What UK studios have you recorded at/ would recommend?

Cirrus

As the title really. We fancy going to a studio to record an album having done the DIY route for the past few years. Would appreciate any suggestions etc from people here.

Handsome_Chris

2020 Studios in Portsmouth. A lovely place with Pro Tools systems and Tascam desk. Danny's a lovely bloke too.

not_the_dj

We recorded a demo at Flipside (in Coventry so not too far for you). Great guys and results. 

 http://flipsiderecordingstudios.co.uk/the-studios

viz

Mat Hat Studios are effing brilliant.

stickyfiddle

Ascape in Bromley are really good, and in process of expanding hugely, which will be great when it's done (may well be finished by now- it's been a while since I was there).

And Hats Off in North Oxfordshire is lovely. Mickie who runs it is brilliant.

digitalscream

Jigsaw Studios in Frognall - personally, I say don't bother. It cost a lot more than we were originally quoted, and we didn't get a good result. Not only that, but he wouldn't let us have a copy of the stems so that we could mix it ourselves after the bazillionth time trying to explain what we wanted ("I can't let you have those, because I don't want my studio's name attached to something I can't guarantee the quality of").

Cirrus

Thanks chapolas, will check them out. Except Jigsaw. They're your recordings, you paid for them!

PolarityMan

We tend to record ourselves these days but I've used Danny's (did he make it over from MR?) 2020 studios. The room is massive which is a bonus but it is quite bright.

Our favourite place is factory road studios in eastleigh, it's got a very very clinical/dry sound which is awesome if you're multi-tracking.

Danny1969

Thanks to  Chris and PolarityMan  for the nods

We now have 2 recording rooms, Live room 2  is as big as the first but is treated to be much less lively than Live room 1  ..... which it's self was designed for huge John Bonham type drum sounds 

The control room is also large and can comfortably take 12 or so people. 

Upstairs we have a nice green room for relaxation with 50" Plasma, kitchen dinner etc

The whole studio is about 3200 sq feet

In the spirit of the Fretboard community anyone from here get's a 10% reduction for recording at 2020 

@digitalScream : We certainly don't mind bands having the stems, in fact it's very common for bands to do the drums at 2020 and the rest at home. We also don't mind outside engineers and producers. This is the way the studio business is going to a certain degree. 

Website is https://www.facebook.com/2020recordingstudios

Danny1969

Thanks to  Chris and PolarityMan  for the nods

We now have 2 recording rooms, Live room 2  is as big as the first but is treated to be much less lively than Live room 1  ..... which it's self was designed for huge John Bonham type drum sounds 

The control room is also large and can comfortably take 12 or so people. 

Upstairs we have a nice green room for relaxation with 50" Plasma, kitchen dinner etc

The whole studio is about 3200 sq feet

In the spirit of the Fretboard community anyone from here get's a 10% reduction for recording at 2020 

@digitalScream : We certainly don't mind bands having the stems, in fact it's very common for bands to do the drums at 2020 and the rest at home. We also don't mind outside engineers and producers. This is the way the studio business is going to a certain degree. 

Website is https://www.facebook.com/2020recordingstudios

PolarityMan

We'll have to come and try out room 2 for our next project then. Sounds much more up our street

IanSavage

Since you're in Brum I can't recommend Alex at Arkham Studios (inside the Madhouse rehearsal complex) highly enough; tell him I sent you  

Cirrus

Cool I'll check it out Ian. You write for Midlands rocks? Cool! My Band's called Captain Horizon, we've had a few reviews on the MR website from Tony Gaskin and Harry Patterson. Looking at your pieces it looks like you deal with the bigger fish though. 

IanSavage

Cirrus said:

Cool I'll check it out Ian. You write for Midlands rocks? Cool! My Band's called Captain Horizon, we've had a few reviews on the MR website from Tony Gaskin and Harry Patterson. Looking at your pieces it looks like you deal with the bigger fish though. 

