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MAK & PASTEMAN'S: STUDIO ESSENTIALS

Leeds-based production duo Mak & Pasteman are crafting a name for themselves with their dancefloor friendly productions. Here are five of their studio essentials...

1 - Dave Smith Tempest
“We love these machines, they can do so much once you get inside them. They’re so versatile, they do snappy glitchy drum sounds, gritty, punchy, more edgy drums through to downright craziness. Beyond that, the combination of digital and analogue oscillators produces everything from dirty bass stabs, soundscape-style pads to lead sounds. Plus the Linn-style sequencer makes for some interesting on-the-fly programming.

2 - Moogerfooger MF 104m
“True analogue delay. Worth it just for the drive function. Running most sounds through it seems to bring life to them. As a delay it can do straight-up musical delays through to extreme feedbacks that can make for some one-of-a-kind FX.

3 - Electro Harmonix Memory Man
“A digital delay them has a really nice warmth to it. Very versatile. Can do some really nice reverb as well. Just playing around with the delay times can make some really great rhythmical effects on drums. Again, when pushed to its limits, it can make some very nice tones and artifacts for our tracks.

4 - Korg MS20
“This synth seems to have stood the test of time due to its huge sound and versatility. The bass out of it is phenomenal. Beyond that it really excels with weird quirky leads, detuned madness and minimal bleepy weirdness. With all the CV capabilities, it just seems to surprise you all the time with how much it can do.” 

5 - UAD
Hard to fit everything in but the UAD has to have a place. We think analogue and digital go hand in hand and they all have a role to play. The UAD plays its role as a DSP running its own set of high-end plug-ins better than anything else. We haven't made a track without using the Fatso compressor since we bought it. The Lexicon 224 reverb is our favourite go-to reverb. It’s excellent for drums, keeping all the transients present and giving you nice tight tails. Other faves are the Ampex ATR 102 and the Manley Massive Passive. Each plug-in has its own character and use, and with so many to get there’s a lot of sonic possibilities.”