Post by: breathe on September 03, 2007, 01:48:47 AM
What I'm really interested in now is what kind of atmosphere you folks maintain in your studio to keep things comfortable. Smoking and drinking is how I maintain mine, and I have no art or other decorations around whatsoever (I do have this picturebook laying around of 'Unuseless Japanese Inventions' that amuses everyone). My control room is cozy with a large soft couch and gray Auralex covering the walls and ceiling to absorb the flutter echo against the mud and taped and painted drywall. My performance room is totally amazing because how large and high ceiling'd it is (and built of wood in 1924). I am completely happy with the vibe of my studio, and I consider myself sensitive to those things. I recently got tours of a couple of 'pro' studios in Portland, and I was really surprised by how clinical they felt. I sort of understand, vaguely, the concept of a studio as a 'professional' environment (like a dentist office), but it's totally beyond me how artists that I actually like could produce good work in those places. Maybe artists like Peter Gabriel (who I love) thrive in those kind of places (not smoke filled rooms), where total precision is really the aim, not just a loose comfortable vibe.
And by the way, what's with the lava lamps I see in those SSL studios on the cover of Mix magazine? Don't other people think those things are ridiculous?
Post by: Tomas Danko on September 03, 2007, 01:56:55 AM
| breathe wrote on Mon, 03 September 2007 06:48 |
And by the way, what's with the lava lamps I see in those SSL studios on the cover of Mix magazine? Don't other people think those things are ridiculous? |
Lava lamps not only gives you a better stereo image when used in pairs, but they also compensate for them dreadful IC's in the SSL.
Oh, and they're nice to watch when you space out for a micro pause minute.
Post by: Larrchild on September 03, 2007, 06:32:43 AM
Post by: J.J. Blair on September 03, 2007, 08:23:16 AM
Post by: Fletcher on September 03, 2007, 10:04:10 AM
There are some cool signs on the wall from manufacturers and the sign from a legendary Boston nightclub called "Bunnratty's" and all kinds of shit hanging from the ceiling from Fairchild 670 faceplates to an SSL center section keyboard and monitor... dead DBX-160VU [very raped for parts] and a "blowup doll" suspended by a hangman's noose with her hands tied behind her back, mouth taped shut and various stencils and stickers on her.
The piano room has 2 desks in it [as it's also an active office] the walls are painted "bordello red" with gloss black trim around the blacked out windows and the doors... there are full mic and cue line facilities in that room.
The control room [which we'll have pictures of in the coming months] has no windows and the doors in the front of the room [the doors are from the CARS old studio "Syncro Sound"]... first thing you see when you walk in is the back of the console with all it's various wires hanging out but very neatly dressed.
In the front of the room the walls are all blue cloth with wood trim that actaully cover the front of the monitor cabinets [UREI 813's] with the cross over and drivers exposed. The top of the meter bridge and patchbay extension have the nearfield monitors my "Ancestral Protection Voodoo Doll" a variety of shakers [including a "skull egg"] and a couple of "Beanie Baby" stuffed animals [a Shark and an Armadillo] along with the talkback mic [a Russian Ribbon mic that was stolen from the Politbureau and actually has "CCCP" stamped on it].
The left wall has the outboard racks [3x 16 RU road cases] with a mural/picture that my daughter did when she was 15... it's a woman's face with purple eyeshadow and flowing red hair that comes off the canvas and extends onto the walls.
Behind that is the bathroom which has a "Punisher" toilet seat and "Metal stars" trading cards taped to the wall... skull toilet brush holder and skull lamp with a black light in it... over the sink the lights are red and blue.
On the other wall is another mural my daughter did which features an androgynous figure with green shorts, sweater vest and a red tie talking eating muffins with a skull figure with little face images in it's coiled snake like spine... the skull has a goatee and hot rod flame eyes and tooth decay... they are drinking tea under a tree that has little light brown human like figures... the mural symbolizes "the innocent artist being recruited by the evil music industry to become part of the tree of lost souls" [pretty deep for a 15 yr. old!!].
