With a wall full of platinum albums and a pile of hit songs under his belt, artist/songwriter/producer Simon Climie can use literally any piece of equipment he chooses. From his work with Eric Clapton to his own Climie Fisher Group, the common thread of quality prevails. We caught up with him recently to discuss his use of Sonnox Oxford plug-ins, and how they help him shape his hit-making sound.

What got you started in this business?

I began as a songwriter, and one of the first songs I wrote in 1985 became a number one record for George Michael and Aretha Franklin called “I Knew You Were Waiting (for Me)”. That was actually my first song in a publishing deal, but then I had a band called Climie Fisher - with a partner Rob Fisher who used to be in Naked Eyes. We had top five charting records, number one’s in 35 territories across the world. It was like a Hall and Oates type of thing, with two guys making good music.

I’m sure that opened many doors for you.

Among other things from doing those records, I had a credibility built up. I met with Eric Clapton and we discussed songwriting, and around 1995 he asked me to co-produce his “Pilgrim” record. From there, we went on to do “Riding With the King” and about eight more.

Do you work with a particular mixer on those?

I’ve tended to use Mick Guzauski for mixing because I really loved his work. With Eric, “My Fathers Eyes” was our first song off that record, and coincidentally, Mick had just bought a Sony Oxford console.

So you got used to the Oxford sound?

I soon got into a system that wherever I was in the world, I wanted to use Oxford plug-ins. But, in terms of the recording, it’s incredibly important how you capture things so they sound even better in the mix. It’s just like using a great lens on a camera; if you use a fantastic lens and real film, you’re going to capture something that has depth that it might not otherwise have. For me, I am just used to using either the Sony Oxford console or the Sonnox Oxford Plug-ins. I know exactly what I want to hear, and I can get it in a heartbeat. I’ve become quite dependent on them, and they are comfortable to me.

Do you have a current favorite plug in?

My favourite right now is the Oxford Reverb. It’s just so good. When you consider the cost of it, for what it provides, it would have been thousands and thousands of dollars if it was hardware. It immediately brings you into a fantastic space.

On the new Michael McDonald record, we found it was great for use on choirs, drums and of course vocals. Also, during the recording of his project we captured a last minute piano and vocal track. I bounced him a rough mix of what we’d done just a few minutes after we’d recoded it. He was amazed how good it sounded and it was all Sonnox!

What else did you use on that vocal/piano track?

On the piano, we used the Expander from the Dynamics plug in to enhance his natural dynamics. That was followed by a touch of compression. We then added the Sonnox reverb on an Aux track and found a great space for it.

On the vocal, there was a subtle use of the low filter (LF) from the EQ. We boosted it about 2 dB @100Hz to add a bit of warmth and also gave it a hint of top with a wide curve boosting 12kHz – catching those 8-14kHz frequencies.

Then we applied the Dynamics, where I usually use the Gate or Expander - which helps reduce (or remove) all the background noise. We added some mild compression, where even a 2:1 ratio can hold and lift the vocal overall. If it’s a track with a huge dynamic range, it’s a good idea to use the Limiter function just to take care of any sudden peaks. Finally, we used the Make-Up gain to help lift the level. Like the piano, we sent it to a different Aux input with the Sonnox Reverbs’ Vocal Plate.

All of this was then routed to the stereo buss, where we inserted an Inflator on the Master Fader (with this hearing is believing the way it lifts the whole track). Last but not least, we used the Limiter at the end of the chain. Within minutes, this piano/vocal track was transformed and quite honestly we could have put on the CD just as it was.

What other Oxford Plug-ins do you use?

Also on Mike’s new album, we had a track where the drums were great but a bit too polite. We really thought we’d have to re-record or program them. Just for fun, we put the Trans Mod on the kick drum and it sounded really good - so we continued. It also sounded great on the Toms, so we bussed it all out to a new stereo pair with some heavy compression. It was a bit overkill on it’s own, but blending in with the original drums sounded spectacular, therefore saving the day. Quite honestly, that plug in paid for itself in the first half hour of using it !

Can you elaborate on your use of the Oxford Dynamics?

I love using the Dynamics plug on acoustic instruments - especially guitars. It’s worth mentioning that there’s no substitute for a great guitarist with a great guitar and a great mic. So for instance when recording Eric Clapton, Michael Thompson or Abe Laboriel, because they are all amazing players, you don’t need too much compression to capture their performance. Having said that it’s interesting when you get into a mix situation just how much you can bring out in their sound. While the Oxford EQ is stunning for this, I usually start with the Dynamics.

The compression gives you very subtle but extremely versatile control. Playing with the Threshold, Ratio, Attack and Release you can place the guitar wherever you want it. Once you get it sitting right, try dialing in some Warmth - I just love what this does to the sound and quite often you don’t need additional EQ.

How do you use the EQ on vocals?

The thing is all singers are different and even the same singer sounds different from day to day - so you really have to use different settings all the time. What’s great about the Oxford EQ is that it’s so versatile. It can be smooth as silk, but you can also pin point any frequency to cut or boost in a musical way.

A good place start is with the Low Filter (LF), to get out any rumble or low background noise. I also tend to boost the top end with a nice smooth curve – which usually does the trick.

Where it’s really powerful though is if you have a problem voice or something that’s been recorded in a room or with an EQ that’s brash. Using the mid range (MF) with a sharp Q, you can easily sweep through the frequencies and find the offending one. Then, instead of boosting, pull it down until the vocal has the desired effect. What’s great about this is you can still have that smooth curve bringing out all the ‘air & warmth’ in the vocal, while just pulling out those piercing frequencies. This technique also works well with guitars and many other instruments.

Interview and editorial provided by Rich Tozzoli