Audio Media International Issue 3 by AudioMediaInternational

September 2022 POELARKIN In the Nashville studio for Blood Harmony PROFILE:STUDIO BLACKINSIDEROCK  Producer of the year Marta Salogni on tape joy, Black Midi madness  How ABBA Voyage has changed everything for legacy shows  We reveal the 10 most innovative studios in the world

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3 4 EDITOR’S LETTER Our thoughts on why and how issue 3 was created 6 FRONT ROW Tileyard X breaks cover, reveals the next generation of studios 8 LARKIN POE We chat with the band as they record Blood Harmony 14 MPG PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: MARTA SALOGNI From Björk to Black Midi, we discuss her unique way of working 18 10 MOST INNOVATIVE STUDIOS IN THE WORLD These are the studios making the best case for the future of sound 22 INTERVIEW: PMC We sit down with CEO Jeff Willcocks to see what’s next 24 STUDIO PROFILE: GROUSE LODGE Thinking about visiting Ireland? This may convince you 26 STUDIO PROFILE: BLACK ROCK A luxury hideaway used by the big names with good reason 28 ABBA VOYAGE We head to the show and talk with the creators

Billboard, Music Week

Seasoned studio head Andy takes a look at the latest from Arturia on p36 spotlight

p28.

Variety,

ANDY JONES

MARK SUTHERLAND

ANDY PRICE

and Audient

Andy has Bylines for

Guitar, NME and Uncut. He ranks the most innovative studios on p18.

knows music.

talks

this month. Contributor

From the BBC to to Mark He ABBA on

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This issue is also online: audiomediainternational.com/magazine

THANKS

Cover photo: Jason Stoltzfus. ABBA snaps: Johan Persson. Thanks to Emily at Big Hassle, Ollie at Focusrite, Paul at AEG.

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Audio Media International Unit 23, Tileyard Studios, Tileyard Road, Kings Cross London N7 9AH, UK

he question of what makes a recording studio ‘innovative’ is difficult because, in 2022, if you’re going to a working studio then it means that studio will likely have undergone several changes and innovations over the years just to exist. We settled on 10 studios in our Most Innovative Studios feature based on whether they wanted to make us quit our jobs and try and start a studio from scratch. See if you agree on p18. Following the theme of our studio special, we speak with MPG producer of the year Marta Salogni about her Studer desk and love of tape to craft something truly unique with every artist she works with. It goes far beyond hiss and into a way of working that will seem like hard work to many but given the results, her techniques are likely to be followed by just as many. You can discover her methods on p14. Finally, we come to Larkin Poe, a live band so exciting that even David Crosby told us they were “fucking amazing” when he joined us for some loud listening at Flux Studios, New York, a few years ago. Since then, the Larkin Poe sisters have been busy in the studio, creating tracks which flawlessly nail the sound of the rock show in a room. In our exclusive interview we discuss the Nashville studio, new album Blood Harmony and the process of working with friends and family in the studio. The fun starts on p8. We hope you enjoy the issue and if you want to tell us how we’re doing, drop us a line.

AMI HQ

All contents © 2022 Audio Media International Ltd or published under license. All rights resrved. No part of this publication may be used, stored, reproduced or published in print, online or via social media without permission of the publisher. All information correct at time of press. AMI cannot accept responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in the infomation provided.Richard richard@audiomediainternational.comMelville

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Studios, producers and artists. Welcome to our studio special

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Please recycle your copy of Audio Media International

“If you’re a working studio in 2022, you’re innovative”already

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We joined 80,000 fans and family as the Foos drummer got a legendary send off

Taylor Hawkins tribute kicks off

Taylor at the Islington Assembly Hall, 2014 Macca and Hynde play Oh! Darling

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couple: Josh Homme and Nile Rodgers performing Let’s Dance and The Foos backing Brian Johnson for a epic take on Back in Black. A reborn Kesha delivered a brilliantly raw cover of Children of The Revolution after her 2020 studio take on the track. Cult UK favourites The Darkness got a real chance to shine, showcasing their considerable talents without the tongue in cheek attitude that had perhaps held them back from bigger global ambitions in the past. All that now changes of course, as anyone on this bill will become even bigger while, as a fitting tribute, millions of younger online viewers will have discovered the talents of Supergrass, Rush and Stewart Copeland just like Taylor before them. And as tributes go, if it celebrates one of the best drummers in the world and creates a newfound respect for undiscovered artists that Taylor loved, surely that’s as good as it gets?

Dave Grohl had been understandably quiet since the death of his drummer Taylor Hawkins. A Glastonbury appearance with Macca briefly broke the silence but the sheer ambition of this London tribute concert was a bigger deal than any Foo Fighters gig.

With a cracked voice during his approach to the stage mic, an emotionally charged Grohl led the Foo Fighters through a 6 hour set which included guests as diverse as Liam Gallagher, Mark Ronson, The Darkness, Chrissie Hynde, Travis Barker and Paul McCartney.

The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert hits the LA Kia Forum on Sept 27th. Guests include Alanis Morrisette, Joan Jett and Miley Cyrus.

Members of Rush, AC/DC, The Police and Led Zeppelin created more excitement while Taylor’s son Shane and Grohl’s daughter Violet also performed on drums and vocals respectively after watching from stage left. 12 year old YouTube drumming sensation Nandi Bushell also lit up the stadium without an ounce of fear. Not even the sound issues in the first 30 minutes of Mark Ronson’s DJ set could quell the atmosphere. A quick Google will recount the classic moments of which there are too numerous to mention but here’s a

Bioplastic records are the brainchild of UK company Evolution Music. Because polyvinyl chloride is used to make many records, it’s attracted attention as we need to stop the amount of plastic in our oceans. Bioplastic records are made from plant based materials such as sugar and starch. Talking to CBS, producer Rob Cass tested a bioplastic record and said “we believe the quality is extremely high, just about as high as vinyl. Maybe 95%”.

How the industry embraces the new format is yet to be seen but early endorsers include

“With its continued commitment to innovation over the past two decades, Shazam is pioneering new ways to bring fans closer to the music and artists they love with new tools like the concert discovery feature, which spotlights concert information and tickets on sale for shows nearby, simply by Shazaming a song, or by searching for it in the Shazam app or website” commented Apple.

“The fact that people all over the world took time out of their day to pull out their phone and Shazam my songs is a huge honor for me as an artist,” said Masked Wolf. “You know you’ve got something special if you see the Shazam stats moving.” The success of the Stranger Things Kate Bush sync was spotted weeks before by Shazam and gave a clue of how Running Up That Hill would reach Number 1, decades after its release in 1985.

“Bioplastic records are made from plant based materials such as sugar and starch”

7 FRONT ROW

Owned by Apple since 2018, it’s easy to forget that Shazam started as a basic text message service before it became an app and then an intergrated offering within the Apple eco system. Shazam now boasts 225 million monthly users and the stats around users have helped break artists and give Apple a clue of who’s on the up.

Michael Stipe and as the vinyl industry passed $1 billion in 2021, there’s plenty of potential as consumers wake up to the impact of traditional vinyl and music streaming. Last year the New Statesman led research that suggested the global impact of a hit track on Spotify generates more carbon emissions than 400 return flights from London to New York. And in 2020 Lorde announced that her new album would not be released on CD. The latter statement sounded like a token effort for a press release but the trend for environmentally aware brands and products are everywhere from food to fashion, cars to beauty creams. As the vinyl industry faces mounting production and supply issues, a new material for records is ideal fodder for Bandcamp and artists selling direct. Ultimately the biggest challenge is to get the major labels to sign up and work with record plants to press a new kind of disc for a new kind of vinyl audience.

