 75 is flexible and able to suit a variety of studio applications from broadcast to music and film production.

Designed specifically for longevity, gold plated switches and connectors have been used for all audio circuits, and all parts have been selected on their projected availability many years from now. Ergonomic design allows the engineer to reach any parameter on the board from a seated position (up to 32 channels) make this console a workstation that is comfortable for long hours, flexible for countless practical and creative applications, and unbeatable for sonic character or transparency.

Each console is made to a client’s exact specification for trim and look as well as many options provided such as built in centre DAW sections and hand built patch bays.

A 24-channel Custom Series 75 has recently been installed at Livingston Studio 2 in North London, where it can be viewed and test driven.

Housed in an old Methodist Church building in the heart of Hastings on the UK south coast is the new recording studio home of songwriter/producer, Paul Godfrey. The riginator of trip-hop trio Morcheeba looked to Penn Elcom for its design and wiring infrastructure.

The installation entailed delivering all the multicores, cables, stageboxes, patchbays, wall racks plus associated metalwork, and was overseen by Penn’s Leon Whipp who heads the company’s specialist wiring division.

‘Paul has a mix of the latest and some classic kit, all of which is used extensively in the studio,’ Whipp says. ‘The key here was to create a neat, low-impact design that makes the studio quick and practical to set up for any scenario. It was great that Paul really understands the need for quality and longevity, so there were no compromises on the materials we used for the wiring elements’.

Every centimetre of space in the characterful building has been used to serve as an inspiring recording environment, with a large control room, main space and mezzanine floor chamber. The close proximity of Penn Elcom’s HQ and factory facilities was a great advantage, and this was where a 16-way and two 12-way multicores were pre-built and prepped, all using Syntax connectors. Neutrik connectors were also used throughout the installation for the other terminations. ‘There was an emphasis on quality throughout,’ Whipp says.

Cat5 connectors have been used throughout. A 48-way line system from the control room connects the recording spaces (Main Room and Mezzanine) via two stages, with a third stagebox for the drum riser. Video monitor screens linking all three areas are also run via Cat5 lines.

Whipp completed the installation over the course of around a month, but the end-to-end time frame for the installation on site was around three days. Penn fabricated the 19-inch patch panel and all the wall boxes to his design. The patch is located in the control room, at the hub of all the routing. There are two wall boxes in the main room and one on the Mezzanine.

This is one of a number of such studio projects in which Leon has sourced materials from Penn’s extensive stock of Penn/Comus cables. ‘The quality, reliability and breadth of the Penn ranges is great and the service excellent,’ comments Leon, who has also undertaken similar work via Culture Club and Blue’s sound engineer Jimmy Sarikis and Tinie Tempah’s engineer Raphael Williams among others.

More: www.pennelcomonline.com

Loud Technologies Inc and MPI Electronic SRL (MPI) have announced a distribution agreement giving MPI distribution of the Mackie brand in Italy.

‘Distribution of the Mackie brand is a dream that becomes a reality,’ says MPI Pro Division MD, Marco Mazzi. ‘Since we entered this industry, Mackie has been a landmark, and leading brand. We are confident that our access to new markets and new customers, will help us gain further market share in Italy.’

All Mackie sales, marketing, customer service and warranties will be carried out by MPI from 11 October 2016. The entire Mackie catalogue will be available from MPI’s warehousing near Milan.

‘We look forward to our new re-focused distribution strategy in Italy and we are very pleased to welcome MPI onboard with Mackie,’ says Mackie EMEA Director of Sales, Tony Williams. ‘The legendary Ampeg bass amplifier brand will continue distribution through M Casale Bauer SPA, who are and will remain, an excellent partner for us.’

Recently equipped with an Audient ASP8024-HE mixing console, Somerset’s Muddy Road Studios recently opened its doors to the public, giving local visitors a glimpse of what goes on in a professional studio – and one to their own Audient audio interface in an iD4 prize draw.

Owner James Willment has a clear vision for his new facility, which he describes as a ‘residential recording studio and live venue’, that comprises two studios, a live room, stage, separate large function room, bar and games area as well as residential accommodation. ‘I love to help artists build their confidence and give their best – and offer the full service from recording and production right through to creating video and a website,’ he says. ‘It’s not easy to be a ‘free-spirited, creative musician and run the rest of the show when getting your music out there.’

