Mo Volans enjoys a multifaceted career as a producer, musician, writer and product trainer. Signed to the UK’s Global Underground and Subversive Records, for 15 years he wrote, produced and remixed records for major and independent labels, including Positiva, Hed Kandi, Skint, AATW and MOS/Data, where he first got his hands on classic Harman Lexicon gear like the 480L.
His electronic music production and composing skills led Volans to producing music for TV and around 2006 he was asked to write an article for Remix magazine, which launched a parallel career as a music writer. Since then he’s written countless features and currently contributes to Future Music, AskAudio and Audiotuts+.
Thanks to his understanding of electronic music technology and knack for explaining it clearly, Volans has become an in-demand producer of training videos. He is now the lead trainer at MacProVideo.com and AskVideo and has produced training and promotional material for a number of major computer music platforms, including Ableton, Logic, Reason, Cubase, Maschine and BitWig.
Through all his occupational diversity, his preference for Lexicon has remained constant, and he’s adopted the Lexicon PCM Total Bundle plug-in package. “I’ve been using Lexicon as long as I can remember,” he says. “I’ve been fortunate to work with almost every model of Lexicon hardware, from flagship products like the 480L in larger studios to my more recent use of the MX and PCM reverb and effects processors in smaller facilities and my own project studios. When I had the opportunity to try the PCM Total Bundle I didn’t hesitate.”
The PCM Total Bundle offers a wide variety of Lexicon reverbs and effects like Vintage Plate, Hall, Room, Concert Hall and other hallmark Lexicon reverbs, and effects that run the gamut from Pitch Shift, Chorus, Dual Delay and Resonant Chords to other completely unique sounds. It’s designed to work with popular DAWs like Pro Tools and Logic, as well as with any other VST, Audio Unit or RTAS-compatible platform and with Windows and Macintosh computers.
“I’ve been using the PCM Total Bundle as my go-to reverb solution literally since the day it arrived,” he notes, adding that he deploys the plug-in for both his own recordings and in his training courses. “When it comes to demonstrating algorithmic reverbs this is just about as good as it gets for me. If I can call something that’s used in training videos a ‘textbook example’ of something, then the Lexicon is it.”
Volans recently completed what he calls an in-depth six-hour training course for MacProVideo.com on mixing and mastering electronic dance music in Logic Pro X music production software. He used the PCM Total Bundle extensively throughout this course, and for recent online features for Future Music and AskAudio.
“I’ve worked in the studio with Lexicon gear for a long time,” he says. “Having used the hardware I can say without a doubt that this plug-in is the real deal. Lexicon manages to create stunning acoustic spaces that no other algorithmic processors seem to be able to touch. The richness of the reverb tails are legendary, and for good reason. I’ve found other processors that can do a good job – but Lexicon consistently nails the non-linear acoustic nature of real-world spaces.”
“Mo has been with Lexicon every step of his highly successful career,” states Noel Larson, director of marketing, Harman Signal Processing. “The diversity of his work and his consistent use of our plug-ins speaks to the ability of our reverbs to meet the requirements of any style of project he takes on. Furthermore, seeing him using Lexicon to teach a new generation of producers is the best compliment he can give us.”
