#asp4816

North West Regional College recently decided to install an Audient ASP8024 and we chatted to Ciaran Haslett from their Technical Department to hear his thoughts on the console.

What research did you do in the process of deciding on the ASP8024?

We wanted to replace a 20-year-old Soundtracs Jade S console that was bought new when the courses first started. Our concern was the functionality and practicality of its operations in modern recording setups. It has features onboard (dynamics processors and flying faders) that are greatly outdated in terms of use. Think timecodes and single line LCD screens.

Mixing on it was an exercise in signal flow that was cumbersome to teach to students used to their audio interfaces and DAWs. Even the channel strips themselves are painful to look at. Cluttered and drab. It really felt like a step back in time. It was time to modernise.

We set ourselves strict criteria that the replacement desk had to meet. The new console had to:

Easily integrate into our new facilities (installed with common connection tie lines).

Display a clear, understandable signal path both into and out of a DAW for teaching students new to the discipline.

In-line architecture.

Have a current source of service/repair personnel.  (there only one guy left in the UK that services Soundtracs consoles).

Meet our modest budget of 20k.

The ASP8024 met these and offered even more!

What features of the desk do you particularly like?

The very first thing that attracted my colleague and I (we are the department technicians) was Audient's use on common connections. Our Jade S was exclusively 56 pin EDAC. Apart from the amount of work required to wire this into our new building and the length of recording downtime that is required if an EDAC needs repaired, teaching fresh students who barely know what a mic cable is was a real challenge.

The ASP8024 is entirely built around XLR/TRS connections. This really helps explaining to students that there is no witchcraft afoot when you plug that microphone into the liveroom wallbox and it meters on channel 1. It’s a clear demonstration of plugging a really long mic cable directly into the back of the desk.

Then there’s the use of TRS for the Line/Insert points on each channel.  This made fabricating a TRS patchbay for our small outboard collection a quick and painless affair.

The channel strip layout is very well thought out. As you move down the strip you are met with the next process required when recording into a computer i.e. Head amp > Bus > Aux/foldback > EQ > Fader. Clear, precise steps to follow in order to record without jumping to the bottom, then the top, then the middle of the channel etc. The ASP made the whole process a teachers dream.

Personal highlights include:

Foldback system and its ability select your source with the press of a button. 

4 monitor controls (currently using 2 but planning for more). 

The ability to bypass selected EQ bands (great for teaching EQ and demonstrating the difference between your tweak and the original).

What is the studio mostly be used for?

We are an education college dealing mostly with students new to recording. The studio caters for different modules within the course. Critical Listening, Recording Techniques, Post Production etc. So from mic techniques, tracking, mixing and mastering, we try to cover all.

How are you using the desk?

It’s the heart of the classroom. We use it to teach gain, EQ, signal path/routing, mono/stereo, everything. Every aspect of a studio can be taught directly from the console.

What other equipment is employed in the studio?

Pro Tools HD2

Adam S3X-H monitors

Genelec 1031a monitors

Some outboard (Focusrite RED, Joe Meek VC2, TLA EQ and Compressor, Lexicon PCM 81 to new a few)

Collection of industry standard mics (U87’s, 57’s etc)

Host of instruments

What do you feel makes the Audient ASP8024 good for teaching? Any specific examples?

Clear/concise layout of signal flow.  Uncluttered.

Punch in/out EQ.

Foldback flip (SF button) making teaching headphone sends a doddle.

We purchased the 32 channel version so we could hardwire our stereo effects units outputs to the right hand side of the console. This allows us to teach the concept of internal/external signal routing without having to patch in first (again dispelling the witchcraft but offering a physical explanation of what’s going on when you turn that Aux knob).

We also extended our budget to stretch for the DLC (Dual Layer Control) DAW controller option. Our reasoning for this was simply for modernity. DAW controllers are how it's done in the real world and the DLC performs its duties flawlessly AND its right there in the centre of the console below the computer screens.  We can teach software automation USING the ASP8024!

What made the console stand out from the competition?

