Deane Buchan of Stoughton, SK, has always loved music. He first began playing the trumpet at the age of eight for the Arcola and District Band. By age 17 he began playing in rock and country/rock bands across Canada: first playing trumpet in Nova Scotia in the 1970s, then performing in Alberta, and at home in Saskatchewan. Influenced by rock bands Steely Dan and Pink Floyd, he has made music a large part of his life. Many around the area will remember him from the local band, Bitter Sweet.
Having now set up a home recording studio in his house with state of the art technology he is set to begin recording artists. After convincing his gal, Sue Jacobson, that the master bedroom would be better suited for a recording studio he began renovations of the room. With help from a room analysis technician from Primacoustics in Vancouver he now has the perfect room for recording. Buchan also received help renovating the studio from Ron Thring, a local singer-songwriter, and Patrick McArthur.
The technician from Primacoustics came to Buchan's home helping to set up panels to reduce the amount of echo at one end of the room, while leaving the other side free. This allows the instruments to reverberate slightly, but not cause a delay in hearing the musical notes. A perfect set up for acoustic music recording.
"Car's are usually the best place to test a track. It's a small space, usually with fabric in it so the sound doesn't bounce around. It's what many people who mix music do. They listen to it in their car. This room, though, is set up properly; it tells me the right stuff. I can take the tracks anywhere and it sounds the same after I mix them here," Buchan explained as we listened to a track he had been working on in the studio.
Using a software program called Pro Tools LE he is able to mix an unlimited variety of instruments to create the perfect track. He has a top of the line synthesizer, a variety of instruments, and uses MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). Together these allow Buchan to create virtually any sound he wants to. This includes sounds of an alien abduction to the exact organ used by Jon Lord of Deep Purple.
Not only does he have the equipment to record artists, he is well-educated in the field. Buchan has completed a certificate from Audio Masterclass in London, England for Music Production and Sound Engineering in 2010 through an online course. Through Berklee College in Boston, Mass., he has completed a rigorous course earning him another certificate, Professional Pro Tools, focused on mixing and mastering music. In addition to these mixing and mastering certificates he also holds a diploma in music from Grant MacEwan College, 1990, specializing in Jazz.
"There's just so much material and so much to learn, it's fascinating." Buchan said in relation to the art of mixing and mastering.
He is now set to record a Gospel record with Teagan Littlechief, a local recording artist from White Bear First Nation. Something that Buchan is "extremely proud to be involved in." He hopes to finish the first single in a month and complete the record within the year. It all depends on timing though, as he works for Coderre Construction during the day. Littlechief has previously released a record titled Rising Above in 2007 and has fans around the world, such as Australia.
He has other projects on the horizon as well. "There are some who just want to be recorded singing and playing guitar or piano, a fellow who wants to sing to pre-recorded tracks (Karaoke), and a couple of older gents who play guitar and accordion and want to pass on a legacy of their lifetime achievements to their loved ones."
Despite having to be at work by 5:30 a.m. Buchan is up playing an electric piano by 4:15 a.m. with headphones on. This is so he does not wake Sue, while his cat Elvis sits closely listening attentively and occasionally joining in. After a full day of work he then comes home to practice his bass guitar and later his acoustic guitar. The reason he devotes so much time to this is not only because he loves to play, but because when recording artists come to record they don't need a full band.
"This way vocalists or fiddle players can come in and record without an entire band, I can provide the musical background." Buchan states as he strums a few chords on his acoustic guitar. He is also able to play the organ, drums, saxophone, trombone, and harmonica.
"I've been in music all of my life and will continue for the rest of it too." Buchan stated. "This will be my retirement."
