My Forever Studio

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Nov 2026

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About the show

Imagine being able to make your perfect studio. Where would it be? What would it look like? And if you only had six pieces of gear to choose from, what would they be? This is exactly what we ask of guest artists, producers and industry figureheads. It might sound easy but there are strict rules in the Forever Studio. Hosts and shameless nerds Chris Barker and Will Betts guide guests through the dramatic journey to studio foreverdom. There will be nostalgia. There will be anecdotes. There may be gags. But there will be no bundles! It’s MusicTech’s My Forever Studio Podcast.

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November 10, 202656 min

Ep 91: The Midnight TAL U-NO lies

This time, we’re joined by synthwave royalty The Midnight for an entertaining, pan-continental edition of My Forever Studio. Tim McEwan and Tyler Lyle tackle our studio challenge tentatively at first, but ultimately share the secrets behind their drum sounds, retro-futuristic production, and share the six items that they couldn’t live without. In this episode, find out how they keep their sessions running smoothly from opposite sides of the United States, how much of their process is “in the box” and which $50 plugins bring their distinctive synthwave sound to life. Season 8 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the impressive new Horizon range of audio interfaces. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/horizon-range/ https://musictech.com/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://themidnightofficial.com/ https://www.tone2.com/gladiator.html https://tal-software.com/products/tal-u-no-lx https://stupiddope.com/2023/03/heat-malibu-beach-house-for-sale-2023/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangri-La_(recording_studio) https://soyuzmicrophones.com/017-series https://www.telefunken-elektroakustik.com/products/telefunken-u47 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_MKS-80 https://reverb.com/uk/p/roland-juno-106 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_JX-8P https://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/hs-60 https://valhalladsp.com/shop/delay/valhalla-uber-mod/ https://atc.audio/professional/loudspeakers/scm50a-pro/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LinnDrum https://soundcloud.com/themidnightofficial/days-of-thunder https://reverb.com/uk/p/e-mu-systems-drumulator-8-voice-drum-sampler https://www.roland.com/us/products/tr-1000/ https://www.eltamusic.com/solar-42 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linn_LM-1 https://www.instagram.com/bonniemckee/ https://oberheim.com/products/ob-x8/ https://www.vintagesynth.com/yamaha/cs-80 https://themidnight.wiki/wiki/Time_Machines

November 3, 20261 hr 9 min

Ep 90: Warren Huart says no to perfect pianos

Our guest this time is Warren Huart, who is widely known as the face of Produce Like A Pro. But he’s also a musician, songwriter, recording engineer and multi-platinum producer. He’s got an impressive list of credits including Aerosmith, James Blunt, Korn and more. Plus, his film and television credits include Inglourious Basterds, Transformers, Lost, Scrubs, and Grey's Anatomy. In this episode, find out what piano he’d prefer over a Steinway grand, why he’s not worried about sharing sessions, and how “romance” drives every decision in his Forever Studio. Season 8 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the impressive new Horizon range of audio interfaces. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/horizon-range/ https://musictech.com/ https://tyxstudios.com/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Night_at_the_Opera_(Queen_album) https://equipboard.com/items/tascam-msr-24 https://2200studios.com/ https://www.instagram.com/studioatthepalms/?hl=en https://thefray.com/ https://stevenslateaudio.com/en/vsx https://equipboard.com/items/soundtracs-topaz-project-8-32-channel https://www.avid.com/pro-tools https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neumann_U_47 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Douglas_(music_producer) https://www.capitolstudios.com/ https://abbeyroadinstitute.co.uk/staff/mirek-stiles/ https://museumofmagneticsoundrecording.org/images/R2R/NeumannU47U48BrochureMOMSR.pdf https://reverb.com/uk/p/akg-c-12-a-multipattern-large-diaphragm-tube-condenser-microphone https://www.genelec.com/previous-models/1032a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_NS-10 https://musictech.com/reviews/studio-recording-gear/kali-audio-in-8-monitors/ https://www.audeze.com/products/lcd-x https://aiaiai.audio/speakers/unit-4 https://reverb.com/uk/p/guild-starfire-ii-cherry-1964 https://www.sunsetsound.com/ https://www.tropicalfishvintage.com/blog/2017/6/21/the-wurlitzer-206-student-model-explained https://www.ringosbeatlekits.com/1964-ludwig-downbeat https://www.ludwig-drums.com/en-us/ludwig/products/snare-drums/supraphonic https://www.baeaudio.com/products/1073 https://www.ams-neve.com/consoles/mid-format/neve-bcm10-2-mk2/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valle_dei_Templi

