Producer and engineer John Cornfield on live energy, new tricks and Aston mics.

Production legend John Cornfield started out doing sound and light at school and went on to an engineering apprenticeship where he picked up some valuable mechanical and electronic skills. He then spent time fixing things for bands, including equipment, lighting rigs and even vans, before working as an assistant engineer and then setting out on the freelance path.

From there he has produced now-classic albums for the likes of Oasis, Robert Plant, Muse, New Model Army, Supergrass, Verve, The Sone Roses and many more. John still prefers the energy of musicians playing together:

“I am into recording bands as bands and prefer capturing the live energy that a band produces when they are on it”.

John has supported Aston Microphones from the outset and is a valued member of the Aston 33, the panel of industry experts (now numbering more than 70) who help define the core sound of each Aston microphone before it is released to market.

He uses an Origin and a Spirit as a mid/side pair when recording acoustic guitar, and eventually bought a pair of each to record guitar and vocals simultaneously, a set-up he now uses when recording with Ralph McTell, who he works with frequently.

“…nearly all his recordings are live acoustic and vocals together and this setup really doesn’t require much post production – it is 'record and go' " John explains.

He relates the story of how the vocal mic was chosen for Ben Howard’s new album, recorded in the South of France:

“We had a vintage AKG C12, a vintage valve Neumann 47 and 87 and the Spirit. We recorded takes of all of them and everyone unanimously decided on the Aston. Job done.”

John first tried an Aston Starlight pencil mic on the piano at Sawmills studio in Cornwall and claimsthe gave him the best ever sound from 'that old girl'. The Starlights were also his go-tos as overheads on his recent tour with prog rock band King Crimson.

We are proud to have John as a member of the Aston family.

Read our full interview with John here: https://www.astonmics.com/EN/artist-details/John-Cornfield

John still does live sound for touring bands and offers e-mixing and e-mastering from his home studio. For more details visit John’s website here: http://cornfield.co.uk/

For further information on Aston Microphones please click here.