Shazam turns 20 years old, Apple celebrates the latest tech, trends and breaking industry

For all

Vinyl goes green as bioplastic records arrive in the UK and US

news visit: audiomediainternational.com

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POELARKIN

Rebecca Lovell: We started writing Blood Harmony in December of last year. We’d been out on the road non-stop after the release of our Grammy-nominated record Venom and Faith and also Self-Made Man. We had so much touring under our belt and had spent a lot of time out in the live space. We really wanted to bring a lot of that energy into the studio. I think when folks hear Blood Harmony they’re going to hear a more vulnerable, un-distilled version of who we are as people and as songwriters. It was a really joyful

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AMI: Firstly, we should talk about Blood Harmony, the upcoming new album. What was the starting point?

The roots rockers have hoovered up acclaim for their sage musicianship and DIY ethos. On the eve of new album Blood Harmony, we caught up with sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell to learn more about their process and collaborative philosophy

ounded back in 2005 under the moniker of ‘The Lovell Sisters’, Rebecca and Megan Lovell’s musical kinship found its true form when – under the name Larkin Poe (the name of their four-times great grandfather) – the pair released a salvo of top-notch EPs, before debut album Kin established a roots rock playing field. A field further furrowed by the likes of 2017’s Peach, 2018’s Venom & Faith. Most recently, the sisters paid tribute to their musical heroes across 2020’s covers compendium Kindred Spirits, before recently turning attention to their next studio album proper, Blood Harmony. Produced by the sisters along with Rebecca’s husband Tyler Bryant, Blood Harmony is an album shaped by surrounding world events, a collective family spirit and, most importantly, the pair’s strongest set of songs yet.

Megan: But barely! Legitimately, there were some moments of tension. Sometimes we have disagreements in the studio. Tension itself is not a bad thing, and sometimes it can bring a lot of energy into the process. Especially if you’re fighting for something you believe in. So, it was cool to have Tyler’s energy in the room for that as well, he served as a tie-beaker for certain decisions.

Rebecca: I love swaggering rock. I know that has been such a touch-point, especially in recent years. Bands like The White Stripes and The Black Keys do it well. I’ve dipped my toe in it before, but I think with Bad Spell it really connected, it came from a really authentic place. I started the song with a title that I’d had in my writing notebook for years but I’d never quite got around to piecing everything together. I wrote Bad Spell down as a title after listening to I Put a Spell on You by Screaming Jay Hawkins, which is a quintessential blues masterpiece. Everything lined up. For me as a songwriter, that’s one of my favourite moments, when you take that leap of faith intoWe’vecreativity.beenplaying Bad Spell out on the road and it does translate so great to the stage. We’re very very proud of it. That’s why it was the first single.

AMI: We’re guessing Rebecca and Tyler’s home studio is well-kitted out with state of the art gear?

“We’ve been playing Bad Spell out on the road and it does translate so great to the stage. We’re very very proud of it”

There is this homespun energy to it that I think suits us well. We’ve always been big DIY folks, with every element of what we do approached as an independent band in the 21st century, writing around themes of family and optimism and self-acceptance.

AMI: Where did Bad Spell come from? It’s got a much more swaggering garage rock sound, it’s certainly going to be a great live track...

AMI: So you recorded with Tyler Bryant (Rebecca’s husband), what was the experience bringing his expertise to the table when tracking and producing this album?

experience to make this album, we did it really quickly. We did a lot of it at home.

Rebecca: Given that we are a sister band, I think it was very courageous of us to bring in another significant relationship dynamic, luckily everything stayed on track and we all still love each other.

Rebecca: Oh yeah. It’s a beautiful space. Technically we live in a duplex, and the downstairs portion of the home is entirely studio. Tyler has made a couple of records there, so have we. Unexpectedly, it’s become a really productive, inspiring place to work. Tyler’s taste for gear slots together quite well with the type of music we all love, lots of vintage stuff. He’s got the Elvis-era microphones, old RCA stuff that still delivered really incredible sounds. Particularly for vocals and guitars.

Megan Lovell: Tyler is such a creative person and has been developing his role as an engineer and producer himself over the last couple of years. He and Rebecca just have a lot of really great gear in their basement studio now. It just made a lot of sense for us to come together. We also collaborated before together in our spare time. We work really well together. So it just made sense to bring Tyler on board to help us with things we wanted to do - stuff like recording live drums and bringing in a bit of that live feel, as opposed to programming.

Rebecca Lovell: Megan and myself have developed a really fruitful, creative relationship over the last fifteen years of being in the band - the last four of our albums have been self-produced. I think we’ve really got into the swing of producing ourselves and mostly playing all of the instruments.

Rebecca: He’s also such a creative powerhouse, that to be able to have another music lover in the room who also holds very American traditions deeply in his heart is wonderful. It was better to have a kindred spirit than to bring someone else in, who didn’t understand where we come from. It really was a family affair. We had our road guys who’d been playing with us for like six years come in to play some stuff as well. It was fun to have all of their input.

Rebecca: That’s right yeah, we live in a small suburb of Nashville and have been building out this studio. Tyler somewhat unofficially holds the key to the kingdom, he knows how to turn it all on… Megan: Tyler rules it downstairs, and Rebecca gets the kitchen table!

10 COVER STORY

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Megan: It did, and here’s how. That cover video series has been really impactful for how we write music. It’s the two of us sitting in a room – just the two of us, performing a song to camera. You have to have a really good song for it to stand alone like that. When we began writing this record we decided we wanted to approach the songs as if we were going to perform them just the two of us, like the covers album. The idea was that the songs could stand on their own prior to production. If they couldn’t, it wasn’t going to be good enough. So we actually performed them as a duo as if we were making a cover video. That was what decided how we moved forward.

With that spirit we moved into recording Blood Harmony and brought more of our live sound into the studio, to let the humanity blossom.

12 COVER STORY

Megan: Absolutely, I imagine we’ll carry on doing that because we continue to learn from it. Whenever we reach the point where it’s rote, or it’s just some type of social-media chasing tool then we wouldn’t carry on. But other music continues to teach us.

AMI: We saw you at South by Southwest a few years back playing alongside Keith Urban, who else would you love to collaborate with?

Rebecca: The two slide-queens!

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Rebecca: Also with our Kindred Spirit covers collection, it gave us a real confidence. We’ve been touring on the road for like fifteen years at this point. You’d think we’d have a sense of our power as performers, but whenever you get in the studio space, it’s easy to mistrust yourself, engineer and nip-and-tuck the audio to the point where it’s totally devoid of any humanity. In making the Kindred Spirits album we realised that the two of us could just sit together and organically create a vibe that sounds more like us.

AMI: So it was a fruitful creative exercise delving into other people’s music?

AMI: Did the process of recording your covers web videos - and album Kindred Spiritsinfluence your direction on this record at all, or put you in touch with any approaches you might not have tried before?

Megan: I think it would be really fun to work with Bonnie Raitt.

Megan: I’d say I’m more the slide princess. Rebecca: I think lately, I would love to collaborate with Nick Cave, I think that’d be a very interesting combination. So yeah, I’m going to say Nick Cave.

Always. I can get a bit too far flung into the future, and sometimes my sister has to bring me back to the present. I’m always ‘on to the next’. We are very excited to be able to tour in support of this album. It comes out on November 11th, then we’ll be undertaking a headline tour in support in early 2023.

AMI: If there were no option, what guitar would you save in a fire?

Rebecca: We’ve been very lucky in that sense. It definitely bolsters you on the tougher days. David Crosby has tagged us on Twitter a few times, and it is very shocking to have a name that you’re used to reading off your favourite album cover, reaching out and interacting. We listened to a lot of Crosby, Stills and Nash when we were young. He’s hugely influential.

13 COVER STORY

Megan: So that’s where that guitar went!

