Award-winning engineer Dani Bennett Spragg has achieved a huge amount in what seems like a short amount of time, working with Noel Gallagher, The Amazons, Jarvis Cocker, Baxter Drury and even The Rolling Stones. And she's worked alongside production heavyweights Alan Mulder, Flood and Catherine J Marks. But how will she be able to reconcile her British-American heritage when asked to pick a location for her studio? Which mics will make it into her very limited mic locker? And why are a modded set of dual-concentric speakers the best she's ever heard?
Chris Barker:
I'm Chris Barker.
Will Betts:
And I'm Will Betts and this is the MusicTech My Forever Studio podcast.
Chris Barker:
In this podcast we speak with producers, DJ's, audio engineers, and industry figure heads about their fantasy Forever Studio.
Will Betts:
Indeed, but we have some very specific rules in the Forever Studio that our guest must adhere to.
Chris Barker:
Yes, our famous rules. Okay, so here it goes. Our guest is able to select a computer, a DAW, and an audio interface first, then they can only choose six other bits of studio kit plus one luxury item that they will live with forever.
Will Betts:
Yeah, but Chris, what if people want a collection of, say, plugins as part of, I don't know, a bundle?
Chris Barker:
No, no bundle. No, no, no.
Speaker 3:
No bundles!
Chris Barker:
No bundles of plugins, no trying to game the system.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
All right then. Today on the show we have engineer, Dani Bennett Spragg. Dani has achieved a huge amount in what seems like a short amount of time, working with Noel Gallagher, The Amazons, Jarvis Cocker, Baxter Dury, and even the Rolling Stones.
Chris Barker:
Dani's based in London but has worked in Electric Lady Studios in New York as well as Assault & Battery, alongside production royalty, Alan Moulder, Flood, and Catherine Marks. After working in such beautifully kitted out studios, how will Dani scale back her gear list in the Our Forever Studio rules?
Will Betts:
Let's found out. This is My Forever Studio with Dani Bennett Spragg.
Chris Barker:
Welcome, welcome.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Such a nice intro. Thanks.
Chris Barker:
So, how's it all going?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It's going pretty well.
Chris Barker:
Good, good.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
And you heard our rules there? That's how we give you a heads up.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
You can kind of interpret them in a couple of different ways. But when I first read it, I was like, "Well, it sounds like I'm stuck in a studio by myself forever so I have to have stuff that's going to entertain me."
Chris Barker:
Okay, so, maybe we should qualify some bits so you don't go down...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
Some of our guests have really gone down the end of the world kind of-
Will Betts:
Dooms day.
Chris Barker:
... [crosstalk 00:01:51].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, okay.
Chris Barker:
And sort of zombie apocalypse-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, that's kind of-
Chris Barker:
... kind of vibe as well.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I feel like that's vaguely the road that I've gone down.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so, you have... I tell you what, let's get right out of that because-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay, all right.
Chris Barker:
... the Forever Studio is meant to be a happy place, it's not a sad place. So, let's talk about location. Where would you have it? I mean, just before we went live, you talked about having sort of dual nationality. I mean, where in the world are you going to put this studio?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Well, so, if you're thinking about, "I'm stuck in a studio forever." And you can never work anywhere else, then I'm putting the studio... I was talking to my partner, Chris, about this. I'm putting the studio on a plane. And then I can move around, I can go to the artists, I can also just pick people up and then we can land somewhere else and then go out after the session. But, I feel then you've got to have a go to landing pad in, I don't know, a field somewhere. Probably, I'm going to say the States. But, the idea is that it's a plane.
Will Betts:
It's a plane.
Chris Barker:
Plane is good.
Will Betts:
One question about the plane thing. If you're going to go around, presumably you're going to have to land in other places and maybe park it, because parking is an issue with planes, I understand. I feel like background noise might be an issue for you in some of these parking spots.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, I did think about that and I think, we're going to sort it out.
Will Betts:
Okay, fine. I'm not worried then.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It's going to be treated, it'll be fine.
Will Betts:
Okay, great.
Chris Barker:
Okay. I'm considering upselling your dreams to maybe a boat.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I thought about that as well, but it's way slower.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, but lots of artists do have fear of flying though. You'll never work with Eric Prydz on a plane.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Mm-hmm (affirmative), I can live with that, that's fine.
Chris Barker:
But there are lots of artists, seriously, that have a fear of flying.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Are there really? Well, I'm sure, yeah.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Well, fine.
Chris Barker:
Mind you, I suppose you can land where they are and then they can just get on-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly, I'll just land.
Chris Barker:
... with the engine switched off.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly, it's not like you have to travel while you're tracking, it's just convenient.
Chris Barker:
Ah, I see. So it's not about recording in the air-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
No, but it can be.
Chris Barker:
... it's just about getting...
Will Betts:
If they want that experience.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
But it's also just about if I can never work anywhere else, I don't want to be stuck in one place.
Chris Barker:
You could do a kind of 80 bands in 80 days kind of thing.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
There you go. Sold.
Chris Barker:
Okay, yeah. Yeah, the boat isn't an upsell, the plane's better.
Will Betts:
Okay, yeah fine.
Chris Barker:
I agree. I'm on board.
Will Betts:
Oh, are you? Already?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It's got to be a big one though because it's also got to be some residential bits on it.
Chris Barker:
Okay.
Will Betts:
So we're talking basically-
Chris Barker:
So maybe the Ustinov.
Will Betts:
... a retro fitted...
Chris Barker:
The Russian, the Ustinov plane.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Sure.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
Do you have a specific...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Sure.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
The plan is the bottom half of the plane is... two tiers.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Double decker plane.
Chris Barker:
Ustinov, that's fine.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Top level, back half is the residential area, living area. Nice, relaxation zone. And then directly under that is the control room. And then the other half is... The back half of the plane isn't double decker so the ceiling's extended. So you got a low bit and a high bit. Now, you guys, I just feel like you're so invested now.
Chris Barker:
Very cool. And what's the vibe inside then? You described the layout but, are we talking modern or is going to look like... because Electric Ladyland and Assault & Batter's sort of quite different looking studios.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I think it's going to be quite soft.
