Music influencers are insane. You see their ridiculous skills as you scroll through your feed, and it almost makes you want to throw your instrument in the trash — or maybe that’s just me…
But rather than just be jealous, we invited three amazing influencers into the AMS Tone Labs to play with our gear and see if they can write a hit in one session. Did they? We’ll leave it up to you! Check out influencer/multi-instrumentalists Soklo, Spilly Cave, and Shane Becker write a song together in the first installment of AMS’s “Track From Scratch.”
The Gear Used to Make “flowers”
From the first loop to the final lyrics, “flowers” turned out better than we could expect! It’s always inspiring to watch such amazing musicians who really know their gear work together to create something so great.
And speaking of knowing gear, Soklo, Spilly Cave, and Shane Becker used a bunch of it in this “Track From Scratch.”
Teenage Engineering OPXY
It all started with the Teenage Engineering OPXY. It was the weird little black box Shane was building the loop on in the beginning. Teenage Engineering makes some of the coolest gear out there, and the OPXY is no exception. It’s essentially a fully featured, high-end synth workstation that fits in your pocket — as long as you have pretty deep pockets…
Line 6 HX Stomp XL
For some special effects, Soklo ran Shane’s loop through the Line 6 HX Stomp XL. Think of it like a gigantic pedalboard with just about any effect you can imagine crammed into a little black box that easily fits on your pedalboard — or your lap, in Soklo’s case.
Sennheiser 441
Sennheiser MD 441 Super-Cardioid Dynamic Microphone With EQ Switches
Special Price $1,249.00
Once they unveiled the gear, all three influencers instantly went for the Sennheiser 441 to mic the drums. The 441 is a staple in studios across the world. It’s incredible for really just about anything, but especially drum overheads.
Victory V40H Deluxe
And then there were guitars. You might have noticed that sitting behind Spilly Cave was a gorgeous white stack of Victory amps. We love Victory here in the AMS Tone Labs for their super-clean sound — plus they just look awesome! The specific amp used in creating “flowers” is the V40H Deluxe. You might also have recognized it from other AMS videos, like Game of Tones.
Danelectro 56 Baritone
We all need a little depth to our sound. And that’s why Spilly Cave whipped out the Danelectro 56 baritone guitar. The liptstick pickups add some lovely sparkle, while the lower baritone tuning brings deeper, fuller tones to the mix.
Gibson '70s Flying V
That crunchy, distorted sound you hear? That’s Soklo’s Gibson ‘70s Flying V in Antique Natural finish. Yeah, it’s a looker, but it certainly sounds good too with its ‘70s Tribute Burstbucker pickups.
Fender Standard Jazz Bass
Bringing in the low end is a Fender Standard Jazz Bass wielded by Spilly Cave. Jazz Basses are beloved by artists all over for their high-output pickups that provide that iconic Fender sparkle. As you can see, they just get the job done.
Shure SM7dB
Spilly Cave was humming the melody throughout the recording process. But when it came time to actually lay down the vocals, the team reached for a Shure SM7dB. You see it on just about every podcast ever, but it’s also great for vocals, instruments, or really whatever you want to record.
Shure SM7dB Active Cardioid Dynamic Broadcast Microphone
Special Price $549.00
Martin SC-10E
As the trio came down to the final mix, they all felt something was missing. An acoustic guitar would really pull everything together! Out came the Martin SC-10E. It’s offset body might look a little weird, but it makes for a super comfortable and resonant guitar. Try one for yourself, and you’ll see!
Listen to the Full Song “flowers”
It was interesting to watch the entire songwriting and recording process from scratch. I was definitely taking notes… The team decided to call the song “flowers,” and you can check it out in its entirety wherever you like to listen to music:
And while you’re at it, don’t forget to follow Soklo, Spilly Cave, and Shane Becker on social media. They’re always pumping out top-notch musical content for your entertainment and inspiration.
- Soklo: @Soklo.mp4
- Spilly Cave: @spillycave
- Shane Becker: @shanebeckermusic
A huge thanks to Soklo, Spilly Cave, and Shane Becker for visiting the AMS Tone Labs and participating in our little experiment. It couldn’t have turned out better! If you liked this video, you’ll love our other content! Subscribe to the AMS YouTube Channel for more episodes of “Track From Scratch,” artist interviews, product launches, and all sorts of musical content.
