Poker Flat Recordings drops three new heaters from Reset Robot – the alter ego of UK producer, engineer, and DJ Dave Robertson. The Portsmouth-based artist has thrilled some of the world’s biggest clubs and released on the hugely influential Drumcode, Mobilee, Hotflush, and his own Whistleblower Records. His new EP, ‘Tired Voice’, dials into his signature brooding sound but also finds some new unexplored nuances.
To celebrate the drop of ‘Tired Voice’ on Poker Flat Recordings, Reset Robot invites EG into his studio for 5 basic studio tips every producer needs:
1. Do Not Delete
Keep all of your files even if at the time you decide it’s not working or even if you think it’s terrible! I think this is really important and has been incredibly powerful for me just recently. I found a bunch of old files that I had completely forgotten about and that for some reason when I originally worked on them I wasn’t able to finish. One of the files was 2 years old but with fresh ears and a different perspective, I was able to hear exactly what the track needed with regards to the arrangement/mix and addition of fresh sounds.
2. Have It Your Way
Use what you use and don’t worry! By this, I mean that whatever you use to write your music is fine. I know a lot of the time people think they need to use certain software or have a particular piece of hardware to write good music but if you’re getting great results using a laptop and headphones then there is nothing wrong with that at all. The end result is what matters and not really how you get there.
3. A Bus For Drums
Drum bus…..this is something I never used to do and I always wondered what my drums were missing. Recently I’ve been slamming my drum bus through the gnarly RAW distortion pedal from UAD, the Baby Audio ‘I Heart NY’ parallel compressor, and the Cakewalk CA-2A leveling amplifier. This has made a huge difference and can completely change the vibe of your drums.
4. Sound Selection
Sample selection is so important. I mix a lot of tracks and I would say most of the time sample selection is where people have issues. You can have a great track but if the kick, snare, or hats are terrible everything can fall down. It’s not as easy as you think either especially with there being thousands of sample packs around. Get creative and try making some kicks or hats of your own and save them for future use!
5. Keep It Fresh
Have fun in the studio! Try and enjoy your time in the studio and don’t put too much pressure on yourself to come up with results. If things aren’t working out during a session try something different. Try a technique you don’t normally use or explore a VST you haven’t opened for a while. I’ve also had some great results sampling small pieces out of old songs and using them in a way that wasn’t originally intended.
Reset Robot’s ‘Tired Voice’ EP is out now via Poker Flat Recordings. Purchase your copy here.
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