HOME RIGS OF THE STARS
ALEX SKOLNICK
HIS GENRE-SPANNING career includes thrash-metal titans Testament and the jazz-leaning Alex Skolnick Trio, but he’s also led the acoustic-based Alex Skolnick’s Planetary Coalition of artists from around the world and has his own podcast, Moods & Modes. The Brooklyn-based musician took us inside his home studio, which is always primed for those moments when inspiration strikes.
What’s your home rig’s main purpose?
Mainly recording and songwriting. For woodshedding, I’ll usually just play through an amp or acoustically. If inspiration strikes, I’ll hit “record” on the iPhone or Zoom H8 MP3 recorder.
What’s in it?
Recording: Apple MacBook Pro OS Catalina running Logic ProX 10.6.2, with an IK Multimedia Axe I/O interface and iLoud speakers, and a Fishman Platinum Pro EQ/DI analog preamp for acoustic guitar with pickup and electric bass Electric guitar tone options: Kemper Profiler, IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5. Zoom G11 multieffects processor, mic’d Fender 1960 Super and Fender 1968 “drip edge” Vibrolux
Mics: Shure SM57, Sennheiser MD 421, Studio Projects C1 (vocals and acoustic guitar without pickup), Røde Procaster (for podcasting)
Other: TC Electronic 2290 digital delay, Alesis V49 keyboard/MIDI controller, Toontrack Superior Drummer 3 software
How did you come to choose this gear?
I had a ProTools rig for a number of years. I found it was hard to keep up with the updates, and whenever I’d get a new computer, it was complete disruption. Once I tried Logic Pro, I liked the feel. It has a user-friendly quality, similar to Garage Band, but on the same professional level of ProTools. I also didn’t have the disruption I’d had before, since it’s an Apple product.
IK Multimedia has been very supportive, having me design a series of presets for AmpliTube 5, which is really “next level.” I have a few interfaces, all good, but their Axe I/O has noticeable quality, and the IK Multimedia Z-Tone DI helps dial in the signal.
The Kemper unit is something that Testament adopted for live shows, encouraged by our sound engineer for its consistency. Since there’s a learning curve, I was a bit reliant on my tech and just thought of it as my live rig for metal sounds. Yet once I took it home and found my away around it, I