Willment designed Muddy Road Studios to have a ‘wow’ factor. His 36-channel Audient console with patchbay and Dual Layer Control helps give it an edge aesthetically as well as sonically. The new desk keeps the company of ATC SCM25A, Yamaha NS10M Studio, Genelec 1040B and Avantone Active Mix Cube monitors, and an Avid ProTools 12 HDX system with three Lynx Aurora converters in the main studio. The outboard racks contain Avalon mic preamps; Drawmer, ART and Empirical Labs compressors; Bricasti and Lexicon reverb; and Manley and SPL EQ. The mic cupboard is equally well stocked.

‘In this day and age, everyone has a studio in their pocket in the form of their smartphone,’ he says. ‘Even commercial digital studios are realising that something is missing; they are having to put their mixes through a summing amplifier and as many valve toys or simulations as they can get, to warm things up and get some distorted harmonics and “natural dirt” back into their pure digital signal. This desk cuts the mustard on the way into Pro Tools and on the way out for mixdown. I have more than enough inputs to record a live session and extras for any overdubs. Plus all of my analogue outboard gear can be routed anywhere via a very comprehensive well laid out patchbay.’

Willment cites the built-in mix bus compressor and the flexibility and options on each channel’ as favourite features: ‘With 36 channels that’s a lot of options.

Willment is taking advantage of the numerous inputs as well as the studios’ ample space with his latest plan, Muddy Road Revue: ‘Bands and artists can host events at Muddy Road by inviting fans, friends and family to their gig while being recorded and videoed,’ he explains. ‘Ticket prices could include food and drink – and would ultimately cover the band/artists’ studio costs. An innovative way for artists to subsidise the costs of producing a showcase reel that they can use for promotional purposes.’

While developing his ‘entertainment crowdfunder’ idea, he’s been targeting city-based musicians looking for a peaceful, creative space to get away from it all (Muddy Road Studios is located in converted farm buildings in the Blackdown Hills countryside), as well as forging links with Bridgwater & Taunton College more locally.

‘I have been collaborating with the College to build up some work experience hours for students, by filming local bands on stage at Muddy Road Studios in and around the farm,’ he says. ‘Though the College has its own excellent facilities, there’s nothing like getting off campus and out into real life situations.’

Which is exactly what they got last month: ‘There were 16 college students working here on the Open Day – artists, sound engineers, videographers and video production.’ He expects to have a few of these work experience days throughout the year with up to 30 students at a time.’

The Music Group (MUSIC) has announced its intention to ‘dismiss as redundant’ around 70 staff at its manufacturing and office facility in Coatbridge, Scotland.

An official statement from the company reads: ‘The company is about to enter into a process of collective consultation with all affected employees, but in the event that the redundancies are confirmed following consultation, the Coatbridge facility would cease operations completely. In this event, the Tannoy loudspeaker production would be transferred to MUSIC’s new three million square-foot manufacturing plant in Zhongshan, China, with its R&D and marketing activities being relocated to MUSIC’s Innovation center in Manchester, UK.’

The announcement was made to employees by SVP, Lifestyle & Home, Peter Sommer, who says:

 ‘Following an extensive evaluation of our operational and financial structure, we have taken the difficult decision to propose that the staff in our Tannoy manufacturing and office facility in Coatbridge are dismissed as redundant, which, if confirmed would see the facility closed. While this is a challenging time, I would like to thank our Tannoy employees for their immense dedication and loyalty over the years, which I feel confident, will not be diminished even as we approach the forthcoming period of collective consultation.’

The company expects all sales, order and delivery processes to be unaffected by the announcement.

Located in the southern part of the Netherlands, Sandlane Recording Facilities was established in 2009 by Maarten de Peijper to feel ‘like a home away from home’ for music recording.

Furnished with two control rooms, two live rooms and a beautiful living space, the studio is kitted out with an impressive array of high-end equipment from the likes of  Tube-Tech, Retro, Urei, Drawmer, API, Chandler, Maselec, Empirical Labs and vintage Neve modules. Most recently, it has installed a 32-channel Rupert Neve Designs 5088 console loaded with Shelford 5052s in Control Room 1.

‘Next to a collection of high-end gear and a great-sounding live room, we pride ourselves on having a pleasant atmosphere,’ says de Peijper. ‘We believe that when an artist feels no constraints from the environment, they can fully focus on getting that perfect take.

‘After being in business for a few years, we found that our previous console became the bottleneck in everything we did,’ he continues.

