The recording corner

I decided to go back to recording right after the COVID-19 quarantine (I'm sure I'm not alone). It had been a while that I hadn't even played and the home office situation was getting a bit out of hand. So I fished out some old equipment I had brought from Brazil and got myself whatever was missing to just jump back in. The result is that my current recording setup is a bit of a Frankenstein (I know, but...):

• Computer: ASUS A55A (10 years old laptop)
• Audio interface: Behringer UCA 202 (I don't even think they make them anymore)
• Microphone: Yeti Blue (whose original purpose was recording voice-over for conference virtual presentations)
• Preamp: M-Audio DMP3 (I've had this for 15 years at least)
• MIDI controller: Novation Launchkey 49 (OK, this is new)
• Speakers: Random Sony loudspeakers (stolen from Fernando Gama)
• Headphones: AT M50x (also new)

The bedroom studio corner

On the software size, I decided to try to not go back to Windows just so I could record. And I was pleasantly surprised with the state of audio software on Linux:

• OS: Ubuntu Studio 20.04 (easy to install, easy to use)
• DAW: Ardour 5.12 (the MIDI editing workflow is not great, but I heard it's been completely rewritten in 6.0)

I'm still discovering the processor plugins, so I haven't really settled on the main ones yet. But for now, this is what has been sounding good to me:

• EQ: EQxQ (I don't really use anything else)
• Compressor: Calf mono compressor (so far I've done very acoustic, not-very-compressed sound... We'll see how it holds up when the drums and bass kick in)
• Reverb: DragonFly, MVerb, TAL Reverb 4 (here, you always need a few options, but I actually really like the DragonFly)
• Limiter: Calf limiter (again, so far haven't pushed this far enough to actually hear it)
• Delay: Calf stereo delay (this really took that accordion in aftoi me phi from “fake model” to full sound... I'll get back to that later)

The ghetto vocal recording booth

The same way I don't like to have too many plugin options, I don't like to have too many samples either. Spending hours going through sounds is one of the best ways to procrastinate without feeling like you're procrastinating. Yes, it means all tracks sound the same. I just don't have enough tracks to worry about that:

• Piano: Maestro Concert Grand v2 (bright sounding grand), Ivy Piano in 162 (Steinway Model B grand, a bit more agressive sounding)
• Electric piano: Greg Sullivan's collection (drinking blues uses the deep smooth sound of the Honher Pianet T)
• Organ: CollaB3, sampled Hammond B3 (it sounds very good, but is a CPU hog on Linux)
• Bass: OMB 2, Ibanez electric bass from Flame Studio
• Drums: AVL drumkits, Drumgizmo DRSKit
• Orchestral instruments: Virtual Playing Orchestra
• Accordion: Safwan Matni (synthesized, but with a little work it can sound OK... it does need some work though)

If you have any good samples or virtual instrument tips, do reach out by email or on Instagram: I'd love to hear about them!