Rebecca: I like to think so, I think there’s something special – because I don’t typically play nylon-string, I’m writing on just a regular acoustic, which I love. Very rarely do I write anything on electric, all my songs start out on acoustic. So when I do switch over and have that more mellow vibe with that guitar, it does almost feel like there’s some kind of spirit guide with you.

AMI: How did the pandemic affect your creative workflow, and would Bloody Harmony have sounded different had that not happened?

Megan: I really don’t think this record would have sounded the same if we hadn’t had that year break because we had a year for us. We spent that year playing a lot more, just the two of us. We spent time in front of a camera live-streaming. You become so much more comfortable with going out on a limb, or making mistakes or having fun with music. It reminded us of how music can connect people. We had some cool experiences.

AMI: So, that next chapter then, are you thinking about where Larkin Poe goes next, following Blood Rebecca:Harmony?

Megan: We’re also excited to be going out on tour with Willie Nelson this fall, for his Outlaw Festival. It’s a really sick bill every night. All your bucket-list bands play there.

Larkin Poe’s new album Blood Harmony is released November 11th.

New single Georgia Off My Mind is out now.

AMI: Do you find writing with your grandfather’s guitar brings something different out of you?

The epic live sound of Larkin Poe is alive and well on HarmonyBlood

Rebecca: I’d definitely want to save some of my Strats too though, or my SG. But Pappy’s old guitar would be the first thing I saved.

Rebecca: I’d probably save my grandfather’s nylon string classical guitar. Even though I play that guitar only every so often, and it’s never toured, there is a lot of sentimental value to that instrument. Since we were children, it was always in our grandparents’ house. It’s a little bit mysterious how it ended up with me, so I still feel a blood oath to all my cousins and siblings to make sure that guitar is preserved for all of us.

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Megan: I think it was an opportunity to take stock of your priorities. That applies not only to the way you spend your time, but how you feel compelled to speak through your art. It allowed us to reflect, and move on to the next chapter.

AMI: Do you regularly encounter your heroes and, has anyone surprised you by knowing you?

Rebecca: When you perform on stage there’s a lot of

Megan: I would definitely save my Rickenbacker, it’s been with me for so many years. It also has a holder so I can stand and play as a slide guitar. That was such a huge turning point for me, being able to stand on stage as opposed to sitting. I don’t think I could really replace it. A family friend helped me fabricate that so it’s really special to me. It’s from the late 1940s.

pomp and circumstance just baked into the whole experience. You’re on a stage – standing higher than the crowd, it’s an interesting dynamic. But yeah, we were live-streaming from our guest bedroom in lockdown, or my writing room. There wasn’t that same level of ‘and now we shall perform’, we live-streamed sometimes when we were still learning some of the cover songs, so people could see what our process was. That very intimate place where people are seeing you before you even know what you’re doing yet was good for us.

Rebecca: We’re just very excited to get out on the road and share these songs with people.

I call role models. I know the respect that comes with that award and so it really makes me very proud to accept it this year.

Hailing from Italy, Marta Salogni’s relocation to London – in pursuit of the very best artists and studios in which to work – was driven by a lifelong love of sound. With widespread industry recognition for her engineering, producing and mixing, Salogni’s multifaceted endeavours have resulted in her working with some of the most compelling artists on the planet. From Bon Iver to Animal Collective, David Byrne to Björk and most recently, Black Midi – one of the UK’s most breathtaking new bands.

Salogni is well-known for her innovative approach to using tape, both in a production context and as a malleable instrument in its own right.

Firstly, congratulations on winning UK Producer of the Year at the MPG Awards this year, how do you feel about being recognised with that honour? It’s very special. The MPG awards are judged and presented by peers who I have a huge respect for.

RAISING HELL: MPG PRODUCER OF THE YEAR MARTA SALOGNI ON TAPE, BLACK MIDI’S HELLFIRE AND CHOICE PLUGINS

Speaking to her, we were keen to learn more about how she incorporates the tactile world of tape editing with the industry’s reliance on software. But first, congratulations are in order…

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I know how high their standards are. There are people that I look up to within the MPG’s jury and their members, people that are good friends and people

One of the biggest recent triumphs that we should talk about is the production of Black Midi’s superb Hellfire album. Firstly how did you become involved with Geordie Greep and co?

I did two tracks with them back in 2020, one was John L from the previous album Cavalcade and the other was Sugar/Tzu which we used for this album. We just loved working together. The process that I go through when I produce is quite natural and

spontaneous, and that’s how they are too. They’re amazing musicians – they can play with their eyes closed and their hands tied behind their backs.

I love to work with people who are just so good it makes my jaw drop. To feel inspired by what I hear is essential. I felt that 100% working with Black Midi. They embraced happy accidents, such as when a helicopter was flying overhead during the recording of John L. I had the vocals very compressed so it sounded like an earthquake. We decided to use it during the stop/start parts of that song, and use that unexpected sound to fill in the gaps. It became a strange sort of symbolic thing that even made it into their videos.

It’s a maximalist record. There’s a lot going on there. I think one of the most important elements of production is knowing when to let go of things, you can’t be afraid to leave a gap. On this record there is a strong narrative,

Artists also feel that too. I always show the artist what I’m doing with tape, so they can feel part of it. It’s not a medium that everyone is familiar with. There’s also a big layer of serendipity to it, a collaboration with the medium which I find hard to achieve otherwise.

There’s so much planning and structuring that goes on. All the parts are very defined. Because they’re so good, they make it sound seamless. All the changes are very complex, but they are a unit so they make it sound very natural.

So how do you balance that with the modern production landscape, and do you tend to veer away from software?

One of the things you’re well known for is your use of the tape machine. Is that still a big part of your approach and was it used on Hellfire?

Its 8 outputs were there because that was the limitation of the technology at the time but it doesn’t mean that I need to adhere to those constrictions any more. So I’m very keen on integrating new technology with the technology of the past that is worth bringing into the present. I think you’ve got to, otherwise you’re just unnecessarily limiting yourself. Limitation can be a good thing sometimes, with plugins for example. I have loads because artists and engineers sometimes send me their sessions with their own plugins on and I need to recall a production or a mix, but from my collection I only tend to use around fifteen.

“This is what it was all about before screens, people would just use their ears”

I’m not someone who’s anti-digital. I use Pro Tools every day. I use a hybrid system that interacts with my analogue gear. Both analogue and digital are great. I like to be able to see what I’m doing when I’m editing. In Pro Tools you can really zoom in. It’s also easy to record quickly.

What are some of those plugins out of interest?

Marta says the 1974 Studer Desk was the first element of her studio

What I did was try to capture as much of the performance as I could, letting that happen and unfold in front of me. If many takes sounded great, then my job was often to find the best out of the greatness, then build upon that in terms of overdubs, and choose which palette of sounds to incorporate into the narrative.

15 INTERVIEW

a lot of elements to it, but it’s still very clear and each part has a reason for being there. Things are absolutely played and performed with intention.

Yeah, we used some tape on Hellfire. I used my Revox PR99 MKIII two-track tape recorder which I tend to use on everything. I brought it in to create some tape delays. Without my tape machines I sort of feel very limited. It’s a medium that for me is integral to what I do.

with it. It takes my mind off a screen and it brings it down to the tactile, auditory element of a record. This is what it was all about before screens, people would just use their ears. Screens are great because you can see what’s happening, but sometimes it’s better to not look and just use your senses.

So do you feel you can step more inside a sound with the hands-on approach that tape requires?

I think so, because I do connect more

So are you involved with creative suggestions, and perhaps reigning the band in if they get a little too adventurous?

In my studio I’ve got a 1974 Studer Desk. That was the first thing that came into the studio. It only had 8 outputs but I wanted it to be more versatile so I could record and mix on it without too many limitations. I spoke to a tech and together we modified it to have direct outputs, making sure we weren’t altering the sound of the desk itself.