‘After some looking around for a serious upgrade, we fell in love with the sound and ease of use of the 5088 – we compared the 5052s to a couple of Neve 1064 units, which were our most prestigious preamps at the time. The sound and musicality were so close we decided to sell the 1064s and fully load the console with 5052s.

‘The 5088 is very much the heart of the studio and has completely turned our workflow inside out. It has an insane amount of headroom for summing. Even with complex, layered and heavily compressed music maxing out the stereo bus, it retains its openness. Also, the EQ of the 5052 is amazing; it helps shape sound without compromising the integrity of the source. Everything can be shaped and still sounds completely natural.’

Sandlane’s 5088 is configured with 24 mono and eight stereo channels. When recording, the mono channels feed into the A/D converters and the stereo channels are used for listening back to submixes from Pro Tools.

‘This split set-up is our standard way of recording, but because every input and output of the console is hooked up to our patchbay, we are able to switch the console to an in-line set-up within a matter of seconds. When it’s time to mix, we simply flick the mic/line switches on the 5052s. That way we have the 24 mono channels receiving input from Pro Tools, ready to be used in combination with our outboard gear – and that beautiful analogue summing.

‘We have been steadily growing over the past years, both as a studio and as engineers/producers. Our relatively small team is in it for the long run and we’re all dedicated to following this positive course. Hopefully we can keep making bigger productions and keep having a lot of fun in the process.’

Sandlane recently finished five months of recording a Dutch symphonic metal band called Epica under the guidance of producer Joost van den Broek, with some songs consisting of over 700 tracks – strings, brass, percussion, and choir layered over a full metal production.

Over the past five decades, engineer and producer Al Schmitt’s work with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion and Paul McCartney has made him a connoisseur of recording studios and recording equipment. Recently, this extended to DPA Microphones’ d:vote 4099P Instrument Microphone for Piano.

‘I received my first DPA microphones as a gift from someone who was in my Mix with the Mastersclass in France,’ he says. ‘The Mix with the Masters programme is a week-long music production seminar held in the south of France and conducted by A-list producers. We were talking about microphones, and I said I would love to try DPA’s d:vote 4099P sometime – and the next thing I know, my student gave me a set. They sounded great and I’ve been using them ever since.’

Schmitt has now used the mics for major artists’ recordings: ‘Using DPA to record on any album is great,’ he reports. ‘The artists sit down at the piano and have no idea there are microphones hidden inside of it. The d:vote 4099Ps have a small footprint, are easily hidden and are perfect for studio recording. The fact that they’re so small means it helps with our isolation when we’re recording.’

Since he does not use any EQ when recording, the character of the mics is extremely important: ‘The d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphone is an excellent, beautiful high-end microphone,’ Schmitt says. ‘It has the quality of a large-diaphragm microphone, yet you can put them in out-of-the-way places where it can’t be seen and still get an incredible sound out of them. I plan on using DPA on future projects, and am trying them out on toms next.’

The winner of 20 Grammy awards, two Latin Grammys and a Trustees Grammy for Lifetime Achievement, Schmitt has helped artists claim no fewer160 gold and platinum albums. In 2015, Schmitt was awarded a star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

More: www.dpamicrophones.com

Yoad Nevo’s credits include Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Yes’, Goldfrapp’s ‘Strict Machine’ and Sugababes’ ‘Freak Like Me’, as well hits with Sia, Moby, Morcheeba and the Dandy Warhols. More than 50 Top 10 albums prove his track record as a producer, mixer and plug-in developer, working from his London hub, Nevo Sound Studios. Key to Nevo’s quick, dynamic workflow is his DiGiGrid DLS, which multitasks in the studio just as much as the man himself.

His current way of working allows him to split his day into many different segments: ‘I used to mix for a day, then come back in the morning for another half a day, and the mix was done – unless you had to do recalls, and that was a nightmare,’ he explains.

‘These days, I’ll spend two hours on something, then do something else – maybe some mastering – or listen to another mix, so it’s quite different to how things used to be. I find a lot of my time is spent listening to stuff, and making mental notes, because it’s so easy to manage the technical side of things. I have people here [at Nevo Sound Studios] to help edit and prepare the mixes for me, then when I come back here to the studio, it’s so easy to implement those notes.’

