THE PROJECT
To set up a recording studio at Forest House, 80 air miles north of Missinipe, SK. Accessible only by canoe (5 portages) or air (1 portage), Forest House is an absolutely gorgeous eco-lodge nestled in a pristine, lush area of Saskatchewan's Boreal forest.
Sue and Zane will be recording tracks for an EP to be donated to the "Naomi Fund", established by Churchill River Canoe Outfitters. Naomi, an avid canoeist/kayaker/skier was a C.R.C.O. employee who unfortunately passed away in an avalanche in British Columbia. The fund was establishe in her memory, and is awarded to young women pursuing outdoor education.
Itinerary
August 25: Sue arrives in Saskatoon from Hamilton, ON.
August 26: Sue and Zane drive over 600km north to Missinipe, SK.
August 27: Fly into Forest House. The lake that Forest House overlooks is to small to land a plane on, so all gear must be portaged in and then transported by canoe to the lodge.
August 28 - Septermber 2: Writing and recording.
September 3: Fly out of Forest House and drive back to Saskatoon.
September 4: Sue returns home.
The Logistics
Downsizing the recording equipment to fit in a small float plane and to be portaged and canoed to the lodge as easily as possible. Pro Tools 10 has been loaded on to a Dell Precision M 6700 laptop, along with close to 1TB of digital instruments (additional Glyph drive as well). Midi controller is an Axiom Pro 61 keyboard. This system will be thoroughly tested before the trip. Mics, monitors, audio interfaces, etc. are also a consideration.
Lack of redundancy a major factor. With weight and space restrictions, a huge concern is our inability to bring backup equipment. No Internet access means that things like iLok keys cannot be synchronized if problems arise.
Powering the studio off of Forest House's solar power grid. August in northern Saskatchewan means less light and shorter days. Recording time could be limited by how long it takes to charge the power system.
ABOUT SUE LEONARD
Sue Leonard is currently living in Hamilton, ON, where she has been writing and recording at Jukasa Studios with her friend, Bill Dillon (Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois, Robbie Robertson). Sue has toured with KD Lang, recorded with Bon Jovi, and worked with many other noteable musicians from across North America.
SUE'S MUSIC