Chris Barker:
Okay, that's nice.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Quiet living room-y. Quite homely. I feel that is my favourite kind of studio. Muted colours, orangy reds. Nice warm lighting. Lighting's very important.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
It's going to have to be lighting from lamps because you've only got the tiny little windows of course.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, lamps. Overhead lights suck.
Chris Barker:
But you're going to have to have those fasten your seat belt signs in random locations as well, because of the layout.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Just in case.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, it's going to be like, "Stop the session."
Chris Barker:
Yeah, put your seat belt on.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Maybe I'll have a seat belt... Maybe the drum stool is going to be actually attached to the wall.
Chris Barker:
You'd have to have your drum kit nailed down, Motown style.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, that's fine.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
That works.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I'm quite into that actually.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
And there's actually a lot of microphones already on the plane, thinking about it.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
A lot of what?
Will Betts:
Microphones. Because you've got all the PA system.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I didn't even think about that.
Chris Barker:
Not in the Ustinov though, well.
Will Betts:
Oh, sorry. Why are you obsessed with the Ustinov? What is this weird Russian plane jag that you're on? I don't get it. What is it?
Chris Barker:
It's that huge... It's like ridiculously... Google it, it's a ridiculously sized plane and they can carry other planes in the cargo hold, and bit of other planes in it and stuff. It's stupid. It's massive. Definitely big enough for studio.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay, cool, thanks.
Chris Barker:
So, moving on. We're going to go to your computer. So Mac or PC, do you care?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Mac.
Chris Barker:
Okay.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I think... Yeah, I'm going to say Mac.
Chris Barker:
Okay.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Probably just because I'm kind of set in my ways.
Chris Barker:
We'll skim past this one because I think we've kind of... Everybody's chooses the most expensive Mac right now. Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Mac Pro, 55 grand Mac Pro, please.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, there you go.
Will Betts:
Okay, fine. Question answered.
Chris Barker:
And what about the DAW? Are you fully Pro Tools invested?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
So I was thinking about this. In terms of what I work in and ease, it'd be Pro Tools all the way. Much to my dismay, I'm stuck in the Pro Tools world, they're going to endlessly take my money. I mean, yeah, I am going to go with Pro Tools but I do just want to say, when I was thinking out if I'm going to be stuck in this studio forever, then I do want something more fun.
Will Betts:
Such as?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Maybe Logic, maybe even GarageBand.
Will Betts:
Okay.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Something that has... If I'm just stuck in there and I have to entertain myself, then I want some built in instruments. Otherwise, you can't do anything in Pro Tools. Fun.
Will Betts:
Does Pro Tools not come with instruments and stuff?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
No, not really.
Will Betts:
It has some stuff doesn't it?
Chris Barker:
That's a bit of a bummer, isn't it?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
You can have the flashiest version, you don't have to have the most basic version. I mean, the no bundles rule doesn't really apply to DAWs, you can have the best one with like-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Fine, then I'm taking Pro Tools.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so the top end bundle suite-
Will Betts:
[crosstalk 00:08:51].
Chris Barker:
... but not in the no bundles way because-
Will Betts:
It's not a bundle.
Chris Barker:
... this is a gifted item.
Will Betts:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so audio interface then?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
A gifted item.
Chris Barker:
Audio interface. This is your final of three sort free ones before we get into your final six items.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
My interface is going to be probably an Antelope 32 inner.
Will Betts:
Like an Orion?
Chris Barker:
Nice
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, the 32 Gen HD, whatever it's called. Yeah.
Will Betts:
Oh nice, yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Because it doesn't take up very much space, it's nice and little and slick. Yeah, I'd go with that.
Chris Barker:
I don't think space is going to be an issue on this plane.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, very valid.
Chris Barker:
And also, you only have six pieces of kit so-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I know.
Chris Barker:
... unless you're choosing six grand pianos, we're going to be good.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Who knows? We haven't got there yet.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, that's true.
Will Betts:
Right, but wait, on the Antelope question, is this something you have already and you swear by or what's the deal there?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I have an Orion, I've got a Studio Synergy Core, which in a 12 inner and it's great, I love it. It's the best. It could just do with more inputs.
Will Betts:
More inputs, okay.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Essentially.
Will Betts:
Well, we'll find out why.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Always more inputs. Well, yeah, I don't know I'd necessarily need them on the plane. But the option's there. Now you're talking about all the plane mics.
Will Betts:
Well, I mean, we might have to revise that, we'll see.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay.
Chris Barker:
You're going to at least need a stereo feed from the pilot though, aren't you?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly.
Will Betts:
That's true.
Chris Barker:
Yeah. Just if he wants to do a rap , a middle eight rap on something.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly. Set up ready to go.
Chris Barker:
Item number one. This is where things start counting down. This is your actual choices for your Forever Studio. What's the...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Does a pair of speakers count as one?
Chris Barker:
Yeah, a pair is one.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Cool, okay.
Chris Barker:
We're not doing that weird retailer thing-
Will Betts:
[crosstalk 00:10:41] one.
Chris Barker:
... where they sell you one speaker. I've never looked at that-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
That is so stupid.
Will Betts:
It is weird, isn't it?
Chris Barker:
[crosstalk 00:10:46].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, it's really weird.
Will Betts:
[crosstalk 00:10:47].
Chris Barker:
I was so poor at one point, I did actually think, "I'll just get one for now." And then I was like, "What?"-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
[inaudible 00:10:54] middle.
Chris Barker:
... imagine if they change the range or the design, even if it's still the same technology, they just tweak the design and you've got speakers that look different and they're like, "Oh, no, they sound the same." Yeah, anyway.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay, so I'm having a pair of Manley ML10's.
Chris Barker:
Okay, that's a first for the podcast, I think, right?
Will Betts:
That's a new one.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Is it?
Will Betts:
Yeah. haven't had that one before.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I feel it's quiet niche, but I feel if you know about them, then you know that you don't want anything else.
Chris Barker:
Let me tell you right now, I do not know about them, so tell us about these speakers.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
So, I've become accustom to them through Craig Silvey, producer/mixer Craig Silvey, who I've been working with for about a year now. And they are his, they're his speakers and they were the first thing that he bought when he was 22 or whatever, starting out as an engineer, and he's them ever since. He's had them for like 30 years and they... You know when you go into a new studio and you feel like you have to listen to 1,000 different songs to try and get your head around a set of monitors?
