Producer Nathan Cross, also known as Nathan C, has found huge success with 2019's 'Piece of Your Heart' by Meduza ft. Goodboys, garnering almost 500 million streams on Spotify. Discover the origin of the track's spoken hook, and whether we will allow a Forever Studio that floats.
Chris Barker:
I'm Chris Barker.
Will Betts:
And I'm Will Betts and welcome to the MusicTech, My Forever Studio podcast.
Chris Barker:
In this podcast we talk to artists, DJs, engineers, producers and industry figureheads about their dream studio.
Will Betts:
And, as a studio, they will have to live with Forever.
Chris Barker:
But there are some rules. In the Forever studio, you can choose a computer, a DAW and an audio interface. Then you can only have six other pieces of studio care and one other non-gear related luxury item.
Will Betts:
But what about bundles, Chris?
Chris Barker:
No bundles. In our casting pod today, we have producer, DJ and songwriter, Nathan Cross. Known as Nathan C. as a DJ and a producer, he's also a man of multiple talents. Even if you don't know him for his own club tracks, his previous residency, administrative sound or his capital FM radio show, you would have to be living under a rock, not to come to contact with Nathan's music somewhere.
Chris Barker:
As a writer, musician and producer, he's worked on huge tracks like the recent crossover smash Meduza's "Piece Of Your Heart" and even toward huge arena shows with EDM group, L Zedd Seven who supported Jason Derulo on their recent tour.
Will Betts:
Let's dive in then. And he was on that list, Nathan. This is My Forever Studio with Nathan C.
Chris Barker:
Welcome.
Nathan C:
Thank you. Thanks for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.
Chris Barker:
You know the rules. We gave you a little bit of a heads up. We do have rules on the My Forever Studio podcast rules.
Will Betts:
You got to have boundaries.
Chris Barker:
Yes. But first thing we can talk about, really, the location that you would have your Forever Studio, where you would put it and the vibe of that studio. What does it look like? Can you describe it?
Nathan C:
Yeah. It's got to be like a relaxing, kind of chilled out kind of vibe atmosphere. And I really, as much as I love vibey studios that are enclosed and don't have any windows or whatever, I just find it so depressing, though. I need some natural light. So, I think just some big windows overlooking some kind of beach coastal scenery would have to be a plus for me.
Chris Barker:
And you're talking the windswept beaches of Norfolk, perhaps?
Nathan C:
No. More kind of like Ibiza.
Chris Barker:
Okay, that's fine, too. Yeah.
Will Betts:
And, I mean, we mentioned in your intro that you do a lot of different things within music production, songwriting and deejaying. Does a type or style of studio change, the vibe of the studio change depending on what you're doing? So, if you're writing, is it a different vibe? Would you like a different vibe to say if you were knuckling down, mixing or making a club track to making a pop track or can you use this natural light studio that would work for everything for you?
Nathan C:
I think, yeah, generally speaking, but I think just the whole thing of going to a different studio each day or a few different studios throughout a week, I think it does something creatively in your brain that triggers different either feelings or a different vibe. So, I think just not sticking in one particular space constantly. I think sometimes that can be a negative thing. So, I do like...
Chris Barker:
So, is it on a boat?
Nathan C:
Yes. Yes.
Chris Barker:
He's cracked it, cracked the code.
Nathan C:
Or an aeroplane. Most environmentally friendly studio ever. Just constantly. "Fire up the plan, Jeeves, I've got an idea. I've got an idea."
Chris Barker:
Like Air Force One but as a studio.
Will Betts:
You just land in a different country every day.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Nathan C:
Yeah. I mean, you joke about the boat thing, but seriously, about a year ago I was very close to buying a boat and putting my studio on it.
Will Betts:
Like a riverboat in Arabic?
Nathan C:
Yeah, no, a boat. And just living throughout London and just travelling around.
Chris Barker:
Just one really long console down one side of the boat.
Nathan C:
It would be so good. So good.
Will Betts:
Run everything off 12 volts.
Nathan C:
Battery packs everywhere. Yeah.
Will Betts:
It's littered with car batteries.
Chris Barker:
I made Stag do a party on a narrow boat once and didn't realise about the 12 volt thing and tried to power a PA on a narrow boat.
