Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • EVH trance state
  • Antonoff on Please Please Please
  • “Mick looked peeved. The Beatles had upstaged him”
  • 95k+ free music samples

Recommended reading

Riva Starr
Artists “I have an original 909 – every time I try to use it I feel like I’m ruining it”: House hero Riva Starr on his studio essentials and his love of analogue synths
Lawrence Hart
Artists Watch UK electronic artist Lawrence Hart build a track from scratch in his hardware-stuffed studio
Behringer Model D
Soft Synths “It's probably my Behringer Model D monosynth. So simple and obviously cheap, but it’s just so versatile. I’ve used it on basically every track that I’ve created”: 10 producers share the tech they can’t live without
Joe Armon-Jones
Artists “I’d be running from the studio to other speakers in the house, basically going insane trying to get mixes to sound correct”: Ezra Collective’s Joe Armon-Jones on why he created his Aquarii Studios and his dub-influenced mixing technique
Vaughn Oliver
Producers & Engineers “I have that on more records than anything else”: Take a peek inside Vaughn Oliver’s studio
lone
Computers “You could take everything away from me but leave the laptop and I'm confident I could make interesting music quite happily for the rest of my life”: Lone on the gear behind his technicolour, rave-adjacent electronica
Djrum
Artists "I have a very emotional relationship with my machines”: Djrum on how a catastrophic technological failure led to one of 2025’s best electronic albums
  1. Tech
  2. Synths

In pictures: Simian Mobile Disco's synth-loaded studio

News
By Future Music ( Future Music ) published 28 January 2010

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Welcome

Welcome

With two studio albums and a slew of remixes behind them, Simian Mobile Disco (AKA James ‘Jas’ Shaw – pictured left – and James Ford) are one of the most-talked-about production duos of the past few years (Ford has also produced for Arctic Monkeys and Klaxons). Future Music recently headed over to the rented London studio that spawned 2009’s Temporary Pleasure long-player, and discovered that SMD’s reputation as synth-heads is well-deserved.

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
The Wardrobe

The Wardrobe

The Wardrobe is the name given to Jas Shaw’s most recent eBay purchase, a unique modular synth built by Steve Urquhart. “He had a gig at T in the Park Scotland and as I live in Aberdeenshire, his guys picked it up for him,” says Steve.

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Korg MS-20

Korg MS-20

Korg’s MS-20 remains SMD’s workhorse synth, as Jas Shaw explains: “[It’s] one of the few synths we have with a keyboard too, and as much as it’s cool to track stuff with analogue sequencers or MIDI, it’s also nice to just be able to play something from time to time.”

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
Pro Tools HD

Pro Tools HD

Although they use Ableton Live when they’re, err, playing live, Pro Tools HD is the centrepiece of the SMD studio. “[It’s] used like a digital tape recorder for us, we rarely use plug-ins,” they say. “Having zero latency with Pro Tools HD is perfect for us because we use so much outboard gear.”

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
The rack

The rack

Sitting at the top of SMD’s rack is a Grampian reverb unit: “cheap spring reverbs like this are all over the new album,” they say. Elsewhere in the studio you’ll find a Lexicon 200: “a sort of weird ‘80s reverb, but we really like the sound of it,” report Jas and James.

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
The big picture

The big picture

The size of SMD’s outboard collection is revealed here, while up to the left you’ll notice a Revox tape machine. “We used tape a lot for phasing effects as digital phase doesn’t quite sound right,” say the duo.

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
The live show

The live show

When they’re on stage, SMD work their way around a ‘synth table’, and are engulfed by light strips. “The core of the live rig hasn’t changed really,” says James Ford. “It’s still a mixer with a bunch of outboard including the modular and the MS-20. But we’ve added a Dave Smith Prophet ’08 that sounds great”.

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
Future Music
Future Music

Future Music is the number one magazine for today's producers. Packed with technique and technology we'll help you make great new music. All-access artist interviews, in-depth gear reviews, essential production tutorials and much more. Every marvellous monthly edition features reliable reviews of the latest and greatest hardware and software technology and techniques, unparalleled advice, in-depth interviews, sensational free samples and so much more to improve the experience and outcome of your music-making.

All-access artist interviews, in-depth gear reviews, essential production tutorials and much more. image
All-access artist interviews, in-depth gear reviews, essential production tutorials and much more.
Get the latest issue now!
More Info
Read more
Riva Starr
“I have an original 909 – every time I try to use it I feel like I’m ruining it”: House hero Riva Starr on his studio essentials and his love of analogue synths
Lawrence Hart
Watch UK electronic artist Lawrence Hart build a track from scratch in his hardware-stuffed studio
Behringer Model D
“It's probably my Behringer Model D monosynth. So simple and obviously cheap, but it’s just so versatile. I’ve used it on basically every track that I’ve created”: 10 producers share the tech they can’t live without
Joe Armon-Jones
“I’d be running from the studio to other speakers in the house, basically going insane trying to get mixes to sound correct”: Ezra Collective’s Joe Armon-Jones on why he created his Aquarii Studios and his dub-influenced mixing technique
Vaughn Oliver
“I have that on more records than anything else”: Take a peek inside Vaughn Oliver’s studio
lone
“You could take everything away from me but leave the laptop and I'm confident I could make interesting music quite happily for the rest of my life”: Lone on the gear behind his technicolour, rave-adjacent electronica
Latest in Synths
Peter Gabriel and Ray Hammond
“It’s cheating, if you like, for somebody who can’t play an instrument to press a button and then the instrument plays”: Watch Peter Gabriel and futurist Ray Hammond debate the impact of the synthesizer back in 1983
plugins
Serum 2, Pigments 6, Phase Plant, Vital and Massive X: The ultimate soft synth showdown
Superbooth 2025
"There's too much new gear!": The 12 best instruments, effects and innovations you need to know about from Superbooth 2025
syntorial
New to synthesis? This free synth plugin can help you learn how it works
Novation Bass Station Swifty Edition
Novation’s Bass Station II has officially entered its Swifty era, thanks to a new collaboration with a highly respected British designer
Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave 8M
“We’ve carefully considered what matters most to musicians and sound designers”: Groove Synthesis announces a more compact and affordable version of its superb 3rd Wave synth
Latest in News
Sebastian Bach in his Skid Row days
“I sometimes do seven shows in a week. A week! I did 91 cities in 2024 — I’m not exaggerating. For an old man I think I deserve a little credit”: Why ex-Skid Row star Sebastian Bach is the hardest working man in showbiz
Sheeran Grohl Mayer
“Mayer on guitar, Grohl on drums. A lot of fun making this”: Ed Sheeran just revealed the cross-brand, multi-star pile-on he’s made for the F1 movie
Lindsey Buckingham Charli XCX
“Getting kinda saucy already”: Watch Lindsey Buckingham react as he checks out Charli XCX’s Von Dutch video for the first time... alongside his daughter
David Lee Roth in 1985
“The acrobatics. The sexuality. In his prime, he was the super frontman of all time”: The rock icon hailed by Gene Simmons as the GOAT
Money
From bedroom to billions… The Sunday Times Rich List 2025 just revealed the wealth and rankings of the UK’s biggest music stars
Lorde
“I love making bangers. Someone’s got to make them. I’m really proud when they come out of me”: Lorde reveals that she used the drums from Radiohead’s Reckoner while she was writing new single What Was That, and they probably weren’t too hard to find

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...