BONSAI MUSIC CHOOSE sE

Bonsai Music produce music for prime-time US TV shows and have their own artist roster and choose two sE favourites, Reflexion Filter and Gemini for their recording needs…

It’s taken a lifelong obsession with music and years of dedication for Andrew Crutwell-Jones to realise his dream – running two fully equipped studios that produce bespoke soundtracks for TV, film, multimedia and recording artists. Bonsai Music Production may have been producing music professionally for just five years, but their rise to the top has been nothing short of remarkable. They now count such world-famous clients as 19 Management and the Fox Network amongst their roster, as well as up and coming artists Amy Studt and Zeebra.

Andrew’s rightly pleased with this success – not bad for a man who kick-started his career writing for the BBC a few years earlier due to “severe lack of income”. From tiny acorns do mighty oak trees grow! Bonsai now offers a main studio equipped with the kind of gear their a-list clients expect, including the ultimate recording combo – the Gemini dual-valve microphone coupled with the award-winning Reflexion Filter.

“When we’re in the studio we need to rely on gear that’s robust. Gear I can experiment with, but ultimately gear that’s of a rock-solid quality so I know I can use the end results.”

“The Reflexion Filter is what I turn to when recording vocals and guitar. When I need to get an amazing closeness on certain tracks I’ll have the artist lay on the floor holding the Gemini in their hand and set up the Reflexion Filter so it cups their face. The final piece of the jigsaw is to cover their head with a duvet. Yes, it sounds a little weird, but trust me – it works a treat! I’ve done this both in my studio at home and in larger studios as it’s the only way to get the sound I’m after.”

“But the Gemini is so versatile, it’s not just good for vocal recording. I’ve done some pretty far out things with the Gemini and it always gives great results. One time I miked up the end of a tunnel made of breeze blocks, stuck an amp at the other end and hit record. Fantastic, really dark distant guitar sound that’s great to mix in as an effect. The Gemini and Reflexion Filter are just a great combo!”

“These days recording is often a case of style over content, but producing music shouldn’t just be about the equipment you use and the latest plug-ins. Producing should be about getting the best from an artist. In my opinion there’s an abundance of things we can do now when it comes to recording, but the key is always the song.”

“And this is why I like sE gear – it always does what it says on the tin, but so much more besides.”