October 27, 20261 hr 7 min

Ep 89: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith doesn’t share stems

This time, our guest this time is Kailtlyn Aurelia Smith, and electronic musician, composer, performer, and producer whose serendipitous run in with a Buchla 100 completely changed how she approached making music. She’s worked with synthesizer pioneer Suzanne Ciani and film composer Emile Mosseri, and on her new album she explores darker, more club-friendly styles than ever before. In this episode, learn more about how her first experiments with a Buchla taught her patience for “irritating” sounds, how her synaesthesia turns sounds into bodily sensations, and the ways that this affects her production. As always, expect Forever Studio rules to be bent, but never broken. Season 8 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the impressive new Horizon range of audio interfaces. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/horizon-range/ https://musictech.com/ https://tyxstudios.com/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://www.vintagesynth.com/buchla/100-series https://www.vam.ac.uk/east https://www.avid.com/pro-tools https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singeli https://reverb.com/uk/p/oxford-synthesizer-company-oscar-37-key-analog-monophonic-programmable-music-synthesizer https://www.gforcesoftware.com/product/imposcar3/ https://www.vintagesynth.com/buchla/700-series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMS_Synthi_100 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic_series_(music) https://evolutionmusicpartners.com/omni-loop-kaitlyn-aurelia-smith/ https://www.overstayeraudio.com/saturator-nt-02a https://www.instagram.com/thommonahan/ https://www.neumann.com/en-gb/products/microphones/u-67-set https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_for_18_Musicians https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/usonian-houses-everything-you-need-to-know-about-frank-lloyd-wrights-affordable-homes

October 20, 20261 hr 9 min

Ep 88: Robert Henke's DAW curveball

This time, legendary electronic music creator and Ableton co-founder Robert Henke, known in the studio as Monolake, joins us for a journey into his creative process, his love for expressive hardware, and his fascination with sound technology old and new. From growing up in a family of engineers to his influential career in Berlin's pioneering club scene, Robert Henke shares how engineering spawns art in his work. He reveals what he’d change in Ableton Live if he could start over, why hands-on hardware is still critical to his process, and what he'd build from scratch if given the tools and the time. Season 8 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the impressive new Horizon range of audio interfaces. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/horizon-range/ https://musictech.com/ https://tyxstudios.com/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://reverb.com/uk/p/roland-juno-6-analog-synthesizer Electric Indigo: https://indigo-inc.at/ https://reverb.com/uk/p/ensoniq-asr-10 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_SY77 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_TR-505 https://reverb.com/uk/p/alesis-quadraverb-plus-black-2010s https://atc.audio/professional/loudspeakers/scm300asl-pro/ https://atc.audio/professional/pro-subwoofers/scs240iw-pro/ https://www.expressivee.com/2-osmose https://anukari.com/ https://doepfer.de/pf.htm https://www.korg.co.uk/products/2600m https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O202853/p-231-print-mohr-manfred/

