Art In Tone On Reel Tape

In October 2022, Djabe took part in a special recording session at the ARTONE studio belongs to Record Industry pressing plant in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The band direct-to-disc recorded 4 sides of the double album at 45 RPM. The recording was done on the Direct Metal Mastering cutting machine, using analogue recorders and sound gear equipment's only.

Djabe is known for the excellent sound of its recordings, they recorded several of their albums using analogue technology, and they always cut their records from analogue master tapes, but they have not yet recorded any of their albums directly to record.

The high-quality technique of the ARTONE studio and the professional knowledge of the studio’s staff make the result unique in the band’s history. The discs reproduce analogue sound at a level that is also outstanding internationally. Tamás Barabás, the band’s sound engineer and bassist, worked closely with the studio’s professionals, including engineers Rinus Hooning and Martijn Schouten during the recording.

At the same time as the direct-to-disc recording, the band also recorded the music on tape. There were two reasons for this. On the one hand, they could listen back to the album sides’ takes, they had to play in one run, and they were able to decide whether the given album side could be the master or whether a new take should be recorded. At the same time, the master tapes in this way made it possible to produce high-quality master tape copies.

The High-Quality Live Recording and Direct to Disc techniques of the Artone Recording Studio and the professional knowledge of the studio’s staff make Art In Tone unique in the band’s history. The album reproduces analogue sound at a level that is also outstanding internationally.

Musicians:

Tamás Barabás bass guitar, sound engineer
Attila Égerházi classical and electric guitar, percussion
Áron Koós-Hutás trumpet, flugelhorn
Péter Kaszás drums, vocal
Zoltán Bubenyák keyboards
Steve Hackett pre-recorded electric guitar from tape (D/3)

Analogue gear used during the recordings:

Microphones:
Telefunken drum-kit set
Classical guitar – Neumann TLM-170
Electric guitar/Roland GR-55 – DI
Trumpet, flugelhorn – AKG-C414 EB / RCA KU – 3A
Percussion – 2 × KM254 tube Stereo setting
Fender Rhodes, Nord Stage – DI
Bass guitar – DI
Vocal – DPA d:facto™ 4018
Studio Equipment list:
Tree Audio Roots console tube 16 channels
Midas console analoque 8 channels
EMT Gold plate
Maselec mastering console
VMS 82 DMM cutting lathe (Direct Metal Mastering)
Studer A80 for safety recording
Studer A80 for playback Steve Hackett tape
Mastering Equipment:
Altec Tube Limiters 322 – C
Cinema Engineering Passive filters 400031 – B
Maselec Equalizer MEA – 2
Maselec Compressor MLA – 2
Maselec H.F. Limiter MPL – 2


Product Specifications:
Full analogue direct-to-disc recording seassion’s safety master tape copies
GR-164, GR1993 Records
2 x SM900, metal reel, hinged box, 2 track master tape copies at 38 CM/S, CCIR

Djabe is known for the excellent sound of its recordings and they recorded several of their albums using analogue technology, and they always cut their records from analogue master tapes.

Djabe - Art In Tone