Mike Horneman on SoundBetter

I run my own studio (Studio150) based in Australia that uses the best of the analog and digital world to track through all instruments.

Studio150 is a writing, pre-production and recording studio based in the Snowy Mountains in Australia. Using the best of both analog and digital gear and an excellent selection of classic mics and preamps to get the sound that you need for your track and the sound you can hear in your head from the classic records. Studio150 is able to provide guitar, bass, banjo, vocals (lead and BV, male and female), percussion and drum recording.

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Interview with Mike Horneman

Q: What's your typical work process?
A: Client contact and planning for project - organise list of reference tracks/sounds for review - arrange parts required - record samples or arranged parts for review - complete final versions of parts for delivery
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Matt Fell, Rob Mayzes, Warren Huart, John Mayer, Keith Urban, Troy Cassar Daley.
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: I am a big fan of analog front end (mics and preamp etc), and digital editing (DAW). I don't think there is really a big difference in the modern day to the two, and in the end the song wins every time regardless of the medium.
Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?
A: To deliver the my best solution to their request, both sonically and personally.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love the variety and ability to think and work creatively every day, and to be part of the magical process of creating something out of nothing that can change someones life just by hearing it.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Try to have the end goal in mind for the sound you want, or if you can't quite picture or hear whats in your head yet, then keep asking questions even if they seem silly until what you can hear in our head starts to take shape sonically.
Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?
A: An acoustic guitar, an Avalon 737, a Share SM57, an AKG 451 and an egg shaker.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I have always been a musician, and was raised by musical parents. Developing my studio skill sand gear collection has been a passion of mine all my adult life, and a skill I love being able to share with others to help them realise their musical goals.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Laidback and casual.
Q: Can you share one music production tip?
A: EQ your reverbs and delays, especially a low shelf to cut out below 2-300hz. This will make them much cleaner and less muddy sounding.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I think every musician brings something of themselves and their musical history into every thing they do in the current tense, so I bring a huge variety of influences through in my approach to a song, without worrying about limiting them.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: I currently am mostly doing live tracking of performances, live sound, and playing as a sideman for various artists. Generally in the studio I am producing 2-4 tracks for an artist as an EP or bunch of singles to release over time.
Q: Tell us about your studio setup.
A: MacBook running Protools and Logic X, 8 channel Midi fader controller and 61 key keyboard. Apollo 8 channel Duo and Twin, a number of outboard preamps (Focusrite ISA Two, Avalon 737, UA 6176, UA 710d, API A2D) and a few outboard compressors (DBX 118, 160A, 160X, RNC 1773, GA Comp54, Warm Audio WA2). NS10/Kali LP8 monitors, Audio Technica/AKG/Sennheiser headphones. Large 6x6m control/tracking room and separate 3x3m tracking room.