Whether recording an album or jamming out in front of a live crowd, musicians need technology to get the job done. Everyone knows players require instruments, microphones, and speakers to generate sound. What often goes unrecognized is the necessity for audio interface devices.
Focusrite’s sole focus is helping artists in this department. Founded in England in 1985, the renowned product manufacturer specializes in audio interfaces, ISA-series mic preamps, and RedNet Audio-over-IP solutions. Beatles producer Sir George Martin famously became one of Focusrite’s earliest clients. Founder Rupert Neve built him a custom mic preamp and EQ for his AIR Studios back in 1985. That paved the way for the ISA 110, which set a new industry benchmark for quality. In 1988, Focusrite would release the fabled Forte console.
“Forty years ago in 1985, home recording was limited in equipment and accessibility, and professional studio time was out of reach for most musicians,” reads a company statement. “In that environment, Focusrite emerged with the legendary large-format Forte and Studio Consoles, tools that set a new benchmark for sound quality and quickly became sought-after in the world’s top studios. By the early 1990s, as engineers and producers fell in love with the sound, Focusrite began producing rack-mounted versions of the console’s ISA mic-pre modules, which fast became highly desirable outboard gear used in studios worldwide.”
Phil Dudderidge, who formerly served as Led Zeppelin’s live sound mixer and co founded Soundcraft Electronics Ltd., acquired the assets of Focusrite Ltd. in 1989, re-launching it as Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. Under Dudderidge’s leadership, the business went on to create many unique audio interface designs, including the Red range line of EQs, dynamics processors, and analogue mic pres. Following that came the Green 3 Voicebox in the mid-‘90s, then the Platinum range, the Focusrite Liquid Channel, and a partnership with DigiDesign who chose Focusrite mic pres for their M-Box in the 2000s. Then in the early 2010s, Focusrite released the new iconic Scarlett range along with their RedNet range of audio-over-IP products. A more recent innovation is the Vocaster, a unit specifically built to satisfy the needs of podcasters.
Most popular is the Scarlett range. There are currently more than eight million of these units out in the wild. Though more affordable than many of Focusrite’s other offerings, the Scarlett line is used by professionals in addition to hobbyists and beginners. To celebrate 40-years of Focusrite, a very limited anniversary edition of the Scarlett 2i2 was released at the end of September.
Considering the many options available, it can be difficult to know which choice is right for you. The Focusrite website features a simple-to-use Interface Finder to help identify the most appropriate solution. Simply answer a few basic questions and let the program do its magic.
Another way to narrow down your options is thinking about how many inputs and outputs you’ll need. The more you desire, the higher the price. However, Daniel Hughley (Sr. Manager, Brand Marketing, Focusrite, Americas) points out that many of their products are expandable, especially those in the Scarlett range. For instance, with the Scarlett 16i16 4th Gen, you can add eight more channels quickly and easily with a simple ADAT cable. He goes on to mention that everything in the RedNet ranges is built to be expandable in similar fashion.
Setting up a recording session for many instruments can be a significant time-suck. Some Focusrite products, such as those in the Scarlett series, reduce the amount of effort required by offering Auto Gain. Using this feature automatically sets gain levels for every microphone within seconds. It’s a feature Hughley happily uses in his home studio, even though he has a degree in audio engineering and is perfectly comfortable setting gain levels manually.
Focusrite also tries to make their interfaces simple to install. The first time anyone plugs in a Scarlett, their computer will automatically return a prompt inviting users to engage in the onboarding process, helping them register their purchases and making sure they have all the included plugins. (Brainworx, Antares AutoTune, Softube and XLN have all partnered with Focusrite to provide plugin software at no extra charge.) “At the end, it says, ‘Are you up and running?’” adds Hughley. “And if you say no, it connects you with support.”
Integrating useful features, such as Clip Safe and Air mode, into its products remains a continuing mission. Focusrite’s development team is always seeking ideas on how to make it easier for creatives to bring their sounds to life. One way they do so is by soliciting feedback from their customer base. The website offers a form through which artists can reach out. It helps that their staff is filled with musicians. “We like to think we know,” Hughley remarks regarding what people desire, “but we look outside our walls to see what consumers want.”
The manufacturer does what it can to keep prices down, starting with how much it pays for components. “We’ve had longstanding relationships with our suppliers,” Hughley observes, “so we’re able to keep costs low.”
Then there is the environmental pledge. Anyone concerned about the impact of his or her buying habits on the planet will be comforted to know that Focusrite cares about reducing its carbon footprint. The company spends time thinking about everything from how many flights staffers take to what happens with their products once they become obsolete. They even employ a sustainability director whose sole purpose is to focus on these initiatives.
Most important for the public to realize is that Focusrite exists to serve every musical creator at all levels of expertise, from young visionaries alone in their bedrooms toying with fantasies of superstardom to fulltime professionals, such as Cypress Hill and Fear Factory bass player Christian Olde Wolbers, who uses tons of Focusrite gear in his California studio. Through presidential inaugurations, Super Bowls, and countless Coachella festivals, their wares remain ubiquitous.
“We’re here for everybody,” declares Hughley. “I can’t stress that enough.”
