Karekare Recording, the New Zealand studio made famous by bands such as Crowded House, Pearl Jam, Radiohead and Killing Joke, has upgraded its facilities by installing a Fairlight Constellation XCS, powered by the company’s revolutionary Crystal Core Engine (CC-1) processor.

Karekare studio director Nigel Horrocks says Fairlight’s ability to offer a speedy workflow and great sound were key reasons why the Constellation XCS was chosen. He is also impressed by the holistic nature of the system, which offers easy integration with external and internal systems already in place at the studio, and those brought in by visiting artists and engineers.

“I love Fairlight,� said Horrocks. “It is fantastic to use, intuitive and powerful unlike some other systems that don’t fit in or can’t keep up.�

Karekare Studios, which was opened in 1992 to record New Zealand band Crowded House’s first album, Together Alone, is situated in a stunning location overlooking the picturesque Karekare beach, made famous by the movie The Piano. Just 40 km from Auckland, the studio attracts international classical and contemporary rock clients and also records traditional Pacific music, as well as providing facilities for song writing and pre-production

Two years ago Horrocks redesigned the studio with an accent on live recording in the grand analogue tradition, but using the latest digital technology.

“I’m a big Fairlight fan and knew their digital technology would enhance my approach to live recording so the choice to incorporate Fairlight in our future path was obvious,â€? he explains. “Live recording in the controlled Fairlight environment results in track laying, mixing and mastering achieved at a significantly faster rate, without any reduction in quality, and cheaper for the client. It’s an analogue approach using a digital cost-efficient system.â€?

Fairlight Asia-Pacific sales director Lukas Bower, who oversaw the recent upgrade , adds: “Fairlight has its roots in the music industry, as Fairlight’s original product was the CMI Sampling Keyboard, which revolutionised music production in the 1980s. Although we have expanded our product range to support the film, broadcast and post-production markets, we still have a special place in our hearts for music facilities and are thrilled to count such a special studio as Karekare as one of them.â€?

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