As stated, it met our initial criteria but it offered so much more.  Bus compressor, the DLC package, modern fresh layout, price. The common connections (still pleased with that one 3 years later!) As cheesy as it sounds, given the specs of the 8024, there was no competition.

What courses do you run that will be using the Audient console?

We teach 4 music courses that make use of the console in various ways.  We have:

HND in Music Production (primary user). Modules cover Recording Techniques, Post Production Techniques, Critical Listening, Sound Design

Level 3 Music Technology. Modules covering same as above but with a few extras, ADR and foley

Level 3 Music Performance. Has one recording module

NCFE Music Production. A level 2 part time course that serves as an introduction to all the above

Have they changed since you first specified Audient?

Absolutely! Each module has been completely rewritten in the last 3 years. As I said, the Jade S was a cumbersome board to teach even the basics on. Lecturers found themselves recapping previous classes time and again as students had a hard time getting to grips. 

The ASP8024 changed that the day it was installed. Suddenly we found ourselves running out of things to teach on the current teaching plans. The students understanding of core concepts was dramatically improved. This allowed us to really meat out what we could teach them. We started introducing new material. 5.1, foley, advanced mixing techniques. We started feeling less like a school and more like a studio. That change gave life to the place.

Are your studios going through an upgrade or are you building more in the future?

When our new building was built we specified two control rooms sharing a liveroom.  They all lay side by side i.e. Studio A > Live Room < Studio B. We installed the 8024 in Studio A when we first moved in but largely ignored Studio B as the move was mid semester and was a rush to get set up with minimal class downtime.

Well only a month ago we got approved for £10k for a console for Studio B.  I’ve been a subscriber to Audients newsletter since I first contacted Gareth when enquiring about the ASP8024. As soon as I was given the budget I already knew how I was going to spend it. So we bought the ASP4816.

Absolute no brainer!  We were so impressed with the 8024 that it made perfect sense to get its wee brother. It’s an ASP!  Identical to Studio A bar a few channels. Our students can jump right in and get to work. We allow unsupervised sessions where students book studio time and record themselves, other bands, their mates or just o sit and mix. With uniformity across both studios, we can increase the amount of time available for booking as there is no new learning curve.  Perfect

What other Audient products are you using? Are they integral to the teaching?

Currently the ASP8024 and the ASP4816.  But if I ever manage to win your Facebook competition for a Mico I will add that to the list (wink wink).

How did you find the service you received throughout the sales process?

I dealt with Neil Boia at Academia when purchasing the ASP8024.  We were so pleased with the service that we expanded our relationship to software and even to sponsoring.  Very friendly but more importantly, personal.  Every time I lifted the phone, I could always get through to the person dealing with our account.  That is getting rarer these days but having the assurance of accountability greatly lends to the whole experience, especially when spending the kind of cash we have in the last few years.

We bought the 4816 through Kazbar Systems. The guy there was Gavin Miller. Again a painless, pleasant experience. He was really a gent and was very flexible when dealing with the procurement processes we have to follow on our end.

Information on NWRC (North West Regional College)

http://www.nwrc.ac.uk

We have 30,000 plus students spread throughout our campuses. The music department has over 200. Catchment continues well into the Republic of Ireland. Simply put, we are now one of the best spec'd music departments in the country that offer so much hands on, practical experience in the studios.

Thanks for reading,

Andy @ Audient

We chat to award winning producer and ASP816 console owner Charles Macak (Britney Spears, Letlive, Born of Osiris) about all things music production. Read on for tips, pro stories and an insight into a top producer! 

Tell us briefly how you got into music production?

It all started after my first time in the studio playing drums with my first band. I was so intrigued with what the man behind the other side of the glass was doing I had to find out how to do what he was doing. After attending a local recording studio for basic recording classes I enrolled at the Recording for Recording classes.

You’ve worked mainly with rock artists, what’s the most challenging thing about recording rock music?