Will Betts:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
First time I was in his studio, literally listened to one song and I was like, "Cool. I understand." And the first time I did a mix in there, I was kind of expecting to take it out of the room and not really know what it was going to sound... And just be like mixing on a new set of speakers. And I was prepared for the worst and I left the studio listening to it on my headphones and at home and it sounded exactly how I thought it was going to sound. They're by far the easiest speakers I've ever adjusted to.
Chris Barker:
They look super cool and retro as well.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly. And they look great.
Chris Barker:
So, they're a Tannoy built, Manley designed? Okay.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
Very, very cool.
Will Betts:
So they're dual concentric speakers and front porters?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
Right. Interesting.
Chris Barker:
It seems like there's an ever...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Winners.
Chris Barker:
A never ending want for replacement drivers on them and they're very, very limited and precious.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, they're tough to get ahold of now.
Chris Barker:
But awesome.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Although, Tannoy have just released their speaker, I can't remember what it's called. They've released this new thing is essentially supposed to be like the modern version of those. And they're ludicrously cheap. They're like 400 quid for a pair. And apparently they're actually really good.
Will Betts:
Aren't they owned by Behringer now? Tannoy?
Chris Barker:
Oh, right.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Maybe. I actually feel like someone said that to me. Maybe, which does not [crosstalk 00:13:34].
Will Betts:
Yeah, it's part of that group. Yeah [crosstalk 00:13:35].
Chris Barker:
Well, that's probably the reason why they're so...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
So cheap.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, so cheap.
Will Betts:
Affordable.
Chris Barker:
Oh my god.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
But apparently they're good. I've heard good things. But yeah, that's what I'm having, a pair of those.
Will Betts:
Beautiful.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Please. I'm glad they count as one thing, I was a little worried about that. I thought you're going to be like...
Chris Barker:
We love it as well when it's new gear on the podcast.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay, great. I'm kind of interested to see how my list compares to other peoples.
Will Betts:
Before we get to item number two, before you had listened to those, the Manley ML10's, did you have a favourite speaker... I mean, you talked about having to listen over and over to these different kinds, but was there something you went to before that?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
The set that I've had at home for a long time are Neumann KH 120's. Which I do love, I'm so used to them. And they're great, but that... Yeah, probably those. Also had got quite into PMCs. Even in rooms that I've been in a lot, like Hoxa studio that I work in quite a lot. Used to be the in-house, but I still go back there every now and then. They've got a pair of ProAc's and a pair of Boulders, Unity Boulders. And after four years of working there, I still cannot get my head around the Boulders.
Will Betts:
Interesting.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I'll still occasionally leave the session and be like, "I actually don't know what it sounds like." I don't know what it is about those speakers in that room, I still find really confusing. I find myself using the ProAc's always in there.
Chris Barker:
So these Manley's are a real change, the fact that it was so immediate?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, they were such a breath of fresh air, and they look cool. Not so with the Manley's, they're just balanced, they sound exciting but they also sound how they sound. They sound right. They also, they kind of have that Tannoy field thing where when you've got stuff panned, it is very much in a specific place, it's not just like, "It's somewhere on the right." It's like, "It's right there."
Will Betts:
And that's because of the dual concentric design, presumably, and the time alignment, phase alignment.
Chris Barker:
I need to hear these speakers once we're allowed out of the house.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, exactly.
Will Betts:
Never.
Chris Barker:
Okay. So, moving onto item number two. What's next?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay, am I allowed to have a desk?
Chris Barker:
Of course, you're allowed to have any single item.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay.
Chris Barker:
We will tell you off if it's a bundle. But you go.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay. I have no bundles, I don't want bundles.
Chris Barker:
Well, we'll see. Sometimes people don't realise it's a bundle.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I'm 99.9% sure I don't want any bundles. I'm going to have... It's quite exciting you're allowed to have a desk. Actually, I feel like you could be quite cheeky and make six things into, I don't know, the fanciest studio ever. I'm not going to do that. Anyway.
Chris Barker:
No, you can do it. I mean, a desk can give you pre-amps, EQ's, a compressor.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly.
Chris Barker:
Exactly, so that's fine. That's not a bundle.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I'm have a Neve 8058.
Chris Barker:
Okay.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
As many channels as I can have on it.
Chris Barker:
Wow.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
As many as available. Although, can I... Okay. One question. When people come to record at this studio, are they bringing the instruments?
Will Betts:
They can bring stuff. Yeah, I mean...
Chris Barker:
We've allowed that before but, also, you may want to think about those overnight flights on the aeroplane and if you want to play a bit of sad guitar while-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah. Sad guitar, yeah.
Chris Barker:
Do you know what I mean? That's the thing. People can bring stuff, but they're not bringing a grand piano, are they? And things like that.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It's fine. I don't think I want a grand piano. Six things. Okay, all right, fine. So, Neve 8058 covers me on a lot of bases. Got loads of great pre's, got loads of great EQ's. Got a 2254 in there, might come in handy.
Will Betts:
So hang on. The Neve, tell us about that.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah. I feel like, if you have that, you're kind of covered on the pre and EQ front, compression maybe. But the reason for that is it is the Hoxa desk and it's the one I'm most used to, but it's also just the best. I think I'm probably Neve biassed, over everything else I would always take Neve for mixing and recording.
Chris Barker:
It's a pretty straight split so far, on people that do have desks, between SSL and Neve.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
SSL. Okay, no one's going for anything fun.
Chris Barker:
Well, we've had an API yesterday, didn't we? Butch Vig, vintage API. A very specific one, but yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
What? Like a specific model or one from a specific studio?
Chris Barker:
Well, he really wanted to steal Dave Grohl's one, didn't he? From-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
From, fucking...
Chris Barker:
... Sound City.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
... thingy, Sound City, yeah.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Right.
Will Betts:
Are you specifically going to the one from Hoxa?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
No, I don't need to take that one.
Will Betts:
You sure?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I could take that one.
Will Betts:
I mean, yeah. Anything's possible in the Forever Studio.
