The Savage Report

The CD World of BdCSgt Ken Peers RM OR: Sax, Leads and Audio Tape
A true story by Steve Savage (aged 37.75)

Part of my job as Academic Instructor at Higher Training is to request the use of the recording facilities at the School of Music to record Bandmasters' Course Students' compositions and arrangements. Happily, this request has never yet been turned down. However, while chatting to SO(M) recently, the subject of the recording studio came up. As the conversation developed, we realised there were a number of questions that we couldn't answer. If we couldn't answer them, then where did that leave the men and women of the Band Service, both past and present?

"There is only one solution" said SO(M), with one of those smiles that indicated I'd just stitched myself up like a kipper, "and that is to talk to Ken, discuss these questions" (and a shed load more as it transpired) "put them down on paper and I'll publish it as an article in the Blue Band Magazine. That way everyone who reads it will be in the picture!"

I was right. If ever there was a time when I felt small, flat and smelled of smoked herring, it was now. I arranged a meeting with Ken and armed with nothing more than a list of questions, a couple of biros and a promise of coffee from Ken, I set off in the hunt for the man himself.

In the confines of the 'old stockade' that is the School of Music, I found the new location of the recording studio. The door of Building 242, to give its precise location, was ajar and seemed to contain nothing but a mass of boxes, electrical equipment of all sizes, endless tangles of cables and more plugs than Dixon's. I went in and found Ken and his boxes of tricks which comprise the RM Band Service recording facility. Ken, who had escorted me through this maze of gear, invited me to sit on the only available chair in the only available space. He informed me that the newly titled 'editing suite' - I thought he must be going up-market because he's got an entire building to himself - was in its finishing stages, hence all the chaos. Once Ken had cleared some space and purloined another chair from the coffee boat, we got down to the business in hand, me being the interviewer and Ken being the interviewee.

The first thing to note is that there was no immediate mention of coffee which as a self-confessed slave to caffeine was a bit of a blow but I presumed that it would be offered at a later stage and I left it at that.

Ken first spoke of his early interest in recording which started while he was serving aboard the Royal Yacht. He was involved in helping to run the internal broadcasting system which recorded the World Service News on the half hour playing it back on the hour when the Royal Yacht was midway between time zones. Although he never mentioned it, I suspected he felt this early Royal involvement should allow him to function 'By Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen' utilising the same coat of arms found on some brands of air freshener which also appear on the right arm of WO1s.

As far as he could remember, the original concept of recording within the Band Service had started in Deal in the mid 1980s. Although the system was primitive, it was essentially a Higher Training facility used pretty much for the same reasons as we do now. At roughly the same time FOP's Band, as it was then, bought some recording equipment from their Band Fund. Ken was instrumental in organising this, having done a great deal of in-depth research into what would be the best, affordable and suitable equipment for what was required. The resulting set up produced two albums.

When Ken was drafted to the Staff Band in Deal it seemed natural for him to take over the recording duties. Realising that it was an inadequate system, funding was found to upgrade and replace equipment with a view to producing professional quality recordings in-house. With the move to Portsmouth, a business plan was drawn up and the whole venture became self-supporting. The plan was set in place and the Band Service created a VAT registered non-public fund which would record CD's under the name of "Chevron Recordings'. This new 'company' would be run by a team of three: the PDM as President, the Band Service Secretary as the treasurer/financial advisor and Ken as the recording engineer and everything else bloke. The marketing of these CDs, combined with the recording fees charged to Bands for the production of their CDs, is still what keeps the recording side of the Band Service afloat and able to keep up with new technology. Being a non-public fund it is audited every six months by the RM audit team.

The original plan for the editing suite was for it to be directly linked to the Portsmouth Band Concert Hall with most of the equipment being in an adjoining room and with audio and visual contact with the conductors during recording. However, this would have involved an expensive rebuild and a loss of valuable space for Portsmouth Band. This was not economically viable, so when a suitable location became available at the School of Music, the suite was moved. I have to say that I questioned this decision to move as there is no facility to record within its new locale, but I was assured that it caused no problems as all the recording equipment was portable and could be taken to any location for recording purposes. I questioned the portability of the equipment because in my reckoning you would've needed a team of pack mules to shift it all, but Ken assured me that the biggest and heaviest items of equipment are used for the editing and stay in situ.

