photos by Tristan McKenzie / tristanmckenzie.com
SAM FORD – Owner of Tone City Recording Studio — Injidup, Western Australia. Producer, Mixing and Mastering engineer, and director of Tone City Records.
For a little over two decades, producer and engineer Sam Ford has been making records and has become known for sound and vibe, and culminating in his Tone City Recording Studio and recently minted record label Tone City Records. Beginning his career as a bassist in Australia’s The Silents, and having toured with Abbe May, Sam began recording demos for the projects he was in. His knack for production led him to working as producer on Pond’s first album ‘Beard, Wives, Denim,’ and Abbe May’s ‘Design Desire.’ His path was clear, and his career in music production and the recording arts was off and running.
How long have you been in music production?
SF: 23 years!
What drove or inspired you into the world of music production?
SF: I’ve always connected to the sound and texture of recorded music. All of the records I gravitated to share a similar richness and tonality – some of them being the Beatles, Pink Floyd, AIR …I began as musician and recorded bands in the basement of my Mum’s house on an old Berringer 16 channel mixer and a couple of mics I had around; I’ve always wanted to bring a sonic vision to life.
Where did you first learn about or experience Chandler Limited gear?
SF: The very first mic-pre I ever bought was the Chandler Limited EMI Abbey Road Studios TG2 Pre Amp; I still use it all the time!
What Chandler Limited gear do you own?
SF: I own the TG2 Mic Pre Amp, Zener Limiter, Curve Bender EQ, 1 x mastering pair of Germanium compressors, 1 x mastering pair of 124 Compressors, 1 x mastering pair of RS660 Compressors. I’m also feel super lucky to own a under 100 serial number Chandler EMI Abbey Road Studios REDD Microphone.
What is it that you like about Chandler Limited gear?
SF: Chandler Limited gear just seems to be the perfect palette for me when I want to capture — or manipulate — a sound.
What, where and why...
Let’s get to the gear, tell us what Chandler gear you’re using, which sources and more importantly, the reasons for your sonic choices.
RS660 Compressors, Matched Pair
Where: On the recent record ‘Midnight Zoo’ by DICE (who are signed to my label Tone City Records), the RS660s were used on guitars, drum overheads, drum rooms and guitar group in the mix.
Why: The RS660 Compressor brings out certain clarity and grit in the mid-range; it’s super thick sounding but smooth. I love it in limit mode when I’m recording and I sometimes used it across the mix bus in comp mode; needles hardly moving at all.
RS124 Compressors, Matched Pair
Where: DICE ‘Midnight Zoo’ Record — I used the RS124’s on bass guitar, some acoustic guitar, piano, particular vocals and some drum overheads in the recording. In the mix of the album, I used them on my lead vocal and bass.
Why: I use them on pretty much everything; it’s my favorite compressor! I especially love Superfuse mode, it’s got a presence, but never harsh and you can make things super fat or explode a room mic or drum kit and it will stay smooth. I’ve used them on Drum bus also!
Germanium Compressors, Matched Pair
Where: On the single track ‘Supervision’ by DICE, I used it across the drum bus in mixing. I have it as my parallel drum compression in almost every mix; if it’s not on there, it’s used on my guitar bus.
Why: It’s got a super organic sound, you can make anything massive with it especially on the low end. I love the wet/dry option and it doesn’t sound like any other piece of gear I have.
Where: My favorite EQ; I wish I had a whole desk full of them! Used on the DICE Midnight Zoo album on mix buss; it lives there and I don’t change the settings often…it’s part of my studio’s sound and it’s across every mix I do.
Why: The Curve Bender EQ sounds very old school, but modern at the same time, it has all the same tones and flavors as my favorite classic records but with the flexibility to dive deeper.
Where: DICE Midnight Zoo Album— in recording, I’ve used it a lot on vocals and bass. Often on vocals I’ll have something like the RS124 in front of it and use the limiter setting lightly, as well as drum room mics, and bass. In the mix, it’s the last thing before I hit my A+D and I use it in THD mode.
Why: It has a way of pinning a sound really musically and the THD mode I use on mix and master; it just brings the mids forward in a really cool way.
Where: DICE ‘Midnight Zoo’ album — the REDD Mic is my primary vocal mic, although I’ve used it on pretty much everything, it lives on vocals and acoustic guitar, and sometimes close mono room mic.
Why: I have never had a bad vocal sound on the Redd microphone, it always sounds good, it always sits the vocal in the right spot in the mix and it takes compression well. The variety of tones you can get just with a click left or right of the gain is phenomenal!
Where: This was the first mic preamp I ever bought…I Saved up all my pennies as a young kid wanting the sound of Abbey Road and have loved it for probably 20 years! I’ve used this on most if not all projects…I love the TG2 on kick and snare, bass and keys DI, electric guitar, and vocals.
Why: The TG2 preamp has a unique tonal character…for lack of a better word it sounds “squishy” to me. It’s not hard sounding at all, it’s clear, but also super rich and buttery. It’s a classic sound and nothing but a TG sounds like a TG! …I can’t get that from another preamp in my studio.
Who supplies your Chandler Limited gear habit?
SF: Mick at mixmasters has been a fanatic help with any chandler equipment I’ve needed. 🙂
If you're in Australia and would like to check out Chandler Limited gear, visit— Mixmasters Pro Audio.
To learn more about Same Ford, Tone City Recording Studio and his Tone City Records and his Chandler Limited gear visit— https://tonecityrecording.com/ or follow @tonecityrecording on Instagram.