In the back of the room is a Leopard "fainting couch" on a Cheetah rug with a kidney shaped table that has books about "Von Dutch" and "Big Daddy Roth" and a lamp on either side of the couch [on dimmers so you can read if you'd like] that have white leopard lamp shades]. There is a black box with a skull in it that holds our favorite fruit... chocolate covered espresso beans.
All in all... it's quite a "vibey" joint.
Peace.
Post by: Rick Sutton on September 03, 2007, 12:34:54 PM
Post by: compasspnt on September 03, 2007, 05:37:15 PM
Post by: Eric H. on September 04, 2007, 07:15:08 AM
| compasspnt wrote on Mon, 03 September 2007 22:37 |
http://members.aol.com/compasspnt/movie.html |
Very Impressive man!
great place!
Eric Harizanos
Post by: amorris on September 04, 2007, 11:19:03 AM
Post by: M Carter on September 04, 2007, 12:43:41 PM
However - a lot of my friends in indie bands probably wouldn't be interested in recording at Legacy. The general trend with those guys is that the bigger the pain in the ass it is for the engineer - the better the vibe for the band. I don't totally understand it.
Once I was told by a band leader during a session in a room in Brooklyn (which shall remain nameless) where shit just did NOT work - "its funny how it's always the rooms that the engineers hate that the musicians like the best". That doesn't sway my opinion from the fact that a band records better in a room where the gear works....
Post by: trock on September 04, 2007, 02:09:27 PM
Post by: NelsonL on September 04, 2007, 06:13:16 PM
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=421734917&contex t=photostream&size=l
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=421730670&size=m &context=photostream
Post by: Jim Williams on September 05, 2007, 10:14:48 AM
Once someone gets into the pool and spa it's hard sometimes to get them back to work.
Then again, this is San Diego county, it's hard to get anyone to work around here especially if the surf's up.
Post by: Kendrix on September 05, 2007, 04:51:33 PM
Name Symbol Percent by Volume
Nitrogen N2 78.084 %
Oxygen O2 20.9476 %
Argon Ar 0.934 %
Carbon Dioxide CO2 0.0314 %
Neon Ne 0.001818 %
Methane CH4 0.0002 %
Helium He 0.000524 %
Krypton Kr 0.000114 %
Hydrogen H2 0.00005 %
Xenon Xe 0.0000087 %
All this plus some water vapor makes those longitudinal sound waves oh so happy bouncing off the walls at 1100 feet/second.
OK OK - I promise to post something useful next time.
FWIW- My personal studio has got lots of posters/artwork and small objects hanging around to contribute to the vibe. My dog can work wonders with his supreme vibey-ness as well. Also got those Japanese shoji lantern/lamps to provide low/soft lighting. If things get rough I also have the option of turning the lava lamp on.
Red is the best vibe-wise.
I also tend to leave many of my instruments out on stands.
Its good to have them easily accesible AND this definately adds some mucically-oriented vibe.
Post by: breathe on September 05, 2007, 05:20:56 PM
Speaking of trees, I actually have this tall fake potted tree in my studio that I really dig the vibe of. I could totally get a bunch of them and create a tropical vibe in my huge recording room (not my control room). Right now it's covering up this patch on one of my walls that some evil dipshit graffitied on during my last party that I roughly painted over with some paint I had left over. I love having parties at my place with bands playing, my place is ideal for it, and I get to record all of the band's instruments/vox in multitrack which I can later mix down like an album (awesome!), but the risk of just ONE asshole destroying property is almost too much to take. There are a few shows where I know nothing would ever happen, but some shows where there's a slight risk, it seems I would have to hire several security guards just to watch over things inside and especially the parking lot (the cars of the nearby businesses come to mind), which might really intimidate the guests of mine that I don't want to intimidate. It's a really delicate balance. In Santa Cruz where I got my first degree, all the shows were in people's living rooms, and there was this particular magic of being in a room where absolutely everyone was there for the music (the scenesters would be out socializing in the back yard). I don't think I'll ever have it that good, with that level of trust, again.