Nevo is quite old school, having worked on SSL desks for many years, and is a fan of Neve compression. He uses his Waves plug-ins to emulate those sounds in his mixes, and after the majority of the work has been done in the box, his final stage is to split the mix to different outputs, and run it through his Neve console for summing.

Nevo relies heavily on his DiGiGrid DLS set-up, which serves a number of purposes: ‘On one hand, it’s a super-powerful soundcard,’ he says. ‘With just one Ethernet cable connected to my computer, DiGiGrid drives all my HD I/O. However, it’s more than that. You can also connect it to another computer, and it can serve as the other computer’s soundcard as well, at the same time, without losing any of its resource. That, for me, makes it even more interesting, because then you can link all the computers in the studio using one DLS, and they can all talk to each other.’

This means if an artist is working in Pro Tools and another wants to bring in an Ableton session, linking it all up is straightforward: ‘They can just plug straight into the DLS via an Ethernet cable, and then Ableton becomes a part of your system too,’ Nevo explains. ‘So you can literally start recording with it right away. DLS really has proven to be a very smart piece of kit, and is now a key part of my studio workflow.’

One of France’s main proponents of electronic music and an influential member of the electro underground scene, DJ, composer and producer Benjamin Braxton has a new album and a new studio. Released on Sound4label – a record label and publishing company that he established in 2006 – Revolution is his third album release.  Set in the Paris suburb of Suresnes, meanwhile, his new project studio features Prism Sound ADA-8XR multichannel AD/DA converters as their centrepiece

A  member of SACEM (France’s Society of Authors, Composers & Music Publishers), Braxton has also produced records for various artists including HOLD UP, whose tracks were released worldwide and topped the French charts on many occasions.

Braxton’s studio, which was built with the help of Funky Junk France, is designed to ensure that he can take a project from composition through to final completion in the most efficient way possible.

‘My new set-up will allow me to produce more music each year,’ he explains. ‘I now have the tools to record, mix and master in one location and this gives me the freedom to capture exactly what is in my head – from the very first idea to the final result. Having Funky Junk on hand to help with the studio design and equipment choices was an added bonus because I am primarily a musician, not a sound engineer, so it was good to have input from pro audio experts. What we have achieved is a very professional and versatile set up that will be easy to use and manage.’

Based around a Mac Pro and Cubase, Braxton’ studio is equipped with a range of analogue synths including a Prophet 6, Microkorg XL and Korg Mininova. It also includes a 12-channel MCI 500 Pre/EQ rack with four Lunchbox modules integrating compressors from Wes Audio, Elysia and Funky Junk. A 32-channel summing box and converter is connected through a patchbay, while the mastering chain comprises a GML 8200 stereo parametric EQ, a Shadow Hills mastering compressor and an API 2500 compressor.

‘I also have my three Prism Sound ADA-8XR converters, one from my previous studio and two that I recently bought from Funky Junk,’ Braxton says. ‘I totally fell in love with the sound of these in 2008 when I was working at Atollo Studios in Naples – and that was when I bought my first ADA-8XR (with an AES module). I connected it to my summing box and master compressor and it gave me the cleanest and most transparent conversion possible. I also used it as a master clock for mastering and monitoring. At that stage I was only mixing in the box so it was a real progression to have a piece of equipment that allowed me to enter the analogue universe.’

Braxton two new units are being used together as a 16-channel hardware insert converter. ‘This means that I now have a quick and easy way to connect my Lunchbox’s module directly to my DAW without losing any quality,’ he says. ‘It also gives me the opportunity to try different mix options on each instrument by switching between different inserts. This is really cool and very creative.’

‘I’m thrilled with my new studio, especially the Prism Sound converters,’ he says. ‘Every day I’m discovering powerful possibilities offered by the 16 channels of hardware inserts that my two new ADA-8XRs provide. The AD/DA on these units is very accurate and they also have a fantastic dynamic range that gives me a really open, detailed sound that adds punch to my electro compositions.’

Braxton is currently on tour in France to promote his new album and is also planning a mix project in July for NRJ Radio. Any free time is spent in his new studio where he is producing a fourth album and mixing a single, ‘Higher’.

More: www.prismsound.com

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music has added a high-end recording studio with a 1,400-sq-ft live room and 72-channel SSL Duality δelta hybrid console.

The facility, located in the school’s new Mo & Evelyn Ostin Music Center, is available to all of the school’s faculty and students to produce creative and academic projects. The facility has been thoroughly booked since it opened.

