Performing Songwriter’s by Mare Wakefield Annual Roundup Professional Studios For Leessss than $100 hr.

OK, you’ve written your songs, practiced your Englewood New Jersey instrument and honed your craft. You now have a Bennett Studios (pictured above) Address 1 Depot Square, collection of 12 (or 10 or 15) perfect songs, ready Englewood, N.J. 07631 Owner Dae Bennett While more and more artists are to be captured. So now what? Tel 210.227.0200 opting for the record-it-yourself-in-the-closet method, there are still many reasons WeB www.bennettstudios.com to choose a professional studio. In addition to the ears and expertise of profes- ARTISTS: Suzy Bogguss, Dave’s True Story, the sional recording engineers, you also have access to expensive and sometimes Bacon Brothers, Marie Gabrielle vintage equipment, and someone who knows how to run it all. There’s also the UNIQUE FEATURE: Bennett Studios is connected question of acoustics. Even if you have the know-how and the equipment, your to the 1,400 seat John Harms Theater in Englewood by 64 channels of audio and eight bedroom or basement may prove troublesome when it comes to room sound. channels of video, allowing a high quality Professional studios have been acoustically designed to sound great. Once you studio recording of live events. weigh all these considerations, you may very well decide that a professional Housed in a 100-year-old slate-roofed recording studio is the way to go. Victorian railroad station, Bennett Studios With this in mind, Performing Songwriter takes a look at studios across North (owned by Tony Bennett’s son Dae) offers not only beautifully designed, multiple recording America in our third annual Studio Roundup. We know you don’t want to sell your studios for recording audio, but also has DVD car or take out a second mortgage to finance your recording, and the good news and video services as well. “Having additional content for promotion and sale is essential is that you don’t have to. We’ve researched 10 studios that offer expert services in the current market,” says engineer Brian for under $100 an hour, each boasting an impressive clientele and golden ears. Dozoretz. “We offer an experienced staff

P e r f o r m i n g S o n g w r ite r 74 s E P T E m be r / O c t o be r 2 0 0 5 Professional Studios Less than $100 hr. Continued

full of producers, videographers, editors and tance of the building itself. “Anyone can one another and feel connected. recording engineers.” have great gear,” he says. “What I believe The studio uses Pro Tools HD3 with Apogee The studio prides itself on providing makes the Lodge better than other area converters as well as a Studer A827 24-track, a comfortable, creative atmosphere for studios is the attention we have put into 2-inch analog tape machine, and mixes on a performers. The North Room is the largest of the acoustics of our recording spaces and Digidesign Pro Control and a Yamaha 02R. the onsite recording areas and was the original control rooms.” In addition to their outstanding collection of waiting room of the train station. The acoustic Despite having recorded with high-profile microphones, they offer a wide selection of and sound proofing material are hidden behind artists, Symons and his staff aren’t strangers high-end mic preamps and compressors that Victorian paneled walls and ceilings, and the to working within a modest budget. “I tell enable clients to capture just the sound they large windows face neighboring Depot Park. potential customers we can work at whatever are looking for. Live rooms provide great acoustics for single pace you need to get the project done within The studio’s basic philosophy is to players or an entire orchestra, while control the budget you have available,” he says. provide a high-quality, comfortable, creative rooms are spacious and allow everyone to make In addition to recording and mixing, the environment for every artist, and their critical audio judgments on the recording. Lodge can hire musicians and producers, impressive client roster and nearby historic Bennett Studios offer a 32-channel Pro master an , help with CD graphic design surroundings should help any performer feel Tools/Apogee 8000 system, an 80-channel SSL and get the CDs pressed and ready for retail, both confident and inspired. 4080 system and a 24-track Studer 820 two- allowing clients to deal with just one contact inch analog tape system. But, says Dozoretz, person for their entire project. “all the technology involved in combining digital Nashville and analog recording techniques becomes Compass Sound Studio secondary to capturing inspirational moments

that happen in the studio.” Address 916 19th Avenue South, New Orleans Louisiana Nashville, Tenn. 37212

Ultrasonic Studios Manager Erick Jaskowiak Indianapolis Indiana 7210 Washington Ave. Address Tel 615-320.7672 The Lodge New Orleans, La. 70125

Owners Address 3350 Roosevelt Ave. David Farrell and Steve Reynolds ARTISTS: Beth Nielsen Chapman, Victor Indianapolis, Ind. 46218 Tel 504.486.4873 Wooten, the Indigo Girls, Darol Anger Operations Andy Symons Manager WeB www.masterdigital.com Tel 317.568.0000 UNIQUE FEATURE: Compass Sound utilizes a WeB www.thelodgestudios.com ARTISTS: Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah, top-notch headphone system offering each Ellis Marsalis, Buckwheat Zydeco musician their own headphone mix. ARTISTS: , Pink, Carrie Newcomer, the Wright Brothers UNIQUE FEATURE: Ultrasonic Studios has more If you’re tired of the bluish glow of the than 70 microphones available for client use, computer screen being the main source of UNIQUE FEATURE: A 15,000 square-foot from vintage tubes and ribbons to DPA high- light in dungeon-like studios, then Compass building houses the Lodge’s three studios. All voltage condensers. Sound is for you. The studio was designed this space provides musicians and producers with plenty of windows to let in natural light. an environment that is comfortable and Located just a few short miles from New Says studio owner and co-founder Garry conducive to creativity. Orleans’ famed French Quarter, Ultrasonic West, “I’ve always disliked spending the

