Studio Interviews: Ash Lamothe
We’re in Saskatoon, Canada to join Ash Lamothe, whose minimal studio is the perfect juxtaposition of his rich surroundings… Interviewee Ash Lamothe Contact ashlamothe@gmail.com Yamaha HS7 monitors Behritone C50A Mono Cube Roland Quad-Capture interface MusicTech: Tell us a little about the studio, where it’s situated, how long you’ve been there? Ash: This is my home […]
We’re in Saskatoon, Canada to join Ash Lamothe, whose minimal studio is the perfect juxtaposition of his rich surroundings…
Interviewee Ash Lamothe
Contact ashlamothe@gmail.com
- Yamaha HS7 monitors
- Behritone C50A Mono Cube
- Roland Quad-Capture interface
MusicTech: Tell us a little about the studio, where it’s situated, how long you’ve been there?
Ash: This is my home studio, where I write, produce and record music for my own band as well as other artists in town. It’s located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. I’ve had it for roughly three years.
MT: Run through a kit list of the main components in your studio?
A: The main components of my studio are a MacBook Pro, Yamaha HS7 monitors, Behritone C50A Mono Cube, Roland Quad-Capture interface, PreSonus HP4 headphone amp and an M-Audio Code 49 MIDI keyboard.
MT: Which DAW do you use and why?
A: I use Ableton Live primarily, for writing and recording. It’s extremely user friendly and straightforward. The built-in plug-ins sound great, and I love how quick it is to come up with new ideas in the Ableton Live arrangement view.
MT: What’s your favourite piece of gear, and why?
A: My favourite piece of gear is my Behritone C50A. It’s a real game-changer when mixing, and it helps to isolate those tricky mid frequencies.
MT: How often would you say do you spend in your studio per week?
A: I spend 20 hours or more per week in the studio.
MT: How do you use your studio – are you recording bands, working professionally or just making music for fun?
A: I mainly write and record music for my own band and solo projects. Occasionally, I’ll record vocals for other local artists.
MT: What’s next on your shopping list for your studio?
A: My next purchase is definitely going to be a new iMac. My old MacBook Pro just can’t keep up any more.
MT: Does anything annoy you about your setup, and why?
A: The one thing that annoys me is my laptop. I constantly have to freeze or bounce tracks in order for Ableton to run smoothly.
MT: What’s your dream piece of gear, and why?
A: My dream piece of gear is a Korg PolySix or Moog Model D.
MT: What’s your top piece of production advice for our readers?
A: Reference other mixes often, and also reference your mix in mono.
MT: What’s the one piece of advice you would give to someone starting out building a studio?
A: You don’t need expensive gear or plugins to make great-sounding mixes. Be patient and learn to make a great mix with the gear you can afford
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