Cameron Deyell opened R|Masterclass: Rewilding the Recording Studio at UniSC with the words, “Everywhere is a studio these days.” Held in the Maker Space on the Sippy Downs campus, the session explored how the accessibility of recording tools is reshaping music-making, challenging traditional notions of the studio and embracing creative practice in any environment.

With a career spanning decades and continents, Grammy Award credits for collaborations with Sia, and work with leading record companies including RCA, BMG, Sony and Mushroom, Cameron brought more than just technical know-how to this masterclass, he brought a wealth of lived experience and a spirit of collaboration, distilled into one grounded message: learn the skills, then take them everywhere.

From the moment he picked up his baritone guitar and played to welcome the group, a collective tone was set between himself and the intimate group of participants.

Guiding the group through previous works created in collaboration with Sia, LIOR and Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth, he isolated each layer of sound to analyse its intent. The hum of a rotary speaker, the reverb-soaked guitar line, the subtle textures woven throughout, each element had a role in the final work. Together, the group unpacked how these sounds shaped the atmosphere and tone of the final pieces.

“The strength of a track doesn’t always come from complexity or polish. It often begins with fragments, small ideas or little nuggets that work together.”

Theory transformed into practice in the afternoon. Cam shared and reflected on his new work, Sonic Compass, a sound sculpture created for the Floating Land festival. Playing an Indian harp, the piece layered his performance with field recordings captured in the wetlands at UniSC, creating an immersive conversation between instrument and environment.

Inspired by this approach, the group headed outside to the grounds and its beautiful wetland environment with their own instruments, including a bass guitar, an Indian harp, and vocals along with a Zoom H1 recorder. This humble $150 recording tool proved to the group how technology need not be complex or expensive to capture something resonant and powerful.

Each participant spent time exploring and collecting sound recordings; capturing the clanging of gas bottles, the percussive footsteps of students running over foot bridges, and the textures of leaves, birdsong and breeze. Cameron reminded the group that perfection isn’t the goal, sharing the wisdom of American musician Jeff Tweedy, “don’t think too much about it”.

With recording completed, it was back to the Maker Space for the edit, as Cameron uploaded the recordings into Logic Pro, an audio editing suite, and guided the group through the process of identifying ‘the gold’ hidden in unplanned moments, such as the tail end of a clang or an accidental resonance.

“You can plan everything but it’s usually the happy accidents that make the track.”

The editing process was collaborative and responsive. Cameron offered practical insights into his workflow, encouraging restraint. He suggested using only two or three sounds at once to avoid congestion and allow space for the track to ‘breathe’.

The day ended with a shared sense of possibility. Participants left not only with new technical skills, but also with a fresh perspective on how music can emerge from curiosity, play, and connection to place.

Cameron’s grounded approach reminded everyone that creativity thrives when it is accessible, collaborative, and open to chance.

Listen to the track below ↓

This R|Masterclass is presented by SCCA through The Refinery. Supported by Major Partners: Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, Sunshine Coast Council through the Regional Arts Development Fund, and the Creative Ecologies Research Cluster at UniSC, Program Partners: Noosa Regional Gallery and Floating Land and Media Partners: In Publishing (Hello Sunshine Magazine and IN Noosa Magazine).

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