Mocha Studio

[NathanNasby]

Hey gang. It's been pretty cool seeing everyone's pics and the gear they use to make music. I've built up my studio over the last 15 years with different gear that I have grown to love for the types of projects I work on. A few nicer pieces and a lot of mediocre gear. I still find one of the cooler aspects of creating music is how often I can still get tracks forwarded and signed using some of the inexpensive gear that I started out with. It's not what you have, but how you use it.



Here's one before the studio got so cluttered



Here's what I have to play with.

Computer :

Custom built PC
Dual 27" monitors

Software/plugins :

Windows 7 Pro
Cubase 7.5
Wavelab 8
Halion 4
E/W Composer collection
Trilian Total Bass
Ivory Grand 2
Sample Tank 3
Sylenth 1
Superior Drummer 2
Lots of Chiarelli plugins
A bunch of little insignificant things I'm getting tired of typing in

Cards and outboard gear :

Steinberg UR 824
Steinberg MR 816x
ART Voice Channel Dual Tube Compressor
Lexicon MX200
Korg X50
All Steinberg CMI Controllers
Johnson J-Station
Fender Twin 10" Acoustasonic amp
Yamaha DGX-640

Monitors :

Yorkville YSM2p

Mics :

Lauten Atlantis FC-387
Neumann TLM 103
Stereo pair Rode NT1
Sm-57
Sm 58
Art Tube M F-our
Audix f6-f8 drum mics

I also have quite a collection of instruments, though nothing fancy there. Just stuff that sounds okay to my ears and is in my budget !

I love instruments that have a story more than giving much a care for the brand or cost. My favorite instrument is my unbranded violin. Almost 20 years ago I played a gig at a church using mostly my violin. It was a really cheap and terrible sounding instrument but the crowd loved the songs so no one really much cared. Or at least no one ever told me, so I'm gonna go with my gut on that one . After the concert an older gentleman came up to me with a large black garbage bag. He told me I played really well but I had a really damn crappy violin ! He pulled this violin out of the garbage bag along with an old bow. He told me he didn't know where the instrument originated but it was given to him and he thought it sounded much better. One pull of the bow across the strings and I fell in love with it. He wanted 200.00 for it and this is the violin I have to this day. This violin has been featured on tracks signed by UMG. I recorded fiddle on a song with Lynn Hilary (From Celtic Women) and featured this instrument on probably more than 100 productions in the last 10 years. It's just a cheap little violin with no name, but it has served me very well!

That's about it. I feel so blessed as this is what I get to do full time, and I have taxi to thank for that. Before I joined taxi 3 1/2 years ago I was ready to give up on music being a viable living. Then a friend of mine Lydia Ashton told me about taxi and how I should join up. The peers, the road rally, and the friends have opened up so many doors for me since joining. Couldn't have gotten here without you all!

~Nathan

[cassmcentee]

Awesome read Nathan and a Wonderful workspace!
Kudos to you!

[jamesnorth]

Cool space Nathan - great to see another Cubase guy!

Completely with you on ignoring brands - some of my favourite guitars and drums are cheap Japanese made non-name ones!

[NathanNasby]

Awesome read Nathan and a Wonderful workspace!
Kudos to you!

Thanks Cass!

Hey James! Yeah, I've been a cubase user since the software came out of 3 1/2" discs. I remember getting the amazing Sound Blaster 128 Pro card and thinking we were winning the latency war ! Still had about a 1/4 second delay and live monitoring was still impossible for tracking, but it was my start with the software and I've used it all the way up. Not to say the other options aren't great software. It's just easier to stick with what you know.

[cardell]

Wow, impressive!

Stuart

[Paulie]

That's a really cool space with a lot of character. Surprised to see all the sound proofing on the ceiling but then the wood floors.

[NathanNasby]

Thanks Cardell and Paulie.

With the sound treatment I pretty much went with the products that Auralex recommended. We did a sound analysis recording of the room and they sent me the recommended setup for my studio dimensions. The floor was a factor as I wasn't playing carpet or rugs.

[andygabrys]

Sweet Nathan. Hope the fam is well.

[Cwadroon]

Great looking spot Nathan! Cool stories, cool gear! Thanks for sharing.

[Kolstad]

Looks very inspiring and creative for sure. Love the hats!