My New Studio Build (perhaps overly detailed)

[silky smoove]

still doing mackie onyx console?

That's never been part of the plan. You might be confusing it with the Mackie Onyx preamps I used to use.

what outboard preamps are you planning?

Nothing is outboard since I'm working purely ITB. I was leaning towards a pair of Apogee Ensembles, but after demo'ing one next to an Element 88 I really couldn't hear the difference. The expanded features of the Ensemble would be cool, but not totally necessary and quite a big price difference relative to a pair of Element 88s. The integration with Logic, my preferred DAW, is unbeatable.

mic locker?

I've got a stereo matched pair of vintage-spec Neumann U87 clones that I've compared to an actual vintage U87, as well as the more modern U87ai. They're a dead-on match for the vintage. I've got an SM7B, a small stack of SM57s, a pair of low cost but oddly high performance MXL R144 ribbon mics, a matched pair of original Russian-made Oktava MC-012s (the ones prior to the MK designation), a set of CAD drum mics that are cheap but sound surprisingly good. I need to add a D112 or similar bass drum mic, I need more 57s so I can ditch the CAD drum mics entirely, and I'm probably going to buy the Slate VMS as a vocal mic after being REALLY impressed with it at a buddy's studio.

amps for bass and guitar?

My Trickfish bass rig and collection of pedals will be fine for bass. A small combo for guitar that's highly versatile will be sufficient for my needs. I played an Egnater Tweaker recently with my Tele and was very impressed. It's a 15W tube combo that was quite versatile in getting classic Fender and Marshall type tones, and when stacked with distortion in front of the amp it could get into modern American high gain type sounds quite easily.

basses and guitars?

My Jazz, my G4, my Thunderbird, my Stingray, my Tele, my Celebrity, my other Celebrity...

any keyboards in there?

A 66-key MIDI controller is all I need. Fortunately I already have it!

outboard reverb or delays or compression or all ITB?

Everything will be ITB. That's always been the plan. Valhalla reverb and IRs through a convolution reverb plugin are both so good that I don't even care about outboard reverb gear anymore. Delay plugins have always been good since coding a good delay is, relatively speaking, quite simple. The stock 'Delay Designer' in Logic is staggeringly good for something that's included in the DAW.

Any new bass gear?

Nothing really new. I'd like to build another bass around a set of Nordstrand Fat Stacks. There are a couple of pedals I'd like to throw on my board or at least have as an option.

 

[Bass Growler]

I love your "Rogue story" studio name.
Star wars fan?

 

[beans-on-toast]

Looking at the view from the back porch, the house looks like it would be a good perch to mount an indoor secutity camera on.

 

[silky smoove]

I love your "Rogue story" studio name.
Star wars fan?

It's actually 'A Rogue Story' or more stylishly written as ARogue Story'

It's not a Star Wars reference, although I am a fan. ARogue Story was a potential band name that I came up with when trying to name a new pop-meets-rock-meets-funk project back in 2009. We ended up not using the name, and instead went by Midnight Mile. I set the name aside knowing that I wanted to use it at some point, and this is where it landed. The second place name for the studio was 'Echo and Sway' which is a line from an Elvis Costello song that I've always adored.

Looking at the view from the back porch, the house looks like it would be a good perch to mount an indoor secutity camera on.

There are three cameras in the house already, and I'll be expanding that system into the studio once I get it furnished.

 

[beans-on-toast]

If you are considering an AKG D112, it might be worth checking out the Telefunken M82.

A little more expensive, it also lends itself well for micing a bass cab.

Telefunken M82 - Dynamic Kick Drum Mic

 

[silky smoove]

If you are considering an AKG D112, it might be worth checking out the Telefunken M82.

A little more expensive, it also lends itself well for micing a bass cab.

