Small print All music contained here was written and performed by the Bands/Artists below and the copyright is owned by those parties - re-use of this material in any form is only permitted with the consent of the webmaster.
First of all my studio. I call it the Resurrection Sound Kitchen because I do a lot of resurrecting. Mainly old tapes and videos.
This consisits of cleaning up old recordings and converting VHS/Hi8 to PC format - WAV/MP3/MPEG/DVD etc.
My gear has changed over the years like many studios and I will try to explain what I used to create these pieces of music as I go
I have had to steal a lot of pictures off the interweb I am afraid - so I apologise. I never really considered that I should take photos of my stuff until now.
Including Behringer Audio Interface FCA1616 Zoom Studio1204 multi FX Lexicon MX400 Digitech GSP1101 Drawmer MX30 Powercenter (PDU)
Yamaha Hifi Amp AX-396
Only using Soft Synths and Cubase Elements 8
September 2015 - Here is a re-vamp of a track originally recorded on the TASCAM 144 - It was originally called genesis. I have tried to keep the original flavour
October 2015 - a completed piece of work in progress - this is "12 minutes of skankin"
November 2015 - This is a new rendition of a Forbidden Fruit song written by Steve Todd (hope you dont mind) called Theif Come
I started this track in 2014 - now that I have Groove Agent 4 the drum part is much better. I also re-recorded the guitar part. The bass was DI'd straight out of the Trace Elliot
October 2015 This is a Soft Machine song that I have always liked - Sorry about the singing - I will propbably not get the vocal any better (after 40 takes)
New Track using GSP1101 July 2015 and Groove Agent
Roland JV80 This keyboard was suffereing from the dripping red gunge phenominum - I fixed it by removing the keys and soaking them in a very strong solution of caustic soda. Once the metal weight had been removed and all traces of red glue was removed I stuck the weight back in with Hard as Nails
Before
After
2014 - Cubase and Halion 2
2015 - Dingbat Alien - a Daevid Allenesque (RIP) ditty which started life in the 1980's as a track called just 78
2014 - using Halion 2 - Going North
WeB50 Recording session
2012/13
- Trace Elliot AH350X
Massive sound - the heaviest bit of kit in the band
Speaker - Trace Elliot 1518C
Later additon is an Ashdown 2X10
2011
Fender American Standeard Jazz Bass
This was a present to myself for my 50th birthday - I though it was about time I had one - do I like it?
Its not as nice to play as the Overwater !! - but it has a great sound
Microphones
I would one day like to buy a really good microphone
These ones are good for live recording - which is mainly what I need
I have made the decision to consolidate a lot of gear - I have chosen a hard disk recorder with a digital mixer by Fostex
The back end can be left on the stage and then linked to the digiatl mixer by a network cable - there is not need for a multicore - horrah - something else I can get rid of.
This is a great idea - I can use it at home or in a live situation.
It has 16 XLR inputs and records up to 16 channels at once.
There are lots of recordings using this setup on the WEB50 page
I have since stopped doing live recording - well live everything really. It was fun but a lot of work moving it all around
Mobile recording rig getting ready for action - note Trace Elliot combo and extension cabinet - photo taken in 2011
The amp in the rack is a Behringer reference A500 which is used to drive a couple of Carlsboro 12" cabs - great for small gigs or monitors
NRG 1512 2X15 350W 8Ohms Went to a good home at the Guitar Studio
2009
- I have updated my rack - everything is in one place.
Since this photo was taken I have got rid of all of my synths
I now use Hallion 2 for my sounds and Cubase Elements for my DAW
I still use the Hard Disk recorder below for live recording
I did not have this MG206c for very long as the band I was going to join never materialised - so I did not need it.