Well, with full-time job and my own music-y stuff I sadly don't have a lot of time to go out and catch local bands, I tend to be a bit selfish and blag the bigger stuff as it comes in  

Cirrus

Haha fair play to you - no dig intended! \m/

octatonic

Danny1969 said:

Thanks to  Chris and PolarityMan  for the nods

We now have 2 recording rooms, Live room 2  is as big as the first but is treated to be much less lively than Live room 1  ..... which it's self was designed for huge John Bonham type drum sounds 

The control room is also large and can comfortably take 12 or so people. 

Upstairs we have a nice green room for relaxation with 50" Plasma, kitchen dinner etc

The whole studio is about 3200 sq feet

In the spirit of the Fretboard community anyone from here get's a 10% reduction for recording at 2020 

@digitalScream : We certainly don't mind bands having the stems, in fact it's very common for bands to do the drums at 2020 and the rest at home. We also don't mind outside engineers and producers. This is the way the studio business is going to a certain degree. 

Website is https://www.facebook.com/2020recordingstudios

Good looking studio you have there mate.

I don't make it down that way much but will bear it in mind in case I do.

digitalscream

Danny1969 said:

@digitalScream : We certainly don't mind bands having the stems, in fact it's very common for bands to do the drums at 2020 and the rest at home. We also don't mind outside engineers and producers. This is the way the studio business is going to a certain degree. 

Good to know that you're one of the good guys It strikes me that small studios who refuse access to the stems and don't allow external engineers and producers are pretty much destined to be stuck to the small-time local unsigned band market anyway. I say this as somebody who doesn't have a clue about the studio industry as a whole

And, on behalf of the theFB's admin team, we very much appreciate the discount offer for the forum - thank you

Handsome_Chris

digitalscream said:

And, on behalf of the theFB's admin team, we very much appreciate the discount offer for the forum - thank you

I wouldn't - It's a 15% discount if you're not on the forum!

Nerine

Come see me...

www.regalhousestudio.co.uk

I'm also a UK top ten record producer. Jus' sayin'...

Ramirez

digitalscream said:

Jigsaw Studios in Frognall - personally, I say don't bother. It cost a lot more than we were originally quoted, and we didn't get a good result. Not only that, but he wouldn't let us have a copy of the stems so that we could mix it ourselves after the bazillionth time trying to explain what we wanted ("I can't let you have those, because I don't want my studio's name attached to something I can't guarantee the quality of").

What the bloody hell? So it can't be used just as a tracking studio? The guy won't let you hire his place and his time/skills unless he gets to mix it as well?!

You paid for the service, you should get what you did in any way you want, to do with as you see fit. "I can't let you have those" my arse. If you paid, you OWN 'those'.

Nerine

Ramirez;125065" said:

digitalscream said:

Jigsaw Studios in Frognall - personally, I say don't bother. It cost a lot more than we were originally quoted, and we didn't get a good result. Not only that, but he wouldn't let us have a copy of the stems so that we could mix it ourselves after the bazillionth time trying to explain what we wanted ("I can't let you have those, because I don't want my studio's name attached to something I can't guarantee the quality of").





What the bloody hell? So it can't be used just as a tracking studio? The guy won't let you hire his place and his time/skills unless he gets to mix it as well?!



You paid for the service, you should get what you did in any way you want, to do with as you see fit. "I can't let you have those" my arse. If you paid, you OWN 'those'.

I kind of agree, yet I kinda don't as well.

I like having ultimate quality control over everything I do.

Yes, you are entitled to the stems. I almost expect requests like that nowadays.

However, I have also been a bit miffed when I have had to record awful bands and then they say that their EP was produced by me in interviews and magazine and webzine features.
In reality, they're not. They're recorded and mixed, yes. But I don't want to be responsible for some of the utter crap that comes through. And I certainly don't want my name or the studio to be attached to these sorts of clients.

If I HAD actually produced it, yeah fine.
But a few days recording with me, for a four track EP or something is definitely not having it PRODUCED by me.

It's a funny position being an engineer/producer. Your work is what gets you work. So you have to be careful who you associate yourself with sometimes.

Fortunately, I manage to at least turn the worst dog shit into something that at least SOUNDS good. The song writing could be an absolute basket of waste, but y'know.
And then it says that I produced it. Yeah. Fuck right off.

A no go for me.