Casey Desmond of CMB
Phase Out
Excluding cables and power supplies, what 5 pieces of music gear would sustain your ability to be happy writing music for a lifetime, and why?
This is a tough question for a gear hoarder. Everything has it’s place and meaning. For me, I get a lot of use out of my Teenage Engineering OP-1. It’s perfect for on-the-go song writing, and it’s a handy travel-sized tracking tool. My Gibson acoustics are pretty essential, a custom shop and a hummingbird. Nothing quite sounds like those guitars. Recently, I’ve been a big fan of adding textures and dynamic with my Roli Seaboard (using Cypher, Equator and Strobe). I wouldn’t be complete without my arsenal of vintage Casio synthesizers/keyboards but if I had to pick one I’d chose my CZ-5000. The 80’s are calling and they want their toys back! Additionally, my go-to bass maker in electronic and experimental music has been my newly restored Moog prodigy. It’s raw and nasty. If we’re considering what I’d be recording with, I’d need a computer with Logic, Ableton, and Protools, my beefy KRK’s or something comparable. But that’d be seven - uh oh! I already failed.
Windfall
What unexpected piece of music gear has inspired you the most?
Over the past 4 years, I’ve gotten a lot of use recording and performing wise out of my Roland Aira System-1. What a powerful and bright piece of equipment. It’s user friendly, syncs with your midi/daw instantly and allows you to upload new synth brains into it as well as the one it stores off the shelf.
Pine Away
What piece of music gear do you wish you still had, and/or perhaps something you regret not buying when you had the opportunity?
I miss my Ibanez Cream Colored EDB600 Bass I had in high school. I sold it when I was 20 for peanuts because I was starving, and have missed it every day since.
Wild Card
Do you use any vintage gear on your recordings?
Too much to list. Between organs from the 60’s, synthesizers from the 80’s, and the rack gear, and microphones I’ve used over the years, I’d say my music consists of at least 40% vintage gear.
Final Thoughts
Any shout outs, plugs, or random tidbits of advice?
Yes - in the first question cables were made exemplary. I would like to shout out to my cable guy Will @ Doc’s Basement for all of my handmade crazy colored instrument cables. Also to Nick @ Anal-logic for my custom CMB Atari Punk Controller Voltage-Controlled Stepped Tone Generator and Hayden @ Moccasyn Music for my Hikari 2.0 pocket synth kit. To Roland for making me the happiest person, and Casio for keeping me young at heart.
