In this edition, Host & audio engineer Ashea is joined by platinum-selling engineer, producer and Moorcroft Studios owner Tom Fox to talk about the day-to-day reality of running a commercial recording studio. Tom has spent around 25 years behind the desk, and he shares the workflow, psychology and practical tricks he has developed while running his Yorkshire based studio.
The conversation covers how to prepare artists before they arrive, how to put nervous first-timers at ease, and how to judge a great take. They also discuss tuning with Melodyne, comping in Cubase, and why a good vocal engineer is part producer, part coach and part therapist. This episode is essential listening for any engineer, producer or studio owner who wants to get the best performance out of every artist.
In This Episode:
Tom Fox's Journey: From Metal Bands to Rap and Bassline: How a bedroom recording setup and a degree in sound technology led to Moorcroft Studios in West Yorkshire
Specialising in Vocal Production: Why focusing on vocals rather than doing a bit of everything sharpened Tom's skills and reputation
A Week in the Life of a Commercial Studio: Working half days, juggling multiple artists and moving between acoustic sessions and heavy drill
The Bassline Scene: The West Yorkshire genre, its mainstream moment and the studio as a social meeting hub
Remote Mixing vs. Start-to-Finish Projects: Why Tom prefers creative involvement from the first take to the final mix
Pre-Session Preparation: Asking artists for voice notes or rough guides to fix wording, phrasing and breathing before the session
Warming Up Artists and Recording Guide Takes: Using early takes when artists don't feel like they're being recorded, especially with first-timers
Putting Artists at Ease: Reading the room, building trust and being part producer, part agony aunt
What Makes a Good Take: Emotional conviction, believability and tuning, and the fine line between polishing and overworking a performance
Tuning Philosophy: Melodyne and Natural Vocals: Repairing a great performance rather than settling for a flat one, and avoiding the over-tuned sound
Recording in Shorter Sections: How working in small chunks keeps energy up, makes corrections easier to remember and strengthens the vocal
Comping Workflow in Cubase: Colour-coding takes so you can comp as you go and review with the artist
Vocal Coaching and Mic Technique: Why reading lyrics off a phone pulls artists off-axis, and how that hurts consistency when comping
The Visual Aid Trick: A duplicate screen facing the booth so artists can see drop-ins and weaker sections
Navigating Different Personalities: Working with shy artists, perfectionists and those who want feedback straight away
Managing Expectations Around the Process: Explaining EQ, compression, comping and tuning so indie artists don't judge their raw takes too harshly
Using Melodyne to Reassure Artists: Quickly tuning a passage to show it's fine so they can move on
About Our Guest:
Tom Fox:
Platinum-selling recording engineer, producer and owner of Moorcroft Studios in West Yorkshire. Tom began recording as a teenager in his bedroom, went on to earn a degree in sound technology, and has run Moorcroft Studios ever since. He started out working with metal bands nearly 20 years ago and now specialises in vocal production and engineering, primarily for rap and bassline artists. www.moorcroftstudios.co.uk
About Our Host:
Ashea is a platinum-selling songwriter, music producer, and audio engineer from the UK. With credits spanning notable artists, major labels, and prestigious broadcasters, Ashea brings authentic conversations between industry professionals to the Production Expert Podcast. https://asheamusicofficial.com
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