Chris Barker:
Do you want bigger though?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Well, so here's the thing. The Hoxa one...
Chris Barker:
[inaudible 00:19:11] 32.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I love the Hoxa one. The Hoxa one's great. Yeah, I mean, I would've so happily have the Hoxa one, although it is missing a couple of faders. But there's a photo of John Lennon at the Record Plant, when it still existed, in New York with his son, Sean, not Julian. It's a really sweet photo. So Sean is sitting in this chair at the desk and John is... He's gesturing as if he's saying like, "So this is the studio." And, "This the desk." And blah, blah, blah. And it's an 8058 but I think it's... The one at Hoxa is 28 channels. It's 24 and then you got four extra line amps, but I think that one... Or at least from the photo, it's kind of a funny angle and I've really tried to figure out how many channels there is. But I think it's more. So I'll have that one, wherever it is.
Chris Barker:
It's a big old desk but there's quite a lot of space between the faders, it's quite well spread out, isn't it? So maybe it's, what? Maybe it's only a 32, but it's huge.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It might be. Yeah, it might...
Will Betts:
I mean, you've only got a 32-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Maybe it's only a 32 amp.
Will Betts:
... in and outs on your interface.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I know. Exactly.
Chris Barker:
It's a lovely desk though. It's really nice when they're not all compressed together, and all of the nobs are a bit oversized and faders are oversized. Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I'm having that one.
Chris Barker:
Okay.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I'm going to take the one out of the Record Plant. Who know where it is now, but-
Chris Barker:
That feels like a great choice.
Will Betts:
Done.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
... I'll find it.
Chris Barker:
And it's going to look so banging with those Manley speakers as well. It's all going to have this vintage vibes.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly.
Will Betts:
It's coming together nicely.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly. It's going to be kind of '70s in there, I think.
Chris Barker:
Yeah. [inaudible 00:20:55] speakers.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Casing on that desk is wood, it's going to be nice, it's going to fit in with the muted tones and the oranges and the nice lighting, it's going to look great.
Chris Barker:
Okay, item number three.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Item number three. I'm going down the microphone road. And I thought probably too much about this. I was thinking about whether two mics is too many, but then I'm also stuck in a studio, and if people are bringing stuff, they're not going to bring mics, really.
Chris Barker:
Okay.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
So, number one is, I'm going to have a Ball and Biscuit.
Will Betts:
And for those people who don't know the Ball and Biscuit, could you just explain what the Ball and Biscuit is?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It is also called an Apple and Biscuit.
Chris Barker:
I'm getting all sorts of result when I'm Googling this.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It's a...
Will Betts:
Well, a slightly less fancy...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I think it was... I feel it was developed... It's Coles, it's a BBC... Or at least I... Yeah, it's BBC. I guess, broadcasting mic, originally? I actually don't know if it was designed for a specific thing.
Will Betts:
I think was a broadcast mic, it's got to be. I mean, the way that it's designed, it's setup as an interview mic.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, I feel it has to be. But yeah, it's one of my favourites. I feel people look at it... It's an underdog of microphone. People look at it and they think it's going to sound rubbish because it looks ridiculous. There is one in Hoxa and I've seen people come in and want to use it think it's going to be this kind of lo-fi kind of green bullet-esque thing.
Chris Barker:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Dani Bennett Spragg:
And it's not. It actually sounds great. It sounds like a slightly less fancy Coles.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Actually. It's got the same sort of warmth.
Chris Barker:
It's called an Apple and Biscuit because it looks like an apple with a digestive biscuit standing on top of it.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
I love that, that's so cool.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
And there's also a White Stripes song named after it.
Chris Barker:
So, Toe Rag have probably have a few of them, I guess.
Will Betts:
They do.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly. Yeah, Toe Rag... What's his name? Liam...
Chris Barker:
Liam Watson.
Will Betts:
Liam Watson.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, apparently they're his... Liam Watson's go to mic. And so, he introduced Jack White and now Jack White has probably 20 of them in his studio in Nashville. They're just great, they're great. They're just... Yeah, they're fun and they look fun as well.
Chris Barker:
ETC 4021.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yes.
Chris Barker:
Okay. But Apple and Biscuit is a lot cooler.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
Nice. They should make them in green and [crosstalk 00:23:40]-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
They should make them in green.
Chris Barker:
... a nice digestive top.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
They also traditionally come in these really beautiful kind of pale blue wooden boxes that say like, what is it? Standard Telephone and Cables? STC, yeah.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, Standard Telephones and...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah. And I'm having it in that box.
Chris Barker:
Made in England as well. I didn't realise, okay.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah. Made in London.
Will Betts:
Okay, so tell us about your history with this microphone then, have you used it a lot for recording sessions? Are there any in particular?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I've used it a lot. I got introduced to it because there was one at Hoxa. And the same as everyone else, i was like, "That looks fine. Need to use that on something." And just gradually have used it on pretty much everything. Occasionally just on a session I'll be like, "Oh, I've never used it on a double bass before, it probably sounds great." And it always does. It always sounds so good. And then I used one at... I did a session at Abbey Road in February this year. We were doing a live version of this record that I'd engineered last year with an artist called Malena Zavala, and we were doing... I'd never been to Abbey Road before. I think I'd been to visit once but I'd never worked there so I was making my plan for the setup and the day of recording to give to the assistant the night before. And I'd never looked at the Abbey Road mic list, it's ludicrous.
Will Betts:
It's insane.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I was looking at it, it was like 28 U67. 18 Coles, blah, blah, blah. And then-
Chris Barker:
I guarantee you, that list is incomplete that you read as well. There's loads of secret ones.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
So many secret ones. There's got to be. And there's just TG's lining the corridors and it's such a ridiculous place. But I did use about 12 67s on that session. It's just like, yeah, let's put another one there. And then I used a couple of those. I used one on acoustic and one on a vocal. And they were like the... I actually wasn't really expecting this, I was kind of expecting them to be not that amazing bleed wise and I kind of just put them up because I knew that I liked them. And the whole setup for that session was a bit... I didn't entirely know what I was doing. It was like 10 musicians playing in a circle. It was just a bit like, "We'll set stuff up and see how it sounds. Who knows what's going to happen here."
