Me in my studio: Transcode

Manchester based emerging techno DJ and producer Transcode, whose debut ‘Distorted Time EP’ featuring Secret Cinema and OC & Verde remixes, is out now on vinyl through Egg LDN’s What Came First label with the digital release to follow on 14 December.

With multiple tracks getting into the Beatport techno top 10 charts and releases on revered labels such as Oliver Koletzki’s Stil Vor Talent and Reinier Zonneveld’s Filth On Acid labels, Transcode is getting high fives from tastemakers including Laurent Garnier, Joris Voorn, Pleasurekraft, Alan Fitzpatrick, Monika Kruse, ANNA, Wehbba and many more. He’s also been played on radio via DJs such as Anna Lunoe, B.Traits (BBC Radio 1), Deadmau5 (BBC Radio 1) and Eric Prydz (EPIC Radio).

His energetic and deep, driven techno paints an endless soundscape laced with his own unique elaborate productions that ignore the generic rules and constraints of genres. Keeping the quality high, Transcode has a promising and exciting future ahead of him.

Catch Transcode at Familia on Saturday 8 December spinning alongside Victor Ruiz and Deborah De Luca at Egg LDN. 

"This synth is a beauty! Probably my most used synth in the studio. My productions are pretty diverse but I guess the big bass lines are a signature sound of mine and they are quite often created on this synth. 

"I love how fat and ‘warm’ it is and there just aren’t many synths out there that can match the sonic character of that low end. You can really hear it in action on a track I made called “Adonis” which was released on Stil Vor Talent earlier in the year."

"This is a very dreamy synth that I like to use a lot for arps, pads and weird effects. I rarely use it for low end material, but it has a really nice texture in the midrange so is perfect for those certain sounds."

"Fat sounding drum machine! It’s super analog sounding and can be a very creative device when explored fully, as you can manipulate your own samples as well as the onboard analogue hits and has plenty of effects and modulation capabilities. 

"There is a bit of menu diving so it isn’t the most user friendly piece of kit out there. I use it from time to time but not as much as I used to. I tend to bounce individual hits that I’ve made on it or create odd sounding loops that I can use, rather than using it as a centre piece in my studio."

"All of my hardware runs into separate channels into this desk before moving on to further processing.  It’s really useful being able to use the aux sends to add effects onto incoming audio on the fly.

"I have the aux send and return set up with the Eventide H9 max so I can use different reverbs and delays on my synths quickly. It’s done the job since I have had it and works ok but the knobs are getting a little crackly, might need to replace it soon."

The stereo output from the Mackie runs through the Elektron Analog Heat before hitting my UAD interface. This way anything that needs some extra beef can get it before I record into my DAW. 

"I usually use it to gently to drive incoming audio on the “Clean Boost” or “Saturation” setting, just to add some harmonic overtones or give otherwise weaker sounds some extra life and character. 

"Another cool thing you can use it for is to add some more aggressive modes of distortion to drums from the Analog Rytm or Korg Volca Beats, it can completely change the way toms and other hits sound so you can get pretty creative."

"These are surprisingly powerful considering the cost. 

"When I first got the Volca Beats I was playing around with it a little bit and quite quickly came across the bass line that I used in a track called 'Simulation'. 

"That track was where it all really started for me as it was my first Beatport Top 20, it’s actually still one of my favourite productions to date too, I still play it in my sets even now over 2 years later. So yeah I owe a lot to this little synth for that!"

"My trusty MIDI controller! This is essentially the centrepiece of my setup. I do use my hardware but I also use software more often than not. 

"There is a daisy chain of MIDI from my KeyLab out to all my other synths so I can control multiple pieces of gear at the same time which can be cool and I can also use it to control my software synths such as Omnisphere, Massive etc. 

The fact is comes with a lot of great sounding Arturia VSTs is great too, some of their virtual synths sound amazing."

"I have a few synths on the right hand side of my studio so I have a separate MIDI keyboard just so it’s easier to control them. The arpeggiator and sequencer can come in handy too as its something my KeyLab doesn’t have." 

"This one is the newest edition to my synth family. I think it’s going to be my route into more modular gear as I love the semi modular patch bay. 

"I’ve managed to create some cool zappy effects sounds and some heavier reese style patches too but it’s quite easy to knock out of tune so you have to be careful when playing with it. 

"The complexity of the modulation options is pretty staggering, will definitely need to mess with it more and explore it’s potential."

"I can only describe the sound of this synth as “creamy”. Although quite basic it has enough for you to create some cool sounds.

"I think if I was to upgrade it I would go for the Matrixbrute, similar sound but more modulation capabilities"

"I’ve had these for a few years now and I absolutely love them. They are a great reference monitor with a very honest and flat response across the frequency spectrum. 

"I know if I can nail the mixdown on these they will translate well in a club and on most other sound systems." 

"I used to have the Focusrite Clarett which was a really nice interface, but I had heard good things about the Apollo so decided to make the investment. I instantly noticed an improvement in the sound quality to my monitors and UAD have pretty much the highest calibre plugins on the market. 

"I have my hardware running into this and use the other inputs for recording mixes from my CDJs or when using my rackmount hardware.

Tegeler Audio Crème

"I use this piece of gear a lot when mastering mine or other peoples tracks, usually at the start of the mastering chain. It has a great Pultec style low and high shelf EQ, which you can feed into the bus compressor. Definitely a transparent compressor compared to some but I like it, sounds super silky."

Black Box Analog Design – HG-2

"The HG-2 is a pretty unique piece of gear, it has different tube circuits which can really effect what you run through it. I don’t use this unit in every project but when I do I like to run individual sounds or loops through it, the saturation circuit can really add a lot of warmth and character to sounds, in fact pretty much everything you send through sounds good."