‘Use of the studio is free to students and faculty – they just apply to the Recording Committee with details of the project,’ says Luis F Henao, Director of Music and Instructional Technology at the school, and Director of the Recording Studios.

‘Because we have three academic departments – Music, Ethnomusicology, and Musicology – the variety of projects is huge,’ he continues. ‘We have faculty and students who focus on Western classical music, some on very contemporary and experimental music, and others on popular, folk or electronic music. We have expert musicians from a broad range of musical traditions, from different historical periods and geographical locations. For example, we have an early music ensemble, and ensembles specialising in music from Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.’

‘The range of experience of those who come into the studio varies quite a bit, from those who are very studio-savvy to those who have never been in a recording facility before,’ says Vanessa Parr, formerly of The Village recording studio, recently joined the school as Studio Recording Engineer. ‘I help out as necessary – just recording, or giving guidance on how to work in a studio, or production advice.’

Parr is a newcomer to Duality, but quickly got up to speed: ‘I found the Duality pretty easy to navigate once I leaned a few key functions – SSL has been great about offering me support whenever I have questions,’ she says. ‘It’s an analogue desk but it’s also a DAW controller, and I love being able to flip over and see all my Pro Tools faders.’

The dual SuperAnalogue and VHD (Variable Harmonic Drive) preamps on each of the console’s channels are also a useful feature, given the wide variety of material and instruments that come into the studio. ‘My background is mostly rock and roll,’ says Parr. ‘So once we got the first rock group in I gave it a go. I’ve been throwing it into the mix a lot more since then.’

Copyright to anything produced in the studio is not held by UCLA – it belongs to the originators. This means that productions can be “commercialised” where appropriate or desirable. ‘This is important for our faculty,’ says Henao. ‘We have many experienced, accomplished musicians at the school that already record a lot. For musicians, playing and recording is not only part of their artistic work, but also part of their research process.’

It’s also important that the students experience working in a professional recording studio, but with the opportunity to learn and ask questions. ‘Our classical musicians are amazing,’ Henao says. ‘Some of the top musicians in the country. They might have experience in recording, but here they really get the time to experiment and try different things. It’s important that they can find out what the full range of possibilities are.’

‘Many of the students have never seen a large-format console before or have not used many of the microphones we have here,’ Parr adds. ‘They often have a lot of questions, and it’s great for them to get into a real studio and see how it works.’

The Duality δelta is an integral part of that experience and a necessity when it comes to doing justice to the talent that will be relying on it in the years to come. ‘It’s a really functional, comfortable console,’ says Parr. ‘Given a few moments just to orientate myself I felt like I could do most things.’

More: www.solidstatelogic.com

Newly built to ‘bring inspiration back to the studio’ Tilt Recording is a commercial facility located in Strömstad, Sweden.

The studio is the realisation of a long-standing dream by Max Dahlby and father, Jon – both experienced and passionate musicians. Having been recording, producing and engineering in various spaces for some time, Tilt represents a significant step up for Max – a no-compromise facility inspired by his experience of other facilities around the world.

‘Other studios often have a “bunker” feeling to them, with very plain design,’ he says. ‘So my father and I sat down with the acoustic designer, Ingemar Ohlssen, of Audio Data Lab and his interior designer and talked about the colours and the feel we wanted. We looked at old studios from the 1960s and 70s and tried to capture the warm orange, yellow, and brown tones from that era. We also made sure there is daylight in every room during the day. That can help keep you inspired – and the city is beautiful too.’

The studio Control Room features Genelec 1234a main monitors and a 48-channel Solid State Logic Duality δelta console – supplied by ARVA Trading – with SuperAnalogue signal path, Total Recall, comprehensive DAW control, and the new δelta plug-in-based automation system.

The studio’s architecture has the vocal booth at its centre, with windows through to all the other rooms so the vocalist can make eye contact all musicians, and the control room, while still being in an acoustically isolated space. There is a small live room on one side of the vocal booth, and a larger 70-sq-m live room on the other side.

‘The heart of the studio is the Control Room,’ Max says. ‘These days they get more people in them, so we wanted this one to be as big as possible. In the back we have a seating section with cinema-style chairs so people can be sitting back there and watching what’s going on without getting in the way. And there’s plenty of room left for the big SSL and lots of outboard.

‘We wanted the best console, and Duality is the best one out there,’ he continues. ‘The preamps sound awesome – the best in the world; and the channel compressors are amazing – I especially like the automatic make-up gain.’

