It may seem insignificant…but, its not. I remember the first time I walked into a control room as a 15 year old kid. I also remember the first time I walked into a control room that had a remote machine room for the equipment. The lack of noise was so stunning and addictive that every studio I’ve built since, utilizes one. As studios have increasingly relied on consumer computing, this has gone from a luxury to a necessity.
read moreAlesis pretty much revolutionized the project studio when they turned a VHS recorder, into an ADAT. With Tascam release a more industrial version, they were forced to raise the quality of the audio and transport. First came the XT, and XT20, then it all culminated in the M20. The entire ADAT era lasted less than a decade.
read moreThe back end of the Main Studio is its longest edge. This works well for larger choir or ensemble work. The piano is on a dolly and can move anywhere within the room or completely off to the side if not needed.
read moreTHREE REASONS Every pianist has a favorite piano maker. I grew up on a Steinway, and still love the sound for classical. But when it comes to the studio, there are 3 very valuable reasons that make Yamaha the undisputed choice of studio players: KEY ACTION HAMMER VOICING MIDI INPUT & OUTPUT A grand piano has a mind-numbing number of adjustments well beyond that of tuning. I’m not sure what the actual mechanical differences are in piano actions, but as a player, it is VERY apparent there ARE significant ones . For me, and most studio...
read moreAfter our web-host was hacked and shell user names and passwords were exposed, I began to realize the days of using single passwords were over. I know, as an admin, it should never have been that way in the first place. But frankly the practical aspects of keeping the now 200 plus passwords that I’m responsible for was simply too overwhelming. So, I set out on a mission to find a utility that would help. I decided for me, it was critical that the app support iOS for both my iPhone and iPad and Windows 7. Support for MacOS was a...
read moreWeb-hosts are like dogs and fleas. Just varying combinations of personality, sizes, and quirky issues. And I’m certainly not naive enough to believe the grass is actually greener … to take my metaphorical web-dog over to. But the events of of the last week have finally caused me to apply energy into the task of leaving Dreamhost! So long. Here’s why… Dreamhost records were hacked recently. And according to their founder/president, Shell user/passwords were exposed. I KNOW! Whether or not that breach in their...
read moreThis is Iso 1 setup for a voice-over session using a Neumann TLM 103. Because of the amount of network radio production we do, it was necessary to have an very high-quality voice over booth. The room’s key acoustical ingredient is it’s extraordinary isolation and dampening. But its design provides for infinite project flexibility (see Iso 1’s Mic Panel). The 26″ inch LCD monitor is feed from an HDMI matrix for switching functions as needed: teleprompter or script display, Pro Tools Remote, or video output (ADR). The...
read moreIso 1 is the primary isolation booth. We wired it to handle a full drum kit, for larger sessions that required live piano. While the main studio is large enough to handle drums in addition to the piano, we wanted a higher degree of isolation for the piano. For very large sessions, the piano can output play data that is recorded as MIDI. The acoustic playback can then be sync’d for tracking at a later time. This has the advantage of allowing the pianist to feel the acoustic without compromising the recording. I explain this a little more...
read moreThis cabinet primary serves as an aesthetic bass trap for the main room. But it also holds 3 shelves of the most common, mics, adapters and accessories needed for sessions. Most of these, and the rest of our mics have quick-release connectors. This provides easy setup and tear down. But it also helps when you have to find a sound in the middle of a session.
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