Gear
Recording: Updated to iMac and logic as of Sept 2011 I am keyboard based but also play some Spanish guitar and hope to use more my lovely Godin nylon guitar – used it on ‘One More’- (I have a keen interest in Flamenco and maybe some compositions will reflect this)
Microphone: SE1000 condenser
Mixers: Alesis Multimix8 USB2.0FX & Behringer UB 1204FX
Synths: Ensoniq TS10, ESQ1 + Fizmo ( but not in the loop yet)
Outboard: Alesis midiverb II (used on ESQ1 )
Guitar: Godin Grand Concert
The technique for recording is pretty straight forward so far with backing tracks composed at home in my bedroom studio sequencing from a keyboard into logic. I find the midi side of logic intuitive
The voicings are pretty much:- all standard pianos including Rhodes pianos are sequenced and within logic most basses within logic all the rest external Ensoniq Ts10 and ESQ1 voices, the ESQ1 has its own alesis midiverb. All the drum parts are Ezdrummer a marvelous plugin included in my package. So I first work on all the sequenced midi tracks and towards the end of the process the individual ensoniq voices will be digitally recorded into logic that way I can just relocate the iMac, mixer and microphone to Siminas ‘Garden shed’ to do the vocal takes (all the audio now being within logic). When I get back home I can work on the vocal takes experiment with EQ, Limiters, Compressors and Reverbs etc. then the final mix. Of course my own vocal takes and my experiments with the Godin nylon guitar are done at home. As a note to all this I would say I still love the ensoniq synth textures and the sax, strings and steel guitar parts where they appear are still relevent and fit well. The hammond on the first track is pure synth including Leslie simulation and comes from the ESQ1 ‘an eighties 8bit S+S synth! well that’s it for techies’.
