There was a time when performing at a gig meant 10 trips to a Transit van, carrying kit that was primarily constructed from wood, metal and carpet. As for recording, that didn’t become mobile until the introduction of the Portastudio, where we suddenly started to get a taste of the locational freedom that was to come. However it wasn’t until an early encounter with an Atari Falcon that things really began to change for me, as the idea of being able to operate purely in the digital realm started to become a reality.
By the early 2000s I had switched my MDF2, weighted controller, synth, double X‑stand, 10U wheeled rack unit, desk, eight PAR cans (with stands), Hysis tops and 18‑inch bass bins for a Toshiba laptop, a small keyboard and portable wheeled PA — not because it was necessarily better, but because this five‑foot‑two female was physically breaking from carrying too much kit and not having a roadie! I could also now own a nice, feminine car instead of a bright yellow ex‑British Rail DAF van (although I do still miss blasting down the M1 in that van, affectionately known as Big Bird).
Having always been a fan of minimalism in my home, and with the live rig shrinking, my studio started to go the same way. At first I adopted Cakewalk and could record a small number of audio tracks into my computer. Later I switched to laptops and Logic. Fast forward to today and not only do I have total locational independence but I also have a Rhodes, Moog, Sequential, Oberheim and symphonic orchestra tucked into the laptop bag on my shoulder. In recent years, plug‑ins have become cone‑rippingly good, and with a top pair of studio headphones and a small controller I can work from absolutely anywhere. If I need to upload the end result to share with session musicians or remixers then I just plug in my phone and use the hotspot setting, or find a coffee shop with speedy WiFi and a good selection of biscuits.
When it comes to performing smaller local gigs, I can hop onto public transport with a five‑octave keyboard that weighs less than 6kg, a lightweight column keyboard stand and a Bose S1 Pro, with all of the sounds coming from either standalone versions of my favourite plug‑ins, or from presets set up in Ableton or MainStage. If needed I can also drop an interface into my bag (often the AG06) for submixing into a bigger PA system at the venue.
Removing options definitely speeds up the workflow, and if you’re not feeling inspired on any particular day, you can easily take your studio to the beach.
Removing options definitely speeds up the workflow, and if you’re not feeling inspired on any particular day, you can easily take your studio to the beach. While it’s true that you can miss the tactile joy of real knobs and faders, I just love the flexibility that working in the box offers, and besides, it’s easy to take a portable studio into a professional studio, so I still get to play with plenty of fun toys.