AirBorn Recording:
The Studio
Gear versus Ear:
The AirBorn Recording Work Ethic
A key philosophy
at AirBorn Recording has remained intact for years, and this is
it: Despite a healthy respect for modern recording technology
and all the ‘miracles’ that come with it, ultimately,
ears are everything. AirBorn certainly enjoys
its share of ‘state-of-the-art’ equipment, the heart
of which is a Mac-driven Pro Tools Digital Audio Workstation;
add to that a rather well-polished collection of vintage outboard
gear. But really, in the end, (to quote the venerated Beatles
producer George Martin) ‘All You Need Is Ears.’
In addition,
having an industry-standard monitor system and a reliable listening
environment are central to the operation at AirBorn. Sessions
are run at moderate listening levels, especially mixing sessions.
This yields a better perspective of what’s really going
down in the mix. Not that I don't love LOUD...but…most of
the time it’s about keeping it real.
Another intention
is to render the studio transparent: AirBorn strives to capture
music with as little sonic coloration as possible from the studio
itself, thus creating a clearer picture of the client’s
vision and final recorded product, much in the same way as when
one appreciates a great painting, they’re not just looking
at the canvas.
Colleagues
and others appreciative of what I’ve been able to squeeze
out of AirBorn’s modest-but powerful mound of gear have
asked me ‘what’s your secret?’ For me, it's
not so much a ‘secret’ but more about a little scientific
knowledge, some intuition, and an innate desire to make the end
result sound really, really finished. And again, ultimately
it's still about…ears.
One final
ingredient…The Vibe. Whether recording singles, small groups,
or artists tracking for my projects, AirBorn prides itself
on being a facility where, according to one artist who recently
worked here, ‘there’s such a nice Vibe!’ AirBorn
is part of a home and enjoys a comfortable, ‘homey’
atmosphere. As AirBorn’s sole engineer, I tend to ‘play’
the studio as another ‘instrument’, and always with
a musical, non-clinical approach. In the end, as a typical session
wraps, we’ve not only made some good music, but everyone
has actually enjoyed themselves!
|
|
Recording,
mixing and post-production
for individuals & small groups |
|
Hours
by appointment
Please call 907.780.6385 |
| |
Studio
located at
4440 Mountainside Drive
Juneau, Alaska, 99801 USA |
 |
AirBorn Studio Equipment List
Apple
MacBook Pro running ProTools 003 Factory (32 Track)
Other
Recorder/Mixers: Tascam
2488 24-track digital recorder, Sansui MX-12 12x6 mixer, ElectroVoice
EVT5208 & Teac M1 analog mixers, Brother PDC-100 sequencer,
Teac 80-8 8-track tape recorder
Mics:
AKG C747, Audio Technica 2020, MXL 990, Shure SM57, ElectroVoice
635A, Technics ATR25 Stereo, other assorted.
Sennheiser,
Koss, & Sony headphones.
Behringer 4-way headphone amp w/2 cue mixes
Rack:
Lexicon MX200 multi-effects, Ibanez DM1000 Digital Delay, Alesis
3630 Stereo compressor/limiter, Alesis DataDisk, Alesis Microverb,
Akai S612 rack-mount sampler, vintage Soundcraftsmen 20-12 graphic
equalizer
Media:
Pioneer PDR509 CD recorder, Sony DTC700 DAT recorder
Monitor:
Harman/Kardon HK3400, Stewart PA50B (surround rear)
Speakers:
Sansui SP2500, Yamaha NS-10, Yamaha MS 101II minis, Sansui SP30
(surround rear)
Keyboards
& Modules: Roland FantomX7, Roland JX8P, Roland
Juno 6, Kawai PH50, Yamaha TG100, 360 Systems MIDI Bass, Alesis
SR16 drums
Plug-ins:
MOTU Ethnic Instrument, Reason Adapted,
Celemony Melodyne, Ableton Live, numerous others bundled with
Pro Tools
Guitars:
Ibanez 6-string electric, Hagstrom 12-string electric,
Ovation 12-string acoustic, vintage Fender Precision/Jazz hybrid
4-string bass
Amps:
Crate GX15, Behringer KX1200, Leslie Model 145
Assorted
stomp boxes & percussion toys
|