I like Pro Tools’ own EQ, I learned with that as a student. The Valhalla DSP’s reverbs, various multiband compressors, the FabFilter EQ and all the SoundToys range. I like the sound of the Universal Audio plugins so I use them lots too - the SSL Buss

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I know how to convey what I want to achieve through the use of tape. Without my machines, the road in front of me becomes longer. What I love is using two tape machines running the same tape slightly further apart from each other so you get a ten second delay. When you feed it back onto itself you can craft different layers and polyrhythms. You can change the speed to create different harmonies. You can really create a record within a record. It’s just a medium that I rely on in terms of creativity. It’s how I contribute in a personal way to a record.

Plugins are great but they can be a bit like very fine brushes when I’m trying to make a very big painting. With plugins I can define things. But to create something I need something more physical.

16 Compressor especially. I have Limitless from DMG Audio that I’ve been using quite a lot. Simple stuff, because everything else I can just do with a tape machine. Compression, saturation, pitch-shifting, tape delays.

In this industry, I feel like you need to be able to do the ‘next job’ above where you currently are, in order to proceed. I’d do every studio role myself. It gave me the possibility to put into practice what I was learning from other people. It made me self-sufficient which is a really important thing for me.

I did the kind of old school thing of

I was assisting other people, but also doing it for myself. In the evenings, I’d go to gigs. If I liked the band I would wait for them to finish, then I would tell them I was an engineer, and I could get studio time, and offered them the chance to record and produce them.

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As someone with a huge range of experience in engineering, mixing and production, do you think the lines between these traditional disciplines are becoming more blurred?

I’m performing with tape more and more, which feels both very fulfilling in both a production context, and with artists.

I also have a record coming out under my own name, a first as a composer.

It’s a record I made with Tom Relleen, called Music For Open Spaces.

Project-wise, I can’t really talk about too much, but there’s a lot coming up. It’s good to have a variety of things going on.

The old ways would have cut out many people who couldn’t afford to live on nothing for a year or two. For quite a long time, music has been quite a privileged place. There are people who weren’t paid for a long time as assistants andPeoplerunners.coming in from the side, as opposed to working their way up, are the people who’ve taught themselves everything they need to know. Either approach is valid.

engineering in Italy when I was 16. I was doing live sound and learning all the stuff about engineering. I worked a lot, learned as much as I could, got my diploma then asked myself where the jobs were so I decided to move on with what I loved, and I wanted to do it in studios. So I moved to London, and worked from the bottom up. Runner, assistant, assistant engineer, engineer and so on.

Is that self-sufficient ethos something that you’d advise to those coming up now then?

Yeah, the moment you don’t need to rely on anyone then you’re free. I’m all for the community, and we need to know that we all complement each other. By trying it all, you really learn what your strengths are – and also accept your weaknesses.

So where are you going next Marta?

artist or the label anymore. It’s about making something that stands out. Everyone I work with seems to have a similar spirit - let’s make something special, and see where we go together.

I’m going to be doing a concert with tape machines. Valentina Magaletti and I are going to support Suzanne Ciani at EartH in London later in the year.

I played my tape machines and tangled those sounds with other instruments to create open compositions and soundscapes, both concerning the physical realm and the conceptual. We started recording it at the edge of the desert in Joshua Tree and later carried it to the ocean in Cornwall, so it is inspired by and meant to inspire the feeling of those vast landscapes.I’malsocurating a festival called Transmission in Italy where I get to choose and bring artists in. I’m very excited about that too, it’s a way to envision and curate something which I can then present to the world.

I think so, but I think that’s a good thing – because we don’t have the hierarchy that prevents people from coming up and becoming a producer. I think it’s great that younger people have had access to high-end technology that has become more affordable. They’ve been able to nurture their creative talents from their bedrooms, rather than a studio.

The sum of it is more important than the individual parts. It’s about saying, ‘Hey I would love to get you involved, because I think it’d be a better record’. It’s not trying to prove something to the

For more info visit martasalogni.com

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From embracing cutting edge new technology, bringing past and future into alignment or simply by basing themselves in an inspiring location. These ten studios transcend the norm…

MOST STUDIOSINNOVATIVEIN THE WORLD

Though they might no longer be the sole destination for every musician, following the advent of home recording, gear-packed recording studios still hum with a certain magic. Whether it’s those legendary studios overflowing with classic desks, outboard and mics, to those that sport meticulously designed acoustics, to savvy, future-aimed spaces that keep a keen eye on latest trends, there remains a big allure to the idea of laying down your track in a killer studio. How you feel when writing and recording in a studio space can be as vital as what tools it can provide to help you reach your musical aims. While some studios specialise in vintage-gear signal chains and traditional approaches, the world’s most innovative studios incorporate new technology, modern standards and enchanting aesthetics to make you feel right at home.

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In this roundup, we’ve compiled our pick of the ten most innovative studios right across the world. While ‘innovation’ might reflect on how the studios in question have adapted new tech, we also want to highlight those that have clearly had a lot of personalised considerations which make them stand out from the norm. Some are commercial operations, others are the property of the globe’s most accomplished sonic adventurers. So, without further ado, let’s take a world tour of the recording studios at the forefront of tomorrow…

One of Australia’s most acclaimed studios, Studios 301’s legacy has been forged over nearly a century of use. Though the studio stresses its heritage as the longest-running recording studio in the Southern Hemisphere, it has also warmly embraced the next generation. The 301 Academy offers new engineers and producers the experience of working within a professional recording studio environment. Studios 301 also offers a robust online mixing service and has been at the forefront of pioneering audio formats in Australia. Another objective of the studio is to

Studios 301 has led Australia in terms of studio services innovationsand

further be manually controlled in the main control room. Custom built gobos are on hand to fine-tune the room’s acoustics to each particular project. A spellbinding space, providing an inspiring ocean-spectacle from its windows, the studio has reeled in the likes of Arcade Fire, Milky Chance, Swedish House Mafia and Ane Brun.

19 COVER STORY

Ocean Sound Recording Studio Giske, Norway

Studios 301 Sydney, AustraliaSupported

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No clocks allowed. Steve Aoki in his Las Vegas Studio.

WithEccezionale!abreathtaking

Steve Aoki’s Neon Future Cave Las Vegas, USA

view of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the surrounding Norwegian countryside, the purpose-built Ocean Sound was designed by American sound expert Ric Vaughan to be one of the very best acoustically treated spaces in which to record music. With a large live room, twin ISO rooms and large control room, the studio makes for a tranquil haven in which to submerge oneself in the music production process. Its ISO Booths have perfect attenuation of all sound from the main live room, and acoustics can

The commercial studio offers production and arrangement services, and their rates cover the use of any and all its thronging equipment arsenal.

Elfo Recording Studio Tavernago, Italy

Not just a studio, but the world-dominating EDM producer’s play-centre, Steve Aoki’s Las Vegas complex isn’t just filled with high end tech, but also incorporates skate ramps, foam pits and impressive lighting. “I call it the Neon Future Cave because it’s in the bunker of my house and I wanted to enter into this room where I was transporting myself into the future,” Aoki told us a few years ago. Built around the Slate Raven Z3C digital mix rack, Focal SM9 monitors and a range of Universal Audio kit, Aoki’s HQ is a space that many of us can only dream of, yet for Steve, the true magic of his personalised space is the mindset in which it puts him; “You set your studio up in the way that you want your environment to be, and you know the way you think creatively is going to be part of the process. It’s not just about what plugins you’re using or how high-tech your gear is.”

Deep within Milan’s surrounding tranquil countryside, lay the sharp, disruptive features of the angular Elfo Recording Studio. This triple-studio complex can house a twenty-piece orchestra and fifty-person choir in its large main room, while the immaculate acoustics of studio two is perfect for tracking, presided over by an API 1608 console, in tandem with DAWs. The elliptical shape of Studio 3 is down to the Elfo team applying a meticulous study of sound refractions, and its LAN and A/V cabling provides the ability to use all the studio’s spaces from one, state-of-the-art central hub.

