No Windows
The Kit List
INTRO
I'm Morgan and I write and produce for my 2-piece band “No Windows”. We have just released an EP titled “Fish Boy” that was recorded and produced in my bedroom using my little setup. All the gear listed below was used to record the EP and while it's not the fanciest, it works for me! I think the DIY sound is really important to the sound of the EP, and I couldn't imagine myself recording it in any other way.
FENDER TELECASTER JAPANESE 52 REISSUE
This is probably my favourite piece of equipment I own. It's the only guitar I've really ever played, and I can't imagine myself using anything else. It has this mysterious shell pink colour that I suspect may be a faded red or a mistake in the paint mix. The guitar was recalled but luckily my dad managed to buy it off the back of the truck it was delivered in. I think it really suits the kind of music we make, and I can get the exact tone I want out of it; it also feels great to play, which to me is most important.
SUBZERO SZC-300 CONDENSER MIC
I used this mic to record just about everything on the ep, except for a few vocals which I used a Shure SM58 on. I bought the mic for around £30 of gear4music. Although the mic itself isn't all that great and I'm using a better one now (MXL 990) it forced me to be really meticulous with mic placement EQ and compression which is a handy skill now especially when using nicer gear.
DOUBLE MUFF FUZZ, BOSS DD-3T DIGITAL DELAY + SHAKER VIBRATO PEDALS
These are the first three pedals I bought, and I've stuck with them since. I have always loved the sound of analogue gear, so I tried to loosely recreate that with the pedals. I find the muff sounds good when used subtly and almost acts as a saturator, it can also be cranked up which is always fun and sounds great too. I bought the vibrato to recreate the subtle pitch warping you hear in old tape recordings; it also adds warmth to the tone and sounds great. The delay is really simple and I generally use it for a subtle slapback effect rather than a long and prominent echo.
FOCUSRITE iTRACK SOLO AUDIO INTERFACE
This was amongst the first pieces of equipment I ever bought. It was part of one of those Focusrite starter recording kits with a mic interface and headphones except it was one of the older ones, so it didn’t have that nice red colour that you see on Focusrite stuff, instead, a dull grey which was annoying for me at age 13. It did the trick though and lasted ages, I'm now using a PreSonus Audiobox which gives me the luxury of an extra input alongside a nice blue colour.
HOFNER VIOLIN BASS
This was the bass I used for all the tracks on the EP. Like most people growing up listening to music, I at one point became obsessed with the Beatles. I always loved the tone they got out of Paul McCartney's Hofner, so deep and punchy, I've never been able to recreate it. Actually, Getting a nice bass tone is what I struggle with most when it comes to recording. Once I get my hands on some Pultecs I'm sure I'll be golden but for now, recording through my guitar amp with the bass knob cranked will do!
The EP "Fish Boy" is out now.