Now I understood. The recording was done on location and the editing was done in the editing suite, so it wasn't Ken getting all 'precious' on me just because he had his own building.

This mobility factor means that all the bands get the opportunity to make CDs without the restrictions and expense associated with civilian companies. The Bands can now be recorded at a venue that suits them as opposed to having to travel to a recognised studio. The recordings can be set up according to the band's programme thus allowing less pressure on recording time, usually three days, as rehearsals should be complete by the time Ken arrives to set up. Another plus is that there are no extra costs should the recording overrun and if something is found to be less than perfect during the editing stage, Ken can return to the Band and rerecord the problem piece. In fact, the entire production of our CDs is now done in-house. The MAPS licences, art work, cover details and graphic design are all covered, the latter three being dealt with by Sgt Bug Mark Snell from the Blue Band Office. Of course it is not only the working Bands that benefit from this unprecedented service, as Higher Training still get their ten pennyworth too. Other benefits include the ability to send recordings to sponsors of major military events, such as the BBC, to enable timings and commentaries to be rehearsed without the Band being present, thus reducing the pressure on Bands during busy schedules. The Corps of Drums also benefit from Ken's work by being given the opportunity to rehearse and learn new music from quality CDs and not the musically unsound 'steam-driven' tapes of old.

There was still no coffee. At this point I was grateful I had brought the second biro with me as I began chewing it to stop myself crawling up the walls.

I was quite surprised to find out that the job of editing suite operative, recording bloke, IC wires, plugs and boxes with flashing lights on, or whatever you wish to refer to it as, is not the primary task but the secondary task for Ken. His 'real' job is that of Chief Librarian, making him 'two-hatted' - if he ever wore them that is. Fortunately he is assisted by Verity and Mick, two highly efficient and dedicated staff making his supervisory role that much easier. That aside, he has a great vision for the future of the recording business within the Band Service. The primary objective is as it ever was, to provide the Band Service with the facility to produce the highest quality professional recordings. One idea for the future is for Ken to be more actively involved in Training, creating audible portfolios for both the students and the staff. A recording of T3, T5 and M3 exams could be used to monitor progress, could be useful for monitoring the audit trail for Initial Training and to give external visitors an idea of how our Training programme works.

As professional as Ken is, I was amazed to find out that he has only attended one five-day course in recording techniques. The majority of his expertise is down to a great deal of experience through on-job training, trial and error and reading four magazines a month - some with words and actually about recording. I was astounded to learn of the amount of work involved in producing one Band's CD, from the initial enquiries on programme content right through to the receipt of the finished product from the pressing plant. It is also a very time consuming task and one for which knowledge, musicianship and ultimate dedication and professionalism need to reign supreme, especially as there is no immediate assistance in-hand and therefore it's a case of the buck stopping with Ken.

As much as I admired his individual commitment, it seemed as if he could do with some help towards setting up the copious amounts of equipment involved in recordings, helping in the production processes and possibly even someone to learn the art of recording as Ken would eventually need a suitably trained successor. At least an assistant may be able to locate a kettle and turn it on! Ken agreed that despite being aided by BdCSgt Gordon Carter and Musn Karl Westlake on occasions, it would be to everyone's advantage if there were others who expressed an interest in recording and who could help with the project in the future. Any Rank should now be able to get a basic grounding in the subject by applying for suitable courses. Subsequent on-job training and hands-on experience would also pay dividends.

It has been through this interview that I have realised that firstly, we in the Band Service are very fortunate and much envied in having this high quality facility. Secondly, we must ensure that this facility continues to function at the highest level and produce the quality of recording that we have come to expect well into the future, and thirdly, we must consider ourselves incredibly fortunate in having someone as dedicated and professional as Ken to operate it. The interview was all but over and I was STILL caffeine free. That was it. My patience had finally snapped and it was now payback time. I was thinking that there must be some way to get my own back, when it dawned on me… "So Ken, just before I go, could you tell me a bit about the Central Music Library then?"

"Aahh … ummm … well …" Ken nervously shuffled me towards the door, "you couldn't go and ask Verity could you?"