Ableton Live
“Many years ago, I started with Cubase and then moved to Logic, but as soon as I used Ableton, I knew it was my sequencer. It makes working with audio so easy. It has the perfect tools to record and stretch and warp… super, super fast. I still mix in Logic, but all the hard work and the writing gets done in Ableton.”
Arturia Mini V
“I’ve always used hardware synthesizers, and I still have a lot of them in the studio. But if you record audio and then want to change something, it’s a problem. So, I have decided to make all my basslines with the Mini V. It’s so close to the real thing, and making changes only takes a few seconds. The Arturia V-Collection is my favourite set of plugins.”
Native Instruments Monark
“This is another excellent ‘analogue’ plugin. Very strong and very raw, which is always the most difficult trick for a digital synthesiser. They usually sound too… digital; too clean. Even without any effects, Monark is full of musical energy. It is alive, but it also feels like a classic. Personally, I’m not a fan of all those crazy EDM sounds.”
Surreal Machines Magnetic
“Sorry if I keep talking about ‘analogue’ sound, but that’s what I like to hear in the studio! With delays, I’m always looking for something that will remind me of a great dub track from the 1970s. Waves H-Delay is OK, but the king for me is Magnetic. And you don’t need to be a super-engineer to make it work - even with random settings, you can easily get those warm tape delays.”
Max For Live Mono Sequencer
“With lead lines, we all like to find something a little bit different. My favourite lead synth is the Arturia Prophet, but then I connect it with the Max Mono Sequencer. Yes, it’s only a mono sequencer, but you can customise everything - pitch, octave, velocity. Set everything to random and you have a fantastic lead line that you would never have composed in your head!”
Read more about Max For Live Mono Sequencer
Pablo Bolivar’s All Clear EP is out now on Culprit LA
