Tape Notes

In this episode we take a look back at some of the best bits from season 3. If you haven't heard every episode from the last season, this is a good way to introduce yourself to some of the artists and producers we've had on, hearing their stories, tips and general philosophy on writing and recording. Have a listen, you never know what you might learn!   You'll hear highlights from: Ibeyi & Richard Russel (Live from Miloco Studios) Kate Tempest & Dan Carey Nitin Sawhney Floating Points Tune-Yards Jamie Lidell Cold War Kids & Lars Stalfors The Lumineers & Simone Felice Easy Life & Rob Milton (Live at Latitude Festival)   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear   HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions):  Donate   Follow us on Social Media to keep up to date with the latest episodes and submit questions: Instagram Facebook Twitter   Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk

18 Feb 202041min

Back in July we were invited to Latitude Festival to take part in their podcast stage. In this live recording, we caught up with Murray from Easy Life and Rob Milton to talk about how they write and record music together. After a late entrance from Murray (waylaid somewhere on site!) the boys discuss their working relationship and what it takes to create an Easy Life tune. We learn how the boys ended up working together from unlikely beginnings, why it’s crucial to ‘get it down’ when melodies are flowing, and why Murray maybe isn’t as good at the trumpet as he once thought. Tracks Discussed: Pockets, Earth   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'Pockets' here. Listen to 'Earth' here. 'Pockets' & 'Earth' - Easy Co Limited, Island Records, Universal Music Operations Limited Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective   GEAR MENTIONS Nord Keyboards Shure SM7B Logic Pro   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate

19 Dec 201950min

In this episode John ventures up to Spitfire Audio studios to catch up with Wes and Jeremiah from The Lumineers and producer Simone Felice to talk about how they recorded and produced the album III.  The guys offer up an epic dissection of their music covering every aspect of the creative process. We’re treated to intimate phone recordings that captured the lightning strike moments when songs were born, copious demo versions detailing their subsequent honing and development, and track breakdowns of the finished songs. It’s a veritable masterclass in songwriting and music production.  Listen to find out why the boys are ‘perfectionists for imperfection’, hear the moment Gloria was conceived when nature called during a bike ride in the mountains, and how sometimes the demo version is all you need.  Tracks discussed: Gloria, Leader Of The Landslide, Salt And The Sea    LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'III' here. 'III' - The Lumineers, Decca Records, Universal Music Operations Limited Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Schoeps Shotgun Mic Soundtoys Little Plate ProTools   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate

11 Dec 20192h 14min

In this episode John straddles the pond and catches up with Nathan from Cold War Kids and producer Lars Stalfors to talk about how the album New Age Norms 1 was recorded and produced.  Speaking from a studio in North Hollywood the pair discuss how the album was brought to life shining a light on their writing process and revealing the craft and philosophy behind a Cold War Kids track.  Listen to find out why Nathan can only play something once when recording, how an accident with Pro Tools inspired the intro to Dirt In My Eyes, and what helps Lars sleep at night.  Tracks Discussed: Complainer, Dirt In My Eyes, Beyond The Pale    LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'New Age Norms 1' here. 'New Age Norms 1' - CWKTWO Corp. u AWAL Recordings Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS ProTools X-Form Plugin Ampeg Fliptop Ampeg B-15 Amp Earthquaker Dispatch Farfisa Fender Vintage Super Reverb  Line 6 Pedals Mellotron Moog Sub-37 Minimoog Voyager Native Instruments Guitar Rig Nord Keyboards Shure SM57 Silvertone Guitar Vox Amps Waves SSL Compressor Yamaha CP-80   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate

4 Dec 20191h 8min

In this episode John links up with producer/musician & podcaster Jamie Lidell in his Nashville studio to talk about how he records and produces his music.  Dusting off his old G4 mac, Jamie delves into the archives and revisits some classics from the albums Multiply and Jim in addition to some of his more recent work. We get to hear fascinating track breakdowns revealing the techniques and methods he uses when writing and recording.  Listen to hear why Jamie’s music is influenced heavily by working with his friends, how the falling of the Berlin wall landed him a special microphone, and how Another Day transformed from a whiskey fuelled experiment to a sunny upbeat toe-tapper, all thanks to some late night carrot chopping.  Tracks discussed: Multiply, Another Day, When I come Back Around, A Rose.    LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'Multiply' here. Listen to 'Jim' here. Listen to 'Building a Beginning' here. 'Multiply' & 'Jim' - Warp Records 'Building A Beginning' - Jamie Lidderdale Records   Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Max MSP Cubase Logic Pro Akai MPC Sampler AKG D12 Audio Ease Altiverb Audio-Technica Mics Farfisa Marshall Time Modulator Neumann M269 Roland Jupiter 6 Boss Delay Pedal RME Telefunken V72 Preamp Telefunken M15 Tape Machine UAD Capitol Chambers Plugin   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate

27 Nov 20191h 39min

In this episode John links up with Merrill and Nate from Tune-Yards to talk about how they recorded and produced the soundtrack to Sorry To Bother You and also dive into a classic from the TY back-catalogue.  Speaking from the other side of the pond Merrill and Nate dig into 3 tracks they scored for the Boots Riley directorial debut, exploring the methods and techniques they used whilst recording and discuss how this differs from their usual writing process. We also revisit the Tune-Yards favourite Gangsta, hearing of its humble beginnings in front of an audience in Germany to a full track breakdown.  Listen to find out how Merrill makes her yodel loops, how Walkman’s and Telephone’s left their mark on Gangsta, and whether or not we find out what the band's undercover pseudonym is when they want to play anonymously.  Tracks discussed: Gangsta, SIGNS (Detroit's Theme), Revealed, Steve Lift’s Party   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'WHOKILL' here. Listen to 'Sorry To Bother You' here. 'WHOKILL' & 'Sorry To Bother You' - 4AD Ltd Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS ProTools Cubase Blue Baby Bottle Mic Empirical Labs Distressor Fender P Bass Lexicon PCM 41 Delay Roland TR-808 Roland SPD Sample Pad Roland SP-404 Sampler Boss RC-1 Looping Pedal Sequential Prophet 6 Sony Walkman Soundtoys Decapitator Tech 21 SansAmp Valhalla VintageVerb   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate

20 Nov 20191h 44min

In this episode John heads to EMS4 studios in Shoreditch to chat with Floating Points a.k.a Sam Shepherd, about how he recorded and produced his latest release, Crush.  Talking from deep within Sam’s musical laboratory, we peer behind the curtain and find out how Floating Points music is created and crafted, pulling apart some of the tracks from his second album along the way. We get to hear how live performance and classical music are a serious influence in his writing process in addition to experimenting with the impressive number of synths he’s collected over the years. Geekery is in abundance in this episode.  Listen to find out why space was scant in Sam’s student bedroom, who sick Anna actually is and why sometimes all you need is a Yamaha Reface CS in your backpack.  Tracks discussed: Last Bloom, Annasickmodualr, Bias.   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'Crush' here. 'Crush' - Pluto Records, Ninja Tune. Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Logic Pro Ableton Sibelius Akai S950 Sampler API Desk  ARP 2600 ARP Rhodes Chroma Buchla Synth Korg Volca Beats Marshall Time Modulator MAM ADX1 Dunlop MXR Flanger Neve Preamps Publison Infernal Machine Multi-Effects Processor Roland EV-5 Expression Pedal Yamaha CS-70 Yamaha Reface CS   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate

12 Nov 20191h 20min

In this episode John heads to the Dairy studios to talk with composer/musician/producer Nitin Sawhney about how he recorded and produced the album Beyond Skin.  In celebration of 20 years since its release, Nitin dusts off the original Logic 4 sessions and gives a fascinating account of how this classic album, most of which was recorded in his bedroom in Tooting, was brought to life.  We not only get to hear some of the tracks broken down in detail but are also treated to live demonstrations of some of the traditional Indian compositional techniques used throughout the album.  Listen to find out why an sm58 is pretty much all you need to record an album, how those mind boggling vocals in The Conference were created, and why Nitin’s guitar is his favourite piece of kit.  Tracks discussed: Homelands, Serpents, Immigrant, Letting Go, The Conference   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES  https://linktr.ee/tapenotes    Listen to 'Beyond Skin' here. 'Beyond Skin' - Outcaste Records Ltd Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective    GEAR MENTIONS Logic Pro Staff Pad App Akai MPC Sampler Fostex DMT8 Recorder GEM S2 Keyboard Shure SM58 Yamaha Pro-Mix 01 Yamaha AN1X Synth   OUR GEAR https://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear    KEEP UP TO DATE For behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on:  Instagram: @tapenotes  Twitter: @tapenotes  Facebook: @tapenotespodcast   YouTube: Tape Notes Podcast Discord: Tape Notes To let us know the artists you’d like to hear, Tweet us, slide into our DMs, send us an email or even a letter. We’d love to hear!  Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk    HELP SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to help support the show you can donate as little or as much as you'd like here, (we really appreciate your contributions :)  Donate

6 Nov 20191h 36min