The Lodge Ultrasonic Studios Compass Sound Studio

With 23-foot ceilings and a natural ambience, Studios has recorded and produced some of whole day in studios without windows, not the Lodge is the perfect marriage of old- jazz, R&B and zydeco music’s top performers. knowing what time of day it is.” school warmth and the latest in 24-bit The studio features a large, flexible recording In addition to the golden light of day, a clarity. Three separate recording studios room surrounded by a control room and four brand new seven-foot Yamaha grand piano provide varying rates and features. Clients isolation booths. The multiple isolation booths helps to beautify Compass Sound’s main also have access to the Lodge’s vintage allow for tracking larger bands without any recording room. “We intentionally picked microphone collection. But operations worry of noise bleed, plus they all have full a piano with a warmer tone,” says studio manager Andy Symons stresses the impor- glass doors so that the performers can still see manager Erick Jaskowiak. “This piano records

P e r f o r m i n g S o n g w r ite r 75 s E P T E m be r / O c t o be r 2 0 0 5 Professional Studios Less than $100 hr. Continued beautifully and has incredible definition on the and AKGs. Also, there are a multitude of success to the old-school sound design low end; it’s been garnering praise from some instruments at the client’s fingertips, like a and the building itself, which producer very discerning pianists including John R. Burr grand piano, a Hammond C-3 organ and a Niko Bolas calls a “groovy little hideout.” and Phil Aaberg.” The studio also went all out Horner Clavinet. “Nowadays, you can make your recordings on their headphone set-up, implementing a Despite all their experience and gear, ‘perfect’ with the help of a computer,” says Formula Cue 8 system with a handmade power Shaw says the goal at Soundesign is to Wirt. “But there is something better than amp. “Everything a musician plays and reacts let the artist be in charge. “Our goal perfect, and that is the magic that happens to is influenced by what they are hearing,” is to make singers and artists feel as when the artists are inspired to the very says Jaskowiak. To help clients reach their comfortable as possible,” he says. “Doing apex of their abilities and beyond, when best performing potential, each client gets this and keeping artists within budget is people gather around the fire to gnaw on their own headphone box and has complete what gives us all of our return customers bones and the moon is full.” control of eight separate faders for customized and continual new friends.” listening. Durham North Carolina Santa Monica California Overdub Lane Recording Brattleboro Vermont 4th Street Recording Address 1408 Christian Ave. Suite #15, Soundesign Recording Studio Durham, N.C. 27705 Address 1211 4th Street, Santa Monica, Calif. 90401 Studio Address 181 Main Street, Manager Lisa Lachot Brattleboro, Vt. 05301 Owner Kathleen Wirt Tel 919.309.0838 Owner Billy Shaw Tel 310.395.9144 WeB www.overdublane.com Tel 866.567.1555 WeB www.4thstreetrecording.com WeB www.soundesign-usa.com ARTISTS: Curt Kirkwood of the Meatpuppets, ARTISTS: , George Clinton, Nelly Katharine Whalen of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, ARTISTS: NRBQ, Sun Ra, Mike Scully, Diane Furtado, Krist Novoselic, Kim Richey Zeigler UNIQUE FEATURE: The welcoming 4th Street UNIQUE FEATURE: Studio owner Wes Lachot UNIQUE FEATURE: Soundesign has been in Recording features a comfy, two-story lounge is not only a recording engineer but also business for nearly 25 years, and they consider where they sometimes host out-of-town a musician and studio designer, making their reliability and reputation their most clients overnight. Overdub a musician-friendly environment unique feature. designed for great performances. If there’s such a thing as a “lucky studio,” In addition to the longevity of the studio, 4th Street Recording would certainly qualify. At its inception in 1982, Overdub Lane was Soundesign holds on to their engineers. Since 1995, they’ve had 17 clients signed a 4-track analog studio. Lachot and his Engineer Alan Stockwell has worked at to major label deals, including Fiona Apple team have grown from these humble begin- Soundesign for over 15 years and has recorded and Incubus. Of course part of the draw nings into a full-service studio with a grand and mixed hundreds of projects. could be their great location in downtown piano, a Hammond organ and lots of digital “Our staff is reliable” says studio owner Santa Monica—three blocks from the ocean and analog gear. They’ve produced big Billy Shaw, who plans to stay in business for in a rare L.A. pedestrian neighborhood with name artists and even have a few Grammy- another 25 years. “We stay on top of the restaurants, shops, theaters and street nominated under their belt. Lachot

