Tape Notes

In this episode, John catches up with Tom Misch and engineer Adam Jaffrey to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced Tom’s collaboration album with drummer Yussef Dayes - ‘What Kinda Music’. Tom and Adam dig deep into the session material, revealing the techniques and processes they used in recording the album. We hear Tom’s thoughts on stepping outside of his bedroom studio to record, as well as revealing the treasure trove of gear and plugins they used to hone his iconic guitar sound. Listen to find out why a fan made an almost 10-hour round trip to deliver the coveted OP1, what words Tom sings on his songs without lyrics, and why sometimes having a hangover in the studio can benefit the writing process.  Tracks discussed: Last 100. The Reel, Nightrider.   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to ‘What Kinda Music’ here.‘What Kinda Music’ - Beyond The Groove. Blue Note Records/CarolineIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONS Dynacord Tape EchoElectro-Voice RE20EventideMoogerfooger MF-101 PedalTeenage Engineering OP1Universal AudioUniversal Audio Neve 1073 UAD Thermionic Culture Vulture UAD Korg SD300 Plugin UAD Oxide (Tape Emulation Plugin)Zvex Lofi JunkyLogic ProProTools OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf 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:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk 

In this episode, John catches up with Jack Garratt to talk about how he wrote, recorded and produced his latest album Love, Death & Dancing. Jack digs up the original demo sessions recorded in his garden shed, unravelling the multitude of ideas he packed in to each track. Illustrated through a bounty of unheard demos and track breakdowns, Jack charts the emotional journey he undertook writing the album, revealing how he subtly controls rhythm and harmony to tell a story. Listen to find out how a core guitar riff was saved by a lucky phone recording, how his childhood trombone skills are now coming in handy, and how a few pearls of wisdom from producer Jacknife Lee have impacted his song writing.  Tracks discussed: Time, Anyone, Only The Bravest  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Love, Death & Dancing' here.'Love, Death & Dancing' - Island Records Release, Universal Music Operations LimitedIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONS Arturia Buchla Easel Plugin Arturia Prophet V3 PluginBehringer D ModelCritter & Guitari Pocket PianoFender Stratocaster Goodhertz Wow ControlMinimoogRoland TR-808Roland TR-909Roland Boutique SynthsSequential ProphetShure SM57Sonic Charge Permut8AbletonLogic Pro Logic Pro - Space Designer OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf 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:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk  

In this episode John links up with Caribou a.k.a. Dan Snaith, to breakdown how Suddenly -  his first release in five years - was written, recorded and produced. Diving deep into his hard drive Dan treats us to a plethora of demo versions, track breakdowns and even plays us a few nuggets live. We get to hear the philosophy and stories behind creating his most personal album yet and discover how he reduced a monumental 900 ideas down to a single record. Listen to hear the results of when Dan was let loose in Floating Points' Studio, how leaving his internet browser open while recording provided a moment of compositional serendipity, and why the title of this podcast could well have been 'Things I learned from Timberland'.  Songs Discussed: Magpie, Like I Love You, Sister  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes   Listen to 'Suddenly' here.'Suddenly' - City SlangIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSAPI LunchboxArp 2600ARP Rhodes ChromaRhodesFlea 47 Native Instruments ReaktorSpectrasonics OmnisphereSpectrasonics TrilianSynthesis Technology - E370 Quad Morphing VCOToneBoosters ReelbusUniversal Audio 1176 CompressorWaves MondoMod Yamaha CS-70 OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf 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:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk 

Kicking off a brand new season, John is joined by Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis to talk about how the band’s mammoth two-part project Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost was written, recorded and produced. As their first self-produced albums, Yannis gives us a fascinating insight into their biggest project yet, breaking down his writing process from the loops and drones he crafted at home to the final versions of lyrics written almost entirely at the pub.  Listen to find out how some NS10 cones were hacked to create a makeshift microphone, what Yannis projects on to the wall when recording vocals, and how the band managed to tie songs together with trips to Paris and cycling adventures in Annecy.  Tracks Discussed: Syrups, Exits & Neptune   LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes   Listen to 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost - Part One' here. Listen to 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost - Part Two' here.'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost - Parts 1 & 2' - Foals, Warner Music UK LimitedIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONS Binson EchorecChandler Preamp Rhodes Chroma PolarisMXR Phaser Pedal EurorackKorg MinilogueLine 6 PedalsMemory MoogBoss RC-1 Looping PedalShure SM7BTeenage Engineering OP1 Yamaha NS10Logic Pro OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf 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:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk 

In this episode we take a look back at some of the best bits from season 4. 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:Mura MasaFriendly Fires & Mark RalphThese New PuritansElbowEzra CollectiveMystery JetsDJ Shadow LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf 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:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk  