Since most of the projects I do I am hired to produce along with recording most of the challenges come into play while producing an act. It’s hard to get a band to reproduce truly what they feel what they want. That’s where I think technology may have gotten in the way in todays rock music. The younger bands are listening to so much over edited music that they do not know what feel truly is. Don’t get me wrong I love what technology has brought to the table as far as tools to help us. But most bands use it as a crutch far to early in the process. I get bands asking me in the initial meeting if we use auto-tune or beat detective to make them sound better and that drives me crazy. So what your telling me is you suck and we don’t want to practice and work to be better.

This also plays a part when I am hired to mix. I just mixed a band and their instructions were make the record sound like Rage Against the Machine, Deftones and Nirvana. I was like cool 3 great raw rock bands that have huge energy. I opened the sessions and everything was so over edited it took all the energy out of the record. I got the record to sound pretty damn close to what they wanted and I played if for a few friends and they said that sonically it was just like Rage. So we presented and the band said it sounded great but did not feel right and is there anything I could do to make is sound more like said bands. My answer was NO what you want has nothing to do with sound. So the moral of that story is Shit in Shit out. Get it right on the way in and the record mixes itself.

You have a brand new drum room, can you give us any tips or tricks on recording drums, and how you manage to get such a big drum sound?

Choosing the right drums for the record from the start. Also tuning the kit for the song is important. If I have not done pre production with a band I will have them run through the song so I can get a feel for it. If I don’t want the snare to get in the way of the vocal I will usually tune it down a little so it is not commanding so much attention. If a song is slower and doomier I will tune the toms lower. But most important is getting the drummer to play consistent. If the drummer does not have the ability to nail it then we reach for technology in the mix and layer samples in the mix to help get the drums consistent. One of the keys is to sample the kit you are recording in the room you are recording it in. Things start to sound un-natural when you start making the sample the forefront drum. You hear the other drums in the overheads and room mics and it starts to sound funky.

See the drum room in action.

Previously you’ve worked in urban dance music, how do you find it differentiates from producing rock music?

With rock music I have more to focus on while tracking. I try to record as many of the people live at the same time as I can so I am listening to multiple performances at once and also taking in the overall feel of all the parts. It’s that energy thing again. With Urban it is usually one person at a time so there is less to focus on. The energy in dance is in a whole different place and that happens in the mixing.

Many different artists must have passed through your studio. Which project would you say you were most proud of to date, and why?

You put me in a tough spot with this question. Most of them have a place in my heart. The Pam Moore record I did last year is special to me. I was approached by Mike Posch, who was the writer and played all the stringed instruments on the record. Pam who was Sister Mary (Singer) on the Queensryche Operation Mindcrime record to mix it. After listening to what they had recorded and where they wanted that record to be sonically I made the decision it was not ready for mix and needed work to take it where they wanted. We decided to re-record all the music from scratch. Mike had done a great job recording it in his home studio but it needed to be taken to the next level. We spent a lot of time making all of it just right, plus I got to play drums on that record and that was a major bonus. The record has been getting rave reviews so I think it was well worth it to redo everything.

You have recently installed an Audient ASP4816, how are you finding it?

I love this console. Everyday I find something cool about it. The pre amps are blowing my mind. We replaced some great pre’s in the studio when we installed the console. They are so punchy on drums with a great sheen to them. Guitars sound great through them, Bass too. The Eq’s are very musical and do broad stroke moves great. The routing is awesome. It allows us to move around sessions quickly. The mix compressor is just right.

What influenced your decision to choose this console? What are your favourite features?

I was looking at the bigger brother for a while but space was a factor in our control room then you released the 4816 and it was a perfect fit. I love the pre amps on this thing. I do not miss any of the pre’s it replaced. And the routing in mix down is killer.

What have you been working on with the ASP4816 since its installation?

The studio is so booked up now its crazy. We are mixing an Album for “Lybria”, Tracking and mixing a new EP for “The Sky We Scrape”, tracking and Mixing a new EP for “Comasoft”. Just finished tracking new songs for Starkill and EP’s for “Horror is Dead” and “The Reserve” That will be coming out on our new record label later this year.

