Bass Fun Music Production Setup – Drawmer, Tegeler, Looptrotter, RME Studio Gear

Daily studio chain for guitars vocals and drums with analog hardware and precise routing In this guide I show the devices that shape my sound from British VCA compression to German tube coloration and how they work together in pop and Italo Disco productions

• Drawmer 1978 VCA compression for electric guitars
• Tegeler Magnetismus 2 tube saturation and transient control for drums
• RME Fireface UCX II as the central audio interface
• Looptrotter Monster compression for vocal groups
• Tegeler EQP 1 tone shaping for kick snare and toms
• Eurolite Board 8 S fast power management for the studio

This article gives a close look at my favorite hardware chains how I route signals and why these units remain essential after many years in the studio For songwriting and arrangement ideas see How I write lyrics and arrange 80s Disco tracks To learn more about me and my room visit the About Me page

Drawmer 1978 shaping guitar dynamics

I use proven analog tools to bring out the character of live recorded guitars in pop and Italo Disco sessions A core piece is the Drawmer 1978 a British VCA compressor that controls peaks in a musical way It adds groove and punch while the analog VU meters help with level control On clean chorus parts I set medium attack with auto release to keep transients clear For more driven parts I shorten attack to lock the guitar to the rhythm section

Tegeler Magnetismus 2 adding color to drums

Tegeler Magnetismus 2 is a tube saturator with a built in transient shaper It shines on kick toms and snare adding weight warmth and midrange clarity I rarely place it on hi hats A typical move is to tighten the hit with transient control then add tube saturation for body and presence without harshness

RME Fireface UCX II the heart of the setup

At the center sits the RME Fireface UCX II paired with ADAM monitors I value it for stability precise routing and flexible low latency monitoring which speeds up tracking and mixing I have worked on RME systems for more than twenty years

Main processing chain for guitars and drums with Drawmer 1978 Tegeler Magnetismus 2 and RME Fireface UCX II Click to open full quality image

Looptrotter Monster vocal group compression

Looptrotter Monster works well on electric and bass guitars and I often place it on vocal groups too For vocals I engage only the compressor without drive for clean control I usually process a dry group without reverb or delay Effects returns stay on a separate path For tonal cleanup I use precise EQ to cut resonances most often with UAD Cambridge EQ or FabFilter EQ

Tegeler EQP 1 pultec style tone shaping

Tegeler EQP 1 sits after compression in my vocal chain I focus on two key bands until the target color is reached On drums it gives kick snare and toms a warm full sound Cymbals and hats live on a different bus and are often slightly darkened If they become sharp I add a gentle de esser to smooth the top end

Looptrotter Monster and Tegeler EQP 1 used for vocals and drums Click to open full quality image

Studio workflow video

Roland System 8 live jam Shorts

Custom beats and music production

If you are looking for original beats or full song production in styles like Italo Disco Pop or 80s inspired music visit the Bass Fun music services page to learn more about custom work exclusive production and licensing options.

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