The Hangout is Tilt’s relaxation area, complete with kitchen, comfortable seating, and an impressive collection of pinball machines. ‘Those are ideal for clearing your mind. If you work at a perfume shop you might have coffee beans to smell – this is similar. Even if you’ve been recording for hours on end, as soon as you release the plunger you get into it. It’s a nice way to break off and think of something else for a while.’

As well as supplying the console, ARVA Trading also took care of the installation and provided on-site training: ‘They were great,’ Max says. ‘Everything was very new but Ronny from ARVA sat down with me and taught me all the basics, to get us going.

As well as offering the usual in-the-box recording options, Tilt provides for anyone who prefers a complete analogue signal path. Studer A827 24-track and B67 2-track machines are on hand, as is a good array of analogue outboard. Some classic instruments are in stock too, with Steinway, Hammond and Moog for keys, and Fenders, Gibsons and Ibanez for guitars. ‘This is a space where musicians of all kinds can come and record,’ notes Max. ‘We have already had bands from all over Sweden, and some from Norway too.’

Neyrinck V-Control Pro 2 system now supports 16- and 32-fader control of most audio media applications – including Cubase, Digital Performer, Live, Logic Pro X, Mackie Control, MIO Console, Premiere Pro, Pro Tools, Reaper, Reason, Studio One, and Tracktion.

V-Control Pro 2 is a complete integrated control system for OS-X and Windows and includes the free eight- or 16-fader V-Console control app connecting through V-Control Pro 2 software to simplify control of the main media applications.

Aimed at music and audio post, V-Control Pro 2 supports a 32-fader touch-sensitive mixing console packed features designed to speed up and enhance writing, practicing, recording and mixing. The V-Console app works with multiple iPads and Android tablets as well as smartphones. V-Console for iPads supports a directly-wired connection for 32 faders, since it also handles the bandwidth demands of 32 meters.

The V-Console app now includes V-Window allowing users to control plug-ins using the actual plug-in screens. In a 32-fader system the second tablet can be switched to control an instrument or EQ plug-in, for example, or bring up the edit function window with dedicated keys, then quickly switch back to a full 32-fader console.

‘V-Control Pro 2 was designed to give users a great deal of flexibility in how they create and control their projects,’ says company founder, Paul Neyrinck. ‘Getting the system to include multiple iOS and Android devices and control all the top media apps was a challenge, but users can now set up systems, including the 32-fader console, on devices of their choice. We also found that most users work with multiple DAWs and again our system addresses this need with dedicated skins and features for most of the popular apps.’

V-Control Pro 2 system can be purchased for US$49.99 from the Neyrinck Store. A limited version free trial is also available. V-Console and V-Panner free apps are available from the Neyrinck website for Android and web, and from the Apple App store for iPads. Legacy V-Control Pro v1.9 iPad customers can download V-Control Pro 2 software for free for complete V-Control Pro 1.9 compatibility with OS-X and Windows media applications.

More: www.neyrinck.com

Nicky Romero is the name behind the Protocol Recordings label, Protocol Radio and even a Protocol clothing line. It belongs to Dutch producer, DJ, label owner and Electronic Dance Music artist Nick Rotteveel…

Romero/Rotteveel has recently upgraded the production facilities to include a ‘live recording’ studio and mix facility, incorporating an SSL AWS 948 δelta hybrid console. Supplied, installed, and supported by Joystick Audio, the AWS 948 SuperAnalogue signal path has already become the essential mix engine for Romero’s production.

The Protocol Studios facility includes the Nicky Romero Studio (Studio 1) – a large EDM production space where Romero works in-the-box before moving stems onto the AWS studio. There is also a fully specified multi-position live radio production studio with a variety of radio processing options. From here, he produces the Protocol Radio series, and programmes for domestic and international broadcasters. There are also two identical ‘writer’ studios for invited artists and producers, plus offices and a boardroom for Protocol management. The entire facility is equipped for live video and audio streaming over internet so Romero can, for example, run YouTube Live events from any space in the building – anything from remote DJ sets to EDM production master-classes.

The main recording and mix space includes a large live recording room with permanent grand piano, drum kit, and a variety of guitars. The control room has several monitoring options, a good selection of choice outboard, and the new AWS 948 δelta.

