Hugo Tichborne, the creative force behind Goldbaby, has been a prominent figure in the world of music production and sampling for over 15 years. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Tichborne’s journey from film and TV location sound to becoming a renowned sample pack creator is a testament to his passion for audio and music technology.
Goldbaby, founded in 2006, has earned a stellar reputation for producing high-quality, inspiring sample content that caters to various music genres. Tichborne’s expertise in vintage drum machines, synthesizers, samplers, and analog gear has made Goldbaby a go-to resource for musicians and producers seeking authentic, gritty sounds with character.The company’s success has led to collaborations with industry giants such as Native Instruments, Elektron, Ableton, and Dave Smith Instruments, among others.
Goldbaby’s sample packs are known for their meticulous attention to detail and the use of high-end equipment, resulting in sounds that capture the essence of classic hardware while offering modern versatility. In this exclusive interview, we delve into Hugo Tichborne’s background, his approach to creating Goldbaby’s signature sounds, and his thoughts on the evolving landscape of music production. From his early days in audio engineering to the creation of iconic sample packs like the Vinyl Drum Machine Collection, Tape Drum Machine Collection, and many others, Tichborne shares insights into his creative process and the philosophy behind Goldbaby’s enduring success.
Goldbaby’s Background
1. Can you tell us about your background and how you got started creating sample packs and virtual instruments with Goldbaby?
I started messing around with synths and samplers in my early teens. By the time I was 18, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in audio, so I enrolled in SAE (School of Audio Engineering). Soon after I finished it, I managed to get a job as an assistant engineer at a post-production studio.
I was in charge of the machine room back in the days when studios were still using tape machines. This studio also had a Fairlight MFX, a big mixing console, and racks of gear. I got experience doing Foley, dialogue replacement, mixing, and tracking. After work, I would spend hours messing around in the studio. It was an incredible opportunity that helped give me a solid foundation in audio craft! I did that for a couple of years, and then I ended up working in location sound as a boom operator and sound recordist. I worked on TV shows like Xena, The Warrior Princes, Power Rangers, and some films, such as 30 Days Of Night, River Queen, and others.
I earned pretty good money while working in the film and tv industry. So, I was able to buy nice gear for my home studio. After an injury while Booming, I had to reduce my hours doing location work, and that’s when I started producing my own sample libraries. I was always mystified as to why sample libraries (which used to come on CDs) cost so much.
My first pack was for Glaresoft’s iDrum, in 2005. It was reasonably well received, which gave me the confidence to keep creating. By this stage, making a website and online shop was much more accessible. After a few weeks of learning how to do it, I was up and running!
After releasing a few products, I got the attention of a few music software and hardware companies. Then I started supplying content to Native Instruments, FXpansion, Ableton, Propellerheads, Sequential Circuits (Tempest) and many others…
In the early days, I spent a good chunk of my profits on quality high-end gear. This was money well spent!
2. Goldbaby has been around for over 15 years now. How has the landscape changed, and how has Goldbaby adapted?
There are certainly more sample pack companies now, and the market is much more competitive. My ethos has always been to be authentic in my process and create quality sampled instruments made with real hardware. I see no reason to change.
Goldbaby’s Sound
3. Your sample packs are renowned for their gritty, vintage character. Can you walk us through your sampling/processing workflow to achieve those signature gritty, vintage sounds?
Unless I have a specific idea for a pack, I generally spend a lot of time experimenting in my studio. I’m always creating samples, and when I seem to be heading in an exciting or fruitful direction, I focus on turning the samples into a pack.
I don’t really have a specific workflow. I try to mix things up so I don’t get bored! One of my main techniques, though, is gain staging. More often than not, I’m trying different levels through gear. Hitting things hard or starving them of signal will always give different results.
4. Many of your packs feature layered sounds from multiple hardware sources. What are some of the challenges in blending and processing those layers into a cohesive instrument?
I’m pretty cavalier when it comes to drum layering. Anything goes! There are definitely tried and true techniques like adding transients and sub-layers, but honestly, I like to experiment. Sometimes, layering is about happy accidents. Go ahead, layer a kick and a pizzicato tuba note; who knows! On a technical note, though, I almost always have a phase alignment tool in my chain when layering (I use Little Labs IPB).
5. The Vinyl Drum Machine Collection is one of your most unique and popular offerings. What inspired the Vinyl Drum Machine concept of cutting drum machines to vinyl?
I’ve been cutting vinyl for sound design since I started Goldbaby. Initially, it was to recreate the tone and texture of 80’s and 90s hip-hop. Vintage samplers and vinyl digging! Creating 70s-sounding drums and then pressing them to vinyl did the trick! After doing that for a while, I thought, shit, I’d love a vinyl record with drum machines on it!
6. The Tape808 and SuperAnalog909 packs are considered by many to be definitive recreations of those classic drum machines. What were the keys to nailing the iconic 808 and 909 sounds in Tape808 and SuperAnalog909?
The Tape808 was an idea I had for some time, but I wanted an extraordinary tape machine to make it. I discovered this small studio with an impressive late 50s, early 60s Ampex 351 1/2 inch two-track machine. I used two TR-808s; one was borrowed. So, I was able to pick the best sound from both machines and spent a few hours printing them to this fantastic machine. For SuperAnalog909, I wanted to try making a 96kHz pack with round-robin layers recorded through tasty hardware.
7. What value do you think quality multi-sampled instruments still provide in the software era?
Sampled instruments offer a different palette to software emulations. They are snapshots of tone and texture that capture not only the instrument but also the signal chain on which it was recorded.
Goldbaby’s Gems
8. You’re well known as a bit of a hardware and vintage gear aficionado. What are a few pieces of hardware from your personal collection that you could never see yourself parting with, and why are they so special to you?
My MPC60 constantly makes drums sound better. It’s some magic combination of 12-bit sampling the analog pre and post-filtering that hits the spot. Also, my Fat Bustard II valve mixer!
9. Lastly, let’s discuss music: what would be your top 3 desert island albums?
I’m building a boat and getting off this island; that’s nowhere near enough albums! If I had to choose, though… maybe Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk, Biophilia by Bjork, and There is Love in You by Four Tet.
