We run analog tape, ProTools HD (7.1) and Radar (ADATs and DA-88's are available as well). Mixing is done through a fully automated and recallable analog board. The most sophisticated multi-buss compression techniques are used for the best sounding mixes without being over compressed. House analog tapes may be used for tracking before dumping to a digital format. This sounds much better than recording straight to digital.

How do you get the best performance? The recording environment can contribute, and so can the process. It's very easy to identify songs where parts were layered vs. a recording performed live because the arrangements always end up more cluttered when you layer.

Appropriate band dynamics are completely dependent on the vocals. Lots of drummers think they can cut a great track faster if they play to a click and nothing else. They're right, but the dynamics never match what the song needs even if they play louder in the loud parts. Dynamics must be determined by the vocal performance.

Monster Island is set up to facilitate tracking all band members simultaneously, while still having instrument isolation. This has a huge impact on the quality of the performance and often results in keeping scratch vocals as final takes. The Twin A recordings are almost all live scratch vocals.

The process was to track with the singer in the control room listening to the band through the monitors without headphones. John Lardieri, Twin A's singer, said never had as easy a time singing in tune and attributes the difference to not having to wear headphones. The bleed was shockingly minimal. After the band settled on a final take we immediately recorded two more vocal passes and later edited as necessary. This saved a ton of time (money!).

One of the reasons the monitor bleed was so minimal was the microphone choice. The signal path was an RE-20 through a UA 2-610 tube mic pre through a DBX 160x compressor. This is an excellent vocal signal chain to consider even if you record somewhere else. Tracking vocals in the control room works for Bono. He even goes as far as using a handheld 57!