Chris Barker:
Rookie error.
Chris Barker:
You'd hammer up to something and then everything would just blow every time. It was like, "Okay, the power's gone again." It was the worst party ever.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so, but seriously, the boat thing. So, Ibiza, a boat that would work well.
Nathan C:
Yeah, that would be incredible, yeah.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so on a boat...
Will Betts:
We're saying, but it's your dream Forever Studio. So, what kind of boat are we talking?
Nathan C:
Well. Okay, well...
Chris Barker:
How into boats do you think Nathan has?
Will Betts:
I don't know. We'll find out.
Chris Barker:
Pass him a copy of Yachting Weekly across the table.
Will Betts:
Thankfully, we have one.
Nathan C:
Yeah, mate. I suppose if we're talking no budgets, it was going to have to be a pretty large yacht.
Chris Barker:
Russian super-villain style.
Nathan C:
No, maybe not the villain kind of vibe because you don't want to scare people away. Or maybe you do because you don't want them to know that you've got a studio on board. So, yeah, big yacht, for sure.
Will Betts:
So, the HMS My Forever Studio. No one will ever know.
Nathan C:
Exactly.
Chris Barker:
A cruise ship.
Nathan C:
Cruise ship, yeah. Actually, though, we've never had somebody put it on a boat and it actually makes loads of sense now that we were talking about it. We were joking, but that would be really cool, wouldn't it? You get that different vibe every time you move around depending on projects. Definitely.
Chris Barker:
Collaboration. Wicked, I'll be there in two days. Set sail for...
Nathan C:
Fly my helicopter in, they'll have the helipad on the yacht.
Chris Barker:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
And you've got your beach views just from the other side.
Chris Barker:
Exactly. I don't think we're going to have to upsell any dreams on this one.
Will Betts:
It feels like a comedown now to ask about what kind of computer you want.
Chris Barker:
But, just to say, we've got it on a boat, it's natural light, but what's the inside like, because we always mention this every time, but there's two different styles of studio that exists. I mean, obviously there's many different styles, but you've got the Aoki, Nicky Romero spaceship-type Hardwell thing, or you've got the kind of strong room psychedelic wooden natural thing, potentially. They're both extreme ends of the scale.
Nathan C:
So, I was thinking about this the other day and the Nicky Romero is actually one of my kind of things I write down is just those spaceship-looking studios, big respect for the Nicky Romero and all those guys. But I just hate that spaceship kind of style because it just looks too sterile. It doesn't really create much of a vibe for me.
Chris Barker:
Well, it's proper Marmite for studios. And I think people... I mean, I love it, but I've never had one to work in. I've been in lots of them for journalist stuff. But it's like, "Wow, this is so cool." And it is cool. It's jaw-dropping. But then you think, "Eight hours in here?"
Nathan C:
Yeah, exactly.
Chris Barker:
But I guess they each have their own, you know? Those guys aren't having any problems with knocking out hit records in those spaceships, are they? So, it works for them.
Nathan C:
Yeah, for sure. I think, yeah, for me, it's got to be more like a nice sofa, some plants, some books in their little bookshelf and like stacks of vinyl on the floor and all that kind of stuff.
Chris Barker:
More of an inspirational...
Nathan C:
Yeah, definitely.
Will Betts:
And natural acoustic diffusion with a bookshelf, of course.
Nathan C:
Exactly. Books of different depths.
Will Betts:
Yeah. You look super learned. You look like a book collector. Yeah. Even though you only bought that book because it was a certain lens.
Nathan C:
Yeah, because it works with that wavelength.
Will Betts:
I need this book because of the wavelength problem in my studio.
Chris Barker:
So, we've got the vibe set. So, we start now, Mac or PC?
Nathan C:
Oh, Mac, 100% every day.
Chris Barker:
And are we talking a laptop? Are you on the move? I guess you don't need... The boat is the laptop.
