Award-winning composer Michael Price combines form and function with Solid State Logic’s UF8 and UC1 controllers

Hertfordshire, UK, 12 July 2022 – After award-winning composer Michael Price and his family moved from London in 2021, the focus is on being closer to their parents and nature. He streamlined the setup of his new home studio and took the opportunity to evaluate which tools were absolutely necessary for the studio. The answer is that, in addition to a piano and some comfortable furniture, the most important thing is the Solid State Logic UC1 plug-in controller and UF8 DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) controller and some analog mastering peripheral equipment.

Price, who was nominated for an Emmy in 2014, as well as a BAFTA, and has two other Emmy nominations for the BBC series Sherlock, has experimented with a lot of real things over the years and touch screen controllers. But until he discovered SSL products, he couldn’t find any equipment that could truly support his creative process.“I found these two control surfaces to be the most tactile and smoothest I’ve ever used.” He says.

Elegant design and software functionality

A graduate of the University of Surrey’s Tonmeister programme, Price’s ability to straddle both the worlds of engineering and creativity has allowed him to approach a piece of equipment appreciating both its functionality and aesthetics.“I am as fascinated by the elegant design of music technology as I am by furniture or composition.” He says: “It’s great when a company’s design can be both aesthetic and functional, or to add a new twist to the original setup. If the aesthetics of the physical equipment they use to solve a problem Elegant, yet functional and very practical, it will be a joy to work with every day Kudos to the designers of SSL for this.

He continued:“The UF8 solves problems more effectively than any other device. And the build quality and functionality are outstanding.”

But what Price really likes is the seamless integration between UC1 and SSL 360 software.“The two products are very different.”He says: “The combination of the two provides a level of functionality that goes beyond just using a DAW, and more like the mixing console he’s been using for decades.”

“Golden Channel Strip” software and SSL 360

“I use the Channel Strip 2 plug-in on everything and have it integrated into the DAW model.” He explained: “I use the 360 ​​software as a mode switch and can switch between composing and mixing by clicking on the 360 ​​screen. I don’t have to look at the waveform anymore. I have a UC1 at hand and work with it. It’s nice and intuitive, like it’s the ‘Golden Channel Strip’ that allows me to get what I’m focusing on onto the screen.I have never seen a product that elegantly presents as much information on the screen as the 360 ​​Plug-in Mixer.It gives you an overview Having an overview and knowing where things are, just like in the analog days, made the whole process very smooth, which is what I’ve always looked for in a plug-in in the controller.”

Price tried nearly every “colored” channel strip.“No matter what console you’ve ever used, someone made a channel strip out of it. But I’ve found that in some consoles the emulation software sneaks in dark tones or sounds that don’t belong on the console itself. Now, Channel Strip 2 with SSL for 360° software it solves everything.I am very satisfied with the cleaner and more transparent world we get when we work “in-the-box”.

For instance. He says:“If I add a recording of strings or real vocals under my favorite synth, I prefer a cleaner ambience. So I can choose more discriminatingly, because I’m lucky to have this analog mastering hookup – finally adding a sounding transformer in the analog level, rather than to dirty everything and lose transparency.”

Tactile controls and sound transparency

Since he’s not staring at the screen at the graph when using the UC1’s EQ controls, he’s more satisfied with the choices he’s making.“It has great articulation and if it’s just a knob in front of you, you turn it until it sounds right. I want to avoid building up coloration that I can’t remove, but I have the ability to add grit if I need it for a particular tone.”

He says his usual practice is to put bus compressors on all of his stems: “Most of our productions will use 8 to 12 stems. Usually, the compressor does almost nothing, just set the threshold and let them compress to a very high level. Or, if it’s a percussive stem, and I could compress it a a little more difficult.”

Price admits he has no plans to open a music studio at the new location, having long preferred to separate work and home, as he has done in London, where he still maintains a 600-square-foot manufacturing facility. But his earlier plans for a hiatus were cut short when deadlines loomed on several television soundtrack projects, including BAFTA-winning ITV crime thriller Unforgotten.) season five.“Because I’ve already set up some equipment in the studio.” He says: “The model in my studio was created for the shooting of ‘Unforgettable’, so the SSL controller can only be used for this project.”

Price also used UC1 and UF8 on his Whitsun solo project in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I recorded with the Una Corder piano and the Yamaha CS-80, the Una Corder is a single string piano that sounds like a bell. I also sang a little. Everything went through my SSL model and my equipment , and then I gave it to Guy Massey – who does a really great job and he’s a friend of mine – he does the mixing.”

A custom studio with beautiful furniture and SSL controllers

Overall, the new home studio had to meet three of Price’s creative requirements.“The first was that I improvised a lot on the piano. Then I wrote film and TV scores. I also wrote contemporary classical music, mostly in pencil on paper. It was like trying to play with interesting digital scales and patterns, using Una bella musical architecture is built in a simulated way.” He says.

“So when I added equipment to this room, I wanted it to better reflect these three things: the piano, pencil and paper, and recording and creating music for film and TV. I also have comfortable leather chairs here.I’m very obsessed with mid-century furniture, so there’s an Eames lounge chair and a very striking UC1 plug-in controller and UF8 digital audio workstation (DAW) controller. Finally he said the price: “It’s a tactile home studio.”