Franz Ferdinand's Studio Procrastination Masterclass

Franz Ferdinand are posting video diaries on their website as they record their new album in Scotland (here's how the recorded the last one). They're very entertaining little films, showing that not much work is being done. In one, guitarist Nick McCarthy sets off into the countryside with a laptop and an M Box to "record a river and see what it sounds like backwards". In another, Alex Kapranos tries to demonstrate their Ackuset gear, which he says is the key to the Franz sound. But it doesn't work. Ackuset were a Swedish music company who built great-looking tape delays. Franz also have an Acuset mixer, which Alex says is one of only 7 in the world, four of which aren't working. Does anyone know why the Ackuset mixer is so special?

Posted by Tom Whitwell.

Comments:

Does anyone know why the Ackuset mixer is so special?

good ol' musician humour, i think. similar to the guitar collection-scene in spinal tap??

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:54 am

The 'posting letters' tune was pretty ill. It sorta seems driven by that cure flanger sound, which i always liked. what is it with europeans and girly bikes anyway.

# posted by

Anonymous : 4:33 pm

I love the way they go through all this work just to end up sounding like any other crap rock band.

# posted by

Todd Fletcher : 3:59 pm

Ok Todd, reveal your bias. What's a non-crap rock band in your opinion?

# posted by

Anonymous : 11:32 pm

It's not called bias, it's called an opinion. That's all it is.

But seriously, I think they're barking up the wrong tree. I like messing around with quirky recording techniques as much as the next guy, but sometimes people forget there's no replacement for a good song well performed.

# posted by

Todd Fletcher : 3:25 am

i'll have to agree with todd, even though i've never heard this groupd before, these techniques are about to bore me to death, and the fact that they are publicizing them makes them see to be doing it just to seem cool or fashionable. They may as well all go jump off a bridge and get some real attention

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:50 am

The ackuset mixer is special because it let's you sound like an exact copy of Gang of Four circa 1980.

# posted by

Anonymous : 2:14 pm

The ACKUSET (note the accurate spelling) is NOT so damn rare.....Here in Sweden you can get it for approx 50-70 $. The tape delay is a little rarer, about 100$. Its bullshit that theres only a few of them. I myself have two and a friend of mine has four!! They´re damn great sounding though, thats for sure.

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:18 pm