Nathan C:
Yeah. Well, I mean, I've been running this MacBook probably for the last couple of years and it's been amazing. It just literally soups up and with high spec I could get, and it's been great. I've been much more mobile as a producer going in and out of different studios. So, but no, I think if we're talking Foever Studio and on the boat, then those new iMacs look pretty tasty. And yeah, my mate, John [inaudible 00:07:58] was here the other day and it's got like 72 gigs of RAM or something ridiculous in his iMac and I'm just like, "Dude, that's insane." Load every contact library...
Chris Barker:
Every single one ever.
Nathan C:
Yeah, but his computer doesn't crash. Happy days.
Chris Barker:
And the other two more, sort of, included free items, but you can choose is, what's your DAW of choice in the Forever Studio?
Nathan C:
Logic Pro. Ableton Rewired in.
Chris Barker:
No, that's two... No bundles.
Will Betts:
You can't double-DAW yourself.
Chris Barker:
You can't, no double-DAW.
Will Betts:
No double-doors.
Chris Barker:
So, you can't have Ableton, but it will come off of your choices later on when we get to that section.
Nathan C:
All right, I'll just stick with Logic then.
Chris Barker:
Just stick with Logic? Okay. And then the audio interface. Any audience face that you've got preference on? Again, it's a fantasy studio.
Nathan C:
I'm really happy with Universal Audio stuff and I've got the Apollo at the moment and it's great. Yeah.
Chris Barker:
So, the latest Apollo?
Nathan C:
Yeah. Yeah. Just with the satellite processor thing to give you more processing or am I not allowed that?
Chris Barker:
No. Yeah. No, that stays. I mean, that's another piece of gear.
Will Betts:
Yeah. But if you've got the big fundable Apollo thing, you've got everything there, right? Have you got the rack one or have you got...
Nathan C:
I've only got the twin one, but I'd get the rack one, for sure.
Chris Barker:
Then you've got loads of..., They're Quad core, aren't they?
Will Betts:
You can go up to Octo.
Nathan C:
Yeah, that'd be fine then.
Will Betts:
Here we go. The first item of your six.
Nathan C:
Okay, so first item would be a Neve console, I think it's the AIO 78 and I was watching a documentary called "Sound City" on Netflix. You've probably seen it with Dave Grohl and he tracks the Sound City Studios in L.A. And he obtains their old desk, which has been used to record to some legendary recordings. And ,yeah, I've been getting a lot into the Neve stuff and in more recent years so, I'd have that actual desk.
Chris Barker:
The very same desk from Sound City?
Nathan C:
Yeah, I'd call up Dave and I'd be like, "Mate, sorry."
Chris Barker:
"I've been on the My Forever Studio podcast. It's not my fault. I don't make the rules."
Nathan C:
And I'll just buy off him.
Chris Barker:
"Yes, it's going on a boat."
Nathan C:
Yeah, exactly.
Chris Barker:
You've got 12 volts, it's fine. So, what is the channels on that, though? Can you have any channel spec you want or does it come as a...
Nathan C:
I think it's like 28.
Will Betts:
They had one 28-channel, 80-28. And one 40-channel, 80-78. So, do you want the 40-channel?
Nathan C:
Yeah, 40 channels. Yeah, sure.
Will Betts:
Okay. Yeah, why not?
Nathan C:
Fine. I mean, it's just really to look good predominantly. And then you can add a couple of extra zeros on what you charge.
Chris Barker:
That's true. Until they find out you've only got five other pieces of equipment in that studio. But that doesn't matter. You're on a boat. That's good. The clients can't leave until they pay, as well. Just sail them out into the sea.
Nathan C:
To walk the plank.
Chris Barker:
So, item number two, we've got the Neve.
Nathan C:
Got the Neve. So...
Will Betts:
Why the Neve? Why did you want a huge mixing desk?
Nathan C:
Oh, those channels just sound great. Run a couple of mics through that and some synth and then you get that new sound. I used a 10-73 on everything at the moment and it just adds just a little bit more kind of sparkle or I don't know what it is, but it's just that Neve sound. So, that that would be the main reason.
Will Betts:
And would you break everything out for mix, as well?
Nathan C:
Yeah, yeah. Exactly. You'd have the luxury for that. So, yeah, absolutely.
Will Betts:
Yeah, that works nicely for mix, out the Apollo through the Neve backend.
Nathan C:
Yeah. Juicy.