Dani Bennett Spragg:
And the Ball and Biscuit, especially on the acoustic guitar, was like, "Don't do anything to that." It sounded better than what we'd done on the record that took us like an hour.
Will Betts:
What?
Chris Barker:
Right.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
And I was just like... I just put this like... Not even in a specific position, I just put it up in front of this acoustic and it was like, "Here you go." Done.
Will Betts:
But it's a dynamic though, so that's sort of weirdly counter intuitive for-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I know.
Will Betts:
... the purpose.
Chris Barker:
[inaudible 00:27:00], "What?"
Will Betts:
"What?" [inaudible 00:27:03].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Also, it's one of those mics that, if you do want to turn it into a kind of crunchy thing, like crush on drums or whatever, and then it's this ideal...
Chris Barker:
It'll take it.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
You can do that. It'll take it, yeah. So will the Neve, the Neve is so great for that.
Will Betts:
According to the internet as well, the Ball and Biscuit was the microphone used by Phil Collins on In The Air Tonight for the drums sound.
Chris Barker:
Really?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Is it?
Will Betts:
Apparently. According to the internet.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Interesting.
Will Betts:
We'll have to check that when we're finished. Microphone number two then.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
All right.
Chris Barker:
Which is item number...
Will Betts:
Item number four.
Chris Barker:
Four.
Will Betts:
Four.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, it's either going to be a 67 or a C12.
Will Betts:
What's your thought process here?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Well, I've used 67's a lot more. I feel like they're a trusty steed. Let's go C12 because I think... I don't know them as well as I know 67's but I think they could be better.
Chris Barker:
And you have forever flying around to figure out-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly, I've got forever to figure it out. And I feel like my combination of Ball and Biscuit with C12, I'm going to be able to get any sound that I ever need.
Will Betts:
Probably true, isn't it? Yeah. Okay, you want to record a drum kit, how are you doing it with those two mics?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I'm going to go C12 overhead and Ball and Biscuit probably in between the kick and the snare.
Will Betts:
Oh, like the Wurst mic thing?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
The what mic?
Will Betts:
The Wurst, the sausage.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
What's that?
Will Betts:
There's this guy called Moses Schneider who's a German engineer who, he wrote a book about recording and he has this idea about... You want something that's nice like a sausage, like a delicious sound that you can add to your mix. And like because sausages are nice and it just sort of sits in the middle between the kick and the snare and you just kind of blend it in, in the mix.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Oh sure, okay. Yeah. Sure.
Will Betts:
Is that [crosstalk 00:29:09]...
Chris Barker:
It's like the disco era mic as well. If you only have one mic, you just put it there and you get that kind of instant kick snare, hi-hat thing all at once.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, it has a nice low end but you also get some nice snare crispiness.
Chris Barker:
I mean, it feels like there's a whole market for food based mics though now. We could have a sausage mic, a biscuit mic.
Will Betts:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
But yeah, anyway, I feel like-
Chris Barker:
I don't know.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
... that combo... I'm fine, I'm sorted.
Will Betts:
And have you ever had to actually had to do any super minimal micing technics like this? Or do you always sort of have...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
No, I had to.
Will Betts:
Or have you chosen to?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I've tried.
Will Betts:
And how's that gone?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It's gone actually really well. I feel you always think it's... Well, not always but there are definitely some sessions where you're like, "I'm not going to use more than three mics on the kit. This is a challenge. Make it work." Because you know there is a way that it sounds great, this has been done-
Will Betts:
Good enough for Glyn Johns, yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
... a thousand times. You're just like, "Why can't I do it?" And the last time I did it, which was in the start of this year. I was doing a drum session for a artist called Blanco White.
Will Betts:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
With Matt Ingram, fantastic drummer, one of the best. And yeah, I used... It wasn't three, I think I used four. I used a pair of overheads and a kick and a snare and that was it. And it was great.
Chris Barker:
It must also be difficult to restrict yourself like that if you're in a studio that has loads of stuff. Yeah, you wouldn't get to Abbey Road and go, "No, actually I'll just use an SM57."
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly, when you've got all the options... I feel that's a little bit what... The reaction that I got from the assistants when I was like, "Can I have two 4021's please?" They were like, "Why? Take an M50."
Chris Barker:
Item number five. We're closing in now.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay, item number five. This is my only bit of software. Software's not that fun compared to real stuff.
Chris Barker:
Correct.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
[inaudible 00:31:22]. Correct. So, yeah. And it's not a bundle. I'm going to go Altiverb.
Will Betts:
Interesting. Why?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Because I do want so reverb. I feel it's going to be quite dead on the plane, even though I'm going to have the ceiling extended in the back. Yeah, I need some form of verb.
Chris Barker:
I just feel we can upsell your dreams.
Will Betts:
You could upsell the dream. You've gone for Altiverb, I mean, which is appropriate.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I don't know what that means.
Chris Barker:
You have a dream of the forever studio, your dream is Altiverb, but we're going to upsell you.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Oh, okay.
Chris Barker:
Are you not thinking... We always go straight here but it's the Bricasti M7 or something like that?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, I've thought about that but no.
Chris Barker:
Oh, okay. Wow.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, Bricasti M7, it was close.
Will Betts:
But it's fine. Altiverb.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
But maybe I don't know it well enough.
Chris Barker:
Don't forget, you've got forever.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yes, yeah, very true. Yeah. We got an M7 at Craig's studio six months ago, and it's not in... There's no space for it in the normal racks, so it sits kind of off to the side, so we always forget to use it.
Chris Barker:
It's only 1U, isn't it?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I know, but there's no space, there's loads of stuff in there. So it sits off to the side and we always forget that it's there so we always forget to use it.
Chris Barker:
Okay, tell about Altiverb then, why you love it. Let's back out of upselling.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I don't know. In my head Altiverb is more versatile.
Chris Barker:
It's working while it's working.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Well, my thought, you can try and upsell but I don't like the idea... I'm kind of, I don't want it because it's software and it's no fun. But I feel, if this is the only studio that I'm ever going to be in, being stuck in this studio, I can go and sample all the places that I wish I was in and have them in Altiverb.
