We ensure that all students aim for this goal, and only enter the world of recording studios when they are absolutely ready to do so. Producing a debut track within a band or as a solo artist signifies that first step in the next stage of a professional music career. While it can seem to be a daunting or nerve-wracking experience at first, it is a significantly important and enjoyable experience which will build confidence and act as a source of inspiration for our budding pianists. We encourage students to get accustomed to the world of recording studios sooner rather than later, and learn the ropes in the process of producing music. And what better way to start than in one of the many recording studios right here on your doorstep? Here are four local studios we have researched and shortlisted for your perusal...
Headline Music Studios is a gleaming new studio, consisting of three isolation booths, a large live room and a control room. The studio offers plenty of space for larger bands and groups of artists, and is dedicated to the production of any type of music at the highest quality. The control room has been specially acoustically-designed by ‘RA design’ and is fitted with state of the art features, such as that of ATC speakers, a vintage Toft recording desk, and various top-quality Microphones, to ensure the high quality sound of recorded tracks, and the satisfying experience of recording with Headline. The Live Room contains high-class acoustics, which guarantee the best quality recordings of drum sounds, woodwind, strings, guitar, and bass. Furthermore, the isolation booths have been designed to create optimum vocal isolation, which can also be used to enhance the sound of instruments, including drums, guitar, or bass recording. This company offer their services to bands, solo artists, voice recording and DJ’s in the production of albums or mixes of recordings. Find them at the following address: Headline Music Studios, Unit D1, Button End Industrial Estate, Harston, Cambridge, CB22 7GX.
Half-ton Studios offer a top-quality recording, mixing and mastering service to clients and are based on the outskirts of Cambridge. They have a large client base, offering their premises to musicians and producers of any musical genre. With the use of both analogue and digital technology, this studio provides various recording and production services to cater for the needs of each individual client, be they financial needs or otherwise. Half-ton Studios is constituted of three rooms: “Room 1”, “Room 2”, and “The Control Room”, which are fully equipped to provide the perfect recording space for customers. Room 1 is a spacious live area, accommodating for the recording of acoustic instruments and the recording of live performances with backing tracks. Room 2 is a smaller room, suitable for vocal recordings and The Control Room serves as the focal point of the studio, fully fitted with the latest technology. In this room is the 24-8-16 track Soundtrack MRX analogue mixer which is connected to Lynx Aurora digital converters. Also in this room are Precision Adam A7 and Mackie HR824 monitors, and acoustic treatment. These features guarantee the accuracy of all recorded tracks. Find Half-ton Studios at the following address: Norman Industrial Estate, Cambridge Road, Milton, Cambridge CB4 6AT.
Zoo Audio offers recording space and post-production services to solo artists and bands, and the features to produce voice-overs. The company also specialises in CD mastering, short run duplications and audio restoration, and are able to transfer from vinyl, MiniDisc, DAT, and cassette to CD. Recordings can be carried out for solo singers accompanied by backing tracks and bands, and these are recorded straight to the disc, using such features as SAWStudio and ProTools. In addition, the studio is fully fitted with such microphones as Neumann U87, AKG414, Sennheiser E604, AKG D112 and Shure SM57. Not only do the on-site recording facilities enable complete recording and CD master projects, but Zoo Audio work with home recording set-ups too. For this kind of set-up, the company provides additional features essential in the process of recording (e.g. drums or vocals which can’t be recorded at home). Instruments include Gibson, Fender, Takamine and Epiphone guitars and basses, Korg and Yamaha Keyboards, a Pearl drum kit, and Fender and Vox amps. Furthermore, the team are willing to travel to various locations to record choirs, solo pianists, string quartets, and live gigs by solo artists and bands, should that be the client’s request. Zoo Audio is located at the following address: 1D Coles Rd, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6BW.
The Shrubbery Recording Studio
The Shrubbery consists of a control room, an acoustically-designed live room, and vocal and isolation booths, and has been rated as one of the leading recording studios in East Anglia. The studio is fitted with both digital and analogue recording features, including a 24-channel Trident Dream Series mixing console and SSL digital converters in the air-conditioned Control room. Also in this room is adjustable lighting and a mixture of vintage and modern equipment. The Live room can be altered through movement of gobos and defuses to serve the needs of large groups of musicians who require sounding and acoustics for a spacious environment, and smaller, more intimate settings required by smaller groups and solo artists. The two isolation booths on offer cater for vocals and instrument isolation, with the larger booth able to accommodate a full drum kit or two musicians. This studio even boasts a café serving coffee and fresh food for clients, open from 9:30am-3:00pm, Monday- Friday. Conveniently located with easy road and rail access to Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, Norwich and London, you can find this studio at: The Shrubbery, Britannia House, Brunel Business Court, Eastern Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 7AJ.