October 13, 202657 min

Ep 87: Caesar Edmunds already has a Forever Studio

In this episode of the My Forever Studio podcast, we welcome Grammy-winning mixer, engineer, and producer Caesar Edmunds, whose credits span from Ozzy Osbourne and Queens of the Stone Age to Wet Leg and The Last Dinner Party. From a music teacher in Singapore telling him he had “no chance” of making it as a musician, to his breakthrough in the UK engineering scene, Caesar Edmunds shares his incredible journey: from spending two years in national service as a police officer, to studing at Liverpool’s LIPA, hustling for work experience with Alan Moulder, and his eventual rise to his own Atmos studio at the legendary Battery Studios in London. In this episode, we get into Caesar Edmunds’s “Forever Studio” picks, his enviable guitar pedal collection, the art of creating a homely studio vibe, and the ongoing fight to save iconic studio spaces from the threat of redevelopment. Expect banter, airhorns, and rule-bending. Season 8 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the impressive new Horizon range of audio interfaces. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/horizon-range/ https://musictech.com/ https://tyxstudios.com/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Moulder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebration_Day_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_Studios https://store.solidstatelogic.com/plug-ins/ssl-4k-g-channel-strip https://www.avid.com/products/pro-tools-mtrx-studio https://www.overstayeraudio.com/modular-channel https://pmc-speakers.com/products/twotwo6/ https://pmc-speakers.com/studio/active/qb1-xbd/ https://solidstatelogic.com/products/oracle https://solidstatelogic.com/products/odyssey https://www.instagram.com/stankoniaatl / https://www.neumann.com/en-gb/products/microphones/u-47-fet-i https://help.uaudio.com/hc/en-us/articles/215779663-A-History-of-the-Teletronix-LA-2A-Leveling-Amplifier https://www.anthonydemarialabs.com/products/overview-1000.html https://www.wrightwaystudios.com/ https://reverb.com/uk/p/lovetone-wobulator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_Bender https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loveless_(album) https://www.uaudio.com/products/lexicon-224

October 6, 20261 hr 15 min

Ep 86: Kaelin Ellis is guided by video games

Multi‑platinum producer, multi-instrumentalist, and sample pack maker Kaelin Ellis (Vince Staples, Kaytranada, TOKiMONSTA, and more) takes on the My Forever Studio challenge. This time, hear how NBA Street helped lead him to jazz and producer credits, how he develops “pocket”in his drumming, and how an upright piano he found backstage at a show made for one of his most vibey sample packs. As always, expect in-depth gear chat, and difficult decisions, studio stories and at least one obnoxious airhorn. Season 8 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the impressive new Horizon range of audio interfaces. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/horizon-range/ https://musictech.com/ https://tyxstudios.com/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_Music_Generator_2 https://reverb.com/uk/item/19727436-cb-drum-kit-wine-red Sonic 3 OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMykhxy6Jrg Kaeline Ellis’s MKRS Club: https://kaelinellis.gumroad.com/l/kketma https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSX_3 https://taos.org/ https://taos.org/explore/landmarks/taos-earthships/ https://www.instagram.com/sango_/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_Street D’Angelo, ‘Black Messiah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2r5yqjlVrI&list=PLDlzaWMepRBfViKfEfUwg_DZuQF6A4e6l https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_Pro https://www.native-instruments.com/products/fm8 https://reverb.com/uk/p/yamaha-dx7 Yamaha PSR-510 demo songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpqxMmkwSuQ https://embodme.com/erae-2 https://pearldrum.com/eu/artist/joey-jordison https://www.guitarcenter.com/Orange-County-Drum-Percussion/Maple-Snare-14-x-6-in-Natural-Black-Burst-1274319719551.gc The Roots - You Got Me ft. Erykah Badu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJCHeEQV454 https://www.kawai.co.uk/products/uprightpianos/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphoria_Festival Memo Piano: https://kaelinellis.gumroad.com/l/kkemp Memo Piano 2: https://kaelinellis.gumroad.com/l/kkemp2 https://rode.com/en-gb/products/i-xy https://planet.mu/artists/u-ziq/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Vibert https://www.instagram.com/beatsbyjblack/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meow_Wolf