What projects do you have coming up?

I will be mixing a band from Puerto Rico called Cours D’Math next month. Start recording the new Internal Empires album in March. May is locked out doing the new Starkill record for Century Media. There are some things being talked about that I can’t talk about yet, so stay tuned for future announcements.

…and finally, do you have a top music production tip for Audient readers?

Get it right on the way in and your life will be better on the way out.

Check out Charles studio Electrowerks Music Production

Thanks for reading,

Andy @ Audient

We spoke to Stu Welsh from Beliefspace Studio about his recent collaboration with JustJamIt where they enabled artists to broadcast their music live to the internet. Read what Stu had to say:

"Earlier this year I had a chance meeting with Dan Martin, who came into dBs Music to talk to my degree students about a new web site that he and his brother Josh, had set-up called Just Jam It.  The premise behind Just Jam It is that anyone can sign up and easily broadcast themselves playing live music from any computer equipped with a web camera and microphone, users can then log-in to www.justjamit.com and watch the streams live, as they happen, from anywhere in the World.  Initial streams had been successful and included everything from people broadcasting from their living rooms playing acoustic guitar and singing to venues broadcasting acts on stage.

Hampshire, February 2013 – UK album chart-topping indie-rock band Hard-Fi has been getting to know the new Audient ASP4816 console that arrived at its studio in December. The band wasted no time after its installation to use the desk to record a cover of Quick Joey Small - originally a sixties hit for Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus. Publishing the track on YouTube on just in time for Christmas, the boys are clearly enjoying the new addition to their private studio in Staines.

The words of a recent happy customer:

So happy to say that the ASP4816 is a constant joy to work with, quick and intuitive, and of course sounds fantastic. I'm also loving the way the character of other outboard now comes across; it kind of always did the job but with the 4816 the vibe has arrived!

We love hearing from other happy Audient customers. Want to tell us about your experience with an Audient product? Email us at: [email protected]

Thanks

Andy @ Audient

We recently visited Hard-Fi's studio as they were installing an Audient ASP4816. Our very own Luke Baldry and Gareth Williams along with Hard-Fi's Richard Archer, Ross Phillips and Steve Kemp.

Hard-Fi achieved two UK Number One albums in a row with their debut album 'Stars of CCTV', which has sold over 1.25 million records worldwide, and their follow up 'Once Upon a Time in the West'. They are regarded as one of the best Indie-Rock bands in the UK. Be sure to visit their Facebook page here.

Check out the pictures below:

Last week we visited our friend Johan, Head of Music Production, at the TECH Music School, Acton to see the studio in action with their new ASP4816. At Audient we are proud of our links to educational establishments all over the world such as TECH and feel a great sense of pride that many students first experiences of using an analogue console are on an Audient. We were joined by Trevor Coley from Sontronics whom's microphones are also used at TECH.

It's currently an exciting time for TECH as they gear up to move to a new premises in Fulham due to open in October 2013 where they will offer a BA Honors in Music Production. The planned facilities are listed below.

.  5 x Specially Equipped Acoustic Drum Booths .  3 x Drum Studios .  4 x Apple Equipped Digital Audio Workstation Suites .  2 x Keyboard Labs .  5 x Vocal Studios .  3 x Guitar/Bass Studios .  3 x Band Rehearsal Studios .  Lecture Room .  Recording Studio with control room .  2 x Post Production suites .  2 x mixing Rooms .  Learning Resource Centre

From left to right: Johan Englund of Tech Music School, Trevor Coley of Sontronics and Gareth Williams of Audient.

Look out for more Audient collaborations with TECH Music School in the future.

Thanks for reading.

Hello Everyone,

Sebastian Angrand has unveiled his new side project with guitarist Simon First;  ‘Fiona’. You can watch the trailer for their new single "Für immer " below. "Für immer" is released today. The track was recorded at Osean Recording Studio on a ASP4816 without using any outboard gear or external preamps!

Thanks for reading.