Will Betts:
Okay, to be clear, the situation isn't like the one that we've been experiencing in recent years, not like we're going to suddenly have a shut down. You know you're going into the Forever Studio and you've gone on a world tour in your jet to go and sample all the spaces. I think it sounds like a good idea. I like the...
Chris Barker:
Actually, yeah, it's cool because you can fly around sampling places as you go in different locations. That can be a hobby on the side.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
"[inaudible 00:34:12] hobby?" "My hobby is collecting space."
Dani Bennett Spragg:
There you go, exactly.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
And then you can-
Chris Barker:
"I'm a space collector, a space hoarder."
Will Betts:
You could then sell a pack.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Like sour dough, you know how they do that with sour dough? You can harvest air from somewhere really weird.
Will Betts:
Is that how they do it?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
And turn it into your starter.
Will Betts:
Harvest air?
Chris Barker:
Yeah, I've heard of that, and now you've just reminded me of that and how ridiculous it is, it's brilliant. I love it.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
My aunt and uncle harvested air from the top of the Statue of Liberty.
Will Betts:
Salty.
Chris Barker:
I love... You could barely get it out as soon as you started. "We've harvest air from the top of the Statue of Liberty."
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It's so ludicrous. I do like it though.
Will Betts:
Wow.
Chris Barker:
It just makes me think immediately of really gross things. Harvesting air. "Where's this from?" "Well, you don't want to know where I harvested this air from."
Will Betts:
Is that genuinely-
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I'll harvest air alongside the sample and then serve it with the reverb.
Chris Barker:
Wow, that's good. Maybe that could be-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Slice of sour dough with your verb.
Will Betts:
Delicious.
Chris Barker:
That's a really good competition isn't it? You go and do blind testing of sour dough and if can guess where the air has been harvested from...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, that's...
Chris Barker:
So this is all the same recipe-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, I'd do that. 100%.
Chris Barker:
... it's just different harvested air and you tell me the location and you win a loaf.
Will Betts:
And there's definitely somebody with that job somewhere. It's like the water sommelier, it's like that.
Chris Barker:
Water sommelier, yes.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yes.
Will Betts:
Real jobs.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly.
Chris Barker:
It's probably the same guy. "I'm the water sommelier and I also harvest air." Brilliant. My taste buds [crosstalk 00:35:48].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly.
Chris Barker:
Maybe there'll be...
Will Betts:
Have you ever done any of the sampling of spaces before? Have you ever actually done convolution recording?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I haven't but I want to.
Will Betts:
Do you have the starting pistol or are you going to go for the whoop?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Am I going for the what?
Will Betts:
They're like the sweep, the sine sweep? I call it the whoop.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Oh, the sine sweep?
Will Betts:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
No, I... Well.
Chris Barker:
[crosstalk 00:36:06] starting pistol or the whoop?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I was like, "What are you talking about?" Sine sweep versus shot gun?
Will Betts:
Yeah, because I feel shot gun's more fun, the pistol's more fun.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I feel shot gun's more fun as well, I'd probably do that, yeah.
Chris Barker:
Okay. So, on that note, first three spaces you would grab?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Crown of the Statue of Liberty. No jokes. Absolutely not. Do you know what? I would like the Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern.
Will Betts:
That's a good one. Yes.
Chris Barker:
Has anybody ever recorded in there? It feels like an obvious thing.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Definitely, surely they have.
Chris Barker:
[crosstalk 00:36:39] drum kit in there [crosstalk 00:36:40].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
100%, it has to have been done.
Will Betts:
I think they do gigs, right?
Chris Barker:
That is a good space. What about studios?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Studio 2.
Chris Barker:
Studio 2 and Abbey Road?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Studio 2...
Will Betts:
[crosstalk 00:36:47].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Oh, Studio 2 is the really obvious one.
Will Betts:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Studio 2 sounds like nothing else.
Chris Barker:
I tried to, I asked them once when I worked for a different entity, about doing that and giving it away. I was like, "I'll just come in and do this, there's this new technology." And they were like, "No way."
Will Betts:
[crosstalk 00:37:07].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Absolutely not.
Chris Barker:
But I think they've done it now themselves, in plugins and things, but yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Do you know what? It's quite neat actually, but there's a studio in Willesden or like Dollis Hill, called Narcissus, that's run by two guys called Antony Genn and Martin Slattery. And it's a really weird room. It's really like they're kind of just... Neither of them are particularly studio-y but they've just accumulated this ridiculous amount of stuff and it's all very strange. That room sounds really great and I don't think it's... It's definitely not on purpose.
Chris Barker:
Like what happened with Rockfield as well, that was kind of like by accident I think, wasn't it? Watching that documentary on it, it was...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I'm yet to watch that but I'm supposed to go there next week, actually.
Chris Barker:
But yeah, amazing place and amazing sounding room and I think that was just kind off... They moved... They didn't really know what they were doing when they were building it. They just put stuff around and because it was like barn and stone walls and then at some point it was like, "Wow, stop! Let's never move anything again." Final item.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I would also... I just want to say, I would also take an M7, not as well as, I'm just saying. If I was going to take a hardware verb, it probably would be that.
Chris Barker:
Okay. So we were close calls with the upselling dreams.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Maybe I'll just... Surely I can just... Oh, nevermind.
Chris Barker:
What? Same the M7?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
Into Altiverb.
Will Betts:
You could technically do that.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
Yeah. Harvest the air at the M7.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Harvest it, yeah.
Chris Barker:
I think that's the name of this podcast, isn't it? Harvest the air?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Harvest the air?
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
Dani Bennett Spragg is harvesting air. Yeah.
Chris Barker:
And everybody will think she means AIR Studios and then they'll listen and they'll go, "No, for sour dough." Final item.
Will Betts:
[crosstalk 00:39:04].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yes, final item. This took me a really, really long time to think about.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I didn't know whether... Right, I'll talk you through my thoughts. One of my instincts was that I'd like an acoustic guitar.
Chris Barker:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Because then I can play it and entertain myself. But also, they're probably my favourite thing to record. And then I thought, "Well, I don't know." It could be an acoustic or it could be something fun like an H2000, I'm not sure. I actually don't know.
Will Betts:
It's a big gulf there.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Do you know what? Well, I actually think it's going to be an acoustic guitar.