Nicholas
| Jim Williams wrote on Wed, 05 September 2007 07:14 |
My place has that Polynesian look and feel. Besides the studio, there's the dozen 30 foot queen palms in the back with a few sago palms, banana trees, citrus and of course the pool and spa. A large stone Tiki god rules the entire area. Once someone gets into the pool and spa it's hard sometimes to get them back to work. Then again, this is San Diego county, it's hard to get anyone to work around here especially if the surf's up. |
Post by: Bryson on September 06, 2007, 08:00:23 AM
| Jim Williams wrote on Wed, 05 September 2007 07:14 |
My place has that Polynesian look and feel. Besides the studio, there's the dozen 30 foot queen palms in the back with a few sago palms, banana trees, citrus and of course the pool and spa. A large stone Tiki god rules the entire area. Once someone gets into the pool and spa it's hard sometimes to get them back to work. Then again, this is San Diego county, it's hard to get anyone to work around here especially if the surf's up. |
You left Matilija for that?
Post by: Jim Williams on September 06, 2007, 01:31:51 PM
| Bryson wrote on Thu, 06 September 2007 05:00 | ||
You left Matilija for that? |
It was tough leaving behind the gangs, crime, graffiti, buzzing helicopters, surly cops, english challenged store owners, gun shots at night, break-ins, Hollywood people, cockroach restaurants, and the nightly din of the city that required earplugs for a good rest. And that was the good part!
Post by: J.J. Blair on September 07, 2007, 08:53:13 PM
| trock wrote on Tue, 04 September 2007 11:09 |
JJ i was checking out your site and pics of the studio, thats a really nice setup. |
Thanks, Tim. Here's a new pic from last week:
Post by: Fletcher on September 08, 2007, 07:29:15 AM
Nitrogen N2 76.084 %
Oxygen O2 20.9476 %
Argon Ar 0.934 %
Carbon Dioxide CO2 0.0314 %
Neon Ne 0.001818 %
Methane CH4 2.0002 % [Mexican joint up the street!!]
Helium He 0.000524 %
Krypton Kr 0.000114 %
Hydrogen H2 0.00005 %
Xenon Xe 0.0000087 %
Post by: Bryson on September 08, 2007, 08:09:14 AM
| Fletcher wrote on Sat, 08 September 2007 04:29 |
We often have a slightly different atmosphere... |
Your gases may vary
Post by: Kendrix on September 08, 2007, 08:18:13 AM
| J.J. Blair wrote on Sat, 08 September 2007 01:53 | ||
Thanks, Tim. Here's a new pic from last week: |
Nice control room.
I love that old honey-stained knotty pine paneling.
FWIW- I've been told its virtually impossible to procure these days- at least in my neck of the woods.
I notice that those monitors are squeezed tightly between the soffets and the desk.
No issues with that configuration??
Post by: Nobtwiddler on September 10, 2007, 04:36:27 PM
Post by: Nobtwiddler on September 10, 2007, 04:39:21 PM
I do run a rather tight ship and only open the bar after the days work is done,
Or should I say after I"M DONE~!
Haha
Hey is it 4:30 yet?
Post by: J.J. Blair on September 10, 2007, 08:54:43 PM
| Kendrix wrote on Sat, 08 September 2007 05:18 |
I notice that those monitors are squeezed tightly between the soffets and the desk. No issues with that configuration?? |
No. They are on stands, and there is more room than there appears from that angle.
Post by: wwittman on September 11, 2007, 02:31:20 AM
are those super reds?
Post by: Barish on September 12, 2007, 05:39:34 PM
| compasspnt wrote on Mon, 03 September 2007 22:37 |
http://members.aol.com/compasspnt/movie.html |
Rather than a smaller sized one, I'd love to have a higher resolution version of this video actually. Would that be possible, Terry?
What a great atmosphere I can see in there.
M.
Post by: compasspnt on September 12, 2007, 08:40:24 PM
Post by: trock on September 12, 2007, 10:08:39 PM
i can't tell from the pic but is your G5 in a cabinet?? wondering about air flow if it is? and do you do that for sound purposes if you are recording somoneone in the control room?
thanks for posting
Post by: J.J. Blair on September 12, 2007, 11:31:56 PM
The lack of fan noise is a godsend. Now if only my EMT fans were less noisy. Forget recording in the room. It's listening I'm concerned about.