Chris Barker:
Juicy. So, item number two, item number two.
Nathan C:
Item number two would have to be a Juno 106. I had one for the last about eight or nine years. Bought off my piano teacher for about 200 quid about 10 years ago.
Chris Barker:
The good old days.
Nathan C:
Used it once. And I loved it. It was like a history lesson in electronic music because you'd go through each preset. It's like, "Yeah, I've heard on that record, heard on that record." And then, I think one of the voice chips started playing up and just didn't have the time to go and get it sorted out. So, it sat in my loft for eight years.
Nathan C:
And then, a mate of mine recently bought it off me because he was getting some new gear and I had it tucked away. He was like, "Oh mate, can I borrow it?" I said, "Yeah, definitely." So, anyway, I sold it to him and he got the voice chips all fixed and now it's running great. And, yeah, now I kind of wished that I still had it.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, they go often, as well, the voice chips on Junos. I think it's a pretty easy repair. I mean, I'm saying I've never done it, but from what I've heard.
Nathan C:
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's somewhat easy. Yeah.
Will Betts:
Yeah, I've seen a YouTube video. It seems easy. Expert.
Chris Barker:
So, but the 106, not the 16, not the six?
Nathan C:
I don't think I've used any of the other ones. Just 106 because I know it quite well and I've used it obviously before.
Chris Barker:
Through a Neve, as well. That's going to be pretty tasty.
Nathan C:
Juicy.
Will Betts:
Juicy.
Chris Barker:
Okay, so we've got a Neve, we've got a Juno. You're going to need some speakers or headphones at some point, right?
Nathan C:
Yeah, yeah, 100%. So...
Chris Barker:
Item number three.
Nathan C:
Item number three, let's go for speakers. I'm a big fan of GEN-X, so I've been running the 80, I think the 80 thirties for years, although, more recently I've kind of been a bit of a nomad the last couple of years and I've been using some studios with those. I can see them on the wall in this year. We're in the Yamaha, I think the HS8, it's those ones.
Chris Barker:
HS80.
Nathan C:
Yeah, 80, sorry. And I hated them at first, but I've had to just use them and get used to them. They were really harsh in the mix, but I think it's made my mixes a lot better. So, I'm actually...
Chris Barker:
The story of every white-coned Yamaha speaker through time. "I hated them at first, but my mixes sound better." I think there's a lot of that, isn't there?
Nathan C:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
I think we're all turning around pointing at them because there's some in our room here, which wasn't our choice. It's just no favouritism. But I know what you mean about this one is I find they're massively underrated, in fact, because they're terrific value. They're not expensive at all.
Nathan C:
Couple hundred quid each.
Will Betts:
Anybody starting out or anybody looking for a really great set, they're worth a lot.
Nathan C:
Highly recommend them. Yeah.
Will Betts:
They kind of just don't get any attention. But, surely, you're not going to go for these on the–
Nathan C:
No. So, I was just kind of telling a bit of a story, I guess. So, I am considering buying a pair, but no, not in the Forever Studio because I'm so limited on selections, but I would have them as a second pair. But, no, going back to the GEN-X, I'm a big fan of them and I can't remember the model number. But again, I was at my mate's studio the other week and he's just bought those new GEN-X, the SAM, that looked like a character out of "Stranger Things." He got the one tweeter in the middle. Yeah.
Will Betts:
They're the ones with the SAM technology, aren't they? So yeah, you can go to your room and it works really well.
Nathan C:
So, so well. Yeah. So, I was really impressed by those.
Chris Barker:
So, you don't have to buy those specialist books for the acoustic treatment, Genelec can do that.
Nathan C:
Press a button.
Chris Barker:
Yeah, press the button. Yeah, SAM technology all over it. I want the aesthetic on this.
Will Betts:
So, it's the biggest model then, is it?
Nathan C:
Yes.
Will Betts:
I believe it's called the 8361A.
Nathan C:
It's not very memorable then, is it?
Chris Barker:
Yeah, they're not great at that with Genelec? These 8361 number, isn't it? Three? Yeah. The Ones, Genelec Ones.
