One of the most renowned drummers in rock, Chad Smith's funk-infused, impactful beats have set the pace for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers since 1988. Therefore it's no surprise that when the 63 year-old was in dire need of a new studio build, the likes of PreSonus answered the call.
“Going and recording music is, first of all, really a privilege,” said Chad, in a video published by PreSonus.“It’s such an amazing thing to be able to do. And I wanted to have a place to rehearse, but also record.” As the below video demonstrates, the Chilli's beat-supplier still has phenomenal chops behind the kit.
The company kitted out Smith with a state of the art array of their latest gear (both hardware and software). Key highlights include two Quantum HD8 interfaces which provide a range of input and output options. With the interface's handy auto-gain feature fully calibrated to respond to whatever volume levels Chad is smashing the kit at. There are 16 additional mic inputs to accommodate anyone else who might want to jam with Chad (and who wouldn't?)
Smith also now has a paired set of Eris Pro 8 studio monitors with an Eris Pro Sub 10 to emphasise the low-end. These have been perfectly tuned to the room, and allow for a suitably wide sweet spot, ultra-accurate stereo imaging and a low end that is immaculately detailed.
An automated-fader equipped FaderPort 16 controls the actions, with a pair of HD9 Headphones (and a HP60 Headphone Amplifier) channeling all the action straight into Chad's ears.
Of course, PreSonus are also behind one of our favourite DAWs, Studio One (recently updated to version 7) and, as the video reveals, the company have set-up Chad with some ready-to-go templates. "This is so great," Smith giggles.
As the clip progresses, Chad witnesses the auto-gain on the HD8's in action, calibrating the gain to compensate for the volume of the input signal. "Wow, not bad!," exclaims Chad, "I thought it was going to be way roomier. Dude, this is amazing."
As the short video comes to a close, an impressed Chad announces to the PreSonus crew that it's "going to get really loud, ready?" Before shouting; "Beat it!," and letting rip on the kit, demonstrating his extreme prowess.
To read more about Chad's new PreSonus studio, head over to their website to read the full story.