Its a great shame as it was a great piece of kit and would have been ideal for gigs and rehearsing
Other Mixers I have had in my setup include Behringer Eurorack RX1202FX - It had a really annoying blue LED that could take your eye out if looked straight at it
A Behringer XENYX 502 great for parties and BBQ's when you just need to play CD's through the PA
Eurorack Pro 1602 - a brilliant little keyboard/Outbourd summing mixer
The Alesis Multimix with USB and FX Used for many a WEB50 rehearsal
2008 Rack Required
This is my Rack - or was my Rack. I have now spread the gear out a bit but fundamentally use the same gear
Novation KS Rack
EMU MP-7
2 Behringer Patchbays
MOTU Midi Express128
Zoom 1204
Alesis Midiverb IV and Midiverb 2
Behringer 1602 submixer
Behringer Ultragain Pro ADA8000 (For ADAT)
Shades of Green (T White)
Black Napkins (Frank Zappa)
Glissando
2007 - Upright Bass
I wanted to try some of the Shanakee numbers with the sound of an upright - this sounded great but I had trouble with the fingering in the upper octave - should have bought one of these years ago. Sold it on ebay for more that I payed for it - result
Outboard
I have never used a great deal of outboard effects
The Zoom G7.1ut is a very sturdy bit of kit - too complicated for me - had some great sounds though - I ended up giving it to the band guitarist
Midiverb 2
Behringer V Bass preamp
Midiverb IV
Zoom Studio 1204
Roland Midi guitar interface I still use this on occasion
2005 setup
I moved the Synths next to my Novation RemoteSL having built some angled wooden stands - this made it easy to access the many controls on the MP7 and KS Rack
It came with 2 pedals for kick and hi-hat. The drum sounds were brilliant - much better than my drumming ability. The other (big) problem was that when you hit it with sticks, it could be heard throughout the house and it really annoyed everyone so it had to go.
Mastering was always a problem - the only way to do this on the AW4416 was to burn a CD or record the analogue back to the PC - I got hold of this Fostex VR-800 off ebay to see if I could effectivley use it to master - it sort of worked but you could only transfer the resulting files back to the PC via ADAT. It was a good theory though
This was mastered on the VR800 - These Boots are made for Walking - this was to be our next video after the Horse with No Name
An Aria Pro II SBR60 (1981) Bought off of the olf Forbidden Fruit bass player - sold on ebay in 2005
This had a great sound for recording and a lovely action - my Overwater does not have a good recording sound without a preamp. I bought this because we were rehearsing in a Studio at Netherfield that got very hot. The overwater did not like it - this bass could cope a lot better
1995
Aria Pro II Fretless and Peavey Combo I remember that the combo was stolen from my car one night
1996
Trace Elliot BLX150 combo
Wow what a sound - this replaced the Peavey in so many ways
I was amazed at how much bass came out of that 10" speaker. I later added a 2X15 PA speaker to the setup for gigs. I cannot remember the model of the cab.
The New Mellenium
8 Tracks - here we go
I was playing with a new band called Shanakee and wanted to record a CD. Having spent ages looking at what was available my budget stretched to a Fostex D-80 and an Alesis 32 input (rack mountable) mixer.
Put it all in a rack and you have a huge Portastudio !
This setup could be put in the car and transported to rehearsals - easily set up and could also feed the PA.
It was a great way of collecting usable material.
For the CD though more care was taken - the drums, guide guitar and vocals were all recorded in the rehearsal environment (my sister in-law's living room) and the rest of the tracks recorded in my room at home.
I tinkered around with this for a while - a Yamaha SU10 bit but could never establish a decent way of backing it up - also it had annoying 3.5mm jacks which I did not like
These tunes were recorded in and around 1997 using a conbination of Midi, and the synchronisation features of the TASCAM 644.
The Midi Sound Module used is a Yamaha TG300.
The TASCAM had a brillient mixer on it-better than any other Portastudio available even now.
Time to get in sync
Here are some more midi based tracks all performed on the TG300
This track has additional instruments to the TG300 inclusing Bass, Samples (My 2 year old son, Hallam) and Guitar.
Marimba
Battle of Evermore (Led Zeppelin) with additional human
Benson Inspiration with human guitar
Basslines with human bass
I've called this little number - I'm having fun Dave, are you?
Rain Forest
Piano Piece
Scored
The Play
This is School related in as much as it was written by and performed by old school friends and members of my family
I recorded this on my trusty 4 Track in my room at the top of our house (see picture above right). It was recorded primarily for broadcast on Radio Cracker in the early 90's.