Nathan C:
I think I would go with Ones because I think with these more midfield kind of speakers, they're just so big and so loud that when you listen back to a mix that you've done on just big speakers and then listen in your car or on your iPhone or whatever. I don't know. Sometimes it's like the sound is too good. So, there's something to be said for mixing quiet on small speakers.
Chris Barker:
Sometimes, as well, you need to drive them, you need to get them to a certain level before they sound their best and that can be fatiguing. So, you want to be able to cut to it, but, as your only speakers, driving them at that kind of high volume all the time might be a bit much.
Nathan C:
Yeah, definitely.
Chris Barker:
So, the 8361As. Boom. Locked it. Done. So, we're on to four now. That's three down. You've got three left.
Nathan C:
Cool. So, yeah, a bit of outboard gear. Now, obviously for myself, use a lot vocals in the records that I make. So, microphone, very important. Telefunken U47 is my choice. I've been using it a lot over the last year or two and it's just silky smooth vocals for me. So, that would be my choice.
Chris Barker:
It is a quality mic, again, upselling dreams, but would you consider an actual Vintage Neumann U47?
Nathan C:
Potentially.
Chris Barker:
I suppose if you've used this... I mean, this isn't a shit microphone, is it? This is a–.
Nathan C:
Definitely not shit.
Chris Barker:
To say that there's not much upselling required. I mean, this is a great...
Will Betts:
It's a £9,000 microphone.
Chris Barker:
And they are great, aren't they?
Nathan C:
Yeah. No, I haven't used the Neumann personally before, so I'm kind of just going on what I've known, what I've used, so yeah. But I'd love to, if you've got any Neumanns knocking around, feel free to swap out. Chuck one my way.
Will Betts:
In your Forever mic locker. Have a go whenever you want.
Chris Barker:
Well, I suppose, a modern mic like that as well is more reliable. If you're in the middle of the sea, you're not going to be getting spare parts easily for your vintage stuff.
Will Betts:
I assumed that you'd also have a maintenance tech on a jet ski. Your luxury item, I don't know.
Chris Barker:
Will wants a job on your boat.
Nathan C:
Can I have a jet ski?
Will Betts:
It's the weirdest CV yet. Yeah, there is no pay. But you do get a jet ski. I'm in.
Chris Barker:
Okay. So, tell us about... I guess you're using the pres on the Neve for that.
Nathan C:
Yeah, exactly.
Will Betts:
When you're recording, as well. I mean, when you're recording vocals, especially, because I know a lot of people are recording vocals at home, obviously. Are you doing that in a treated setting? Is it always in a studio or are you ever doing it at home and living room or whatever?
Nathan C:
Yeah, no. Sometimes it's literally just in someone's living room or someone's bedroom.
Will Betts:
And has that come out? That's released stuff that's been recorded like that, as well?
Nathan C:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
Can he tell I've switched tracks? So, on the Meduza, so the little ad lib?
Nathan C:
Yes. Yeah.
Will Betts:
Was that genuine?
Nathan C:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
How about we try it like...
Nathan C:
Literally Josh was in the booth recording the, "Show me a piece of your heart," which is our chorus line that we've got down. And the way we had it on Logic was just a long leap of just that riff and then just leave for three minutes or whatever.
Nathan C:
So, he was just like, "Just go." So, the recording was still on and he recorded it down and then literally just said, "Oh, guys, so just quickly, what if it went like duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh." And because it was still recording, we had that piece of audio there and decided to keep it.
Chris Barker:
And it's killer though, isn't it? That takes it beyond a really formulaic vocal or whatever. It's just makes it really edgy and cool. I just wanted to know the story of that because it's cool, it's building those different...
Nathan C:
That was a hook in itself, and in any great pop record, you need four or five killer hooks. And it became a genius part of the marketing plan, as well with, I don't know if you heard, but they did all the versions for radio and DJs. It'd be like, "What, sorry. Capital FM, what? Sorry. Quickly radio one."
Chris Barker:
And then, of course, they all had their own personalised versions to play, so they played the record even more. Genius.
Nathan C:
Yeah, that is amazing. That's really cool. And I mean, when he actually did it and went there, did the "Dah, dah, dah." God, I don't want to really be singing on this podcast, but there we go.
