Sting Dream Of The Blue Turtles equipment

The Dream Of The Blue Turtles was Sting's debut solo album, released in June 1985 on A&M Records. The album takes on a jazz & pop-oriented focus compared to previously with The Police.

Sting wrote the majority of the Dream Of The Blue Turtles album in 1984 with the aid of a new tool: the Synclavier II system, which he bought post-Police. "Shadows In The Rain" was probably the oldest song: a version by The Police was released on Zenyatta Mondatta, but on this album they re-cut the song based on the original demo's arrangement.

For the album, Sting originally intended to collaborate with electronic music group Torch Song, but decided against it in the end for unknown reasons. Other possible candidates for producer(s) were Quincy Jones and Martin Rushent. But Sting ultimately chose Pete Smith, who engineered his demos at Utopia Studios in London. Sting - with the help of journalist Vic Garbarini - held auditions for a new backing band in January 1985, mainly for those within the jazz music field. He ended up choosing Darryl Jones (bass), Branford Marsalis (saxophone), Kenny Kirkland (keyboards), Omar Hakim (drums) and Janice Pendarvis & Dolette McDonald on backing vocals. Shortly afterward, rehearsals went ahead and they performed warm-up concerts 25-27 February 1985 at The Ritz to prepare for the recording.

Recording work with Sting and his new band took place at Eddy Grant's Blue Wave Studios in Barbados over seven weeks. The mixing was completed at Le Studio in Morin Heights, either in part or in full due to some conflicting information.

Sting
Guitars
 * 1978 Fender Stratocaster Black
 * 1961 Fender Telecaster natural
 * Gibson Chet Atkins CE acoustic/electric

Other
 * Henk Van Zalinge Z-bass ("Moon Over Bourbon Street") - /w Boss CE-2 Chorus
 * New England Digital Synclavier PSMT digital system
 * Linn Electronics LinnDrum - "We Work The Black Seam"

Darryl Jones

 * 1968 Fender Jazz bass
 * Crown MicroTech 1000 power amp
 * Ashly preamp
 * Boss pedals:
 * VB-2 vibrato
 * OC-2 octaver
 * CS-2 compression/sustain
 * 300-watt Ampeg SVT
 * 2 Hartke 4-10” cabinets

Kenny Kirkland

 * Oberheim OB-8
 * Yamaha CP-70 grand
 * Yamaha DX7
 * Synclavier

Branford Marsalis

 * Selmer Mark VI tenor /w Frederick Hemke and Rico Royal side-four Vandoren reeds and a Bari No.4 mouthpiece

Omar Hakim

 * Yamaha Recording series kit:
 * 22" bass drum
 * 7"-deep chrome snare
 * 13” x 9” rack toms
 * 12” x 8” rack toms
 * 14” x 14” floor toms
 * 16” x 16” floor toms
 * Cymbals:
 * 16” China Boy
 * 13” splash
 * 19” medium-thin crash
 * 22” heavy ride or 20” K. Zildjian
 * 17” medium-thin crash
 * 22” china boy
 * Vic Firth 5As/5Bs sticks

Mixing consoles

 * Solid State Logic SL4000E 48-input /w Total Recall - Le Studio Morin Heights)
 * Solid State Logic SL4056E 56-input /w Total Recall - Blue Wave studio

Outboard gear
Blue Wave Studios:
 * Audio & Design compressors, limiters & de-essers
 * AMS DMX 15-80S digital delay /w pitch change
 * AMS RMX-16 digital reverb (x2)
 * Yamaha REV 1

For Le Studio: See Le Studio page for full list

Tape machines & mastering
24-tracks:
 * Otari MTR-90 Mark III 24-track: two at Blue Wave, synchronised by Adams-Smith synchroniser
 * Studer A800 Mk.III 24-track: Le Studio
 * Studer A80 Mk. II 24-track: Le Studio

2-track mixdown:
 * Ampex ATR-100 analog: Blue Wave
 * Sony PCM-F1 digital: Blue Wave
 * JVC BP-90 digital: Le Studio

Mixing consoles

 * Solid State Logic SL4048E 48-channel /w Total Recall automation: Le Studio Morin Heights final mixing
 * Solid State Logic SL4056E 56-channel /w Total Recall: Blue Wave Studios recording & partial mixing

Misc.

 * JBL 4350 monitors (Blue Wave)
 * Yamaha NS10 monitors (Blue Wave)