This is Show Us Your Studio, a chance for our readers to show off their set-up, shout about their gear and invite the world into their home studio. This week's studio shot has been submitted by MusicRadar reader Tom Adams.
Tell us about your studio set-up? What do you love about it?
"I try to keep things as simple as possible. The studio only has four simultaneous mono inputs - it's amazing how much you can do with just that once you embrace the limitation. I tend to do mono submixes of sounds by their function, then treat each submix as a single new sound.
"My favourite thing with the studio is that the sweet spot for listening is given to the synths and outboard, whilst the computer is hidden away to one side. I find that that the earlier in the signal chain I can get a sound the way I want it, the happier I am with that sound at the end of the day.
"It is a question of time, when I'm producing I enjoy spending the bulk of my time working on sounds at source, rather than editing or adding plugins to my already recorded sounds later on.
"It made sense to set up the space to reflect this and give priority to the synths and outboard in regards to the optimum listening position There is also an aesthetic thing about not staring at a screen the whole time - I do that enough the rest of my life...!"
Tell us a little about your musical background and the music that you make in your studio?
"I grew up playing guitar in in local post-rock bands, then moved on to writing more personal songs and working as a solo artist in my early 20s. I have been doing that ever since!
"It's not enough just to write music - if you want to share what you do then people expect to be able to hear it recorded as well. The way something is produced makes such a big difference in how the music comes across that I quickly realised that being able to record things in the way I wanted was an essential part of the creative process for me."
What's your favourite piece of gear in your studio and why?
"Definitely the TG2 preamps, they sounds great on everything: mic'd up acoustic sources, vocals, DI electronic sources. They even have an impedance switch that lets you match the impedance with old ribbon mics. It works wonders with a Coles 4038!"
What was the first bit of gear you ever owned?
"It was a Korg ElecTribe R (ER-1), it's actually a pretty decent drum machine!"
What dream piece of gear would you love to own if money was no object?
"A Fairchild!"
Listen to Tom Adam's remix of Chris Liebing and Ralf Hildenbeutel's Circles below.
Tom's gear list
- Moog Model 10
- Korg MS-10
- Boss SP-303
- Korg 03R/W
- TC Electronic Ditto
- Arturia Keystep
- Chandler TG1 Limiter x2
- Chandler TG2 Preamps
- Chandler Curve Bender EQ
- Burl B16 Mothership AD/DA Converter
- Coleman Audio Monitor Controller
- Eurorack (various modules)
If you'd like to be featured on Show Us Your Studio, email us today with a clear and well-lit picture of your studio space.
