l
68 The List 16 — 2‘) September 1988
outboard processing equipment Bel Bl)l~. 26.313 sampler. ()berlieim sampler. S.\f‘) SMl’lll‘. timecodei reader generator and events progiaiiiniei . .\ll l2 .\lll)l-humaniser. Sleinberg PRU-:4 sequencer. Steinbeig ‘ngixiei-seore' seoiew ritei' Sony and .-\iw a R-l).v\'l recorders Studio I now in use. 2 track \llllL' with sy nth programming and voice-mer liiL‘tlllcs. Instruments ayailable. Piano. drums. sythesiseis. samplers Session players ayailable. Kitchen. ()ll street parking I Riva Recording "s Albion Road. 03] 653 0‘)le :4 (tacks. l’tc\ tolls clients. liig('ountry. Silencers. 'l alkiiig Drums. etc Record all klttdsol music. Rates: tSflpei llt‘lll pluslapeeosts \lies; \euniarin. .\l\'( i. l‘ lectroy oice. Sennlieisei. Desk: Sigma console ~14 input. semi-antiunated with \'('.r\ sub-grouping 'l ape machine: Studei. Mastering; Studei . w iih option ol Dolby . Probably the largest eontiol mom in Scotland. 56 sq metres. acousticth balanced. w ith one huge ll\ e room (50st) metres l w itli \aiiable acoustics. lexicon and Yamaha reyei'b. l(' l' lectionics 3290 iiiulti-cllects ptoccssol‘ \alllplcl. Instruments ;t\itll;tl‘lc. Yamaha drum computers (and access to firm). l).\“ and l X" e\pandei. Roland 106. .-\kai 5000 sampler . guitars. amps. but nodiunikit Session players. anything lwo L'lllllllL‘Cl'\Ull c'\c‘l} I Sonic Studios "s .~\Ilmm Road. 0“] {SUNS} 3: track \lll)l .itlalogtlc' facility. Semi-coiiiputei ised. but stresson natural acoustics .-\mbient iooni. acoustic chamber and standard room .\'atu:'al light .i feature of control room Pieyiouschents include ‘I am \\ hite. I) (~ l‘.lll\. Cruise. .-\ltei l'ight \llllL'L‘. :\pc\ Beat (.\laiicliestci l. (‘ontraband 1 Newcastle). \arious .tlltlli\-\ isual companies. Rates. LISpei hour. ln-liouse production sery ice. composing. recording .iiid mastering. Mics: .-\l\'( i. Seiinlieiser. Shure. l’/..\l. .\lilab. Desk: :\ls.tl:-1lllllllc. l).\ll’“digital automation withcllccts Drawinei gates. “SS cottlpt'L'sMus. Mastering: Sony l’( ‘.\l digital. instruments available: Roland “5”. Yamaha 'I'Xh'leiglit l).\” modules). S‘Iflllsampler.
E .\fP(' lh-yoieedruiii : sampler.Wti'ack
BACK LIST
sequencer. guitars. bass. liy e drums. Visitors welcome. no obligation.
I Sunset Studio 31 (‘hapel
Street. Dunlermline.0383
35953. lbtrack. Recent clients include .\'orthflight (Van Morrison's i‘ile Aid backing band ) and Shine. Rates: 1‘) per hour. £330 tor-lllhours. l)esk: Studioiiiastei ll :4 l6.
1 ape machine: 'I'ascam \lSlhwitli DBX .\'R.
Mastering: Reyox B77 Mk
ll. .-\kai S70tldigital sampler. Roland guitar effectsprocessor. Yamaha
eoiiipressoi' limiter. Yamaha digital delay. l)ia\\ mcr gatesand compressor limiter. ’l'RFf l5 drum machine. Instruments .iyailable: (iuitars. bass. Roland digital piano. Roland octopad. etc. l'acilities ayailablc 11 hours.
