What makes a studio real?

[pucho812]

Was told tonight that the one of the studios I tech at, one that has been open for 40 years in various sizes and locations, was not a real studio. The reasoning by the person who said this included we don’t have any modern gear. This modern gear list: vintage neve 1073’s, a Sony c-800g, u-47/48’s, 251 originals, and tube tech cl1b’s. While I do not denounce the merit of such gear that I know and have used extensively, to say it‘s not real studio because it doesn’t have those things is laughable. Even more laughable was the person who said it was willing to sell us those items.

so What makes a real studio?

 

[Whoops]

Was told tonight that the one of the studios I tech at, one that has been open for 40 years in various sizes and locations, was not a real studio. The reasoning by the person who said this included we don’t have any modern gear.

Why do you care about what an idiot says?
There's much more idiots in the world than reasonable people, we can't stop or care every-time an idiot opens his mouth

so What makes a real studio?

A place that records, edits, mixes or master music/audio and gets paid for that service.

I have a home were I live, I have a room that is my work office and I have my audio setup over there, it's not a comercial studio, it's not a separate building or isolated room, it's just my office.
I get paid for the Mixing and Mastering work I do there, so it's a real studio

 

[pucho812]

Why do you care about what an idiot says?
There's much more idiots in the world than reasonable people, we can't stop or care every-time an idiot opens his mouth



A place that records, edits, mixes or master music/audio and gets paid for that service.

I have a home were I live, I have a room that is my work office and I have my audio setup over there, it's not a comercial studio, it's not a separate building or isolated room, it's just my office.
I'm paid for the Mixing and Mastering work I do there, so it's a real studio

I don’t care what an idiot says, dude just rubbed me the wrong way. Plus I found it funny that it just so happens he could sell us everything we were missing. I do find that funny. Lot of red flags in that meeting that ultimately wasted my time.

 

[ruffrecords]

I don’t care what an idiot says, dude just rubbed me the wrong way. Plus I found it funny that it just so happens he could sell us everything we were missing. I do find that funny. Lot of red flags in that meeting that ultimately wasted my time.

Just tell the guy that he is not a real man. All he needs is a new a-hole, and in exchange for his lovely gear, you will happily rip him a new one.

Cheers

Ian

 

[JohnRoberts]

Those who can do, those who can't do teach, those who can't teach criticize.

JR

PS; I tried to search to see who originally said that, and found a bunch of teachers trying to cancel the quote.

 

[pucho812]

Best was when I was asked what I thought about it and I said
“I learned long ago from Walter e. Sear, if clients are not asking for it, you don’t need to buy it. Don’t live in the money pit.”

 

[ruffrecords]

Those who can do, those who can't do teach, those who can't teach criticize.

JR

And what is left over are the politicians.

Cheers

Ian

 

[vintagelove]

Customers...


By the way, I think the old teaching adage is no more. Practically every great player is teaching nowadays, and probably getting paid more for it then the average gig.


Jeez, are gigs even still a thing? It's gonna be a rough few years.

 

[living sounds]

Semantics?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman

 

[Gold]

Perhaps he offered to sell you real studio gear because it didn’t write a hit and he needed new real studio gear?

 

[john12ax7]

I would say the quality of the product that comes out of the studio is the biggest delineation.

I certainly appreciate nice gear. But the acoustics of the studio can be just as important if not more.

 

[pucho812]

I would say the quality of the product that comes out of the studio is the biggest delineation.

I certainly appreciate nice gear. But the acoustics of the studio can be just as important if not more.

We got a great desk, and a lot of typical studio things. to say that we are not real for not having certain items just shows inexperience. one Can make records with sm57’s and it be great

 

[pucho812]

Perhaps he offered to sell you real studio gear because it didn’t write a hit and he needed new real studio gear?

Maybe or perhaps just another sleazy sales guy who thinks they know what’s up. There was a period where I thought if I just had a u-47… as my skills improved both at the tech bench and console I realized how I could easily do great without having one. I finally built myself a pair using ami parts. They sound great and look good on the gear list without breaking the bank and without the very expensive vf-14. No one has complained about my builds vs an original and although they get their fair share if use if I sold them tomorrow, I wouldn’t be sad.
They are great tools for sure but like everything else, owning the hammer does not make you a carpenter. Learned that long ago.

 

[Gold]

They are great tools for sure but like everything else, owning the hammer does not make you a carpenter. Learned that long ago.

That’s why I have way too many tools and a small tight mastering setup. I’m a hack on the bench but I know what I’m doing mastering.

 

[Whoops]

Knowing and embracing what the client needs and what the music aesthetics ask for and being able to deliver that is the most important thing, that’s the “Real” deal , that’s the Real Studio.

Today I recorded an ensemble with a concert piano.
The Piano player told me he liked a mellow Piano sound without too much attack.
I brought to the session 2x T Bone RB500 ribbon microphones that cost 100€ each.
I used 2 pairs of mics on the Piano, 2x Neumann U67 from the studio plus the 2x TBone.
The U67 sounded fabulous but when the piano player came to the control room he loved the Ribbon mics sound and that was what he chose.

So what’s Real?
Is it owning the expensive U67 or using 100€ cheap mics that get exactly what the client wanted for his music?

Fortunately, I get a lot of Mastering work and fortunately I’m nominated for a Grammy at the moment, none of my clients know what’s my home setup or gear, they don’t care, what’s Real for them is if they like or not the Master that I deliever

 

[pucho812]

what's real is the right tool for the job to make it easy and the client happy.

 

[boji]

Gear envy is the evil twin brother of applied constraint.