William, those are JBL S7Rs. They belonged to my father. He got them in like 1970 or something, to use in our living room. A pair of these drive the bullet and midrange driver:
But honestly, I never use them. The Genelecs sound so good in that space.
Post by: J.J. Blair on September 12, 2007, 11:50:53 PM
| Kendrix wrote on Sat, 08 September 2007 05:18 |
I love that old honey-stained knotty pine paneling. |
I forgot to tell you about that. Those were on the walls of the room originally. the house was built in the '20s. I was careful removing them when we demo'd the room. Some of them were 18 ft. long. Forget finding knotty pine T&G. Try finding ANYTHING in 18 ft. lengths!
Post by: Barish on September 13, 2007, 05:20:40 AM
| compasspnt wrote on Thu, 13 September 2007 01:40 |
I'll dig it out and see what the highest res is that I can make from the original. |
Amazing! Thanks a lot.
M.
Post by: Hank Alrich on September 13, 2007, 09:45:53 AM
| J.J. Blair wrote on Wed, 12 September 2007 20:50 |
Forget finding knotty pine T&G. Try finding ANYTHING in 18 ft. lengths! |
It's no different than finding U47's. It's all about who you know and how much you are willing to pay.
Post by: bradwood on September 17, 2007, 04:41:35 PM
Best- Brad
Post by: Don Ciccio on September 17, 2007, 09:06:07 PM
Post by: compasspnt on September 17, 2007, 11:15:15 PM
| Don Ciccio wrote on Mon, 17 September 2007 21:06 |
not only did we have windows.....but we have a great view of the nyc skyline.....at night it was incredible. |
That's pretty hard to beat.
Post by: Jason Lord on September 19, 2007, 11:29:32 PM
Here are a couple of shots from my old place. I had a "nightime look" for listening after hours. it's was pretty sweet. not pictured though.
Cheers,
Jason Lord
Post by: J.J. Blair on September 20, 2007, 10:11:25 PM
| bradwood wrote on Mon, 17 September 2007 13:41 |
Windows windows windows! Let me see the outside world. |
I feel ya:
Post by: PookyNMR on September 21, 2007, 02:08:15 AM
Post by: J.J. Blair on September 21, 2007, 09:24:27 PM
Post by: PookyNMR on September 21, 2007, 10:17:43 PM
Do you have treatment on the ceiling? Do you ever experience difficulies with reflections from the ceiling?
Currently we have 11'6", but are looking at possibly moving to a location with lower ceilings.
Post by: compasspnt on September 23, 2007, 10:14:31 AM
Post by: George_ on September 23, 2007, 10:19:03 AM
| Fletcher wrote on Mon, 03 September 2007 16:04 |
My recording space is a 45'x 43' foot warehouse with 16' ceilings and whatever Mercenary crap happens to be taking up shelf and floor space... we have "B-3 land" where the B-3 and Leslie [122] live... we have "amp land" where all the guitar and bass amps live... we have a rug with the studio drum kit always set up but other than that it's a warehouse. There are some cool signs on the wall from manufacturers and the sign from a legendary Boston nightclub called "Bunnratty's" and all kinds of shit hanging from the ceiling from Fairchild 670 faceplates to an SSL center section keyboard and monitor... dead DBX-160VU [very raped for parts] and a "blowup doll" suspended by a hangman's noose with her hands tied behind her back, mouth taped shut and various stencils and stickers on her. The piano room has 2 desks in it [as it's also an active office] the walls are painted "bordello red" with gloss black trim around the blacked out windows and the doors... there are full mic and cue line facilities in that room. The control room [which we'll have pictures of in the coming months] has no windows and the doors in the front of the room [the doors are from the CARS old studio "Syncro Sound"]... first thing you see when you walk in is the back of the console with all it's various wires hanging out but very neatly dressed. In the front of the room the walls are all blue cloth with wood trim that actaully cover the front of the monitor cabinets [UREI 813's] with the cross over and drivers exposed. The top of the meter bridge and patchbay extension have the nearfield monitors my "Ancestral Protection Voodoo Doll" a variety of shakers [including a "skull egg"] and a couple of "Beanie Baby" stuffed animals [a Shark and an Armadillo] along