He’s a familiar and long-standing name in the Coffs Harbour music scene. He shuns social media. He loves sound quality. His workspace is a tangled skein of electricity. And he is the sound of the White Bluff Project - the only musician/composer in the diverse team of collaborators drawn together for this unique project.
In this week’s profile we meet Martin van Veluwen.
“I have always loved Music and HiFi systems that produce sound to the best quality. Around my 21st birthday I invested in a TEAC 3440 4 track reel to reel. I wrote and recorded so many songs on that machine, I eventually wore the heads down.” Martin said. “Next step was to upgrade to an 8 track Tascam. I left my 9 to 5 factory job at AWA-Thorn in 1986 and joined forces with songwriter/producer Jonathon Green and setup Apple 24-Track in Castlecove in North Sydney. Jonathon's challenge to me was; I want you to become the best audio engineer in Australia. I stayed for 2 years and engineered so many projects but eventually went freelance.”
Martin then moved to Coffs Harbour in 1988, and his audio engineering work remained tape based till 1999 when he finally made the quantum leap to Digital, via Logic Audio and an IBM PC.
“With Digital you can edit to your hearts content. The game had well and truly changed. But surprisingly my strength wound up being my incredible apprenticeship with the older analog technology. I put that experience to use in a newer digital world.”
As an active song writer in the Coffs Harbour area, Martin Van Veluwen has composed many songs and thematic music that would already be very much at home in the White Bluff Project but he is not one to rest on his laurels and instead of drawing from his impressive back catalogue Martin has been inspired to capture the energy of the White Bluff site by being there, getting his hands dirty and capturing a lot of natural sound effects on site.
“The Project’s workshops enabled us to hit White Bluff from different angles. What I had at the end of the process were fragments of a puzzle. I’ve always loved production, so it was then a matter of working it out.”
“I’d like the project to make people aware of this place and entice them to go and experience the site for themselves. White Bluff is off the beaten track and a bit secretive.”
Throughout the project Martin has also been integral in recording workshops events, capturing snippets of White Bluff collaborations onsite, as well as spectacular drone footage of the site itself.
White Bluff - Live recordings
As a songwriter, Martin’s main instrument during his high school years was drums. “I have an affinity with rhythm but once I started playing in rock bands, I was quick to realise that things became very loud and soon gravitated towards Acoustic Guitar, which is now my preferred instrument. The urge to express myself through songs came in the late 1970's, but my role models were strong. I loved melodic writers so obviously the Beatles were in. My love of music also stems from my connection with Harmony. Over the years I have penned more than 500 original songs, recorded 19 independent albums. And as both a musician and engineer I have helped many local and interstate musicians fulfil their musical dreams. I am able to complete things and help musicians or bands finalise a project. My wife Sandy, helps with the artwork, she's a wiz on Photoshop.”
Martin has also been heavily involved with Coffs Harbour’s Conservatorium team, which he joined in 2005. “I helped get their new studio up and running, then also offered to write the Recording and Sound Design course. The RSD course is based around my 30+ years of recording, engineering and production experience. It contains the Tips and Gems that i have accrued over many years from personal experience,” he explains.
With the ensuing years, a problem with Tinnitus has made Martin change tack and he no longer performs live in an effort to prolong what hearing he has left.
"After a good 10 years of playing in and around Coffs with my good mates Paul Landi and Dave Woodbury in the band Blue Triangle, I have decided to stop playing music professionally."
Now the guitar comes out around the campfire, as it did in the old days. The studio is now condensed into a small bedroom that looks more like a man cave full of music, electrical gear and books.
"i have fallen back on my love for Electronics and now service the Coffs coast with guitar and amplifier repairs. Seems no-one is doing this and it pays better than being a Muso,” Martin explains.
“One of my jobs is to keep local musicians on the road. Funnily enough, I find myself "noodling" on the guitar more than I used to. I am trying to finish off my 21st album, much of which has a more acoustic, stripped back vibe. I may be losing my top end hearing but that has not affected my creative ability.
“When recently archiving music from friends and clients to a hard-drive I was amazed at the amount of recordings and work I have had the pleasure to be part of for some 40years. And now, working with the White Bluff Project has been another great experience. It’s allowed me to get out and record nature — to be reminded how fortunate and blessed we are to have this in our area.”
