The soundtrack for the Netflix smash-hit Stranger Things couldn’t be mistaken for anything else – not least thanks to its use of classic synthesisers, which composer duo Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein tracked on LYD monitors during the first three seasons and currently on Core speakers for the upcoming fourth season.
Analogue synths are without doubt the central component around which Michael and Kyle’s music revolves – whether it’s for film and TV productions or for their own releases. We hooked up with them for a chat about making music, working in the studio and how to make it in the film-scoring business.
In 2020, remote working has become the ‘new normal’ for many of us, but Kyle and Michael have been collaborating from a distance for years. Although Kyle is based in Austin, Texas, and Michael in Los Angeles, their studio setups are fairly similar to make it easier to exchange project files and work together. Let’s take a closer look at their gear…
Michael and Kyle both have their studios installed in their homes, but to call them ‘home studios’ is to do them a real disservice; they’re both bristling with classic analogue synths, drum machines and keyboards. Surprisingly, though, the signal chain probably isn’t entirely different from what you would find in many (well-equipped) home studios.
Since those synths are such a key element to the duo’s sound, the audio interfaces for getting those sweet analogue flavours into ‘the box’ are of course central pieces of kit. And in this department, both Michael and Kyle have Universal Audio Apollo 16 installed – in fact, they have two each. Another ‘shared component’ is the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). They both use Apple’s Logic Pro, which obviously also makes it much easier to share project files between Austin and LA.
Finally, they also have near-identical studio monitor setups. As we said at the top, they use our Core and LYD speakers: Kyle has Core 59 monitors, while Michael went for Core 47s.
That could pose issues with other speakers – but we designed the Core range to be ultra-consistent, and the difference between the 59 and the 47 models is more about which model suits the room in question. It’s perfectly possible to exchange audio that was tracked and mixed on Core 59 and then keep working with that track on Core 47.
The LYD 5s and LYD 7s they used previously are now in Studio B. Yes, that’s right: they both have a Studio B in their homes as well. These facilities are mainly for their assistant – and, since he also has LYD 7 monitors in his studio at home, it makes perfect sense. It means Kyle and Michael can coherently review his mixes with the highest degree of translation.
Now, the synths require a chapter of their own. While the guys do use a virtual synths every now and then, they estimate that 95 per cent of the time, the choice is an analogue beast.
When asked about their absolute favourite analogue synth, they fell silent… a tough question. But after a minute or two of internal debate, they concluded that they really, really, really like ARP synths – the 2600 and the Odyssey in particular.
Between them, they have three original 2600s, two vintage Oddyseys, three vintage Soluses and an ARP Avatar guitar synth. Plus each has a desktop Odyssey and a full-size Odyssey. The last ones are the remakes, but they still reside in the analogue domain. So, which do they prefer?
“They both sound great, but the old ones probably sound a bit more aggressive and has that extra bite. Slightly more growly,” Michael says.