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Charlie Simpson at work in his Surrey studio, joined by the new Audient ASP4816 console.

Instrumentalist-Songwriter Charlie Simpson Implements Audient At His UK Studio

Cites ASP4816 analog console’s hybrid capabilities as a primary reason for its selection for his Surrey, England recording facility.

Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Charlie Simpson (Busted, Fightstar) recently implemented a new Audient ASP4816 analog console at his studio in Surrey, England, specifically citing the desk’s hybrid capabilities as a primary reason for its selection.

“I love using the ASP4816. It’s the perfect size for my studio and the routing capabilities are amazing. Though the desk is fully analog I’ve managed to set it up in a way that it can be used in a modern/hybrid way,” he says. “I also love playing and recording drums, so to be able to have a space where I can now record live drums through a desk has been a game changer.”

With the ASP4816 at the hub, he has everything running through three UAD Apollos, and notes that the console has expanded his creative possibilities. “I can use the aux sends of the desk to route through digital reverb room emulations which sound so realistic these days,” he notes. “My live room isn’t huge, but this setup allows me to create a great close mic sound with the desk and then utilise the Apollos for the room.”

Specifying the gear himself, Simpson took his time and says that he considered carefully how it would best serve his workflow: “I mostly use digital plugins, but there are a few choice bits of hardware I got that either don’t have digital emulations or just don’t match up to the sound of the hardware.” Thanks to the ASP4816, he now has the best of both worlds.

He timed the upgrade to coincide with the launch of his Patreon site (here), developed so he can offer listenters a “virtual front seat” in his studio (and a good view of the Audient desk) as well as various options for his core audience to connect with him. With both the studio and Patreon site up and running, Simpson notes that he can put all his efforts into recording his next solo album, which is due for release towards the end of the year.

He’s also looking forward to celebrating 10 years since his first solo album, Young Pilgrim, came out, with a show at the Kentish Town Forum scheduled for November 2021.

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