Simon, Barry and Ian were responsible for the main inspiration and script - with a cast of 'anyone that was in the house at the time'. I added the sound effects/ambiance and music.
We were also recording adverts - sometimes turning them round in an evening - from concept to 'in the can', It was exciting stuff.
You try writing a catchy add for the Curry House round the Korma (I mean corner).
A TEAC 2A Mixer - no idea where this came from but I got rid of it years ago
The Cracker days 1991
Part 2
Part 1
The Play
Cant remember the make of the Sax - I did not get on with it very well so I sold it.
This is the only example of an advert that I can find - it is the backing track to an advert for the Wincheleas Lodge Hotel I think
Keyboard setup with De Ja Blue 1991 - the keyboard on top is a Casio CT670
Followed by Cubase
The computer age 1989
The arrival of my first computer - the Atari 1040ST fitted with Steinberg Pro24 software
This is a Kawai PH50 bought in 1989 as my first Midi controller
See PC gear here - Sound cards and Interfaces etc............
My first Sound Module was a Roland MT32
Speakers - I think these were made locally - originally as disco speakers. I also has some bass bins but I have not got a clear photo
My mixer in action - Roland (with Lance) at the controls
Using an SH101 synth as a Bass in 1985
My first PA - 1980's
This PA was used during my time with Forbidden Fruit and Positive Routes
Mixer - MM Electronics MP285 16 Channels
not this actual one but one very similar.
Mine had a mod to allow the signal yo be switched to some extra sockets on the back - this was very useful for dub mixes.
Guild B-301 fretless bass. This guitar has a strange balance due to the rather large headstock
I can't remember what happened to it but I remember a guy called John Dover appeared on my doorstep wanting to swap it for his strat - perhaps I should have done that - I may have swapped it for a Bang and Olufson record deck instead - or was that how I got the Yamaha - it may well have been???
The only FX pedal I owned was an Electro Harmonix Dr Q I think I wanted to sound like Gong's Hansford Rowe on Expresso II
This is my heavily modified 1966/70 Yamaha SG5 I added a humbucker pickup to make it like an SG7 (I found that out recently) I lost the tremelo arm at a gig at the Brighton Pavilion and sold the guitar on ebay to a chap in Australia. Everyone loved to play this guitar
The Roland SH101 was a greeat synth - Frank used to use it with Shyboy for his more adventurous solos. I used it as a Bass with Positive Routes (there is a photo below) My SH101 may now be in France somewhere possibly.
1984 - Hohner Clavinet / Pianet "Duo" I bought this from Frank, Shyboy's keyboard player - it was heavy but had a great sound. I used it in Forbidden Fruit for a bit - I think I may have sold it back to Frank
1983 Overwater series one
Purchased 10th October 1983 for £299 (shop soiled)
I also bought this Sitar from a shop in Eastbourne - I never did record anything with it. I sold it in 2005
Sapphire Flute bought in 1982 - it was great until Steve Francis sat on it (twice) it stiill played but not as it should - I used to play it with Forbidden Fruit
My attempt at Erik Satie Gymnopedie No1
How about a bit of Dub Clarinet I bought one in a second hand shop
Soundmaster Stix drum machine (owned by Chris). It had seperate outputs so you could feed the snare drum out and add reverb or echoe.
Portastudio Period 1980's 4 Track
Me and my mate Chris decided that we could combine forces and buy a 'top of the range' piece of kit.
The first TEAC Portastudio recorded 2 tracks at a time but played back all 4 tracks in sync. It had 2 speeds, treble and bass and 1 effect send.
My dad (electronics) added 4 phono sockets to the case so that the signal being fed to the sliders could be sent to an external mixer, an M&M 12 channel job with more effects sends and better EQ. This mixer also had some mods on it. You could throw a switch and sent the fader output to an external socket - this could be fed in turn to an input or an external effects unit. This was good for dub mixes.
My effects unit was in fact a Sony reel to reel which could be set up, (by feeding the output on one track to the input of another) to become a great stereo echoe unit, by monitoring the output from the record head and the play head at the same time. If you played around with the input volume and the speed it you could get some excellent results.
