Michael Boddicker is well known as a synthesizer player, in particular
for his session work with Michael Jackson on the “Thriller,”
“Bad” and “Dangerous” albums. He has also
worked with Barry Manilow, Celine Dion and Chicago, and has composed
or played on numerous film scores, including “The Adventures
of Buckaroo Banzai,” “The Adventures of Milo &
Otis” and “Bulletproof.”
Boddicker is also a studio owner, having established Sol Seven
Recording, an SSL-equipped facility in Sherman Oaks, California,
as a private music composition room. But with the likes of Sting,
Lionel Ritchie and System of a Down beating down the door to record
there, he says, “I couldn’t get into my own studio!”
He’s now in the process of building the eighth iteration
of a private facility, taking the opportunity to also upgrade
his computer system.
Over the years, Boddicker has made the transition from bulky
keyboards to more streamlined PC-based setups. “I’ve
had PCs for close to seven years,” he shares. “That’s
when Tascam’s GigaStudio came out. I went out and bought
a PC to accommodate the GigaStudio then I bought three PCs then
six PCs. I fell in love with the ease.”
He elaborates, “For one thing, in previous incarnations,
my setup has included as many as 128 virtual or real synthesizers.
My typical studio rack would have 60 actual synthesizers, plus
two keyboard stands. On the ‘Freejack’ movie and ‘Milo
& Otis’ we had as many as 128 synthesizers running at
once. I all but eliminated that by running three GigaStudios.”
But the PC setup was far from perfect, causing Boddicker to become
disenchanted with the paradigm, until recently, when PC AudioLabs
restored his faith with a system that incorporates Intel’s
multi-core processor. “I had pretty much put all my PC systems
aside,” he relates, noting that the technological limitations
actually placed limits on his creativity. “I went through
a period of over a year where I didn’t use any computerized
synthesizers at all. I had put my PCs in a box, essentially. If
I couldn’t play it with a mouse, and couldn’t play
it on a keyboard or a guitar or a percussion instrument, or have
someone else play it, then I was not interested. I essentially
grew so frustrated with it that I had given up that direction.”
But the new Intel system, he says, “Beyond being a tool,
has become an inspiration.”
Boddicker explains, “When I was in Pro Tools and I had a
sequencer playing, if I wanted to make changes or add plug-ins
the sequencer had to stop. That interrupted my workflow and mental
process.” But the power of the new Intel setup has opened
new possibilities, he reports. “I got over that hurdle with
this new setup. That was really exciting to me. That was my religious
experience with my new PC.”
The break from the old system gave him some perspective, admits
Boddicker. “I found out there is a world that exists beyond
my way of doing things. I really benefited from a period away
from it.” But with the limitations of the old PC setup removed,
he says, it has expanded his creative palette. “I’m
interested in writing things that sound like orchestral scores
on this again. I got back to that when I had my PC AudioLabs computer
hooked up running Pro Tools, using just my GigaStudio and Emulator
X generating noises and was able to leave the sound playing on
my GigaStudio and make mixer changes. I actually, physically felt
connected for the first time with the computer as my musical instrument.”
The new rig can’t be compared to the old setup, he says.
“I’ve not had one crash in my PC AudioLabs system,
which I can’t say about my old systems. I’ve tried
to build PC systems several different ways but I’ve never
before had one that worked so effortlessly and flawlessly.”
Boddicker is no neophyte, but when he’s needed PC AudioLabs’
support it has always been there, he reports. “Because of
my own lack of knowledge and lack of willingness to sit down and
read a five- or six-inch pile of manuals, when I called Tom Bolton
up I was made to feel like I was the main priority. I am a little
dumbfounded at how they are able to maintain the level of support
that they do, because it’s been flawless. I got the feeling
that, for the normal times I would be operating my system, I could
call and get instant service. It’s like having a partner
or an engineer or an orchestrator on the project, where you have
instant access.”