Deadmau5’s ‘mau5 House’ Toronto, Canada

Metropolis Studios London, UK

Zimmerman’s dedication to making his studio the ultimate man-cave goes beyond music technology. Downstairs is Zimmerman’s computer suite, with five custom built PCs, a 2 gigabit internet connection and a near-limitless quantity of hard drive storage space – enough to make any nerd weak at the knees. While Joel’s studio is his private production and play palace, it’s a space that many hold up as the ideal to work towards…

preserve aural history, offering archival and cultural institutions, record labels and more the means to digitise their analogue archives, cleaning up yesterday’s gems for tomorrow’s ears. The large complex is naturally ram-packed with ultra-modern tech, as well as a staff made up of top-tier industry pros.

20 COVER STORY

audiomediainternational.com / Supported by AMS Neve

The nerve centre of the rodent-headed magician’s progressive house wonders, Joel Zimmerman’s studio is also a mind-blowing kingdom of kit replete with the EDM megastar’s mouth-watering collection of synths, including his custom Modcan Series A.

Blackbird Studios includes a specially modded Neve 8070

Metropolis’s status as one of Britain’s top tier studio hubs is well-founded, playing host to the likes of Queen, Ed Sheeran, Madonna, Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones and many more over the last thirty-three years. In addition to its array of tracking and mixing studios, Metropolis offers some of the world’s very finest mastering suites, as well as a series of writing and production rooms. Built within a converted power station, the huge sound complex has close relationships with the world of music academia, and regularly invites students to use its facilities, attend masterclasses and recording, mixing and mastering sessions. Speaking of which, it’s Metropolis’s innovative approach to mastering that has garnered it global acclaim. Founded in 1993 by Ian Cooper, Tony Cousins and Tim Young, Metropolis Mastering’s aim was to go beyond then-standards in mastering. Their frontier-pushing ambitions continue to this day, with 5 mastering rooms, ready for any and all needs.

The Dolby Atmos-certified studio, decked out with nine ATC speakers, is one of the largest Atmos-approved mixing spaces in the world. The super-sized analog Neve console at the studio’s heart is balanced by two walls jam-packed with modular synths, as well as a trove of keyboard synths. It’s, in a word, jaw-dropping.

Blackbird Studios Nashville, USA

In the heart of music capital Nashville, sits the hallowed Blackbird Studios, a multi-studio complex that is able to cater to any genre or purpose. With an extraordinary array of technology (and some particularly visually impressive room treatment) Blackbird has welcomed such luminaries as Beck, Kesha, Taylor Swift and Kings of Leon amongst others into its aesthetically amazing recording spaces, which have been described as resembling ‘The Four Seasons meets Moulin Rouge’. Its studios simply exude character, from Studio A’s Abbey Road-aping retro-vibe, to the awe-inspiring diffused walls of the Atmos-ready Studio C, Blackbird sports some notably impressive gear, including the largest API Legacy Plus desk ever built, and a specially modded Neve 8070. As with many other studios, Blackbird encourages education, with its own Blackbird Academy enabling the next generation to get in-depth courses in modern production on-site.

Stepping into Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios’ main control room, there’s the unavoidable feeling that you’re boarding a discreetly parked spacecraft, nestled among the bucolic fields, lakes and trees of rural Somerset. A stone’s throw from music technology publishing heartland of Bath, Real World invites artists to let go of their everyday lives, and focus entirely on the creative process, with the residential studio offering dedicated services to facilitate writing, mixing, mastering, post-production, rehearsal and much more.

Zimmer’s aim to make the studio as comfortable as possible goes as far as the 3M multi-touch screen workflow which he uses, with custom-made software designed to help him navigate his go-to DAW, Cubase. High-tech his desktop workflow may be, but the true heart of Zimmer’s studio remains his black Bösendorfer piano, which is often the foundation of some of Hans’s most epic scores.

The crown jewel of the studio world, Abbey Road has been the HQ of popular music’s most groundbreaking bands. While its legacy is still a big facet of the studio’s prestige, Abbey Road has embraced modernity and innovation like few others. Launching numerous new studios over the last decade, cementing itself as the premiere destination for modern film soundtracking and, via incubator Abbey Road Red, investing and mentoring those pushing the boundaries of what music technology can be, the St John’s Wood powerhouse remains at the summit of the recording studio industry.

Abbey Road Studios London, UK

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Part studio, part top-tier gentleman’s lounge, replete with esoteric decor, gothic skulls and other miscellany. Hans’s home-base is decked out with luxurious sofas, Persian rugs and warm lighting, reflecting its foundational principle of the studio being both a place where the world’s greatest composer will work and chill. While the walls are dominated by a colossal modular patch-bay synth, interspersed with vintage outboard gear, the studio is also cutting edge on many fronts.

Hans Zimmer’s Studio California, USA

Built in 1986 on Gabriel’s personal – and innovative – take on what a studio should be, the open studios of Real World actively encourage collaboration and networking. Its Big Room, drenched in natural light, is the hub of all, with its 72-channel Solid State Logic 9000K console resembling the helm of said starship. Real World’s unique charm makes it one of our very favourite studios.

Real World Studios Box, UK

Currently, the studio is delving further into the realm of AI in music, VR/AR/ MR, source separation and spatial audio, and has broken new ground in the field of de-mixing. Abbey Road stands today at the intersection between tradition and innovation, a place it has arguably always been. In a previous life (when it was known as the EMI Recording Studios), Abbey Road was the Beatles’ base, and provided them the means to widen the scope of what pop music could be and now Abbey Road’s ongoing quest to expand the music technology playing field continues.

PMC strengthens its position in the audio market with Jeff Willcocks as CEO

LISTENING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE DO

Sales across all its key market – pro audio, custom install and HiFi – have grown exponentially; an entirely new range of professional monitors has been launched to huge critical acclaim; a new factory has been opened to cope with demand for PMC’s popular CI custom install monitors; a new Atmos certified demo studio has been built in London to showcase pro products, a new cinema room to demo custom install products has been opened at PMC’s headquarters in Bedfordshire and new staff have been recruited right across the company, particularly in key areas such as R&D, procurement and quality control.

“We do our research,” he says. “Listening is the most important thing we do – to our customers and our products. With input from our professional clients and from our own team, many of whom are highly talented audio engineers in their own right, we gain a deep understanding of what’s needed in this ever-changing marketplace. Innovation and new products are the lifeblood of our success.”

“It’s all about being nimble enough to react to market changes,” Jeff says. The pandemic meant companies had to think differently to navigate through a period of deep uncertainty. We did that at PMC and as a result we are now stronger, but also wiser.”

The new products driving PMC’s current sales success include a range of compact, state-of-the-art near-and midfield monitors that are redefining the listening experience for audio professionals working in stereo or large scale immersive formats. With a modular design for easy upgrading, these monitors are hitting the right spot because they offer flexible control, great resolution and detail and the same sound signature as the company’s main monitors.

slimline monitors, which straddle all three of its key markets. In the professional world, CI monitors have quickly become the standard for new and upgraded Atmos music mixing facilities, an area in which PMC is now the de facto standard having championed the format for music for more than five years as a technology partner of Universal Music Group and Dolby. During this time, PMC has installed systems in numerous top studios including Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, Abbey Road Institute Miami and for renowned producers and engineers such as Josh Gudwin, Andrew Scheps, Greg Wells, Reid Shippen, Dale Becker, NO ID and many more.

With the future looking bright for PMC, the focus is now on increasing sales and brand awareness, employing more staff – PMC currently has over 60 employees worldwide - and developing new products for all key markets.