I TC Recording t'nii 3.1. .lohn ( ‘otton Business Centre. l7: l'astei Road. 03l (filll‘)51..\'ti'ack. Recent clients include .lust .v\dd \\ atei' and (‘ltlk‘tlklllk'\ lll ( it‘cam. illlLl 'l l("s ‘l’opeoin‘ 45 was recorded lhctc. Rates: £5 l‘er lioui. L10 for a 0-hour day (‘oiitrol room and large liye room. Mics; Beyer. Yamaha. AKU. Shuie. Sennheiser. Desk: Studioniaster. Tape Machine: litSL‘QHTI SS. Mastering: 'l ascam 33. Yamaha RX] 1 drum machine. \ltdiyet‘l). Sl’X‘): ltttllll-cllccls
unit sampler. Roland \ll'F guitar multi-effects unit. 2.\ lllgraphic. acoustic enhancer. lnstiuiiicntsayailable: Strat. Aria l’ro bass. Roland and Yamaha keyboards. Yamaha acoustic. l‘eiider .\'l|. Session: \ai ious.
GLASGOW ‘
I Ca Va Sound Workshops .1”. Derby Street. (i3, (Ml 33-15009. Contact: llclcn (‘lark. Rates: on application. Sillle 12 48 and 34 track. lzastlake designed and built. lully an -coiiditioned. 2 isolation rooms. machine room. Amek (i353). 56 frame consul. fully automated with Masteritiix. 2 .\l(‘l .ll l-34 inults. tiineline lynx‘ sy nehi'onisers. 2 .l\'(' llmaties. ()tari M'l‘R- 12. ‘ and Sony PPM [)1 digital master ing. '()uested‘ () 215 monitors driy err by 3 Yamaha amps. Studio 2: l6 track with l-osteslSZ-l l6console. .-\lso'l'\' videolounge. games room. kitchen. Recent recordings have
RECORDING
‘A band is only as good as their current demo,‘ says John Turner of the successful Edinburgh studio Palladium, which he proudly boasts can match any studio in London for about a third of the cost, and which has attracted a large number of big names over the years, many of whom keep coming back after getting good results. The studio also keeps its prices ‘ridiculously cheap‘ for lirst-timers, when they can be fitted in, prompting Turner‘s remark about demos. ‘The standard of demos is so high these days — many of the demos we make here are being used lorfinished masters—that you have to hit an AM man straight in the face when he puts yours on. However good they are live, that doesn‘t count for much if it‘s a poor
demo.‘
Asked what advice he would give to first-timers about to step into the studio and his first reaction is concise: ‘Don't bring yourfriends, and leave the booze in the olf-licence.‘ But when a band approaches him fora session he will ask them for a tape of the songs in any form, even a live rehearsal, ask how many songs they want to record in their alloted time - some people still think they can record and mix an album in a day-gothrough their line-up to ascertain their needs and check on
their maximum budget.
lfyou‘re producing yourselves, one person should be responsible for most ofthe decisions in recording and mixing. Bands often like to think they‘re democratic, but in practice the democratic approach usually leads to a demo that doesn‘t satisfy anyone. And if you're not happy with it, certainly no A&R man will be. One approach favoured by many is to put everything into the first thirty seconds of the song — hooklines, any other highlights, whatever it is that makes your band unique—as the tape will have been switched off alterthat magical half-minute, unless the MR man or big name producer has heard something
that’s grabbed them.
It‘s vital to be well-rehearsed, and for each memberto know their parts in their sleep before coming into any studio, and not to clutter up the
arrangements too much.
‘Being over-busy, having too many parts clashing, is common,‘ Turner
included parts ofthe Silencers‘. llue Arid (‘ry‘s and Highlanders albums. I Park Lane Studios 974. l’ollokshaws Road. 0-11 6361218. ('ontact: Rab Andrew. Rates: on application. (‘ontrol room fitted with Souiidcraft 2-100 38 input console. ()tari MTR 90 2-1 track. Tannoy Super Red monitors plus wide range of outboard gear. Plans for upgrading in the near future Using a 48 input Amek 2424 console and ()tari multi track. Pool
Palladium
each act.
room. shower room. kitchen and tape library. Recent recordings have included Wet Wet Wet's number one single. ‘With A Little Help from My l-‘riends' while the studio has also remained popular with the more ambitious local'unsigiied bands.
