Lou's Studio - Construction Phase

[Lou]

Many thanks guys - Carsten - No probs mate, I now have a user name which is:

http://www.facebook.com/Studio.4.Hampshire

It wouldn't let me use spaces, hence the dots.

Spread the word please good people, and all the best with your projects!

Regards,

Lou.

[DJ Hellfire]

Amazing setup Lou!

[Meshuggah]

Lou.. Your a God in the concept of DIY

[Lou]

Possibly a bit too much of a compliment, but very gratefully received with the warmest of thanks!

I thought that sounded a bit more sensible than:

'God bless you my son.'

Glad you like the place, and best wishes for your projects, studio or otherwise!

Regards,

Lou.

[Meshuggah]

Lou..

I want to biuld an recording studio, as you can see for my bad english, english is not my mother tongue (I'm from Mexico)

I post my blue prints in the Spanish "forum" http://www.johnlsayers.com/phpBB2/viewt ... 34#p112534
but none help me yet.. I'll be honored if you can help me out!

Pretty much the prints is only what you need to understand my posts there
Thanks a lot!

[deeman]

What an incredible journey so far.
Best of luck with the job.

Darren Mullan

[Lou]

Thank you Darren - We've been open now for three years and one month! (Doing just fine!)

Man - What I've learned..........................So much, in such a short 15 month period, and, I wouldn't change that for the world!

I guess it's still called progress - thanks to ALL the 'minds' up here!

Much respect, good luck, and, best wishes to you Sir!

Regards,

Lou.

[deeman]

Lou

I'd love to hear some recordings you have made.
Do you use tape or digital?
I have Tools and Logic (my fave) and have recorded and mixed many genres over the years.

My email (for sending mixes) is info@darrenmullan.com

Love to hear from you.

D

[Lou]

Hey - Fellas! How you all doin? Very well I hope.

It might seem like ages since I was around but, please believe me when I say that, I've kept an eye on this site regularly since my last post, and some great projects going on too!

Well, to bring you up to speed, so to speak, July 2007 seems a lightyear away, and even since I opened in October 2008, the last four years have flown!

The reason for the post is simple - I am in the finishing stages of the most ambitious project of my career.

Basically - 30 year buddy says "can you manage a Big Band Project?"

Me, being me, I say "what, and record it yeah?"

He says - Yeah!

I say - "Sure - No worries" (Shit!)

Now, think about it good people, I let myself in to record, mix and produce an 18 piece Big Band!!!!!!!!! Mistake? No, of course not, it's done!

I present to the forum the first track by the 'Ed Hailwood Big Band' - Engineered, Mixed and Produced by you know who.

I could really do with a very simple favour, if you kind chaps don't mind. I'm just about to put it on Facebook as a taster for the original single which will follow, so, please, if any of you are on Facebook, feel free to put it on your 'walls' and invite your buddies to share. Also, if you haven't done so, by all means send me a friend request, and navigate to here and click the Studio's like button!

https://www.facebook.com/Studio.4.Hampshire

http://www.box.com/s/z2a0p9c39gbftpiphi8c

Someone up here is bound to think - Hang on a minute, how'd you get 18 blokes in your place?

I'll happily answer any questions that come forth!

Best wishes people - Back soon, Enjoy!

Lou.

[Ro]

Yeah, well... you know the drill: PIX OR IT DID NOT HAPPEN!

Hai Lou, nice to see you post here after such a long time. checked your link, added comment on ye Facebook page.
cheers, Ro

[Lou]

Nice one Ro - Many thanks buddy!

Lou.

[Lou]

You know you're a 'nerd' when you've finished a mix and then get the client to re-do his lead vocal!

Had to be done! The same track but now with a great 'one-take' vocal!

Enjoy!

Lou.

http://www.box.com/s/dx4ytrs0a2zjmrnm1lb3

[Edo Peters]

+1 for 'nerdism'... great sound!

Well done!

[Soundman2020]

Nice work, Lou! Sounds great. Got a bit of "ol' blue eyes" sound in there! Nice.

But OK, you got me: I just have to bite: How the hell DID you get 18 guys in your place???? Is this like one of those "how do you get 4 elephants in a Mini?" jokes?

- Stuart -

[Lou]

Ah Stuart - Bless ya' buddy! Glad you like it!

The truth is, I didn't, but, everything you've just heard was indeed engineered, recorded, mixed, and produced in here!

1st thing to point out is that the guys involved are truly 'world class players' and can sight-read fly shit!

So - Piano Bass Drums went down on the Monday. Dave Olney in my voice over booth (with halogen heater for his beautiful double bass) Griff in my control room on my new Previa fully weighted Piano, and Andy in my live room banging shit out of my 9000 recording kit!

Me controlling the session with wireless Mac mouse and keyboard. I only fed the click to Andy, but all three of them could see and hear each other perfectly, as if they were on a gig! It was 'routing hell' I can tell you!

Now, to you, and anyone else, please remember that these guys had NO brass to play with at the time, so had to sight read all the stabs, pushes, endings, phrases etc as if the sections were present!!!

Tuesday - Top and tail the rhythm section, clear out live room and re-jig ready for Trumpets!

Wednesday - The Dudes show up and lay down all the Trumpet parts. Both chaps being Tpt 1 & 3 on first pass, and then Tpt 2 & 4 on second pass to give the four parts written! All the high note greatness was proviided because Tom was on it, and they were both having such a bloody laugh (exactly what I wanted!) And they did a 'stellar' job because, of course, they too, had nothing to listen to other than the mix of the rhythm section I fed them in their cans! Awesome!

Thursday - Trombone gurus Nichol Thomson and Andy Wood turn up and do their thing in exactly the same way! 1 & 3 then 2 & 4, then Andy added the Bass Trombone part! At least they had the Trumpets to listen to as well!

Friday - Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophones show up to complete the painting!

So, all of the brass was actually played by just six wonderful chaps!

Now, this all happened the last week before Christmas, and we did four tracks in total!

January - Lead vocal / Client pops over to lay down the vocal track! 10 hours (for all four!)

Last four weeks on and off? I sit and cut, move, lengthen, push just about every note to 'create the illusion' that they were all here at the same time, but in a sensitive way that maintains both their outstanding musicianship, but also of course - the 'Live Feel'

Or as I much prefer, have gone on my nerd thing to bring absolutely everthing 'into focus'

It was such a challenge, headache, nightmare - Whatever, but so much fun 'pulling it off' Bus assignment/panning, oh, and writing all the automation panes - Yeah that was fun! And NO COMPRESSION OR LIMITING ON ANYTHING! Just panning EQ, and impulse response reverb - That's it!

The guys love it - Their collective CV's read like the Old & New Testament put together!

I'm both proud, honoured and very lucky to have been asked to do this, but I just wish my Mum could have heard it - She adored this kind of stuff!

That's it - Hope, as always, that explanation helps someone else later!

All the best guys! Because none of any of this would have happened without the help and support I received here!

Lou.




(The screen shot is just the brass btw - the other 19 tracks of rhythm section, drums and vocals are above!) Haha!