Since its formation in 1991 by founders Peter Thomas and Adrian Loader, PMC has always been a market driven company that puts intelligent design and achieving the highest possible quality in terms of resolution and bandwidth at its heart. This is a philosophy Jeff endorses.

“It’s all about being nimble enough to react to market changes”

PMC is also enjoying success with its CI Series of

“Our Dolby Atmos demo facility in Islington is helping to support our strong partnership with Dolby,” Jeff adds. “In the UK we have producer/engineer Heff Moraes as brand ambassador, and also Phil Millross running our London demo studio where they are helping to support and educate people about Atmos mixing and connect engineers and mixers with studio design professionals. In the US, where we have Atmos demo facilities in Los Angeles and Nashville, our very own Maurice Patist, Head of PMC Pro Global, has become a driving force in this market and has many credits for Atmos mixing on albums such as Miles Davies Kind of Blue and Sketches of Spain, as well Swindle’s The New World. As creators of Atmos material, we are best qualified to advise.”

“What I bring to the table is having clearly defined roles and a clearly defined plan that everyone inputs into,” he says. “Our people are our most valuable resource and recruiting the right people, then motivating everyone to work well together for the same goal, is what really makes a difference.”

The last two years have presented challenges, but thanks to strong relationships with suppliers and their distribution chain, PMC has successfully navigated the challenges.

“Having strong partnerships and an effective supply chain with suppliers to obtain parts when you need them has never been more important,” Jeff says. “We now have a dedicated Procurement Manager who is helping us with these aims so that we can produce our product in large volumes and at the highest quality. This is helping us to build up stock of many of our products, which are now available for customers when required.”

“We are expanding and are appointing new distributors for our products, and of course we plan to bring out new products in the future – watch this space,” Jeff says. “This is an exciting time for the company and I feel privileged to hold the position as CEO of PMC. From PMC’s owner, Peter Thomas, to the management group, and our colleagues, we are very lucky. We do have a great team of people!”

audiomediainternational.com

uccessfully steering a company through a global pandemic is no easy task for any CEO, but to weather the storm and come out with the company in even better shape is an achievement that deserves to be noted.

An accountant by profession with an MBA, Jeff has held various managerial roles. He joined PMC in 2018 as Financial Director and became CEO in 2020.

Take a bow, then, Jeff Willcocks, CEO of UK loudspeaker manufacturer PMC. Over the last two years, PMC has thrived under Jeff’s leadership.

23 INTERVIEW

Who helped you build, tune or upgrade your space?

We’ve had clients work on movie projects here, for films ranging from Spider Man, to Oscar-nominated Irish animation Wolfwakers. We have facilitated orchestras, classical ensembles and Irish traditional music recording sessions.

The natural light and wood of the live room creates a cosy 70’s feel

Grouse Lodge is in the middle of the Irish countryside, and is just over an hour drive from Dublin airport.

GROUSE LODGE

chef, is passionate about making meals with locally sourced and organic ingredients. When she’s not in the kitchen, you can usually find her in her veggie garden, digging up potatoes, planting seedlings, and trussing tomato plants. Her “field to fork” ethos is seen

How long have you been running and why was your space set up?

Owner and co-founder Paddy Dunning sought the expertise of renowned acoustician Andy Munroe and his team to design the studio. They utilised some of the existing structures on the farm, while also extending it with purpose-built rooms. This has made for a blend of ancient stone walls along with surfaces made from modern materials - a blend of old and new.

What artists, presenters or other creators pass through your doors?

More recent artists who have worked here include Dermot Kennedy, Paolo Nutini and Sam Fender, who recorded his critically-acclaimed album ‘Seventeen Going Under’ here.

Producers who have worked here include InFlo, William Orbit, Jacknife Lee, Ryan Hewitt, Ethan Johns, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Ken Nelson, Mike Crossey, Rich Costey, and ten time Grammy winning producer Joe Chiccarelli.

Many well-known artists and producers have crossed the threshold at Grouse Lodge and have recorded some fabulous and best-selling number 1 albums here. Some artists include: Snow Patrol, REM, Bonnie Rait, Will-i-am, Westlife, Little Simz, Tom Jones, Dame Shirley Bassey, and Oscar-winning artist Glen Hansard.

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Set on a 300-year-old farmstead in the middle of Ireland, Grouse Lodge Recording Studios opened in 2002. It was designed to fill the much needed requirement for a world-class residential recording studio, of which there were previously none in Ireland. Before Grouse Lodge opened its doors, there was no recording studio of its kind in Ireland.

What’s your USP as a studio based on feedback from artists and completed sessions?

On top of the world-class recording studio, we have a spa, which includes a jacuzzi, sauna, and swimming pool. A gym is available for use on site. If clients are looking for activities, we offer horse riding, table tennis, nature walks, archery and more. We have a cinema room with a projector for watching TV and movies.

Fancy a great escape and a pint? The Grouse Lodge is a cosy bolt hole with a storied history

Last but not least we have an on-site bar with Guinness and Carlsberg taps. The Guinness has been confirmed as one of the best pints of Guinness in the world by members of the Guiness family who liveClaire,nearby!our

Paddy and Claire Dunning who found the facility in 1999 and refurbished the 300 year old estate to high standards.

Alex Borwick is our head engineer. Originally from New Zealand, Alex is a producer and multi-instrumentalist. He has been a musician his entire life, playing in a variety of genres and touring the world in various bands, which lends a strong sense of musicality in his studio work. Alex fell in love with music production and engineering after relocating to Ireland, and hasn’t looked back since. He has worked with artists such as George Clinton, Sam Fender, Ellie Goulding, Catfish & The Bottlemen, James Vincent McMorrow, and Martin Hayes. Our other engineer is Thomas Donoghue, who has a blossoming career in live sound. Thomas is the front of house engineer for Villagers, and has worked with other Irish artists such as The Coronas, Gavin James, and The Academic.

Eavan Crowe is our studio manager who coordinates all the recording sessions. She has been with us for the past 17 years or so and continues to love working in Grouse and the music industry!

We pride ourselves in the atmosphere and the vibe that we can cultivate here. It’s conducive to creativity, and helps artists to relax and perform at their best. Spiritual gurus have even confirmed that the recording studio is situated on several ley lines and positive energy lanes...

25 STUDIO PROFILE

Who’s on the team?

Hospitality heads include AnneMarie who’s been with us a long time also, she runs a tight ship and enjoys the banter with the bands! We also have Maxine who maintains the high standards which Grouse Lodge has become known for. Their down to earth approach makes the bands feel at home and at ease from first arrival.

on the dining room table - the salad greens are usually grown metres away from the table, and the eggs at breakfast are laid by the chickens who roam the yard. What can’t be grown on site, is usually organic and locally sourced.

