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Australian Musician Issue 16 Summer 98
RICK PRICE by Alison Stieven Taylor
With technology rapidly advancing the capabilities of recording in the home, the notion of a home studio is now accepted in the industry as a legitimate alternative for the professional musician. Signing on to the digital revolution is Australian singer/songwriter, RickPrice, who has just completed the recording of his first album in three years, in his newly built home studio on Sydney's North Shore.
"You always have an excellent sketch pad for your ideas" says Price of the home environment. "At home you can work on your ideas any time of the day."
It is also a cost effective alternative.
"If you're in a recording deal where the record company says, here's one hundred grand, or whatever, go make a record, you can either spend the money on time in one of the big commercial studios, which can be very restrictive and expensive, or do what I did; build your own."
After years of experience in the session scene, working in more studios than he cares to remember, Price was ready for the leap into recording his own records in his own environment. With a little help from his friends, in particular Phil Buckle (former Southern Sons), he sectioned off a couple of rooms for vocals and guitar and put together a core system comprising Yamaha O2R mixing console and a Macintosh computer.
"I use Pro Tools and the software is Macintosh Logic Audio. Pro Tools is the ants pants as far as hard disk recording goes" says Price. "It represents the highest level of technology that's available at the moment."
"Moment" being the operative word. With computer technology advancing at head-spinning velocity, it's important to consider whether the equipment you are installing has a path to enable you to upgrade rather than having to go out and buy a whole new package. "Macintosh Logic Audio offers that upgrade path" explains Price. "And being able to upgrade is crucial."
In addition to the core system, the studio features two Yamaha NS10 speakers and a Yamaha sub. "I've also discovered this really gorgeous microphone that I love" enthuses Price, adding with pride, "and it's Australian. It's called a Rode Classic." With the Rode Classic he uses a TL Audio Indigo Series voice processor "which is like a valve pre-amp and has EQ and compression capabilities, an excellent piece of equipment."
Other equipment includes a JV1080 multi timbral synthesiser, a P150 Yamaha for a master keyboard and Fender Amps. "I use a Sans Amp pre-Amp with a G&L Bass 5 string. By the way" he says, "The G&L is the original design of Leo Fender. I also use Maton six and twelve string acoustic guitars. Maton really make excellent Aussie guitars."
So how many people did he cram into this home studio? Price laughs.
"Phil Buckle and I played everything ourselves except drums. We used John Robinson, a great American drummer. He's played with everyone; Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Ricki-Lee Jones, you name them. He's just a great drummer, with a great feel and excellent in the studio. A lot of people are against using session musicians because they've developed a reputation for not having any feel, but John is the total feel king and that's why he's been so popular over the years."
Transferring everything that Buckle and Price had recorded in Sydney onto Adats, Price took the tapes to Robinson's home studio in Los Angeles to lay down the drum tracks.
"John played drums onto a second tape machine and then we dumped all of the material onto a 48 track digital machine and mixed the record. Very simple and effective."
Not everyone likes the digital sound, concedes Price, but it clearly works for him.
"Once you get over the learning curve of how to use it all, it's pretty mighty stuff " he says. "With the old analogue systems, where anything more than 8 tracks required a 24 track tape machine, there was no flexibility in where you recorded. A 24 track tape machine is a big piece of equipment. I have a 32 track digital studio in my house. I can pack it up and walk out the door with it in an hour and a half. Sure the analogue systems sound amazing, but when you have this technology in your house, it's brilliant."
With the as yet untitled album due for release early in the year, Price won't be spending so much time behind the console. Rather Price, who can play guitar, bass, keyboards and drums, will be hitting the road.
"We're planning a tour and this time I am going to put a full band together rather than take out my solo show," he enthuses. "Recording is great, but playing live is where it's at. I love it."
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