Me in my studio: Will Ward
Decks, synths and more
As well as being one third of the critically-acclaimed Circle Traps, London-based producer and DJ Will Ward is also releasing music under his own name via the Audio Doughnuts label.
His most recent EP, Chorus Memory, was released earlier this month, and we asked Will to send us some snaps of the gear he used to make it.
Technics 1210s
“These are my oldest companions. I've had them since I was 14 and they are the reason I'm even remotely interested in electronic music.”
Adam A7X monitors
“Really tight studio monitors. Very important, I think.”
Desktop
“I work with a second screen mainly for the film and television work that I do, but it's also really handy to have a separate window for mixing.”
Focusrite Saffire Pro 40
“This is a really solid interface which allows me to run multiple channels at once. I can have all my machines plugged in and ready to roll.”
Roland Juno-60
“This is such a treat to have in the studio. Every time you play it, something great comes out. The filter cutoff is always great fun to open up as you're recording. I often record stuff for ages then whittle it down in Logic.”
Korg X5D
“This is my main controller. I sometimes dabble with the General MIDI. I've had this for a good 10 years now, so it has a special place for me.”
Elektron Machinedrum
“This has become my go-to machine for all drum programming. The individual pad automation function was a real game changer for me. I often use it for basslines as well. It gives you that real punch that some other synth basses can't touch.”
Novation MiniNova
“This is a bit of a funny one. Cheap and cheerful, but it can occasionally produce some real gems. It takes a bit of time tweaking, but once you hit the sweet spot you can get really good results.”
Mackie Onyx 12-track mixer
“I have this running into a pair of loud Thump PA speakers. The desk is mainly used for my decks to run into the PA. It's also handy for live rehearsals in the studio. It's always good to get a different perspective on the sound of a track.”
Piano
“This is always fun to sit with when the electronic instruments have beaten you down. I don't think I've used any of the recording from the piano on any tracks, but its a nice thing to have around.”
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.
