Owned by Lukas Gleich and surrounded by jaw-dropping scenery, High Mountain Studios is to be found high in the Tyrolean Alps in the town on Erl. Inside, the open plan layout offers comfort and inspiration to artists, with views from every part of the studio. Gleich uses Klang:vokal+ for immersive in-ear monitoring across the studio, while the Klang:kontrollers help artists to feel completely in control and surrounded by the music, even when recording without a band.
‘Our studio caters for the individuality of the recording artist and Klang is integral to that,’ Gleich says. ‘Being able to offer an easily understandable way to control their mix ensures that musicians are happy and relaxed straight away. They can use a mix that we create, or they can use our Klang:kontrollers and have complete autonomy. Having that option available is really important.’
Gleich is running the newly updated Klang:vokal+, so High Mountain benefits from 64 individual channels, 12 in-ear mixes and Klang Root intensity EQs. Gleich has coupled :vokal+ with six Klang:kontollers for musicians to access and control their own mixes. Mixing engineer and producer, Markus Meier recently installed the update and has been enjoying the increase in channels per mix.
‘I can’t speak for everyone, I’m a bit of a nerd, but the install was very simple to complete,’ Meier reports. ‘The EQ is really cool in Klang:vokal+. There are presets that are really simple to adjust and that simplifies set-up, making it easy to hand over to musicians. We also have the system wired into our control monitors, so if we need to take a listen and fix something, we can.’
The studio has been acoustically designed by US-based architects WSDG, who’s studio design portfolio includes Electric Lady Studios for Jimi Hendrix and Jungle City Studios in New York.
‘We designed the space to feel like a comfortable living room where you can make music. All our equipment is the very best that the industry can provide, from the microphones to the classic API analogue mixing desks,’ Meier says. ‘Klang continues that feeling of space and we can give recording artists back the feeling of being surrounded by their band mates, even if they’re on their own.’
Using Klang for in-ear monitoring ensures that visiting recording artists can feel completely immersed in their musical experience, without affecting the finished recording. The Klang:kontroller is a tactile interface that is easy to set up and simple to explain. Musicians can access several layers of their mix, adjusting each input separately, or grouping elements together to control globally. The KOS 5.6 upgrade, not only introduced :vokal+ it also unveiled group spill, a feature that enables even easier access to all channels in a group. Mute and solo options can also be easily accessed via the multi-function rotary button, further simplifying the look of the device, without compromising on features.
‘Klang is so simple to explain to artists, not everyone is technically minded, so the clear interface is key,’ Gleich says. ‘The presets are really useful and basic functions are all super quick to pick up. It is great when we have musicians who are very detail-orientated, it helps them to feel in control of their experience, without wasting time figuring out a complex piece of equipment.’
A drummer since childhood, Gleich understands exactly what it takes to make the artist feel special: ‘Klang is great for drums – the spatialised sound adds another dimension to playing and makes it fun,’ he says. ‘We take pride in catering to the individuality of all our artists, and having Klang for our in-ear immersive mixes helps us to do that simply and effectively. Klang:vokal+ has all the features we need, and a ton of presets that make handing it to an artist to control completely stress free.’
More: www.klang.com