Chris Barker:
And any particular? Old, dreadnought, new, electric acoustic?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Old, I'm going to say, probably like a Washburn, a parlour guitar.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so not a big old-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
No.
Chris Barker:
... power country cords.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
No, I want a little baby... I'm quite small and those are they only guitars that really... They look like they fit me.
Chris Barker:
So kind of like the-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
That [inaudible 00:40:23].
Chris Barker:
Ed Sheeran style... That's kind of parlour sized, right?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Sure, but absolutely not.
Chris Barker:
Okay. I wasn't framing any kind of musical reference, I was just... For our listeners, those little guitars that Ed Sheeran's used, that's a parlour guitar, right?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yes, there you go. Without all the stickers.
Will Betts:
So indignant about the stickers.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Thank kind of...
Will Betts:
What's the [crosstalk 00:40:47]-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Thank kind of size.
Chris Barker:
Is that they only reason you're refusing to record Ed Sheeran here? It's like as soon as he comes around-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
"Take the stickers off."
Chris Barker:
... [crosstalk 00:40:53] he'll just put stickers on all of your stuff?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly, he'll put stickers on all of my things.
Chris Barker:
He loves stickers, that's the thing with Ed Sheeran. He does.
Will Betts:
He's known for it.
Chris Barker:
He's pockets are full of Panini stickers. It's like you leave the studio covered in '90s footballers.
Will Betts:
Oh no. Robbie Savage.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
The only one to know.
Chris Barker:
"Why is Bruce Grobbelaar on the Neve?"
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, Ed Sheeran is... If he's got stickers I'm not allowing him in.
Chris Barker:
Search him for.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
He can't put stickers on my things.
Chris Barker:
Okay, fine.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, I'm thinking a kind of parlour sort of, turn of the century little...
Chris Barker:
Lovely.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, George Washburn, something. Something very light.
Chris Barker:
Are they harder to record the little guitars? On a technical...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Doesn't matter, I've got forever to figure it out. No, I actually don't think so. No.
Chris Barker:
Okay, because I just... I always presume, and this isn't my field, engineering, co correct me. But sorry, if something kicks out loads of volume, surely it's bit easier to capture than something that's quite dynamic and light in volume.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, kind of, but it's also... I feel it's just different. I think it's my favourite sounding... My favourite kind of sound of acoustic, is that sort of light... That really full bodied, twangy, steel string, intenseness, not for me. Doubled, sure. If I say a 12 string, sure. But yeah, I love a muted... Yeah, it's really soft sound. Yeah, I think so. Yeah.
Will Betts:
And have you had to record that with any of the bands you've worked with-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Have I recorded it?
Will Betts:
... at any point? Yeah, that sort of thing, that sort of guitar?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Plenty of times. Yeah, actually, the guitar that I... The Ball and Biscuit one at Abbey Road, was actually that kind of style.
Will Betts:
Oh, really?
Chris Barker:
Oh, you've got the perfect setup then for it.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Exactly.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, nice.
Will Betts:
And so remind us where we can hear that? The track that you recorded that with?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
The track with that guitar on is called, I'm Leaving Home, by Malena Zavala.
Chris Barker:
Nice.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, all the Abbey Road versions that we did are out on YouTube now. They look incredible. The guys who did the videos for it did an amazing job. Yeah, that was easily one of the funnest days I've ever had in the studio. Not only just being... Sitting in Studio 2, everything sounds great and you don't even have to do anything to anything. But yeah, there were like 10 musicians, maybe nine, maybe 10. A lot of musicians and it was one of those sessions where, I think, the video and the music aspects were kind of battling it out, as to like, I want it to sound great and the video guys are like, "But I want it to look great." And I'm like, "I know, but also, it doesn't matter if it looks great if it doesn't sound great."
Dani Bennett Spragg:
So, it was a bit of a... We were trying to work around each other and figure out the best way to do it and... So I wasn't allowed to use any baffles so everyone is in a circle and it's fully open. And Melena, the singer, is opposite the drum kit. She's pretty far away from it but it was not the easiest but it was really fun. Really, really fun.
Chris Barker:
Well, at least you didn't say, "So in the end, we all just mimed."
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yes. Exactly, I promise, it's all live. Yeah, it's really good. Really fun day. And a great record, if I do say so myself.
Chris Barker:
Will, do you want to do us the run down of what we've got before we get to the luxury item?
Will Betts:
We are on a very, very large Russian plane. The Antonov An-225 Mriya, is the name. Very large, with a living room inside full of little lamps. You have a live space. You're working on a Mac Pro, the 55,000 pound Mac Pro. Your audio interface is an Antelope Orion 32 HD. Your DAW is Pro Tools. You are listening back on a pair of Manley Tannoy ML10's. Your desk is a Neve 8058 from the Record Plant for the pre's and the EQ's and the 2254. You have two microphones, the first, a Coles 4021 Ball and Biscuit, sorry, an STC 4021 Ball and Biscuit, you're going vintage, right?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yep, very nice.
Will Betts:
Wonderful. A vintage C12. For reverb, although, I think this is a particularly good, the reverb Altiverb because you're in a plane. It all works out a little too well, this one. And then just for fun, the Washburn parlour guitar from the turn of the century built by George Washburn himself. How does that sound?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Hand built, please.
Will Betts:
Hand built. Of course, no other way. Turn of the century.
Chris Barker:
How does that sound?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It sounds great. I'd go to that studio.
Chris Barker:
Nice.
Will Betts:
I would too, yeah.
Chris Barker:
Well, you will be.
Will Betts:
[crosstalk 00:46:37].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Forever. Someone's going to bring a drum kit and then I'm going to nail it down so they can't take it away.
Chris Barker:
Oh, a thief. I see.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Oh, I see.
Will Betts:
You have one more item for the list, you have a luxury item.
Chris Barker:
Luxury item. So this is something that's not studio gear related but something maybe you wished was in every studio you worked in or something that has been... You've taken to every studio, even though it's not something that gets used on a session or whatever.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Oh, wait, hang on. I thought it was a non-studio related item. Like non-gear.
Will Betts:
Yeah, non-gear, year.
Chris Barker:
Non-gear, yeah, it's non-gear.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Oh, okay.
