March 27, 2026
Galactica: Gear, Working Method and Sound Philosophy
Today’s news: like everyone else, I follow the web and the latest updates, and I discovered that someone is curious to know what we do at Galactica. So I’ll tell you how our rehearsal sessions work, how we record, what equipment we use, but above all, our working method. I hope this helps you understand what lies behind one of our works.
Personal equipment, starting with the synths, which are a bit of what allows us to achieve a powerful sonic impact despite being only three and without bass
Roland XR a sound module with high-quality sampled sounds and a digital synthesizer that is difficult to manage but, once set up, offers incredible versatility both in the studio and live, with a sound clarity few others have and absolutely incredible precision
Roland SH201 a hybrid digital/analog synthesizer equipped with presets and user memories, a real powerhouse, very manageable for live use and with the possibility of working on it as if it were an analog synth during live performances
Behringer Neutron a pure semi-modular analog synth, no presets, bizarre and unpredictable (I love it), often hard to tame but capable of producing insane sounds once you understand it and figure out what mood it's in that day
Behringer umx610 used to control the Fantom XR and make some fine adjustments during live performances, not particularly precise, but great because it is lightweight to carry and sturdy
Yamaha psr 275 nothing extraordinary, I use it for the Neutron; it has decent dynamics and I’m fond of it because it was my very first keyboard, and it still has some beautiful sounds too
Yamaha DTXplorer good-quality studio drums with decent, clean sounds, ideal for studio recording sessions, played by Davide Vigo, the human metronome
Ibanez Jem 777FP an amazing guitar used masterfully by the great Davide Scarpato; I think he knows that guitar as well as he knows himself and can bring out incredible things from it
Fender Strocaster 50° anniversary LEo Fender USA Standard a guitar that needs no introduction
Schecter DAMIEN PLATINUM-7-SBK just arrived in Dave’s arsenal, a guitar with deep tones and 7 strings
Mesa Boogie Triaxis again, I think no introduction is needed; outstanding quality
Kemper profiler the stage beast with a divine sound
Mission Engineering expression pedal specifically designed for the Kemper
The Studio:
Behringer Xenyx2442 usb mixer a mixer with very low noise and excellent controls
ADC SS315 equalizer with spectrum analyzer, the reference point for audiophiles
Sherwood AP7020 a very high-quality preamp, although dated, but that doesn’t matter; vintage components often have a sound purity far superior to modern gear
Technics A5 pure class A power amp a powerhouse for hi-fi, an incredible machine with remarkable fidelity and pure, spacious sound
WEB loudspeakers
Ciare loudspeakers
Elecrovoice Interface 200 loudspeakers currently disconnected, awaiting reconing
Pioneer loudspeakers currently disconnected
Lenovo think centre M900 upgraded and dedicated, a reliable and sturdy machine running Zorin OS (Linux)
Ardour an open source DAW that has become a worldwide standard, running on Linux, extremely precise and reliable, capable of extremely high sound resolution and virtually nonexistent latency; we’re talking about 8 ms, which no human ear can perceive
Samplitude runs on Windows, an excellent DAW but outdated today and clearly inferior to more modern and high-performance DAWs
The recording method:
Of course, multitrack with a strictly analog input and no use of plugins or DAW compression, following our long-standing philosophy: “what you hear on the record, you will also hear live.” In our view, this is an extremely faithful way of approaching recording: what comes out of the instruments is the real sound, not the result of manipulations. If it’s warm, it’s warm; if it’s sharp, it’s sharp. That’s it. Sounds are built, not prettified by gimmicks; they are what they are and are the result of our taste and our study of sound, our search for that particular nuance that you will also find live and that won’t leave you disappointed for coming to see us.
It’s an unconventional approach, but we don’t like plastic music. We are aware that our music is unusual and definitely not for the masses or for big-star numbers, but it’s a choice, our choice not to bend to logic that doesn’t fit the way we make music, not to compromise with market demands. We know very well that we won’t make a living from it and that we won’t get rich, so we do what we want, and if you like it, follow us; otherwise, the world is big and full of artists who can, in one way or another, satisfy what you’re looking for.
The working method:
This is another unusual thing: in our creative chaos we have a precise roadmap, although we sometimes break it. An idea is born, we circle around it for a while, we try to play it, but above all to understand it, because things are not always born already finalized; sometimes they undergo transformations both musically and in intent. We look at the first recorded draft and think about it. If it convinces us, we develop it; otherwise, we either set it aside or eliminate it. But once we decide it is worth it, we work hard on it, and only on that particular piece. What has already been definitively recorded remains carved in stone as we decided it and waits; then we deal with new material, roughing it out, adapting it, refining it until the sound satisfies us all, and then we move on to something else.
When we have finished putting together the pieces of Fenice, and I estimate we are around 45%, we will take every piece recorded in its final form back into our hands and learn it from scratch, because when we go out to perform we must be able to reproduce it exactly as it is on the record. There will certainly be small differences and even a few mistakes, but that’s all part of the game. We are not machines, and mistakes live in live performances just as surprises do, but we will still try to do our best. Of course, in the studio there is the possibility to correct, shape, give intention and color to a passage or to an entire song; live, no. Live you must be prepared even if you wrote those songs yourself: you must remember all the sequences, all the passages, all the colors you give to the notes. That is why, after completing the album, we will need additional time before showing ourselves out there, provided, of course, that someone is willing to give us space to play. Because unfortunately, that is the reality in Italy: the mentality of venues is only about the cash register and nothing else. We are a risk category, and so the spaces available to us are even tighter, which is why seeing us live is difficult for these reasons. In the end, the world goes its way, and we go ours, but with our heads held high because we know we have done everything possible to give our listeners the best of us.