Telefunken M82 - Dynamic Kick Drum Mic

I'm not sold on the D112. I've used it and others of its kind with good results in the past. I've also had good results pairing an RE-20 inside the sound hole at varying degrees of proximity to the backside of the front head depending on how much attack I want along with a PZM placed inside the shell to capture the extended low end. I'll be buying an RE-20 regardless, so a PZM or a SubKick will likely be added in as well to have that option. The D112 style mics don't give as many mix options as the aforementioned pair, but they do come with a nicely "built-in" kick EQ curve that works well if you're running low on inputs or need to get something done quickly.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I'm not sold on the D112. I've used it and others of its kind with good results in the past. I've also had good results pairing an RE-20 inside the sound hole at varying degrees of proximity to the backside of the front head depending on how much attack I want along with a PZM placed inside the shell to capture the extended low end. I'll be buying an RE-20 regardless, so a PZM or a SubKick will likely be added in as well to have that option. The D112 style mics don't give as many mix options as the aforementioned pair, but they do come with a nicely "built-in" kick EQ curve that works well if you're running low on inputs or need to get something done quickly.

The RE-20 is a workhorse. Nice to have one. Good choice for bass as well.

 

[markjazzbassist]

I'm not sold on the D112. I've used it and others of its kind with good results in the past. I've also had good results pairing an RE-20 inside the sound hole at varying degrees of proximity to the backside of the front head depending on how much attack I want along with a PZM placed inside the shell to capture the extended low end. I'll be buying an RE-20 regardless, so a PZM or a SubKick will likely be added in as well to have that option. The D112 style mics don't give as many mix options as the aforementioned pair, but they do come with a nicely "built-in" kick EQ curve that works well if you're running low on inputs or need to get something done quickly.

i adore the re-20, great mic for anything. i hate the d112, the mid scoop is perfect for the pop punk clicky bass drum sound or to make your bass (guitar) cab sound anemic. the original akg d12 is superb however.

 

[silky smoove]

Just ordered a Schlage lever for the IsoDoor to match the handset on the exterior door. Same finish and trim family. No lock or bathroom-style privacy button on this one. If a criminal breaks in through the front door I don't want them to have to potentially destroy my uber-expensive IsoDoor HD/LF in order to get at all of my goodies. If they get through the front door they can have all of the stuff in the studio, which is covered under a musician's insurance policy, but please don't hurt my precious door! haha

 

[Microbass]

Yea silky, it’s gear talk time (again)!
When’s the Raven due to arrive?

 

[silky smoove]

Yea silky, it’s gear talk time (again)!
When’s the Raven due to arrive?

Haven’t ordered it yet. I’ll probably just go without for a while. Initially I was going to fully furnish the space from day one. New computer, new desk, new controller, new monitors, new sub, new drums, new guitar amp, new everything. Now I've likely whittled that list down to doing all of the treatments, add the Adam FSub to my existing F7s, replace my interfaces and then just use all of my existing stuff for a while. The reason being is two-fold. First, there was the sewer repair fiasco that my neighbor and I had to deal with a couple weeks ago that quickly removed $4,000 from my bank account. Secondly, I've got a couple major purchases on the horizon (new truck, 18' R-Pod, some home renovations beyond the studio, and some international travel) that make it hard to immediately divert all funds to the studio. I'll get everything that I want eventually, but there are some things I need to prioritize ahead of others.

I've got a new corporate events, private parties, and weddings type band that I've been hired to play in that does very well. I imagine all of my earnings from that group will get channeled directly into the studio. That's in addition to my day job that pays me pretty well (i.e. I'm not rich, but I'm far from broke), so finishing everything off won't take a huge amount of time, but it won't be immediate either.

 

[Ethereal Thorn]

Cant wait to see what goodies you get down the line I've been mainly working on finishing my bands iem rack so my bands studio funds have been mainly focused on our pedal boards and the rack for now but studio gear is my favorite.

 

[silky smoove]

but studio gear is my favorite.

