DAJAUN MARTINEAU ’ S PREVIOUS HOME STUDIO IN TORONTO
46 CANADIAN MUSICIAN
RYAN MCCAMBRIDGE ’ S HOME STUDIO
Ryan McCambridge
Ryan McCambridge is a Grammy-nominated , Toronto-based producer , engineer , mixer who works across music , film / TV , and advertisements . His music credits include Rush , Birds of Tokyo , Metric , Mastodon , and more .
CM : What is the smartest purchase you ’ ve made for your home recording needs ? How has it made a difference for you ?
Ryan McCambridge : I always make sure to have a good set of open-back headphones to check mixes on . Home setups are plagued with acoustic issues and most people don ’ t have the means to fix them properly . Headphones aren ’ t a perfect solution , but they at least give you a reference that removes the variable of room acoustics , which can help you make better decisions .
CM : Thinking of things you ’ ve learned over the years of recording and / or mixing music at home , what is one often-overlooked tip you ’ d like to share with others ?
McCambridge : It ’ s very easy to get caught up in the allure of great gear and ideal workspaces . At the heart of it though , none of that matters . You need to focus on creating great art with impactful songs and meaningful performances . That ’ s not to say that it should excuse inadequate recordings , but just recognize that it ’ s easy to lose sight of what ’ s actually important .
The most sought-after preamp for most genres of music is the Neve 1073 . Neve ’ s are not cheap and may not be the best option if you ’ re on a budget , but there are a bunch of great Neve clones on the market that do a pretty good job of keeping up . The Golden Age GA73 is an ideal introductory preamp that uses the Neve design and saves money by bypassing a few more expensive components .
If analog preamps are going to break the bank , then there is no shame in using any transparent digital preamps that are now overtaking the industry . Universal Audio ’ s Unison preamps built into their interfaces are a great option for a colourless preamp that allows you to apply preamp emulations in the software after the fact . An added benefit of using colourless preamps in your home studio is that if you ’ re working with anyone who owns vintage gear , they can run it through their equipment and add some of the colour after the fact .
Additional exciting units you might want to collect over time are some compressors and equalizers to treat the sound before it ever hits your computer . My favorite is the Universal Audio 1176 ; I never record a vocal without going through it first .
Don ’ t Forget Client Comfort
Outside of the recording gear , what else will occupy the space ? Planning out your studio for who will be in the area is an essential task . Take the time to consider who , namely the audiences , will occupy the space . Are you a composer who will just be submitting files online ? Are you a producer who will have artists sitting on your couch every day ? What does a day in your studio look like ? When I was primarily focused on vocal production , my room was designed to focus on sight lines between the vocalist in the booth and my listening position in front of the monitors . As my focus shifted from strictly recording vocalists and opened up to more songwriting and production sessions , I realized that my studio also needed to change . Now , I have a much more open-format studio that is designed more like a living room than a perfect mix position , allowing me to be more open with the artists and create with them rather than having them stare at the back of my head all day .
Not only is it essential to consider the workflow specific to your needs , but if you ’ re someone who is going to have clients attending , what does client comfort look like ? Clients are humans that have needs ! Do you have a lounge space for them to eat ? Do you have enough seating ? Do you have a dedicated bathroom for your clients , or will they share your bathroom that you get ready in every morning ? Is there a mini fridge in the studio space for your clients to store drinks and snacks , or will they use your fridge with your leftovers from dinner ? If you aren ’ t able to have separation , you will have to consider your daily habits and how they will affect spaces that will be client-facing . Simultaneously , you have to find balance in your home situation so that it doesn ’ t feel like you ’ re just “ crashing at work .” It is a very delicate balance but is easily attainable with some creative boundaries and routines . I like to offer my clients some luxuries when they attend sessions like tea , coffee , bottled water , sparkling water , etc . Just because it is a home studio doesn ’ t mean your clients can ’ t feel like they ’ re being taken care of in a professional work environment .