"Where creativity is not decadence, It's a sustenance"
The Project Studio
Project Studio: During the pandemic, I constructed a small recording studio. From then onwards, the studio provided the space and freedom that it takes me to produce my music. Indeed, during the recent global pandemic, the studio also became a haven for meditation and reflection. In the latter stages of production, I would use the space to collaborate with a variety of unique musicians, to add further improvised textures to selected pieces.
It is important to have a space that allows me to comfortably work on sessions lasting 8-10 hours.
The studio is my workspace, but also a zone 'to retreat' into myself.
Some of the Instruments / Equipment used in the Project Studio
A few years ago, on one of my many outings to a popular music store, the enthusiastic staff introduced me to some new sequencer keyboards. I am certainly no technical wizard, but I understood quickly just how important it is to the creative process it is to have technology that can enhance one's performance and make it easier to get ideas down quickly. If you are working in the realms of improvisation, to be able to record performance data as it's played, using multiple high end sounds is an absolute essential.
Here is just some of the technology and equipment that made it to the studio set-up:
Keyboards: Yamaha MOFX8, MOFX6, MODX 88 and the Nord Stage 4
Drums & Percussion: Roland Handsonic HPD-20, DTX6 Yamaha Drum Kit, Yamaha DTX Multi-pad,
Roland TR08 Rhythm Composer, assorted African, Arabic & Asian drums (inc. Sherkere and Djembe)
Guitars/Strings: Classic Fender Acoustic, Elite Ovation Guitar, Sitar Swan Neck Double and Erhu Violin
Studio Hardware & Software: iMac Pro 27" Computer, Steinberg UR824 Audio Interface,
Boss RC- 300 Loop Machine, Apple Logic Pro X and Final Cut Pro music/video production software
Microphones: Aston Spirit Condenser Microphone. Rode NT1: Vocal Cardioid Condenser Microphone
and SM 57 Shure Microphone.
"Without spiritual help, music has no effect”
(Pran Nath)