September 29, 20261 hr 12 min

⁠Ep 85: Hazel Mills invents a new instrument

Hazel Mills, the singer, songwriter and session musician has toured with Kylie Minogue, Florence and the Machine, Goldfrapp, and more. In this episode, Hazel — a long-time fan of the show — specs up an inviting but remote studio and finds a series of new studio hacks that test the forever studio rules. This time, hear her stories of touring with Kylie Minogue, how she balances session work with her artist project, and the time she got really into prepared piano. Expect deep studio geekery, plus an exclusive hint at her new “dystopian dance music” album. Season 8 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the impressive new Horizon range of audio interfaces. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/horizon-range/ https://musictech.com/ https://tyxstudios.com/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://stevereich.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musique_concr%C3%A8te https://kentonuk.com/product/roland-jupiter-8/ https://uk.yamaha.com/en/musical-instruments/pianos/products/disklavier/ https://www.akaipro.com/mpc-key-37-g2/ https://reverb.com/uk/p/flea-microphones-47 https://reverb.com/uk/p/pearlman-tm-1 https://sontronics.com/products/sontronics-aria-2-valve-tube-condenser-microphone https://www.neumann.com/en-gb/products/monitors/kh-80-dsp-a-g https://atc.audio/professional/loudspeakers/scm25a-pro-mk2/ https://pmc-speakers.com/studio/pmc-6-2/ https://reverb.com/uk/p/roland-re-301-chorus-echo https://www.eventideaudio.com/pedals/h90/ The reverb in a well (actually a silo) at BearTracks Studio in New York. https://youtu.be/bJd8606oNNk?si=P1z2451qeIWS71lu&t=431 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_cat https://goape.co.uk/ Cate Brookes: https://www.instagram.com/catebrooksmusic/ Kylie’s Tension Tour: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tension_Tour

September 22, 20261 hr 7 min

Ep 84: UNIIQU3’s favela studio has mass appeal

UNIIQU3 is an artist, DJ, producer and ambassador of the Jersey Club genre. She’s opened the Renaissance tour for Beyoncé, been sampled by Doechii and made the first Jersey Club track to be longlisted for a Grammy. Trained as a classical pianist and dancer, UNIIQU3 fell in love with club life following an injury that curtailed her dancing. We caught up with her hot off completing her debut album, ‘Mass Appeal’ to talk about her first exposure to Jersey Club in her hometown of Newark, how a cracked copy of FL Studio helped her enter the male-dominated DJ scene, Broadway auditions and Stonehenge. Season 8 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the impressive new Horizon range of audio interfaces. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/horizon-range/ https://musictech.com/ https://tyxstudios.com/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://www.instagram.com/djsliink/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favela https://focusrite.com/products/isa-c8x https://www.rocktronusa.com/banshee-2.html https://musictech.com/news/gear/chromeo-talk-box-electrocuted/ https://www.yamahamusiclondon.com/Pianos/Disklavier-Enspire-Pianos/ https://reverb.com/uk/p/vintage-neumann-and-telefunken-u-47-tube-microphones https://musictech.com/reviews/yamaha-ns-10/ https://www.krkmusic.com/collections/rokit-series-generation-five-powered-studio-monitors https://voidacoustics.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pisces.atl/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/paragonbroadway/?hl=en https://www.pioneerdj.com/en/product/dj-mixers/djm-v10/ https://www.ableton.com/en/push/ https://www.technics.com/global/home/sl1200.html https://www.hardsummer.com/