Chris Barker:
But when he does that line, did everybody at that point know in the studio that that is another banging hook?
Nathan C:
Yeah. We were all just shouting down the top, "Yeah, yeah, record that again."
Chris Barker:
Amazing. Amazing. So, when you got to the end of that record and that... Oh, just to bring it back to podcast, was that the U47, as well? Or was that Telefunken on that one?
Nathan C:
I'm not sure which mic it was. I don't think it was. I've recorded Josh's vocals in another studio on the Telefunken before and they just sound great. We were in a different studio when we were recording that, so I can't remember what mic it was.
Chris Barker:
Sounds great, though.
Will Betts:
And do you think there's any psychological benefit for a performer being in front of a nice big-looking, expensive-looking microphone versus maybe just, I don't know, an SM58?
Nathan C:
Not really, maybe. Yeah. I think there's probably something to be said for being in a big fancy studio like that. I remember again, the studio that we recorded that record in was the Warner's Music's headquarters, and I remember, I don't think I'd been in that building before. I remember walking to the studio and we literally walked past the huge wall, just covered in gold records, hundreds of gold records and then going into this amazing studio, which is kitted out with everything.
Nathan C:
It was just like, this is where you want to be, this is the dream. And maybe something subliminally inspired us just to write a great song on that day because, really, it was just like any other day. There were sessions pretty much every day of the week and it was just another writing session. Just another record that you hope does something.
Chris Barker:
Do you ever think how much better it would have been even more if it was on a boat?
Nathan C:
Exactly. I think we would have maybe smashed the American charts if it was on a boat.
Chris Barker:
You need to say that, when you go next to Warner's, go, "Look, I've got an idea, boat."
Will Betts:
The Warner boat.
Chris Barker:
Add a couple extra zeros onto my advance so I can buy this boat.
Nathan C:
Yeah, you'll get hits if I get a boat.
Will Betts:
I've already got a jet ski tech. He's in. If you're into music production, you should also check out MusicTech Magazine. In this months issue, we round up the latest generation of exciting new gear that we're expecting this year. We talked to Coldcut and Ninja Tune founder, Matt Black, electronic producer, space dimension controller and Norwegian DJ, Orjan Nilsen.
Will Betts:
Plus, we give you our verdicts on Waldorf's Kyra Synth, the soft tube console One Fader, the AMS Neve RMX 15/500 Series Reverb, and Novations new Launchpad X and Launchpad Mini mk3. On top of that, we have a stack of tutorials for Cubase, Logic, Live, Studio One, Pro Tools, and FL Studio. You'll find all that and more in this month's issue. Subscribe now at musictech.net.
Chris Barker:
Item number five.
Nathan C:
Item number five. So, I think we've got all the key parts of the outboard gear and, because I make predominantly electronic- based music, going to need some software. So, we've obviously got Logic but it needs some good soft sense. So, at the moment, my go-to is Serum. I'm using a lot of Serum, just some great preset packs and designing some moaned sounds. So, yeah.
Chris Barker:
Serum seems to be the default go-to for electronic music for nearly everybody, doesn't it? They really hit home with that product because, before that, Massive was the one, I guess. And then Silence kind of dominated for a while and now Serum seems to be all those things.
Nathan C:
Yeah.
Will Betts:
And what do you like about using it, particularly?
Nathan C:
It feels like the sounds that you get out of it are big and chunky and there's just a lot of different processing capabilities, the filters and the LFOs and they're all very easy to programme. So, if I want to do some kind of LFO effect or whatever on the sound, it's quite easy just to go, "Buh, buh, buh, done."
Chris Barker:
Dig into it.
Nathan C:
I'm not one of these people who is a really nerdy sound-designer type. But I do like to understand and be able to use a synth, but it's got to be quick. I just haven't got the time to sit around for two days trying to create a baseline sound. Do you know what I mean? There's other people out there that do that and do that really well.
Nathan C:
So, for me, Serum, like I said, I've got loads of preset packs for it, that other sound designers have used and I'm happy to pay for that stuff because there's some great stuff out there. And then it's about taking those great sounds and incorporating them in different ways. And editing them a little bit, as well, to however I sort of see fit. But, yeah, for me, it's a really great synth and it's featuring predominantly in a lot of the records that I'm making at the moment.