OUTBOARD • VK Audio Neve 1076 x 2 • API 3124+ • Empirical MatchedDistressorLabsEL8-XPair • GML 8200 Stereo EQ • Manley Variable MU Stereo Compressor • Tubetech LCA2B Stereo Compressor/LimiterValve • Universal Audio 1176 • Urei 1176 Compressor/LimiterBlackface • Summit TLA100A Compressor/LimiterValve • Oram Sonicomp 2 Stereo Compressor • DBX 160SL x 2 • DBX 160X x 2 • Roland Space Echo RE-201 • TC Electronics System 6000 • Yamaha SPX 900 • BEL BD80 Delay • Lexicon PCM80 • TC Electronics M5000 • Roland SDD-3000 • Roland JV-1080 • HHB CDR-850 PLUGINS • Avid • Waves • Soundtoys • Celemony Melodyne • Antares Autotune • ValhallaDSP • Fabfilter BACKLINE • Ampeg SVT-VR with SVT810 • Fender Twin Reverb • Vox AC-30 • Peavey Classic 30 Head, Peavey 212 Cab • Trace Elliot Brat • Yamaha Grand Piano • Challen Upright Piano • Hammond Organ K Series (Similar to BC) • Leslie 147 Speaker • DW Collectors Edition Maple Specialty Satin • Kick 22×20 • Rack Toms 10”, 12”, 14” • Floor Tom 16” • Yamaha Birch Custom Absolute 14″ Snare • Gibraltar Hardware Boom Stands x 6 • Kick Pedal x 1 • Tom Clamps DI • BSS AR116 x2 • Radial J48 x 4 • Demeter VTDB-2B Tube DI • Radial X-Amp Reamp box • IMG Stage Line DIB-100 x 2 • 4 x Triton Audio Fethead • Cue Systems • Mytek Private Q (5) MICROPHONES • AKG C12 (vintage) • AKG C414 x2 • AKG c3000 • AKG D112 x2 • AKG D1200E • AKG Solidtube x2 • Barkley Infinity Gen2 x2 • Beyerdynamic m380 • Beyerdynamic M69 • Beyerdynamic M88 • Brauner VM1 Valve x2 • Calrec CB21 • Coles 4038 x2 • Electro Voice RE-20 • Lomo 82A-5M X 2 • Neumann FET 47 x2 • Neumann U87ai x2 • Neumann KM 84 x2 • Neumann TLM 170 x2 • Neumann TLM 193 x2 • Octava MK-012 x2 • PZM Realistic • Reslosound Ribbon x2 • Rode k2 • Royer R121 x2 • Sennheiser 421 x4 • Shure Beta 52 • Shure SM 7b • Shure SM 57 x7 • Shure SM 58 x2 • Unidyne III S45 SD • Yamaha NS10 Driver x2 MONITORS • Dynaudio M4S Main Monitor System (Monroe Design) • Genelec 1031A • MC2/Dynaudio Amps, XTA Processors • Yamaha NS10 • Auratone Mixcubes HEADPHONES • Sennheiser HD 25’s • Audio ATH-M50’sTechnica • Sennheiser Hd 280 PRO’s • Ultrasone PRO 550’s HD RECORDERS • 2019 Mac Pro • 12-core processor,3.3GHz48GB RAM • Pro Tools Ultimate • Pro Tools HDX (48 In / 56 Out) • Antelope Audio Orion 32HD x 2 GROUSE LODGE STUDIO SPECS ROOMS The main studio is purpose built integrating the existing 275 year old stone structure and features a huge control room (900sq.ft) with lots of natural daylight and two large live rooms with superb acoustics. The extensive use of local cut stone gives the space a unique feel and sound. Studio One features a giant Neve VR60 mixing console with flying faders, and its large live room, booths and control room has been host to A-list of international and Irish acts over the years. • Live room 35ft x 32ft • Stone room 25.5ft x 13.5ft • Control room 28ft x 28ft audiomediainternational.com

How long have you been running and why was your space set up?

Who helped you build, tune or upgrade your space?

Our clients roster is One Republic, Justin Bieber, Joe Bonammassa, Skrillex, Björk, Bring Me The Horizon, Youmeatsix, Rita Wilson, Sarah Connor, Sido, to name a few.

The studio dream that became a reality says Kostas Kalimeris

Studios have experienced massive change in the last few years and there’s many different types - where do you fit in?

destination for international clients, targeting of course the big markets like the USA, UK and Germany, for artists who are still looking for inspiration, bands who are looking to spend a month together recording in a nice setup and artists who are so busy so a setting that offers a holiday and working environment at the same time would be great for them and their families.

The team running the facility except me is the assistant sound engineer, the housekeeper and the pool guy.

What artists pass through your doors?

What’s your USP as a studio based on feedback from artists and completed sessions?

We started running the studio on June of 2009. Black Rock was inspired by my dream to put Greeceo n the map of the international recording studios. Our space was setup to accommodate artists and bands who are keen to isolate and get inspired from our studio environment and of course of the magical landscape of Santorini.

How would you describe the overall vibe of the studio and what’s the balance between creating a great sound vs a great vibe - can they exist hand in hand without compromise?

audiomediainternational.com

A fully day-lit recording studio attached to a luxury villa with views to Mediterranean sea and Santorini Volcano, offers a state of the art creative space. I think that we achieved the perfect balance between vibe and great sound, as we paid a lot of attention at the design stage to find the right balance to fit a hi-tech setup into a traditional building. Recreation areas like the large outdoor infinity pool helps as well, offering relaxing time during recording session breaks. The serene surroundings offer the ability even to record outdoors with a view which is very special.

Who’s on the team?

BLACK ROCK

The studio provides a unique inspiration and vibe which is always imprinted on the music that comes out. It’s a unique great sounding place. It’s a place to come and record something that you feel is special.

This is true so I had to find a way to build a studio concept able to survive. The domestic music market is small and labels rarely are keen to rent big studios for production. Also there is a huge increase in home studios owned by producers or artists, so professional sound people can only get mixing jobs. My goal was to create a new recording

The studio was designed by Roger D’Arcy of Recording architecture and built by Bogdan Valceanov. Architects Voula Gogorosi and Alexandros Gavriilakis helped with the interior design and building renovation.

27 STUDIO PROFILE

Talk us through your rooms and why they are designed in the way they are...

How do you feel about remote collaboration in your studio with apps such as Audiomovers, do you embrace it or does it change the magic in the room?

Black Rock is a 400 square metre 3-storey villa, built on a cliff area of 7,000 square metres, enjoying a 360 degree view of the ocean.

live

What’s your dream recording project or client?

drum recording

All five guest rooms have en-suite bathrooms. All bedrooms are bright, airy and enjoy the views. Outside areas include dining areas, jacuzzi and a large infinity pool.

BLACK ROCK STUDIO SPECS CONSOLE Solid State Logic 9080 J series with Ultimation and Total recall DIGITAL RECORDERS Pro Tools DigidesignHDX192 I/0 X 4 (32 in – 64 out) Apple Mac Pro 32 GB RAM MONITORING Main : Genelec 1035B Near field : KRK VXT 6, Yamaha NS10, 6 x Genelec 8040, 6 x Genelec 8050 Furman HDS 16 Headphone Monitor System Furman HRM 16 remote mixers (4) HEADPHONES AKG K271 MkII SONY MDR 7509 SONY MDR 7506 Audio Technica ATH-M50x PRE AMPS / EQS Neve 1081 classic (4 modules) Mic pre/Eq Neve 1073 (8 modules) upon request Chandler TG2 –Abbey Road edition GML 8200 DYNAMICS Manley ELOP ADL Stereo tube CL 1500 Chandler TG1 –Abbey Road edition Focusrite Red 3 Distressor EL8X w/brit mode (2) FX PROCESSORS Lexicon Eventide960LOrville MICROPHONES AKG C-12VR, AKG D112, Cascade Fathead II (2), DPA 4006 , Electro-Voice RE-20 (1), Microtech Geffel 711(2), Neumann U87(2) , Royer R-121(2), Sennheiser MD421(3), Shure SM57(4), Shure SM58 (3), Neumann KM 184(2), AKG C 451 (3) Shure SM7B ROOMS Control room is 40sqm, Live room 30sqm 5,5m high arch-shaped ceiling, Booth 1 is 15sqm, Booth 2 is 10sqm The design of the studio allows extended visibility between all of the separate areas through soundproof windows and glass doors. audiomediainternational.com

The control room is designed in order to host enough people as they need to take place in a modern production, with acoustic treatment able to host a big speaker system such as Genelec’s 1035B. The live room offers a unique room sound for drum recording because of the high arch-shaped ceiling. The first booth is mostly used for vocals as the artists can enjoy the pool and ocean view when cutting vocals. The second booth is used as an amp or production room.

If the Rolling Stones or Mick Jagger are going to record any new stuff then they would be my dream band to have at the studio!