Some early 144 experimentations
AKG D80 microphones
The Evolution EVS-1 synth - used mainly for sequence bass lines Photo from MATRIXSYNTH
Manixim
Solitude
A DX21 (Image from Flitemedia)
A little ditty using the same sources as above
Brandenburg Concerto No5
The synth is Chris's DX21 Drums from the specdrum
This is a Dub track using the Specdrum
Sinclair Spectrum and the SpecDrum. The Specdrum was a mono sampler, (only a few seconds) a 2 chanel midi sequencer and a drum machine all in a little plasic box that plugged into the back of the spectrum. It took ages to load the software, but was a great bit of kit for the time. I purchased the Spectrum Kit in 1985 at a cost of £139.99
Classical Moods
1982 - Hologram Expose
Holograme Expose would never have happened without my dads Casiotone 403
The picture is from Audiofanzine
Another of my dads keyboards - the humungous Maplin ETI4600 this was used to get the vocal sound on We Are Metal
2 more synths that belonged to Chris featured along with the casiotone on the Holograme Expose songs.
This is the bass amp I was using in the early 80's. I found this picture of me using it while I was playing keyboards (casiotone) with the DumDum Boys I have found this spec oin the interweb -
Intermusic Vintage B120 Bass Amp Head British, 1980’s Solid State 120 watt bass amp head unit.
2 input channels and 2 Speaker outs Built in fully adjustable Phaser FX 5 Tone pots Treble boost switch Solidly built in its own flight case with handles
I remember going to Bexhill to buy it with my dad and I think it cost £60
Korg MS10
Korg SQ10
I also used the Korg as a bass synth - at this time it belonged to the bands soundman and future keyboard player Steve.
1980
Not my Bass - can't remember where it came from so I must have borrowed it for the Seaford recordings with Hooker
Reel to Reel
A step up from the 2 cassette deck method was to go to Chris's house and use his Akai Reel to Reel. I remember I once carried this from his house to mine - a 2 mile walk - so that I could record a Shyboy gig in Sidley.
Chris also had a collection of Guitar effect units that I was lucky enough to use - all elecro Harmonix. These were brilliant pedals.
Keys
Here are some recordings that utilised the DRM32 drum machine
Solitude
I am not sure of the timing, possibly early 80's but my best mate Chris, was looking at a keyboard called a Powertran Transcendent DPX which was in kit form. I must have suggested that I could build it because Chris bought it and I set about building it for him. I remember there were 2 enourmouse PCB's inside and every key had a spring contactlinked to an aray of resistors - it took ages to build - and it worked.
Me and Paul Fuller at the Factory I am playing a VOX Les Paul (as a bass) through my first amp - a Sound City 120 Cant remember much about the WEM cab other than it had a plastic cover The VOX started off life white with only 2 pickups
The only guitar gadget I had at this time was a treble booster that you plugged into the front of your amp
Here are 2 Slade songs recorded with this technique.
I was a fan in 1976 when this was recorded.
The second song includes my school friend Paul (Budgie) Burgess on backing vocals and also features a wind organ - the type that you would probably buy in Woolworths - Very Tyrannasaurus Rex
Very Early Period
My dad used to do electronics - by that I mean he would build somehting one day and take it to bits the next to make his next project, leaving the remnants in his shed.
He built me a simple mixer that had 4 inputs.
Mic/Line In 1 - Output - Left Channel
Mic/Line In 2 - Output - Right Channel
Mic/Line In 3 - Output - Stereo
Line In 4 - Output - Stereo
This meant that you could record onto one cassette deck - Left/Right or both, then swap the cables round, play the tape back through input4 and record something else over the top (left/right or stereo) onto another cassette deck. Brillaint. Who needs an 8 track Brennel anyway (I did!!!!) I had to put up with 2 ITT cassette decks (those pictured in fact) instead. These were probably quite good machines for the day - my dad worked at ITT so he used to get discount.
Dapple Rose from their first Album, Play it Loud (Lea/Holder)
Wonderin' Y - B Side to Take Me Bak 'Ome (Lea/Holder)
This one is my own composition, and posibly my first. - Enosupo