September 15, 20261 hr 4 min

Ep 83: Nick Hakim has your gear on long-term loan

Nick Hakim is a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist who Lianne La Havas has called “one of the greatest musical minds ever.” Combining R&B, soul, indie and psychedelia, he’s released a string of remarkable records and collaborated with major acts including Erykah Badu, Anderson Paak, and Mac DeMarco. We caught up with him in July, in the run-up to his latest album ‘I Can See,’ to talk about the inevitability of him becoming an artist, how music therapy influences his practice, and how the Forever Studio selection process evokes the limited nature of his album-making process. In this episode, hear from Nick Hakim how a school strike led him to one of his mentors, how a favourite record growing up inspired one of his forever studio selections, and why he’d want to build his dream studio far from his current home in New York. Season 8 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the incredible new Horizon range of audio interfaces. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/horizon-range/ https://musictech.com/ https://tyxstudios.com/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://atorecords.com/artists/nick-hakim/ https://www.instagram.com/en_hakim/ https://soundcloud.com/enhakim https://soundcloud.com/enhakim/i-dont-know https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcosis_(band) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Foreign_Exchange https://www.instagram.com/zo3hree5ive/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asheru https://www.berklee.edu/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilo%C3%A9_Archipelago https://matadornetwork.com/read/chile-island-chiloe-move-house/ https://apogeedigital.com/product/symphony-mk-ii/ https://markgoodwinpianos.co.uk/yamaha/yamaha-u7-upright-piano-review-and-information-1203 https://uk.yamaha.com/en/musical-instruments/pianos/products/upright-pianos/u-series/ https://www.akaipro.com/downloads-and-support/downloads/?product=MPC2000XL&legacy=true https://www.roland.com/global/products/sp-404mk2/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%B4r%C3%A7a_Bruta https://www.neumann.com/en-gb/products/microphones/u-67-set https://musictech.com/guides/essential-guide/ribbon-mics-1/ https://reverb.com/uk/p/akg-c414-eb-w-slash-brass-ck12-capsule https://www.instagram.com/joe.harryson/ https://www.instagram.com/jakeshermanwooo/ https://www.instagram.com/dylnday/ https://www.sonicranch.com/adobe-studio https://www.instagram.com/jerryaudio/ https://soundgas.com/products/vestax-mr-66-6-track-recorder-2 https://www.instagram.com/thumprecording/ https://reverb.com/uk/p/roland-re-301-chorus-echo https://atc.audio/professional/loudspeakers/scm45a-pro/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophet-5

August 19, 20251 hr 7 min

Ep 82: Stimming’s sub-$200 drum synth

Stimming is an acclaimed music producer known for his inventive field recordings, esoteric hardware, and organic approach to electronic dance music. In this episode, Stimming surprises with left-field gear choices, from pen-controlled production workflows to budget synths with remarkable punch. Along the way, pick up tips on stereo recording, learn how he makes live electronic sets punch as hard as DJ mixes, and discover which sense he thinks is overlooked in the studio. Season 7 of the My Forever Studio Podcast is supported by Audient, and the incredible new iD48 audio interface. https://audient.com/ https://audient.com/products/audio-interfaces/id48/ STUFF WE TALK ABOUT (SPOILERS AHEAD) https://stimming.org/ https://solomun.org/ https://www.diynamic.com/ https://diynamic.bandcamp.com/album/alpe-lusia https://rog.asus.com/laptops/rog-flow/rog-flow-z13-2025/ https://www.bitwig.com/ https://www.neumann.com/en-gb/products/audiointerfaces/mt-48 https://www.merging.com/products/interfaces/hapi-mkIII https://torsoelectronics.com/products/s-4 https://www.bricasti.com/en/pro/m7.php https://savantaudiolabs.com/product/quantum-room-simulator/ https://reverb.com/uk/item/2217614-quantec-yardstick-2402-f https://musictech.com/reviews/universal-audio-lexicon-480l-review/ https://www.shure.com/en-GB/products/earphones/kse1500 https://aearibbonmics.com/products/n28/ https://www.moogmusic.com/synthesizers/dfam/ https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=0718-ABM https://soundgas.com/products/cwejman-s1-mk2-semi-modular-analogue-synthesizer-s1-mk2-031 https://www.twistedelectrons.com/megafm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_YM2612 https://doctron-imc.com/ https://www.elektron.se/explore/octatrack-mkii https://www.tcelectronic.com/product.html?modelCode=0828-AAL https://soundcloud.com/stimming https://www.escentric.com/collections/escentric-molecules-01