Chris Barker:
So, is that on the Meduza track, as well? What's that big pattern? Dum, dum, dum.
Nathan C:
Funny enough, that was Massive, actually.
Chris Barker:
Well, there we go. Big shout-out to Massive then.
Will Betts:
They're still in the game.
Chris Barker:
Everybody goes on about Serum, but what's actually being used? Massive.
Nathan C:
I think, no, was it Massive? I think it was Massive or one of those, I can't remember. I wasn't on the buttons on that record. I was more on the writing side.
Chris Barker:
Great sound, though.
Nathan C:
Yeah.
Chris Barker:
Final studio item before we move on to your non-studio luxury items. So, what's the final studio item going to be? And you got a list of multiple things here?
Nathan C:
No, I think I've actually got all six because, again, like I said, I was just quickly writing some notes last night. It's a really obvious one, this last one. So, I felt a bit, I don't know, I feel a bit beginner-ish for even mentioning it.
Chris Barker:
I really want to know what it is. You've got me on the edge of my seat. I have no idea what you're going to say.
Nathan C:
But it's Nexus. And the reason is...
Chris Barker:
Those pianos.
Nathan C:
That was K2 Piano, what a piano. It's such a versatile synth for me. It's like I was saying before about having great go-to sounds. I think it's really key and if we're talking about all the components through studio, and I've only got six items I'd have to go for Nexus because I just find myself using it so much.
Chris Barker:
It does have those sounds that just sound like a record immediately, and it has stuff like the synth things you could do in Logics own bundles on the sampler and you've got that word. But, like you say, as notorious is that piano is, it sounds like a finished record. It's like the M1 Piano used to be back in the day where it's just that's the sound of house piano. Nexus is kind of the modern sound of that piano, isn't it?
Nathan C:
The only thing I would say I don't like is you put a Nexus sound, interact with it, and everyone goes, "Oh, that's the Nexus sound." But the way I tend to...
Chris Barker:
Only people like us. Not like real life actual humans. Not the general public.
Nathan C:
Existential crisis.
Chris Barker:
Do you know what I mean? I think you can get... You must have this, like you said, when you're going to straight to sounds and, for you, it's about the writing and it's about the song and you can get tied up in trying to impress people or forums.
Nathan C:
Yeah. And I used to be so the other way like, "Oh, it has to be the right gear and the right thing and you've got to be a purist about making all your own presets." But, as I've gotten older, and worked more in the industry and progressed and all the rest of it, I've just realised that the thing that sells records is great songs at the heart of it.
Nathan C:
You need great production, as well. But if your song's crap, you're not going to sell records. And, yeah, I think that's always got to be the most important thing. So, if you can have great sounds really quickly at your disposal, even better.
Chris Barker:
So, any particular record stand out, records that you've used Nexus on? Do you use it on most of the stuff that you work on?
Nathan C:
Yeah, quite a lot of my remixes I've used it on. It was actually an unofficial remix for Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You." But that did quite well and the lead sound on that was about five different Nexus sounds. So, again, the way I use it is, well, I need to make this sound least like it to a Nexus base record. So, I'll combine a lot of sounds together.
Nathan C:
So, I tend to do a lot of layering of stuff and that tends to create a bit more of a uniqueness in the sort of sound of the record.
Chris Barker:
For sure. You're looking at...
Will Betts:
There is a slight slag here.
Chris Barker:
Will's looking at the rules, the bundle issue of Nexus.
Nathan C:
So, it being a rompler, is that a word, basically it works on having bundles of sounds.
Chris Barker:
Oh, come on.
Nathan C:
But it comes with the basic presets that are part of the... It's like a Juno. Juno will come with a whole bunch of sounds in its default state and I'm okay with it if we put it like that.
Chris Barker:
So, just for people listening, so there's starter, there's value, and there's complete versions of Nexus.
Will Betts:
Ranging in value from 250 euros.
Chris Barker:
Two grand.
Will Betts:
To 3,690.
Chris Barker:
Yeah. But is that not just a product? I guess it's not, is it?