Chris Barker:
Or I don't know, you might take a lucky painting.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I do not do that but that would be real eccentric [crosstalk 00:47:19].
Will Betts:
Take it to every session. It's large.
Chris Barker:
Maybe you need one of those things as your thing. "Oh, have you worked with Dani?" "Yeah, she brings that lucky painting along."
Dani Bennett Spragg:
"Oh, yeah, she's that painting girl." Yeah. I am going to have a dog.
Will Betts:
You are.
Chris Barker:
You can have pets and friends and family, so it's fine. It's not included.
Will Betts:
[crosstalk 00:47:43].
Dani Bennett Spragg:
It doesn't count. Okay. I'll specify that the dog is going to be a Whippet.
Chris Barker:
Okay, good.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Studio Whippet. Oh, okay, this changes everything. I can have friends and family?
Chris Barker:
Yeah, they're all there normal.
Will Betts:
Well, not normal. They're on a plane.
Chris Barker:
[crosstalk 00:47:54] you're on a plane but yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
What? Okay.
Chris Barker:
You don't have to if you just want to... That's why you're on a plane, you don't want to see anybody, that's fine.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay, so I need a thing. Oh, this changes everything. I was like, "Obviously it's going to be a dog." Okay, right.
Chris Barker:
I mean, we have had dogs before but we've loosened the rules because we thought it was a bit cruel that you couldn't bring your pets or your family.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Oh, really?
Chris Barker:
Well, at one point we were making a poor man decide between his wife or a dog and-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Oh, I see.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, so we relaxed those rules because it felt a bit unfair.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay.
Will Betts:
The great easening, we called it.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
One thing that I want. This is a grey area because there's already stuff in the plane, right? And my lamps aren't included.
Will Betts:
I think lamps are allowed.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Neither are the rugs, I'm having rugs.
Will Betts:
Lamps and rugs are part of the décor, that's all fine.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Cool. Okay, they're a part... Okay. And a sofa. They're a part of the studio aesthetic. Okay, fine, so I don't have to think about that. This is what's in my head right now and I'm going to go with it. I'm going to say, a pinball machine.
Will Betts:
Nice! Why pinball?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I was kind of thinking bowling alley but that's not really a luxury item.
Chris Barker:
That's difficult.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
I want some fun, I want a game.
Chris Barker:
Bowling mid flight would be brilliant.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, it'd be really great. If a bowling alley is an item, then I'm having that. If it doesn't count, then give me some pinball.
Chris Barker:
You could kind of have the pilot helping you out.
Will Betts:
Haven't we had a bowling alley before?
Chris Barker:
Yeah, we've had a bowling alley. Yeah.
Will Betts:
We allowed it, yeah. You can have it. Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
What?
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
You've had a bowling alley? That's incredible. Okay, fine.Can I have an arcade?
Chris Barker:
A full arcade? Yes.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Full arcade, yeah. Give me an arcade with switchable games.
Will Betts:
Done.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
It is yours.
Chris Barker:
Neo Geo.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Like cartridges
Chris Barker:
Yeah, Neo Geo was the Switch Ball arcade machine.
Will Betts:
Why do you know so much about this, Chris?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay, sure. I'll take that.
Will Betts:
Super deep into the arcade.
Chris Barker:
To anybody who listens to the podcast wondering why I've never heard of the Ball and Biscuit but I know so much about arcades and aeroplanes , I'm so sorry.
Will Betts:
You've gone way off brand, Chris.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
If it's full arcade, you can also have one of those grabby things?
Chris Barker:
Oh, yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Those are fun.
Chris Barker:
And you never win.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
They drive you nuts.
Chris Barker:
You'll never win.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
But you're never going to win.
Chris Barker:
[crosstalk 00:50:05].
Will Betts:
[crosstalk 00:50:05] possible on a plane as well.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
What are they called again?
Chris Barker:
I think they're just called...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Cherry picker.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, cherry picker. I actually just call them the grabby things, like you, so I don't know.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
The grabby things, yeah, sure.
Chris Barker:
We could have a My Forever Studio special of those with loads of those Ball and Biscuits in there.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yes, 100%.
Chris Barker:
And you can just... You're like, "If only I had stereo pair." And you just would never get one.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, they, I mean, drive you nuts.
Will Betts:
Lovely.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Okay, I feel if a bowling alley is allowed, then I can probably have an arcade.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, you can definitely have an arcade.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Cool, thank you.
Chris Barker:
Full arcade is very cool.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Cool, thanks.
Chris Barker:
I miss the arcades. I kind of wish they still existed.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, also, it's got to have some of those two P machines in there.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, they're good, yeah.
Will Betts:
Are the ones that sort of push the...
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, real good.
Will Betts:
... slow push off the edge. Yeah.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, exactly. But they cannot be 10 P ones, those ones are...
Will Betts:
Bankrupt you.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Are you insane?
Chris Barker:
Are you still having a fiver taped around a fag packet? That's always nice, isn't it?
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Obviously.
Chris Barker:
A pack of cigarettes with a fiver taped around it. That was always a great prize when you were eight.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
100%. That's all I've ever wanted.
Chris Barker:
It's like, "I've won 20 cigarettes and enough money to buy another 20 cigarettes once I'm hooked!"
Dani Bennett Spragg:
There you go. Done.
Chris Barker:
Excellent. Okay, well, that's the end of the podcast, you got a big arcade machine there on the Antonov plane. I'm saying Antonov a lot now because I got it so wrong earlier on in the podcast. So sorry for any real plane nerds screaming at the podcast when they were listening to that going, "What's he on about? Ustinov?" Okay, well thank you so much for joining us and struggling through-
Dani Bennett Spragg:
My pleasure.
Chris Barker:
... and educating us about air harvesting and microphones I'd never heard of and speakers I'd never heard of.
Will Betts:
Very good choices.
Chris Barker:
Very, very cool.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
Yeah, I'm glad I could bring new things to the table.
Will Betts:
You certainly have.
Chris Barker:
Yes.
Will Betts:
Wonderful, thank you, Dani.
Chris Barker:
Well, thank you so much.
Dani Bennett Spragg:
My pleasure! Thanks for having me.