Studio Equipment

Computers

I now have an Apple 20 inch iMac 2.0 ghz Core 2 duo with 4 gig of ram that I use as my main studio computer. I also have a MacBook 2.4 ghz laptop with 4 gig of ram to use for remote sessions.  For controlling Input and output I use a Tascam FW-1804 firewire interface for the studio computer. I use a Tascam FireOne interface for the MacBook for any time I want to do remote recording sessions or to demo my music when I’m on the road.

Yamaha SY99 Synthesizer  Sequencer

MacBook

iMac

Tascam  FW-1804  Firewire Interface

Studio Hardware

I still have my Yamaha SY99 to use for programing midi parts and for it’s excellent instrument sounds and instrument voices. I’ve also added a Roland PC-180 midi controller to make it a little easier to program midi tracks into GarageBand, Logic Express, or Cubase. I also have a Roland U-110, a Kawai K1m and an Edirol SC88vl Sound Canvas I use as sound modules along with the software instruments in Logic Express and Garage Band.

  For guitars I have a 1975 Fender F-35 acoustic,  a 1984 Takamine GX-200 solid body electric, an Ibanez RX-40 copy of a Stratocaster, and a Peavey Generation-EXP copy of a Telecaster. I also have a Yamaha RBX800A Bass Guitar. My main studio amp is a Laney HCM65R 65W Amp with a 12' Celestion Red Dot. I usually  mic the Laney with an Electro-Voice ND-257-B dynamic mic, a MXL 603s  condenser mic, or a Tascam PE-125 electret condenser mic. I can also go directly into the system using either a Tube-Works Real Tube overdrive unit as a preamp or  the FW-1804's  excellent guitar direct input.

For guitar effects I have an MXR-Phase 90 and a Danelectro FabTone stomp box as well as all the excellent effects that are available in Apple’s Garage Band,  Logic Express, or Steinberg’s Cubase SE-3. 

For vocal and acoustic instrument microphoness I have and an Audio-Technica AT4033a large diaphragm condenser mic on a spider mount, a MXL 4000 large diaphragm condenser mic also on a spider mount, a MXL 603s condenser mic, and a Tascam PE125 electret condenser mic. I also have 2 Electro-Voice ND257B dynamic mics, an old Electro-Voice 951 Crystal dynamic and several inexpensive Radio Shack dynamic mics. 

Monitoring and final mixing is done with an Onkyo Stereo amp into a set of JBL 4206 near field monitors and/or a set of  Realistic Minimus 7 bookshelf speakers. I can also do mixing and monitoring on my AKG K240 headphones through a Tascam MH40 headphone amp or directly from either the FW1804 or the ForeOne.

Final mixdown and masters can be all done on either the iMac or the MacBook. Safety copies and archiving are done onto a Fostex D-5 Digital Master Recorder, or a Technics SVDA10 DAT recorder.

Tascam FireOne Firewire Interface

Music Software Section

I use Apple’s Logic Express 8 as my main recording software with Apple’s Garage Band and Steinberg’s Cubase SE3 as alternates depending on what kind of project I’m working on.  I also have and occasionally use Audacity 1.2.5 for specialized work on individual tracks or clips.  I have a lot of choices when it comes to making my final mix and sometimes I’ll do the mastering in Garage Band, which can be simpler than Logic or Cubase. While Garage Band has distinct advantages because of it’s simplicity, it’s not nearly as powerful as Logic or Cubase for mastering more complicated music, so naturally on those kinds of projects I use Logic or Cubase. 

Takamine GX200                                    Apple’s Logic Express 8                     Peavey Generation EXP

Solid Body Electric Guitar                                                                                          Copy of a Strat

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