Me in my studio: Alek Fin
A Fin selection
For many of us, online collaboration is little more than a concept that we might one day hope to explore, but Californian singer Alek Fin (real name Adam Finkel) and Moscow-based producer Galun have made it a successful reality.
Following the success of previous collaboration Golden, Blinding, the pair recently dropped their new EP Strannik, a dreamy slice of slightly off-kilter electronica.
We asked Alek to photograph and talk us through his essential gear. Click through the gallery to find out more.
Blue Bluebird cardioid condenser microphone
“This was the first legit condenser mic I bought myself and is still one of the main mics I use in my recordings. I really like the way it captures bass tones and textures. It’s really versatile and gives me a lot to work with in post.”
Vic Firth American Classic Hickory HD4 sticks
“I’ve always been a fan of lighter wood-tip sticks. I find that I have more dynamic control with them than a lot of other brands I’ve tried. The response on these fits my style perfectly.”
Casio CT70
“This was the first synth I ever played when I was four years old. My mom held on to it for years and finally shipped it out to LA about five years ago. There are some beautiful sounds and textures on here that also have a slight static, which brings warmth to the tones when recorded.”
Ensoniq SQ1
“So many phenomenal samples in here. Definitely ‘80s-inspired. This is my go to for when I have writer’s block. I’ll just start going through all the banks and find tones that will inspire new ideas. The percussion in particular really stands out. Plus, the on board sound editor doesn’t hurt. Definitely a synth to get weird on.”
BeyerDynamic DT770 80ohm
“My favourite headphones of those I have owned to date. Insanely comfortable and durable. I’ve dropped them more times than I can remember and they don’t even have a scratch.
“Huge bonus: I can wear them on long flights and they cancel out the screaming children with the insane bass compensation.”
2006 PRS STD LTD 24
“I remember saving up for a while for a new guitar back in 2006. I went into a local shop called Instrumental Music in Thousand Oaks and sat in their high-end guitar room. I have never been one to get deep into makes and models; I just wanted something that sounded and felt right. I walked out of there with this PRS and it has been on every record I have made to date.”
Pedalboard: BOSS ME-50 and Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler
“I have only used two pedals in my entire guitar life. I get a lot of slack for this, as there are so many amazing pedals out there… but for me, less is more.
“The Boss ME-50 is fully loaded with a ton of great effects and is awesome for tone modelling. I find that using it with the DL4 is perfect for creating all kinds of washes, textures and soundscapes.
I’m the Group Content Manager for MusicRadar, specialising in all things tech. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 20 of which I’ve also spent writing about music technology.