I TowerStudiosuZ. Woodside Terrace Lane. (i3. 04l 3326725. (‘oiitactz (‘raig'l‘annock Rates; £6.50 hour (midweek 9am—6pm ). £7.50 hour (weekends and after 6pm) packages
Prefab Sprout. who recorded theirlirst LP at
continues. ‘Playing live you tend to over-compensate for not having studio technology, and when it‘s played like that in the studio the ear gets confused. Space is just as important as sound, and the vocalist shouldn’t be trying to light through.’
Have some concern for your engineer, or producer ifyou have one. People with their jobs work at least twelve-hour days, and though the band may be capable of getting through as long again on adrenalin, the results aren‘t likely to be worth keeping when they‘re finally listened to. A good demo takes at least two days. Get eight hours sleep between them.
‘Sometimes people can be reluctant to use certain sounds because they can‘t reproduce them live, but playing live and trying to get a deal are two separate things. Nobody who buys a Top Ten record cares if the artist can reproduce it live, and those sounds aren‘t missed live. The song is the importantthing.‘
At the end of a session Turnerwill give his clients ideas of which A&R people he thinks they should contact, but warns that bands should not jump at g the chance of a deal with a certain label - just because they‘re one of the biggest. . There are other considerations. Big ; labels tend to shoot a stream of singles Q out every week, only a handful of which will be wholeheartedly pushed by the . company. A vast number are only put out to test the water, and no real effort is made to push them into the charts. Smaller companies may not have the same prestige, but they can provide a greater deal of personal attention to
Serviceable demos can be produced on home recording studios, though as John Turner implies, these are unlikely to have the professional edge that will get the MR departments interested. See Equipment Spread. (Mab)
available. 8 track recording on Fostex A808 track recorder. with Sii(‘K18-8-218channel mixing desk. Yamaha N210 monitor speakers and Revox A77thigh speed) Z-track master recorder. Free tea and coffee. Also rehearsal facilities Rates: £3’hour (midweek. 9am—6pm ); £4 hour (weekends and weekdays (mm—midnight); £2.50thour (after midnight).
Equipment includes
Tama 5 piece kit. Peavy/Marshall backline. 300w PA. Shure mics. Range of instruments available free ofcharge. I Pet Sounds 24. Gairbraid Avenue. Maryhill. 020. 04] 946 3366. Contact: Nigel llirst. Rates: £18. hour (+VAT+tape). 24 track facility using Sound Tracs 5000500desk. Also available Apple Mac computer. E-Max rack mount. and AKAI S9000 sampler. All standard effects. The studio officially opened at the start of September and is in addition to the already existing rehearsal facility: Rates: £4/hour. Willi the largest in-studio PA in Glasgow plus ‘superior backline equipment .' Free coffee.
I Sing Sing Studios 1084 South Street. G I4. 041 954 9546. Contact: Jake Mcllvenna. Rates: on application. l6track recording facility: spacious recording room with natural light and variable acoustics. Wide range ofamplifiers for recording. acoustic drum kit and Gibson and fender guitars. Tac Scorpion 24-16-2 mixer. Fostex Elf) multitrack. Atari ill-10st with 60 track sequence package. Akai F900 sampler. Various keyboards and wide range ofoutboard effects. Yamaha SPX‘)0. Roland 707 drurii machine. Mikes by AKG. Iiiectro voice. Sennheiser and Shure. etc.
Also four large rehearsal rooms. with Peavy TNT bass combo‘s. Marshall and Peavy guitar amps. Premier drum kits. Pcavy P. A.s and Shure SMSS microphones in all
Other facilities include TV and video. snacks. hot and cold drinks. storage for equipment. and accommodation on request. Recent customers have included the Big Dish. Hue and (Try and The River Detectives. I Evenload Studios West Fieldhead. Auldhousc. East Kilbride. (E75 ‘)I)R. 03552 Zl I46. Contact: Dave Thomson or Duncan Cameron. Rates: £11.50rhour(£l lv’liourif over 25 hours). 16 track recording using Fostex B 16. Studiomaster 24- 16-2 series 2 mixer with computer automated muting. mastering on to Sony DT(' 100118 R-DAT recorder. Tascam 32 two
track master machines. Tannoy Super Red monitors and Yamaha NSIOM monitors. Other recording equipment