Nathan C:
Yeah, because you buy it as a synth. I bought the basic Nexus for 250 euros. It's a synth or a rompler. It goes in your door. It comes with the basic sounds and then you can buy the expansion packs as you go along as you would a Juno or a Prophet.
Will Betts:
Or if you're going for the starter pack, there's no bundle issue.
Nathan C:
Okay. Starter pack. I'm happy. Nexus is in there.
Chris Barker:
The bundle boss. Will is the bundle boss. Just when you thought there wasn't a bundle, Will found a bundle.
Will Betts:
It's a bundle.
Chris Barker:
Let's go for the luxury item. So, luxury item.
Nathan C:
Luxury item. Well, you need some firepower in a writing recording session.
Chris Barker:
So, a gun.
Will Betts:
An AK-47.
Nathan C:
Well, you've got to fend off those pirates on the yachts.
Will Betts:
It's a design classic.
Nathan C:
I nearly put down the AK-47 mic, actually. So, that would have kind of been slightly appropriate. But no, no ammunition, no firepower. It's all love and peace here. My luxury item would be a just a solid coffee machine.
Chris Barker:
And this is a proper... You're grinding the beans, you're doing the whole thing, or is this a Nespresso situation or...
Nathan C:
Yeah, if it's going to be on a yacht, you've got to go all out. So, one of those beastie, you know, you see in a coffee shop, grind the beans, doing all the big boiler on the back. All of the noises, as well.
Will Betts:
And all of the latte art, as well.
Nathan C:
Latte art, yeah.
Chris Barker:
So, if you can do latte art as well, I'll employ you as the coffee maker, but also the technician guy on the jet ski.
Will Betts:
I quite like the sound of this, honestly.
Chris Barker:
Have you ever delivered hot coffee on a jet ski before, Will?
Will Betts:
I can learn.
Chris Barker:
Nice. So, that is tight. It's a good studio, though. Run down the list, Will. Let's visualise this space.
Will Betts:
Okay. We're off the coast of Ibiza.
Chris Barker:
The voice. Okay. Yeah. Sorry, go ahead. Start again.
Will Betts:
We're off the coast of Ibiza on a superyacht owned by one Nathan C. In the control room of said yacht is an iMac. The latest, very latest iMac running Logic Pro. How much Ram?
Nathan C:
As much as I can get in there. 70 gigs would be great. Please.
Will Betts:
You have a large rack with one rack unit in it, an Apollo X OCTO, an enormous desk. Frankly, it's a ludicrously sized desk. A Neve 8078 from Sound City taken from Dave Grohl. Juno 106 for all the keyboard parts. Genelec 8361A's for listening on, recording vocals and presumably any other sounds you wish with a Telefunken U47. And then your two soft synths are Serum and Nexus. And for your luxury item – great shout, we haven't had it yet – a solid coffee situation, as you describe it. What is it? A coffee machine. Huge coffee machine.
Nathan C:
Yeah. That's what we want. It's got to have multiple cups.
Chris Barker:
On that much coffee, he's not going to be a good boss to you. He's going to be frantic. He's going to be erratic.
Nathan C:
Now, you see, this is the thing. I have to limit myself to three cups a day max. Otherwise, it's not good.
Will Betts:
In what way?
Nathan C:
Well, there was one time where I just drank way too much caffeine in a day, like coffees, some dodgy energy drink that was like red bull and ended up having, well, I thought I was having a heart attack at the time, but it was just a panic attack and ended up in the back of an ambulance. ECG is on my heart, took me to hospital. They're like, "Yeah, you drank way too much caffeine."
Chris Barker:
That is a serious amount.
Will Betts:
But also, there must've been a bit of a lull from the paramedics who are like, "Who brought this guy in?" They're like, "Yeah, you've had too much coffee, mate. Yeah. Thanks for wasting our time."
Nathan C:
Yeah, I felt like a right knob.
Will Betts:
Well, not as in, that's a good place to end, but it is a nice place to end on.
Chris Barker:
We end on a beautiful caffeine-induced panic attack.
Will Betts:
If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you subscribe using your favourite podcasting app, and also think about rating and reviewing MusicTech My Forever Studio. Don't forget to check back every Thursday for new episodes. Thanks for listening.