Stewart Copeland Rumbefish OST equipment

The Rumblefish soundtrack by Stewart Copeland was released in March 1984, accompanying the Francis Ford Coppola-directed film of the same name. It marks Stewart Copeland's first venture into composing film scores and soundtracks, which he did whilst still a member of The Police.

Initial work on the Rumblefish soundtrack took place during late July 1982 at Long Branch Studios (Tulsa, Oklahoma, US) with engineer Bill Belknap. Amongst what they did there was working with sound effects, developing tape loops and so on. "Tulsa Tango", "Brothers On Wheels" and the first part of "Hostile Bridge to Benny's" (typewriter noises, looped drums etc.) originated from these early sessions.

The main recording work was done at Tres Virgos studios (San Rafael, California, USA) during March 1983, engineered by Robin Yeager, when Stewart finished scoring for the movie. This was shortly after The Police's Synchronicity was finished.

Much of the mixing was completed at Stewart's Worried Rabbit home studio somewhere in Oxfordshire, England - likely late June/early July 1983, when son Jordan was born (as per an update Stewart sent to Robin Yeager). "Don't Box Me In" was in fact a rough monitor mix from the Tres Virgos sessions: Stewart lent the 24-track master tape to Stan Ridgway, who accidentally erased it. The rough mix was available, so it was salvaged and remastered slightly for the movie and album.

Drums & percussion

 * TAMA white kit (specifics unclear) - borrowed for Tres Virgos sessions
 * Camco drum kit - belonged to Long Branch studio, used for initial recordings
 * Pearl 5” x 14” snare /w Chrome overbrass
 * 2 x TAMA Octobans
 * TAMA 22” Gong drum
 * chinese bell tree (muffled with tape) - "Tulsa Tango" opening sound

Cymbals (Paiste, except where noted - Tres Virgos setup): (Other cymbals yet to be identified)
 * Paiste 602 13” hi-hat
 * 3 x 8” 2002 ice bell
 * 16” 602 thin crash
 * 16” 2002 medium crash
 * 18” 2002 medium crash
 * 22” 602 Chinese
 * 24” Rude Ride/Crash

Drum heads:
 * Remo Ambassador
 * Remo CS Black Dot (toms, kick)

Electronic percussion

 * Oberheim DMX drum machine
 * Roland TR-808(?) drum machine - click track during Long Branch sessions for flying in sound effects. There is no such 'TR-303' model as described in Bill Belknap interview.

Basses

 * Henk Van Zalinge Z-bass
 * Fender Precision bass - possibly confused with Fender Telecaster bass?

Guitars

 * Fender Telecaster
 * 1978 Fender Stratocaster natural(?)

Synthesizers

 * Oberheim OB-8
 * Roland RS-505 Paraphonic
 * Sequential Circuits Prophet-5

Other instruments

 * Banjo
 * Typewriter

Microphones
Drums & percussion - Tres Virgos mic setup as follows:
 * Bass drum:
 * AKG D-12
 * Snare:
 * AKG 452 (top & bottom)
 * Hi-hat:
 * AKG 452
 * Toms:
 * 1 x AKG 452
 * Sennheiser MD421 - floor tom
 * Beyer 201's - possibly used for bottom of toms
 * Octobans:
 * 1 x AKG 452 or Neumann U87
 * Overheads:
 * AKG C414 EB
 * Room mics:
 * Neumann U87s
 * Other:
 * 4 x Crown PZM - placed on wall 12 feet away from kit

Xylophone (Tres Virgos)
 * 2 x AKG 414 EB

Piano (Tres Virgos)
 * 2 x Crown PZM
 * Neumann U87 - distant mic

Typewriter sounds ("Hostle Bridge To Benny's" opening, Long Branch sessions)
 * Neumann U87

Tape machines
Tres Virgos:
 * Ampex ATR-124 24-track - synchronised to MCI via Q-lock
 * Ampex ATR-102 2-track
 * MCI JH-24 24-track

Worried Rabbit:
 * Otari MTR-90 24-track
 * Sony PCM-F1 digital 2-track

Long Branch studios:
 * Ampex MM1200 16-track
 * Ampex MM1200 24-track
 * Ampex ATR-102 2-track mixdown

Outboard gear
The following units were available at Stewart's 'Worried Rabbit' studio, used in much of the final mixing:
 * AMS DMX 15-80 digital delay/harmonizer
 * ITAM Stereo 10-band Graphic Equalizer
 * Marantz 1040 Stereo Amplifier
 * Roland SPA-240 power amplifier - drives JBL 4315 monitors
 * Roland SDE-2000 digital delay
 * Roland SRE-555 Chorus Echo
 * Orban 111B Dual Spring Reverb
 * Valley People Kepex II noise gates (x2)
 * Valley People Gain Brain compressors (x2)

Outboard at Tres Virgos Studios, used for mixing "Don't Box Me In" at least:
 * AMS RMX-16 digital reverb
 * Deltalab DL-4 digital delay
 * Eventide H949 Harmonizer
 * Fairchild EQ
 * Lexicon 224 digital reverb
 * Lexicon Prime Time digital delay
 * Pultec EQ
 * Marshall Time Modulator
 * Roland reverb/delay
 * Studio Technologies Echoplate I plate reverb
 * UREI LA-4 compressors (modified)
 * Valley People Kepex II noise gates
 * Valley People Gain Brain compressors

Mixing consoles

 * Allen & Heath Syncon A: Stewart's 'Worried Rabbit' studio desk, final mixing
 * MCI JH528B with 48V power rails and Aphex VCA's: Tres Virgos studio recordings
 * API 24-channel:

Studio monitors

 * Auratone 5C nearfield: both Tres Virgos and Worried Rabbit
 * UREI 813: Tres Virgos
 * JBL 4313: Worried Rabbit

Other

 * Baldwin 8.5’ grand piano: Tres Virgos studios equipment