Studio Essentials: Armonica

Italian house pair Armonica have made quite the statement on the European house circuit, with a number of releases coming via labels such as Defected, Sincopat, Yoshitoshi, and Madorasindahouse Records.

Their dream-like aesthetic of airy melodies, emotive basslines, and punchy drum rhythms have made Armonica one of the most promising Italian artists in their genre, and the next few years will no doubt see them check off some major accomplishments.

One half of the duo, Andrea, joins us for the latest on our Studio Essentials series, where he turns the spotlight to some of his most important bits of music tech, including synths from Moog, drum machines from Vermona, and a Fairlight CMI emulator from Arturia! Get the full list below.

Moog Sub 37

Once you listen to the sound of a Moog, it’s hard to do without it. Any word describing a legendary sound would be simplistic, it helped change the history of music. Any time I need a bassline, I turn to this instrument. I’ve had a lot of Moog models, but right now I’m playing with this one.

Prophet REV 2

Dave Smith reintroduced the legendary Prophet 8 in a modern way with this synth. The 16 voice polyphony allows you to play with frequencies in a way that is like driving the “Ferrari of sound”. It’s the synth I use most for the atmospheric parts of my tracks – it’s also fun to work with for any arrangement parts.

Vermona DRM1

Vermona is an instrument brand which I’m a fan of and that I have a lot of gear from – here specifically I choose the drum machines. DRM1 isn’t the only main character of my groove, but it’s ever present. My approach to groove  always starts with external samples (70’s, 80’s or film soundtracks) and when I set up the groove, the common thread is the Vermona.

Ableton Live

My DAW is Ableton Live. I find it to be the most effective software in electronic music production from the last 10 years, and for me it’s like playing with clay: malleable, intuitive, and versatile. I’ve been following its developments since 2004 and I think it’s constantly improving in quality and creativity.

Arturia CMI V

Choosing CMI V, I would like to dedicate my last choice to Arturia’s software package. It’s an emulator of the legendary Fairlight CMI – a pillar of the 80’s and the first digital sampling system. These two years of Covid driven isolation led me to defuse my schedule, and I started listening to and exploring the sounds of past years. An 80’s influence is present in the most recent Armonica productions, that’s why I have to thank Arturia’s developer for creating an accurate plugin emulator like the CMI V.

Find more Studio Essentials HERE.