Steel players with recording studios

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 25 Oct 2005 5:53 am

Since the early 70s,I've built studios - large and small,worked as a maintainence tech and engineer in several well known L.A. studios like Amigo(Warner Bros),Paradise(Leon Russell),Bolic Sound(Ike & Tina Turner) as well as Cherokee,Wally Heider and others. I never got rich but I met and recorded a lot of my heros and learned a helluva lot.Then in 1985 after 10 years of that,I figured I knew enough to have my own place so I built Class Act.I've got multiple Iso rooms,kitchen,lounge and 3 generations of equipment from analog reel-to-reel 16 trk to 4 DA-88s to a twin engine G4 running most of the popular recording software(I like DP4)and a pretty well stocked mic locker.My studio has been graced by Joaquin Murphey,Jay Dee,Doug Livingston,Greg Leisz,Mike Perlowin,Albert Lee,John Jorgensen,Will Ray,Dale Watson,Leon Russell,Jim Lauderdale,Jim Keltner,Rita Coolidge and lots more whose names I don't have room to drop.I've been lucky.
I'll say this though - business has not been as good since every knucklehead in the world ran out and bought an entry level ProTools rig and thinks he can automatically sidestep the need for $10K worth of mics/preamps,a tuned acoustic environment and 30 years experience as if they were plug-ins. -MJ-

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 25 Oct 2005 7:04 am

Ensoniq Paris system, oldie but goodie... no lava lamps..

How good can a Paris System sound? check out Mr. Detamore's stuff from Cherry Ridge; Doug Sahm, Jason Allen, Bobby Flores, and many others...
www.cherryridgestudio.com

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 25 Oct 2005 7:28 am

I've used a roland VS-1680 recorder for the last 5 years and have my own seperate building called "the Shedhouse" in the back yard of my house. I have a ball in there and am currently working on a Xmas Cd for my old boss, Eva and family.

Chick Donner · Post by **Chick Donner** » 25 Oct 2005 7:28 am

Dedicated computer with MBox and ProTools Le.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 25 Oct 2005 7:56 am

Billy Woo · Post by **Billy Woo** » 25 Oct 2005 9:07 am

My studio is called "Jade Dragon" and I use Roland's VS2480HD- currently working on music for a Lions Gate Release working title is "Devils Plaything" which will be the end credit roll (all 4 minutes) I'm part writer on this tune but sorry to say there wont be any steel guitar, the director wants a "Goth-rock" song..so much for showbiz in La La land

Bronco Billy
Zumsteel U-12

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 25 Oct 2005 9:37 am

My studio has:

Soundcraft Spirit 32x32x8x2 board
Alesis HD24 hard disk recorder
Mackie Utramix 34-ch VCA automation
Presonus 8-ch, Behringer 4-ch and two DBX mono compressors
JBL 3-ways powered by Alesis RA-100
Some other stuff too

There is a 60' snake that runs between this and an ajacent room, where these is a rigging that holds up 22oz. velour curtains for reflection control, and that's where the tracking takes place. [This message was edited by Duane Reese on 27 January 2006 at 01:59 AM.]

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 25 Oct 2005 10:24 am

What's a "Lava lamp"?????

I must need one!!

Larry

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Emmons S/D-10, 3/5, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Will Holtz · Post by **Will Holtz** » 25 Oct 2005 10:26 am

I've got a little project studio. I mix in Sonar v4, have 8 channels of I/O on a Delta 1010, and a 16 channel A&H MixWizard for pre-amps. I've been doing audio engineering work part-time for about 8 years now, but only recently did I really dive into recording.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 25 Oct 2005 10:40 am

Recording my last album, An Hour Out Of Desert Center.

Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 25 Oct 2005 10:44 am

I have a Lava lamp but no other studio equipment.
Jerry

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 25 Oct 2005 10:47 am

Larry (the real one?), you've shown your age.
However, I see that chas also doesn't have a lava lamp. So, ok.

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 25 Oct 2005 11:49 am

How about those lamps that instead of having wax bubbling around, they had a bunch of little tin foil scraps that'd float around in the oil...

