Entering the recording studio is one of the most important parts of any band or artist’s career. This is where your music gets immortalised in recorded form – a perfect document of artistic vision. We take recording very seriously, and we know that it takes more than the latest high-end gear to make a timeless record.
First and foremost we strive to create a relaxed and inspirational atmosphere, where you can concentrate on what’s most important – the music!
Our job is to transfer your vision into a recording that you can be truly proud of, and rest assured that by using only the pinnacle of vintage/new microphones, a wide colour palette of pre amps & high end analogue EQ/Compression, we’ve got that covered.
Our engineers/producers are highly experienced and have worked on many major releases (as seen on the clientele page ) including Lily Allen’s triple platinum album, ‘Alright Still’.
Head over to the equipment page for our full rundown of gear, including a host of classic guitar amplifiers, analogue synths, instruments and retro FX.
Our comprehensive monitoring
The Westlake BBSM Series offers a high accuracy and high sensitivity reference monitor that provides wide bandwidth & pinpoint imaging. Westlake monitors are broadly used by the finest high-end recording and post production facilities across the UK and US. We also have the familiar Yamaha NS-10s powered by Bryston amps.
Hire gear: If you require additional hire equipment, then please make the studio aware of these requests a week in advance.
Useful Pre-session Information
Organisation & planning is key in any studio, so to get the most from your sessions we have written a few tips on how best to prepare. Please cast your eye over this information to ensure no time is lost. If there are any further quires regarding session preparation then please e-mail moc.ztreh08@egroeg.
It’s a good idea to re-skin drums and re-string electric guitars, bass and acoustic instruments several days/rehersals or so before the session if possible (it’s worth it!). This ensures the best results from the instruments. It may be obvious to point out, but practice is essential before going into the studio. Bands/artists/producers etc will get the most value from their sessions if they have a clear plan of action of what they want to do (with or without a producer) once in the studio.
If you’re working with a producer, it’s a good idea to meet up with him or her and discuss production ideas ahead of the session. Giving the producer and our engineer a demo as a point of reference to start pre-production notes will aid the process. Also, a commercial indication to the sound you’re seeking would help the engineer prepare each step of the recording. If the decision is made to use a click track then it would be useful to work out the tempo in BPM prior to the session. It’s essential that the drummer/percussionist is comfortable and well rehearsed using a click track prior to the session.
Finally, it’s important to adjust to the studio environment and feel relaxed and at ease – above all, enjoy it! There’s no reason to be nervous, our engineer or producer will help quash nerves and coax the best performance from you possible. Recording has its side effects, it may fatigue you physically and mentally so it’s a good idea to bring food and water or use the on site catering facilities.