Mackie D8B on the go with Roger Waters
Mackie
Posted 2002-02-20
Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters has come up with an ideal solution for location recording and song writing. With a little help from his co-producer Nick Griffith, Waters has assembled three identical compact recording rigs that can be easily transported and assembled anywhere in the world he is working.
At the center of all three rigs are a Mackie Digital 8•Bus recording console and an Apple Titanium Power Book running Logic Audio.
Nick Griffiths, who has worked with Pink Floyd since the 80's, came up with the elegant solution in response to Roger's earlier forays into transportable studios. Nick, who likens his role in these situations to the "Red Adair" of project studios, was frustrated by problems he often encountered setting up sophisticated studios in Roger's homes around the world.
Griffiths commented: "When Roger was in Barbados it could often be a problem to find technical people to set up and sort out problems on-site. I wanted a foolproof system that could be un-packed and set-up by anyone. Having worked with Roger for years, I know his exact requirements. The Mackie D8B was our first choice for a mixer because it's a very powerful tool, operates just like a traditional desk, has fully re-settable automation and sounds fantastic. Mackie also provide tremendous support throughout the world, which was essential."
Griffiths continued, "When it came time to turn my ideas into reality, I turned to Spike Burridge at Media Tools and Paul Ward from Oxford Studio Systems."
Roger's three identical rigs contain a varied selection of tools including Amek /Neve RN9098 mic pre amps, Apogee 888 digital I/Os, Neve and DBX compressors. For recording mediums there are CD burners, DAT machines and Glyph 18 and 80Gb hard drive systems. Keyboard control is via a custom-made fully weighted classical keyboard from Manga Music, controlling a fully loaded EMU E4, which contains complete orchestra and band set-ups.
With three identical rigs it was essential that a simple form of synchronizing was found. "The whole rig can be un-packed and set-up in minutes," says Ward. "All the multi-cores and connections are numbered so set-up is simple. Roger keeps all his projects on an Apple Titanium Power Book running Logic. He just plugs his Mac into the slot, downloads his current work into the Glyph and he is ready to go."
"We have three Sony LCD monitors: two for the Power Book and one for the Mackie," he continues. "The Mackie does not need an external computer to run the automation or re-call which considerably simplifies matters and keeps everything current on the Mac."