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 25 Oct 2005 12:48 pm

Do black lava lamps sound better?
I've got a Fostex 8-track, couple of drum machines, keyboard here in th' music room--but I wouldn't call it a studio.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 25 Oct 2005 2:57 pm

You'd be surprised how much better the room sounds with a lava lamp. LOL. I don't have a picture the LH side of the console, but there is another lava lamp sitting on the iso rack that is about 2' tall. My son likes those lava lamps.

I might add too that our studio is really just a hobby, we both have other jobs. Thats the only way we can afford all this stuff. I'm reminded of the old saying: "This is a non-profit organization. We didn't plan it that way but thats the way it turned out".

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 25 Oct 2005 3:33 pm

No pictures....

I've got a PC based system with ProTools and Nuendo, using a Digi 002 rack. I've got a Mackie control surface, a Pacific Pro Audio Neve clone (preamp and eq), and a bunch of ribbon mikes (and others). I record most of my overdubs over here.

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www.tyack.com

Mark Fasbender · Post by **Mark Fasbender** » 25 Oct 2005 3:36 pm

Paris sounds good to me Bill. capable of nice mixes plus access to the outside world.

Michael Johnstone, Any pictures or a website?

Lots of great posts. Lots of recording going on. Good on ya.

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Got Twang ?

Mark

Michael Barone · Post by **Michael Barone** » 25 Oct 2005 4:04 pm

I'm still using an Ensoniq ESQ-1 for my base MIDI tracks. (I'll bet no one else is). It operates a Roland JV-1010 Sound Module, Boss DR-660 & Roland A-70 Controller, through a MIDI patch bay. I use the controller for higher level MIDI messages on-the-fly. I play 8 MIDI track audio into a Behringer mixer, output to a home-made Pentium 4 with Power Tracks 8.0 & CD Architect 5.0. (16 tracks possible at 96KHz/24bit). From there on, the rest is analog, Peavey Electric Bass, Acoustic or Classical Guitar, Assorted Electric Guitars, Sho-Bud Pro-1, and finally the client's vocals. Someday -- Pro Tools.

I never did like using a computer program as a MIDI sequencer, just for analog track recording. For me, MIDI song editing and mixing is much easier the old fashioned way.

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Mike Barone
Sho-Bud Pro-1 5&4 with RHL | Nashville 112
Assorted Guitars & Keyboards

Ben Slaughter · Post by **Ben Slaughter** » 25 Oct 2005 8:21 pm

I have a PC based system running Logic. Use is mainly for my own songwriting purposes. Sits idle mostly, cause I got too many irons in the fire.

Mark Fasbender · Post by **Mark Fasbender** » 25 Oct 2005 9:09 pm

Im sitting here tonight running off 3 two inch reels of rough mixes of some nice brazilian music. I'd rather be playin steel but considering the state of the recording biz, Im lucky to be swamped all of the time. I can think of many worse things. I would post a pic or 2 but all the studio pics I have are about 2 megs and I cant figure how to reduce them. I'm really enjoying seeing how many of you guys are recording for yourself and others.
Go get em

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Got Twang ?

Mark

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 26 Oct 2005 7:43 am

All of it is presently on a ship off the coast of Africa I think.

. . . and of course, as safe as were it in its mother's arms!

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 26 Oct 2005 8:01 am

LavaLamp

Mark Krutke · Post by **Mark Krutke** » 26 Oct 2005 9:36 am

My studio presently consists of a Fostex VF160 and a Roland 1880, and also Adobe Audition Recording Software. I do local projects for people as well as instrumental projects for steel players.

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Mark Wayne

<A HREF="http://www.authenticrecording.com" TARGET=_blank>www.authenticrecording.com</A>

Miguel e Smith · Post by **Miguel e Smith** » 26 Oct 2005 10:53 am

About 4-years ago, I sold my Trident console and the Otari 24-track machine. I think a little tear fell as they pulled away in the truck. But, I downsized physically in favor of a 48-trk Paris rig and kept a handful of toys from the old days to sweeten the pot.

As I think I'm headed for a virtual synth setup for sequecing, I'll probably unload some of my older vintage keys/boxes such as the E-II, D-50, TX816 rack and a few others.

There's a lot of cool stuff out there and I've heard a lot of great stuff done on a wide variety of them. I really think it's just what you get used to and learn to make work for yourself and your situations.

Mike

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 26 Oct 2005 11:40 am

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Aiello's House of Gauss


My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield