4-Track Recording Provides Challenge for Producer Fran Ashcroft

4-TRACK RECORDING PROVIDES CHALLENGE FOR PRODUCER FRAN ASHCROFT

—New and Vintage Gear Gives Industry Veteran Vision of Final Mix—

SEASIDE, OR (February 9, 2001)—Engineer/producer Fran Ashcroft loves a good challenge. And, while some of today's recording pros equate the number of tracks with the quality of a recording—even adding infinite tracking capabilities via hard-disk units and software-based applications—this U.K. transplant accommodates a diverse roster of musicians using only four tracks.

Engineer/producer Fran Ashcroft's recording style and equipment are rooted in retro. A Yamaha MD4 is the central piece of gear at his Seaside (OR) Happybeat Studios, where he completes most pre-production recording work.

The engineer speaks with conviction when he says that his projects are on par with those crafted in top commercial studios. "I think that more skill is required to create a quality recording out of four tracks than weeding through endless layers of source material," he says. "I'd spend more time listening than editing. The use of such minimal tracks requires a kind of discipline that I've admired since the days of the Beatles."

To eliminate excessive travel between studios, Ashcroft recently parted with two cassette machines in favor of a Yamaha MD4 MiniDisc recorder. Apart from this adjustment, however, his recording style and equipment are rooted in retro. "I can do most pre-production work and recording here," he says of his facility, Happybeat Studio in Seaside, OR.

"As a producer, I tend to have projects that require arrangements and some tracking," he explains, "so it's important to get the warmth that is associated with four-track analog. I might fire off drums from a sequencer, but everything else is done in real time. That's why I like the MD4; the punch in/out is accurate and perfectly in sync with no lag. I use it as my main recorder—it's a great recording medium. Plus, it has a built-in mixer and very good faders. Everything ends up on the MiniDisc."

Although a Digidesign ProTools hard disk recording system is utilized for occasional complex editing tasks, Ashcroft's gear list includes such vintage components as dbx 117 compressors (circa 1960s), a Grampian dynamic mic (1960s), Philips stereo mic (1960s), Trixon drums (1950s) and a JC Penney tremolo amp (1960s).

The 20-year recording-industry veteran has an eclectic list of credits that includes engineering work at Abbey Road and Trident Studios, production and mixing for Darling Nikkie of Lords of Acid and Spin Jupiter Spin (which includes members of the Dandy Warhols and Little Miss Red Flowers), among others. In addition, he is recording a new album for the Elks Skiffle Group, to be released on his own label, Happybeat Records. Other projects in the works include mixing for the '80s lo-fi-style band Cat Club Zed and keyboard-oriented Oysterville Underground.

"The biggest challenge in four-track is having a vision of the final mix," he continues. "That's why the old stuff blows me away. They had to know at the outset how everything was going to sit in the final mix. That requires not only skill, but also real musicality and clear thinking."

Ashcroft uses the classic "bouncing" method of analog four-track recording by submixing to stereo in order to free up two more tracks; each set may then be archived and backtracked if necessary. Three or four track bounces are normal; drums are done with two tracks, then bass, guitars and keyboards are added and mixed to stereo. Vocals come next, then the whole product goes to stereo mix. The musical nonconformist believes that computer-based mixing lacks the magic and spontaneity of vintage recordings. "It's rather linear," he notes. "Although it's handy for detailed cueing, I like to mix manually to liven things up and keep the energy."

After an extensive audition process, Ashcroft decided on the Yamaha MD4 to function as the heart of his studio. "The sound is high quality," he says. "If I were using a system where you can't move more than one knob or fader at a time, four albums would take me forever. Plus, in order to store that amount of material, it would require a lot of memory. With the MiniDisc format, I can get two songs on a disc, take it out and then work on another project. The cost is not the same as ADAT, but it doesn't chew up the disc, either."

While Ashcroft employs outboard effects units on his projects, he also uses the onboard equalizers of the MD4. He goes on to say that he once took a CD project and re-recorded it onto MiniDisc merely to "warm it up."

"I've always enjoyed the challenge of four-track," he adds. "It was all 8-track and 16-track when I first started, then 24. I always appreciated the discipline, skill and sound of those early recordings. It's a fine tradition."

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