Curiously I've never been nuts for studio gear. I'm more concerned with the process than the gear. Not that there's anything wrong with having really cool gear (this is Talkbass after all ), but for me a simple setup that does everything I need without any extraneous has always been my goal. 16-channels of high quality AD, three channels of high quality DA, sixteen high quality clean preamps, a way to route 4-5 headphone sends with independent mixes, enough mics and DIs to do the job, and I'm all set. A cool desk and DAW controller would be icing on the cake, but I'm also perfectly happy working with mouse and keyboard. A talkback mic would be like the cherry on top of the icing, but in my small space I could just as easily spin around in my chair to address the performers.

To be honest, I'm quite a bit more excited about acoustic treatments and instrument wall hangers than I am about actual gear, haha.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Costs tend to add up fast, you have to pick and choose your priorities. There are always new things that tug on you to buy. Even plugins add up every month.

I recently bought this: Reference 4 sound calibration software. It compensates for the characteristic curve of your headphones, flattening the response. This allows you to mix with headphones without having them color your mix. When I first saw a demo, a light went on. I thought of course!, and had to try it. Just one example of how staying in the box can drain your wallet. I use it with Blue Lola headphones, yet another expense.

 

[silky smoove]

Even plugins add up every month.

Plugins are perhaps the worst offender. It's so easy to just click, buy, install.

I recently bought this: Reference 4 sound calibration software.

I own a copy of IK's Arc2, which is a similar idea for use on monitors in a room. It works okay, but ultimately I liked my mixes better without it. Glad to hear you're enjoying this headphone version.

 

[J Posega]

What sort of headphone system are you gonna be using?

I’m in LA right now, and I got to tour Westlake the other day. In’effing’credible to be in that space. And it’s not even about fear or anything, it’s the visceral reaction one has to being in the same space as some of those top-tier musicians, producers, and engineers.

(That’s the room where Thriller was recorded and the control room it was mixed in)

Every studio has sort of the same gold-standard gear out here, and a lot of these places could get by without any of it and still crank out amazing tracks. If you know the process, the results are the same ITB or with the fanciest outboard gear.

I visited an indie studio that had minimal outboard gear (though he has a pair of Manley Voxboxes he swears by; I don’t blame him), and he focused on the room and the vibe.

I wish I’d gotten a picture, he used small rectangular cuts of porous stone for one wall for reflection/refraction. It looks cool because the studio is in Hollywood Hills, so as you sweep around and look out the window, the stone wall sort of blends into the hillside view. But it also works for the purpose of room acoustics.

 

[silky smoove]

What sort of headphone system are you gonna be using?

Headphones are inconsequential for me on anything but tracking. Since it’s a combination room I’ll be using isolating headphones like the affordable, but still serviceable Vic Firth iso headphones made for drummers.

 

[markjazzbassist]

if i remember correctly it's mostly a space for you to mix, and then you to track drums/other stuff. you're not planning on having bands in there much, is that right?

 

[peterpalmieri]

Everything is looking really good, excited for you to get her done. It’s been a long road and we can now see the finish line.

 

[CryingBass]

What sort of headphone system are you gonna be using?

I’m in LA right now, and I got to tour Westlake the other day. In’effing’credible to be in that space. And it’s not even about fear or anything, it’s the visceral reaction one has to being in the same space as some of those top-tier musicians, producers, and engineers.

View attachment 3200861 View attachment 3200862
(That’s the room where Thriller was recorded and the control room it was mixed in)

Every studio has sort of the same gold-standard gear out here, and a lot of these places could get by without any of it and still crank out amazing tracks. If you know the process, the results are the same ITB or with the fanciest outboard gear.

I visited an indie studio that had minimal outboard gear (though he has a pair of Manley Voxboxes he swears by; I don’t blame him), and he focused on the room and the vibe.

I wish I’d gotten a picture, he used small rectangular cuts of porous stone for one wall for reflection/refraction. It looks cool because the studio is in Hollywood Hills, so as you sweep around and look out the window, the stone wall sort of blends into the hillside view. But it also works for the purpose of room acoustics.

Thanks @TheEmptyCell - that was a cool insider's view of a super-cool studio.

There will be songs of legend sang when Smoothie gets his room done too I bet!