Thanks to SoundBetter for supporting this episode of Tape Notes.SoundBetter is the world's leading music production talent marketplace, giving you access to the best mixing & mastering engineers, singers, songwriters, producers, and studio musicians in the industry. You can work with Billie Eilish's drummer, U2's mix engineer, or hire the topliners that wrote on the latest BTS record, these pros are keen to work with Indy artists.Head to SoundBetter.com to find out more.In this episode, John ventures over to Wendy House Studios to catch up with hip-hip royalty Josh Davis AKA DJ Shadow, to talk through how he recorded and produced his latest album ‘Our Pathetic Age’ and his chart-topping album ‘The Mountain Will Fall’.  Josh gives us a full insight in to his largest most diverse project yet, breaking down his writing process from the moment he randomly dips in to his vast record collection for inspiration, to discovering unlikely source material such as an abandoned record collection rescued from a friend of his father's. We get to hear the original samples that form the basis of some of his biggest hits as well as the raw vocal stems of Nas and Pharoahe Monch rapping at each other from different studios.  Listen to find out about Josh’s meticulous sample editing process, what mixing mistake meant he had to sneakily rerelease a track, and why he had to gatecrash a Run the Jewels gig. Tracks discussed: Nobody Speak, Rocket Fuel, Drone Warfare LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Our Pathetic Age' here.Listen to 'The Mountain Will Fall' here.'Our Pathetic Age' and 'The Mountain Will Fall' - Mass Appeal/Reconstruction Productions, Inc. Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSAkai MPC SamplerPioneer PLX 1000Sonos SpeakerTechnics SL-1200Technics SL-1210ProToolsAbleton OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf 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:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk 

In this episode John makes multiple trips to Brain Yard Studios to catch up with Mystery Jets frontman Blaine Harrison and producer Matt Twaites to talk about how they recorded and produced the album A Billion Heartbeats. Recorded in the room where the album was conceived, Blaine and Matt give us full access to the Mystery Jets creative process, from tales of protests, marches and relief work, to their quest not sound too much like the Backstreet Boys. We get to hear an array of demos and phone recordings including the sound of Matt’s unborn son’s heartbeat which was crafted into a drum loop. Listen to find out what how Blaine ended up in an Icelandic Spa with Bjork, what images he looks at to get the best vocal take and who he turns to when struggling with lyrics.  Songs discussed: Screwdriver, Wrong Side of the Tracks, A Billion Heartbeats LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'A Billion Heartbeats' here.'A Billion Heartbeats' - Mystery Jets, Caroline International Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSAKG C414 Digitech Space StationFender AmpsGamechanger Audio Plasma Distortion PedalMarshall AmpsMellotronMoogRoland Juno 106Boss RC-300 Loop StationSelmer AmpsSequential Pro One Sequential OB6Shure SM57Zoom RecordersLogic Pro OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf 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:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk  

This week John is joined by Ezra Collective’s Femi, TJ and James to talk about how they wrote and recorded their debut album You Can’t Steal My Joy. Hot off the heels winning 'Jazz Album of the Year' at the World Wide Awards, the boys reflect upon how the album took shape, from the early rehearsals in a dodgy studio in Croatia to spending two days on a boat recording the whole thing. The boys play us previously unheard demos capturing the moments lightning struck, from a very rough voice memo to a more elaborate Garage Band creation knocked together on the top deck of a bus. Listen to find out how the band learns songs from street beat boxing, the challenge of writing an album for the ‘shuffle generation’, and which seat on the bus James sits in when writing on Garage Band. Tracks discussed: You Can't Steal My Joy, Quest For Coin, Why You Mad? LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'You Can't Steal My Joy' here.'You Can't Steal My Joy' - Enter The Jungle Records Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSGaragebandLogic Pro OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf 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:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk  

In this episode, John is joined by Guy Garvey and Craig Potter from Elbow, to talk about how ‘Giants of All Sizes’ was written and recorded. Craig and Guy look back at some of the sessions tracked over a two year period, reflecting on what was an emotionally challenging time for Guy and how this influenced the writing and mood of the record - something grittier and more contemplative than previous Elbow albums. We get to hear early demos and track break breakdowns, plus bags of wisdom from the big man. Listen to find out how the band channelled their feminine energy, how a monorail journey ended up as a drumbeat, and what happens if you drunkenly text Elvis Costello in the middle of the night. Songs: Seven Veils, Dexter and Sinister, On Deronda Road  LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Giants of All Sizes' here.'Giants of All Sizes' - Polydor RecordsIntro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONS Pig Nose GuitarAudio Ease AltiverbColes 4038 Ribbon MicEbowMoog ThereminNeumann U87RME Babyface ProYamaha 4TRK Recorder OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  HELP SUPPORT THE SHOWIf 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:InstagramFacebookTwitter Visit our website to join our mailing list: www.tapenotes.co.uk  

In this episode John is joined by twin brothers Jack and George Barnett, AKA experimental art-rock music duo These New Puritans, to talk about how they wrote, recorded and produced the album ‘Inside The Rose’. The boys look back on making music together in their attic as children and uncover some of the many sketches and demos versions created whilst recording the album. We get to hear the moment Jack woke from a dream with a fresh melody composed within his slumber in addition to their general philosophy on writing and recording as TNP. Listen to find out why jack had to avoid barking attack dogs whilst recording in Berlin, what Harmonic Re-synthesis is, and why some sessions were hospital inducing experiences. Tracks discussed: Infinity Vibraphones, Where the Trees are on Fire, A-R-P LINKS TO EVERYTHING TAPE NOTES https://linktr.ee/tapenotes  Listen to 'Inside The Rose' here.'Inside The Rose' - These New Puritans, Infectious Music Ltd., BMG Intro Music - Sunshine Buddy, Laurel Collective  GEAR MENTIONSSibeliusLogic ProRhodesShure Mics OUR GEARhttps://linktr.ee/tapenotes_ourgear  KEEP UP TO DATEFor behind the scenes photos and the latest updates, make sure to follow us on: Instagram: @tapenotes Twitter: @tapenotes Facebook: @tapenotespodcast  YouTube: Tape Notes PodcastDiscord: Tape NotesTo 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 SHOWIf 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