Romero reveals that incorporating a live recording and analogue mix facility into Protocol Studios is an important part of bringing greater independence to the Protocol label and to Romero himself, as well as providing an exceptional level of flexibility to cope with any future ideas and projects that might arise.

The choice of the SSL AWS console was initially driven by previous commercial studio experience with the SSL Duality console and by the workflow advantages of the Total Recall technology, which allows rapid transition between stored ongoing projects in the analogue domain. Romero realised that his own needs (and available space) at Protocol were not the same as a larger-scale commercial studio, and Joystick Audio was on hand to recommend the AWS. ‘They really helped me with the decision,’ he says. ‘They pointed out that the AWS shares a lot of technology with the Duality, and the dual path input channel of the 948 means that every channel can be a stereo channel, which makes mixing dance tracks really easy. And it still has the SSL sound and the SSL looks.’

Romero notes that as soon as the console was in, the step up in sound quality and creative options was obvious. ‘I mixed my first record about a month ago, he reports. ‘We’ve compared it to other songs live and the thing that stands out the most is that it sounds like one package _ one glued-together package.

‘I don’t know if that has something to do with the stereo width control. I love that you can make your vocals really wide without having phasing problems; you can put your pads out there, and make your bass ‘super-mono’. That’s all just one knob turn away. If you wanted to do that in software you’d be working with delays and stereo expanders, and it will always mess with the sound.

‘With the AWS, no quality is lost; and when you play the mix live, no other song will stand out more than the one that’s mixed on an SSL...’

The AWS’ DAW-friendly features are another aspect that Romero has been enjoying: ‘It took me some time to get used to the fact that you can control Pro Tools from the console surface. I’m used to working with the mouse; even the Escape, Copy, Paste, and Shift keys are on the console. With Logic, for example, something that could be three or four mouse clicks away is now just one button press away.’

SSL’s δelta-Control technology, which enables console automation using DAW plug-in automation, is a particular favourite. ‘You can literally draw in fader automation and the console will follow your drawing,’ says Romero. ‘Draw a smiley face and the console will smile at you! It’s the analogue sound with the advantages of digital - you get the best of both worlds.

‘Right now a lot of people are making music in the box. This console offers them the best way out of the box.’

Nestled among NYC’s skyline, on the 10^th storey of a mid-town building, with sweeping views of the city surrounds, Miloco has added Ann Mincieli’s Jungle City Studios to its portfolio.

Long-time engineer and studio coordinator for Alicia Keys, Mincieli has developed the studio and its catalogue of equipment into one of New York’s finest studios. The impressive four-room facility comprises a series of rooms. One of the larger studios is the 2,400-sq-ft Penthouse East, a retro-futuristic room that blends vintage and modern gear. With custom Dual 15-inch Augspurger monitors, a 48-input SSL Duality Console and a vintage EMI TGI12345 Mk.III console (one of only 20 built for EMI Studios in Europe) this room will handle recording, mixing, video shoots and private events.

On the opposite side, Penthouse West mirrors its Eastern counterpart with the same SSL Duality and vintage EMI TGI12345 Mk.III consoles. The custom Dual 15-inch Augspurger monitors were built specifically for the dimensions of both Penthouse rooms and are complimented by Pioneer 1801 Subwoofers powered by Bryston Amplifiers. In addition, the facility houses two mix/overdub/production suites – the North Studio and South Studio.

The North Studio was designed with mixing in mind, equipped with a 32-input Avid D-Control and Pro Tools HD4 with Expansion Chassis, and centred around Digidesign’s Icon D-Control. It also features gear from the likes of EMI Chandler, Antelope, Augspurger and Pioneer, making it the perfect studio for your mixing or vocal recording needs.

South Studio is one of the most versatile rooms in NYC, with custom work counters, perforated absorbing diffusers, and acoustically-tuned walls covered in Louis Vuitton fabric. A dual-functional Euphonix S5 Fusion console sits at the heart of the room, equipped with Avid’s latest Madi Converters. There is also a slew of outboard gear, effects processors, all the latest plug-ins and custom 15-inch Augspurger Main Monitors and 18-inch Pioneer Subwoofers.

More: www.milocostudios.com

Ocean Way Audio (OWA has unveiled its HiRes3.5 Studio Reference Monitor loudspeaker system.

The OWA HR3.5 is a freestanding or soffit-mounted monitor system based on the HR4 studio monitor released early in 2016. It delivers a frequency response of 20Hz to 22kHz with an SPL rating of 120dB.

