Music Composers Unite!

Must have tools for recording.

What is that one gizmo you just can't live without?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by DACH on June 6, 2007 at 8:52am

Don't forget Klaus Heyne for repairs. Majorly expensive and somewhat slow, but worth it!

What are everyone's "desert island" mics around here?

Permalink Reply by Ed Szymczak on June 6, 2007 at 8:59am

We had a series of mic "shoot-outs" while I was staff at East Iris Recording Studios in Nashville. A pair of Neumann/Gefell m582 omni's won hands-down in every test: Piano, strings, guitar...
Of course, omni's like these require a nice room.
http://www.eastirisstudios.com/studioa.html

Permalink Reply by DACH on June 6, 2007 at 10:31am

nice! I'm almost to the point where I'll pull out a U67 or SM7 and always be happy. I'm getting so lazy that I'll also blend the two instead of setting up other mics - at least it's easy!

Permalink Reply by Ed Szymczak on June 6, 2007 at 11:03am

Perfect!
I've been trying to get Chris to buy a U67 for years now. Back when they were still 3.5K... now a sweet one fetches 5.5k.

Can't go wrong with a U67.
SM7 is a fine investment, as well.

Permalink Reply by Chris Merritt on June 6, 2007 at 11:24pm

I know. I really want the U67, and I guess I'll get it this year or next. But I can buy so much with $5k!!! I should prob get that SM7 we've been talking about, too...

Permalink Reply by Ed Szymczak on June 7, 2007 at 6:23am

The SM7 is well within reach. And it would sound gorgeous on Nad's voice through the VT 737.
What am I talking about? You already know this.
And it's not $5k. It's $5.5k.
: )

Permalink Reply by DACH on June 7, 2007 at 8:45pm

Don't forget the cost of refurbing... most of those guys have some serious capsule or tube issues... not to mention the PS.

Permalink Reply by Cameron Johnson on June 10, 2007 at 6:10pm

I guess I'm attached to a very nice compressor from the '70s called a Urei 1176LN Blackface Compressor. I personally don't have one, but I use them when mixing at a friends' studio in town. WICKED piece of gear. When it comes to my own gear, I'll go with my Rode NT1A. Cheap mic (about $300 CDN I think) but man, it sounds good - very quiet and very true.

-Cam

Permalink Reply by Ed Szymczak on June 11, 2007 at 6:05am

Oh yes. The 1176 is tried and true. Friggin fantastic on drums if your lookin for some extra umf, or in extreme cases it can "trash" at track in the most sweet sounding way.

Permalink Reply by Cameron Johnson on June 11, 2007 at 6:01pm

Here here.

I'll drink to that....and maybe a few more times just for the heck of it. It actually works pretty well on vocals as well...my most recent single has it all over the vocal tracks - it actually gives me the ability to listen to myself!

-Cam

Permalink Reply by Ed Szymczak on June 12, 2007 at 5:53am

For vocals, try to get your hands on an LA-2A... Universal Audio is building a "reissue" of the original that sounds nice; of course, the original LA-2A is supreme. Even an LA-3A would be nice.
A really great buy, and great bang for the buck is the Avalon VT-737: mic pre, parametric eq, and optical compressor in one box under $2k.

Ed

Permalink Reply by DACH on June 12, 2007 at 12:21pm

Don't disregard LA4's - they are really nice as well. I have two as well as a couple of the 1176/8's. One that no one ever seems to mention is the Aphex Compellor which can be pretty darn transparent - unlike the ones already mentioned.