with the talkback mic [a Russian Ribbon mic that was stolen from the Politbureau and actually has "CCCP" stamped on it]. The left wall has the outboard racks [3x 16 RU road cases] with a mural/picture that my daughter did when she was 15... it's a woman's face with purple eyeshadow and flowing red hair that comes off the canvas and extends onto the walls. Behind that is the bathroom which has a "Punisher" toilet seat and "Metal stars" trading cards taped to the wall... skull toilet brush holder and skull lamp with a black light in it... over the sink the lights are red and blue. On the other wall is another mural my daughter did which features an androgynous figure with green shorts, sweater vest and a red tie talking eating muffins with a skull figure with little face images in it's coiled snake like spine... the skull has a goatee and hot rod flame eyes and tooth decay... they are drinking tea under a tree that has little light brown human like figures... the mural symbolizes "the innocent artist being recruited by the evil music industry to become part of the tree of lost souls" [pretty deep for a 15 yr. old!!]. In the back of the room is a Leopard "fainting couch" on a Cheetah rug with a kidney shaped table that has books about "Von Dutch" and "Big Daddy Roth" and a lamp on either side of the couch [on dimmers so you can read if you'd like] that have white leopard lamp shades]. There is a black box with a skull in it that holds our favorite fruit... chocolate covered espresso beans. All in all... it's quite a "vibey" joint. Peace. |
don't forget the motorbike parts laying around..
Post by: George_ on September 23, 2007, 10:20:15 AM
| compasspnt wrote on Sun, 23 September 2007 16:14 |
Good drums and a good player are much more desireable than high ceilings. |
you should write a book terry.
good one.
Post by: J.J. Blair on September 23, 2007, 01:33:14 PM
Personally, I think you can get amazing drum sounds with small dead rooms. Terry hit the nail on the head, as usual. Bigger rooms or mics in the hallway just change the perspective.
Post by: Don Ciccio on September 23, 2007, 03:28:54 PM
Post by: Blas on September 27, 2007, 10:17:45 PM
Here is our humble operation. What honestly makes me sick, I do more mobile work than what comes thru the studio (dang), but whatever helps pay the bills, right?
http://www.4musicrecording.com
Joe
Post by: Brian Kehew on November 02, 2007, 05:54:12 AM
Post by: judah on November 14, 2007, 05:06:55 AM
Post by: Fibes on November 16, 2007, 09:56:12 AM
| Brian Kehew wrote on Fri, 02 November 2007 05:54 |
My studio follows the design advice one of my friends came up with years ago - "pick a color". Easy design: buy your pencils, rug, chairs, stands, etc in that color. Mine is purple. NOT inspired by Prince, it was inspired by a purple Mellotron I've had for years. |
MMMMMMM purple! I stole Prince's velvet coat and went from there on a worldly mission.
With a bit of Scandanavia thrown in.
And American amps with italian guitar looking in:
And some borrowed tie dye percussion in the blue room.
Find the 57 for William:
Last night my client said "This is just like Compass Point without the 72 degree temp and beach view." That confirmed, at least for the moment, my inkling that he was high.
Post by: Fig on November 16, 2007, 11:08:40 AM
That place has come a LONG way!
Very nice job!
Fig
Post by: MagnetoSound on November 26, 2007, 11:06:07 AM
What's that little red and white guitar amp?
And the other one, come to that?
Post by: Fibes on November 26, 2007, 03:21:41 PM
| MagnetoSound wrote on Mon, 26 November 2007 11:06 |
Looks great in there! What's that little red and white guitar amp? And the other one, come to that? |
The red one is a ToneKing Imperial and the brown one is a Magnatone 460.
Primo amps.
Post by: MagnetoSound on November 26, 2007, 03:25:38 PM
| Fibes wrote on Mon, 26 November 2007 20:21 | ||
The red one is a ToneKing Imperial and the brown one is a Magnatone 460. Primo amps. |
Right. Is the Magnatone stereo?
Post by: Fibes on November 26, 2007, 09:21:30 PM
| MagnetoSound wrote on Mon, 26 November 2007 15:25 | ||||
Right. Is the Magnatone stereo? |
Unfortunately no.
I still want a 460.