Soundesign Recording Studio 4th Street Recording Overdub Lane Recording cutting edge, but still are able to keep our musicians. The studio also boasts some credits much of his growth and progress older analog equipment operating at their famous gear, including a Yamaha C7 grand to his staff, including chief engineer John highest standards.” Soundesign uses a Pro piano tuned bright for great rock and pop Plymale. “John moved the studio up to a new Tools HD 3 system that can stand alone as recordings—the same one that Fiona Apple level,” he says. “He has legendary producing the recording medium or operate along used on “Shadowboxer”—and a Neumann and mixing skills and attracts clients from all with their analog tape machines. The studio U-67 microphone that Jimmy Hendrix used over the country.” offers a large selection of microphones, on “Carnival of Souls.” For his part, Plymale claims his most crucial including several Neumanns, Sennheisers Owner Kathleen Wirt credits her studio’s role is helping musicians realize their artistic

P e r f o r m i n g S o n g w r ite r 76 s E P T E m be r / O c t o be r 2 0 0 5 Professional Studios Less than $100 hr. End vision. “Great recordings are made up of a mediums and has tons of classic gear—some gold and platinum record status. Several small mountain of important decisions,” he equipment even ranging as far back as the clients have also received record contracts says. “Having an experienced, objective 1940s—but Barnett says that clients tell him or publishing deals as a result of recordings and caring person on the other side of the his most valuable piece of gear is his ear. made at Distortion Studios. glass is a big asset.” Plymale says achieving “That’s absolutely the highest compliment superior quality is always important to him, no I could hope to get from the artists I work Dallas Texas matter the project. “There’s no such thing as with,” he says. Luminous Sound a ‘demo’ to me,” he says. “I always strive to make even the most modest budget projects Address 17120 Dallas Pkwy, Ste 100, Ottawa Canada Dallas, Texas 75248 sound competitive.” Director of Distortion Studios Client Services Alison Miller 58 Antares Dr., Unit 1B, Address Tel 972.331.7040 Eugene Oregon Nepean, Ont., Canada K2E 7W6 WeB Studio www.luminoussound.com Gung Ho Studio Manager Chris Ferris 86821 McMorott Lane, Address Tel 613.226.3177 ARTISTS: Dionne Warwick, Erykah Badu, Jack Eugene, Ore. 97402 WeB Ingram, Los Lonely Boys Studio www.distortionstudios.com Manager Billy Barnett Tel 541.484.9352 ARTISTS: , Punchbuggy, UNIQUE FEATURE: In addition to engineering WeB www.gunghostudio.com Garrity, Hungry Monkey and mixing recording sessions, Luminous also acts as a music production facility that UNIQUE FEATURE: Distortion Studios features helps clients with their arrangements and ARTISTS: Tori Amos, Patty Larkin, Cherry a wide array of vintage and analog gear that sequencing needs. Poppin’ Daddies, Thomas Mapfumo adds warmth to their mixes and makes them stand out from their competition. All of the engineers at Luminous Sound UNIQUE FEATURE: In addition to numerous are musicians, and this background helps studio recordings, Gung Ho’s owner Billy Distortion Studios caters to all genres them understand how to breathe life into Barnett has made remote recordings of of music, from punk and hip-hop to jazz, their clients’ compositions. Says engineer symphony orchestras and has worked with classical and country. Manager Chris Ferris Tre Nagella, “We have had artists come in such world class soloists as Yo-Yo Ma and says that the most important thing is that with a basic song, and we can write string Alyssa Parks. their clients feel comfortable. “Artists are arrangements, hire session players and help more productive when they are comfortable turn a simple tune into a lush production.” The This Northwest studio has been making in their work space,” he says. At Distortion, staff’s musical background has proven to be music for 20 years in many distinct genres. engineers and producers strive to get to a major draw to the studio. Barnett likens Gung Ho to an old acoustic know their clients before they set foot into Another draw is their abundance of guitar that sounds and feels better the the studio, to gain a better understanding equipment, including cutting edge technology more you play it. “We’ve made every kind of their clients’ needs. from SSL, Genelec, Lexicon, Sony, Digidesign of record imaginable here,” he says. “Every Distortion’s engineers draw from their and Studer. In addition to this, they are the style of music, you name it, we’ve done it.” extensive collection of vintage gear to get only facility south of Nashville to offer the Barnett says that clients always mention how the quality sound they’ve come to be known use of an SSL9000J console. “Many artists,

Gung Ho Studio Distortion Studios Luminous Sound comfortable they feel at Gung Ho, and that for. Ferris says that the crown jewel of their producers and engineers want to work on this comfort translates to what people hear collection is a Mitsubishi Superstar console. one of these boards, but they don’t want on the recordings. “How a singer interprets “Back in the late ’80s it was considered one of to travel to New York or Los Angeles,” says a song, how they feel it, where the emotion the best mixing consoles in the market,” he Nagella. “We are able to provide an alter- is coming from, these are the most important says. “There aren’t too many of them left.” native for them.” Luminous also offers both factors, and will be the thing that connects As a testament to the quality of analog and digital formats to clients as well listeners to the record,” he says. Distortion’s recordings, many of their artists as a two-story tracking room with a Yamaha Gung Ho records in both digital and analog have received Juno Awards and achieved grand piano. ■

P e r f o r m i n g S o n g w r ite r 77 s E P T E m be r / O c t o be r 2 0 0 5