The HR3.5 Reference Monitor design incorporates an integrated two-way dual-horn system with a 1-inch HF and 8-inch MF drivers, mechanically time-aligned with twin 12-inch bass drivers per channel. The three built-in amplifiers that power the speaker, feature analogue and digital inputs, 96kHz and 24-bit sampling and tri-amped 3.4kW/channel of power.

At the heart of the acoustic design is OWA’s geometrically complex, stone-cast dual/hybrid waveguide system. The system delivers accurately matched and detailed imaging with OWA’s signature, unusually wide 100° x 40° (h x v) dispersion, yielding a sweet-spot across a broad area of the listening environment. The claimed consistency of its stereo image, even at the far corners of a room, is due to the highly consistent directivity response of this unique speaker system.

Dimensions are: 43-inch (h) x 17.5-inch (w) x 25.5-inch (d). Remote rack-mounted amplification is also available for soffit-mounted installations.

More: http://oceanwayaudio.com

Ocean Way Audio has announced the RM1-B ribbon mic.

Like its predecessor the RM1, the RM1-B was designed for Ocean Way Audio by noted microphone designer Cliff Henricksen principally for use on symphonic recordings and vocals.

Using the same ribbon design as the RM1 – offering matched, ultra-low-noise phantom-powered preamplification, an output level of 36dB and 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response – the RM1-B has a redesigned outer perimeter clad in archival stainless steel, and new knurled cylinder knobs for better hand-torque. The RM1-B’s design promises for a more open and detailed response.

Laser-etched graphics with jet-black lettering against the stainless steel deliver a clean, attractive appearance. The mic comes packaged in a waterproof, airtight Pelican case for safe transportation and storage.

‘The RM1 is a no-compromise bidirectional ribbon microphone that has all the ribbon mic qualities I admire but with unprecedented low noise and true high-fidelity tone,’ Henricksen says. ‘This was done as a complete mechanical, acoustical, magnetic and electronic system design. The RM1-B has a variety of refinements, making it easier to use as well as sonically prettier, especially in the upper octave.’

More: http://oceanwayaudio.com

Installed in a new studio at Oregon State University (OSU), an Audient ASP8024 Heritage Edition mixing console to be the hub of a new four-year Music Tech & Production degree starting in 2020. In the meantime, it has been put straight to work teaching undergraduates of Recording, Mixing & Mastering and Sound Design.

Dr Jason Fick, Asst Professor of Music Technology & Coordinator of Music Technology & Production at OSU explains that it has also been integrated into other, extracurricular activities: ‘There’s a Songwriters in the Round group on campus that regularly records their ‘best of the year’. This group is led by Bob Santelli, former executive director of the Grammy Museum (he typically sends tracks to his LA contacts for evaluation). Other extracurricular events include recording Foley and dialogue for theatre plays and student personal projects.’

The 24-channel desk has Dual Layer Control (DLC) and an integrated patchbay, and is located in a small control room alongside a larger live room for recording, which was a pre-existing, unoccupied space, for which Fick got a grant ‘to get us started with some equipment’ .

‘I was looking for a large frame console that was inline to provide variety to the small split consoles that we have here in our production studios,’ he says. ‘A sales rep pointed me in the direction of the Heritage, and I began to research it. I saw some other facilities using it and read great things. After discovering its extraordinary flexibility, as well as the built in patchbay and DLC option, I thought it would be the best fit for our programme.’

His engineering students are particularly taken with the British desk: Eric Mietzner describes it as ‘an incredibly versatile studio board’, and cites ‘the endless possibilities it offers in terms of signal routing’ as a key feature. ‘It seems to have enough inputs and outputs to support the needs of many studios and their different routing situations. It was also nice to have the patchbay connected to the board to increase the efficiency during sessions.’

Throughout the year the studio currently sees more than 150 unique users, but the console is proving a draw to younger visitors too. ‘I recently did a recruitment workshop for high school kids – we had about 50 in there. All of them were blown away by the console. Each summer we have an audio recording camp as well, and the studio is a key piece to this experience.’

Fick’s vision for the department includes an OSU label project, amphibian studies project, work with robotics, and integration with Computer Science and New Media studies. There is talk of exploring opportunities for the studio that involve the local community as well. There’s a lot in the pipeline that promises exciting times ahead.

More: www.audient.com