TASCAM Studio Technology Drives Lee Turner's Creative Process

SERIES 8p Dyna mic preamps and CG-1000 master clock generator are just the start

November 2021… Be it recording, live performance, or artist management, few places in this country are as musically active as Nashville. This city is a magnet for all things music related—particularly in the Country music genre. Hence, it is no surprise that recording and live performance thrive here—and this is the case of musician/writer/producer Lee Turner. Since moving to Nashville, Turner has played for numerous artists all over the world and has appeared on hit shows including Jimmy Kimmel, The Tonight Show, Ellen, The Today Show, and Good Morning America. He also operates his own studio called '2twenty2 studio', and TASCAM products are central to all that happens there.

In addition to his studio activities, Turner also plays keyboards and acoustic guitar for singer/songwriter Darius Rucker—who first gained fame as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the rock band Hootie & the Blowfish. According to Turner, "I frequently work one on one with many new artists in the studio; standing beside them, guiding them thru the process, and making certain they get the detail and vision they're looking for. I do a lot of remote keyboard sessions, where people send me their songs and I add real piano and real Hammond B3 organ, and this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to using my TASCAM gear."

"I started with a TASCAM Portastudio and later fell in love with the TASCAM US-2400, which is a USB controller with motorized faders and MIDI," Turner reports. "My experience with these products led me to more TASCAM gear. These days, I regularly use two TASCAM SERIES 8p Dyna mic preamps and a CG-1000 master clock generator."

Turner continued, "One of my main goals in the studio was to have everything plugged in and ready to go, so I added the extra 16 channels provided by the two SERIES 8p Dyna units to the 24 channels I already had from another equipment manufacturer. Originally, I experienced some wordclock issues. This led me to the TASCAM CG-1000 master clock generator, which immediately made a huge improvement to my overall setup. Immediately after adding the CG-1000, my clients noticed that something in my rig had changed for the better. Simply put, the change was clearer image and better sound."

In addition to his primary studio setup, Turner is also a fan of the TASCAM SERIES 102i USB audio / MIDI interface, which is an important tool for those times when he is travelling, as he does with Darius Rucker. "I take the SERIES 102i with me on the road and I use it anytime I need to do a remote session with my laptop," he explained. "With the SERIES 102i, I'm able to compose or remotely perform keyboard tracks for my clients. I also use the TASCAM TM-70 dynamic mic. When I'm on the road, I use it to record voice and some acoustic guitar tracks. When I'm back in the studio, I use it as my main talkback mic in the control room, which is also tied into my Zoom rig for those times when I have clients remote in. These two pieces of gear provide a way for me to stay connected to my Nashville-based studio by having the flexibility to be available at all times for any overdubs or tracks that might be required."

Today's recording equipment utilizes a lot of technology and questions inevitably arise from time to time. Thus, the ability to receive capable and responsive customer and technical support services are crucial to keeping a project on track. In this regard, Turner was equally enthusiastic about the support he has received from TASCAM. "When you have a question, the key to good support is getting someone on the phone or responding quickly," he said. "With TASCAM, I've experienced nothing short of personalized attention. They've been great."

After numerous years of working with TASCAM equipment, Turner summarized his experience with the following thoughts, "TASCAM is a brand that stirs up memories– and now drives my creative process making new ones. TASCAM takes care of the technological aspects of working in the studio so I can concentrate on making great music. You can't ask for more than that!"

To learn more about Lee Turner or to book him for studio projects, visit him online at https://www.leejturner.com/.