Rockstar & Producer Jake E talks music-making with Genelec
We caught up with him to discover more about how he makes music and how Genelec studio monitors help to drive his work.
What inspired you to start making music?
Music was always part of my life – I had record-collecting uncles when I was young who turned me onto rock and metal early on, and I basically grew up with that sound in my head.
Originally, I wanted to be a hockey player, but after an injury ended that path, I asked myself, “What else can I do that doesn’t tie me to a 'real job?'” – and being a rockstar sounded like a lot more fun. That was the spark that pulled me from fan to creator.
The first time I stood on stage and saw people reacting the way they did – that emotional connection – that’s what kept me going. Touring the world and seeing how something you wrote in a room can impact someone on the other side of the planet is still unbelievable.
What was your first ever piece of recording gear?
It was the tracker software on the Amiga, which got me into sequencing and arranging sounds. After that I moved onto an early version of Cubase, and I’ve pretty much stayed loyal to Cubase ever since. That foundation taught me how to think about sound before I ever had fancy gear.
What was the last piece of gear that you bought?
I recently upgraded my control surface, and also my monitoring to Genelec 8330s with a 7350 sub. It was time to go fully digital from my old 1030 setup! This gives me the precision and low-end clarity I need now, especially for heavy music and dense mixes.
How long have you used Genelecs?
I used the 1030s with a 7340 for over 10 years before my upgrade to the 8330s in RAW with the 7350 sub. I also have a pair of 8010s at home, which I use for listening to music sent to me when I'm not in the studio.
What kind of studio do you create music in?
I own and run a professional recording/songwriting facility with three separate studios. That's where all the serious work happens – for my own material and for projects I produce for other artists or movies.
What type of projects do you use your studio monitors for?
Everything from songwriting sessions and tracking to detailed mixing and reference listening.
My studio is used for:
– Melodic metal, rock and pop productions
– Vocal production and layering
– Full band mixes
– Songwriting sessions with other artists
– Pre-production work before big studio days and scoring movies
Everything that needs to be precise comes through the studio monitors.
What you think of your studio monitors?
For me, Genelec monitors are about trust. They’re incredibly honest. What I hear is what’s actually there. I can really feel where everything sits. That clarity makes production choices faster and more confident. I don’t have to second-guess myself.
GLM calibration is also a big deal. Every room has its quirks, but being able to tune the system properly means I’m working with accuracy, not fighting the space.
And even though they’re precise, they’re not tiring to work on. I can sit for long sessions and still stay creative, which is crucial for someone like me that has them on for 8 hours a day.
The bottom line is they let me focus on the music instead of the speakers.
Describe your perfect day in the studio.
Silence – no phone distractions, which unfortunately never happens. I start with writing – guitar, piano, however the idea comes – and chase it until it feels real. Then I record rough vocals while the emotion is still fresh and build the production around that core.
Ideally, I start at 8 in the morning and have a finished song at the end of the day, but I usually always second-guess myself, so that never happens. But, in a perfect world, that would be my perfect day!
In-the-box mixing or not?
I’m mainly focused on songwriting and production. I’ve always believed that once you’ve created something, it can be powerful to let someone else mix it. Fresh ears bring a different perspective, and that often takes the song to another level. So I don’t mix that often.
When I do, I like a hybrid approach. I use some Softube control surfaces that I really enjoy – there’s just something about moving real faders with your hands instead of dragging a mouse. It feels more musical, more connected to the performance.
I’ve also got plenty of old outboard gear. It looks impressive, and it definitely keeps the room warm. The core work still happens in the box.
What’s your top tip for being creative at home?
Go to work, haha! I tried for many years to have my recording setup at home, but instead of working I ended up doing everything else that needed fixing around the house.
Have you come across any new gear or apps to make home creating easier?
Yeah – tools from Neural DSP and Toontrack have been game-changers for my workflow:
– Neural DSP plugins bring guitar amps and tones into the box with ridiculous realism, which means instant creative feedback when composing.
– Toontrack drum libraries and MIDI grooves give me professional drums in minutes, and I’ve been involved with them long enough to appreciate how deep and musical those tools are.
– Softube modelling and processing plugins give a vibe and warmth that sits between analogue flavour and digital precision.
– Izotope’s latest mix & assist plugins offer things like frequency balance scouting and mix referencing that help speed decisions without compromising vision.
If there was one recording session you could have attended, which one would it have been and why?
I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when Metallica recorded the Black Album.
I have watched the “A Year and a Half with Metallica” VHS so many times. And I found it a while back on YouTube. It's crazy to see what took weeks and months to edit back then can be done in a heartbeat nowadays.