It’s very rare that there is a need for remote collaboration, but I am always excited to host remote sessions combined with cameras, as it’s so cool to exchange vibes between studios during the same session.

Can artists stay at your studio and if so what’s the set up?

high arch-shaped

“The room offers a unique room sound for because of the ceiling”

(BON)

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that

entertainment forever. TEN LIVE MUSICIANS. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY CAMERAS. TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY-ONE SPEAKERS. FIVE HUNDRED MOVING LIGHTS. ONE THOUSAND INDUSTRIAL LIGHT & MAGIC VISUAL EFFECTS EXPERTS. ONE BILLION COMPUTING HOURS. ONE THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED SEATS. EIGHT HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THOUSAND WATTS OF AUDIO AMPLIFICATION. 65 MILLION PIXELS. ONE STATE-OF-THE-ART SCREEN. WORDS MARK SUTHERLAND audiomediainternational.com 29

and

The sheer weight of technology that has gone into the production of the ground-breaking ABBA Voyage show is staggering. But there have also been equal amounts of heart and soul poured into a passion project was five years in the making, might just change the face of global live

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“The reason we’re building this ridiculous building

“It is unnervingly like being at a real live, in-person event, and the crowd clap and scream as if it were the real ABBA”

is because ABBA are digitally there and you are physically there,” explains Gisla. “The space that’s in-between becomes a space that we need to crack through, so we inhabit it together. It’s like a third dimension in a way and that’s what the tapestry of this building provides: that barrier breaker. It’s the connector that brings you to us and us to you and that’s what’s so magical and different about this concert – you don’t know where the digital ends and the physical Remarkably,begins.”theshow actually bears that bold statement out. It’s astonishing how quickly the audience forgets that they’re only watching digital, de-aged versions – or ABBAtars, if you insist – of Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad

ABBA Voyage launched at the purpose-built ABBA Arena near Queen Elizabeth Park in East London in May, in front of an audience that included Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue and the King and Queen of Sweden. And it’s already booking through to May next year.

Key to its success is the building itself. It’s a marvel of construction, seemingly bigger on the inside than on the out, and built so that every seat (and, of course, the 1,400 standing places at the front) has a brilliant view. Meanwhile, the preprogrammed lighting effects and spectacular sound system mean that what sounded like it could have been a grand folly, is actually a key part of making the show work. Even if it did represent a unique challenge to show producers Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson.“Neitherof us have built a 3,000-capacity theatre before, so that’s been an adventure!” laughs Andersson, speaking before the show launched. “And if that was the only thing we were doing, that would still have been quite a lot!”

Having a set stuffed with indelible hits, delivered by a surprisingly punchy live band – superbly marshalled by musical director James Righton of Klaxons fame – helps, of course (and Voulez-Vous, Dancing Queen, The Winner Takes It All and Knowing Me, Knowing You are all present and correct alongside a smattering of deeper cuts, although Super Trouper, Take A Chance On Me and Money, Money Money are notably absent).

So, whether you’re watching the avatars themselves or the enormous wraparound screens or simply the light show, it is unnervingly like being at a real live, in-person event (and the crowd clap and scream as if it were the real ABBA performing, even though most of these dance moves would surely be beyond them nowadays).

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31 COVER STORY and Agnetha Fältskog. But then, after a brief period of adjustment as the prefab four emerge, and the limbs look a little too long and the movements seem a little robotic, this is an astoundingly immersive show.

But this isn’t robo-karaoke or a VR simulation.

“If we say yes to that question we’re doomed to fail, so I’m saying no!” laughs Ludvig Andersson. “I don’t think other bands should look at this thinking, ‘Great, we don’t have to tour anymore, we can just do this’. That’s looking at it the wrong way.

“The only chance of this becoming a success is because ABBA themselves want to do it exactly like this,” he adds. “They think this is the best way they can connect with their fans and the best experience they can give their fans, better in fact than if they had actually been there in the flesh.”

There is certainly potential for ABBA Voyage to run in different locations – the venue is even suitably Swedishly flat-packed, so could be relatively simply shifted elsewhere (“Get your Allen keys out,” laughs Gisla). London may be its most obvious home, but the ABBA brand has spread far and wide since the band originally split in 1982. And surely somewhere like Las Vegas would go wild for an open-ended residency that isn’t at the mercy of a visiting superstar deciding they don’t like the set at the last minute?

It’s another bold statement around the show but one that, highlighted by the real ABBA shuffling on stage at the end of the premiere show – having fooled the crowd seconds before with a sprightlier digital rendering of their modern selves – also has the ring of truth about it.

You can bet that the industry is also looking at the potential of the format for other acts. Few may have the patience (or the incredibly deep pockets) of ABBA, who committed so whole-heartedly to the project that not even a global pandemic could stop it. And not all the obvious iconic bands with pangenerational fanbases have all their members alive to engage in the process. The chance to leave a live legacy long after you’re too decrepit to lift a guitar will surely appeal to many, but can it really become the future of live entertainment?

None of those vaguely creepy hologram shows or slightly disappointing in-game avatar concerts come anywhere close: this is not like anything you’ve seen before. But it is surely something that people will want to see again; whether that’s a return ticket to Voyage itself (other songs are apparently in the can so setlists can be updated and tweaked for seasonal demands in the future) or a similar show by different artists.

There’s nothing remarkable about the materials Røde has specified for the NTH-100 – sturdy, quite tactile plastic, some exposed and complex angled metal for the arms of the headband, and alcantara-covered memory foam where the headphones contact the wearer at the ears and the inside of the headband. And until you remind yourself the NTH-100 cost just £149, there seems nothing remarkable about the way they’re put together either – but once you keep the asking price in mind, the Røde seem disproportionately robust and well-made.

EQUIPMENT

BUILD QUALITY

audiomediainternational.com Røde headphones, an Audient interface and the lastest Arturia arrival go under the spotlight... GEAR NTH-100RØDEREVIEWWHAT The NTH-100 is Røde’s first foray into the world of headphones. DOOG Articulate, revealing and confident sound. Comfortable. Good-looking (in a rugged sort of way). DBA Sonic balance won’t suit everyone. Shorter cable is somehow a cost option. DVERICT ★★★★★ If it’s insight into a recording you want, but not insight of the dry and analytical kind, these Røde could be just the ticket.

Røde is an Australian company (the ‘ø’ is a nod to the founding Freeman family’s Scandinavian heritage) –it was established in the 1960s and had its first successes with condenser microphones. Anyone with even a passing interest in professional audio and/or recording equipment knows exactly what Røde is capable of.

The black-on-black colour scheme is businesslike (or dour, depending on your point of view) – but you can spend a little extra on differently coloured headbands, earcups and cables if you want to jazz

And it’s safe to say the company isn’t chasing any kind of modish area of the headphones market with the NTH-100 – this is a closed-back, hard-wired over-ear headphone of the sort that was popular back in the last century.

Tonality is equally impressive. The company’s ‘pro’ heritage is obvious in the swift, controlled and unshowy way they hand over low-frequency information – and bass stuff is so well-behaved that the midrange has more than enough space to do its detailed, expressive and revealing thing. At the top end, too, there’s precision allied to bite – and, as everywhere else, prodigious detail levels.

unhindered. Height, width and depth are described explicitly, too – but integration is impressive at the same time. It’s not easy to combine a sense of space with a feeling of unity and singularity, but the NTH-100 manage it almost casually.

Which is not to say the NTH-100 are in any way dispassionate, overly analytical or prissy. They understand full well that music is entertainment that’s meant to be engaged with rather than a puzzle that’s there to be solved.

The Røde NTH-100 are on sale now, and they’re priced at £149 per pair.

The Røde are an obsessively detailed, painstaking and thrillingly open listen. Their soundstage is so spacious you might be fooled into thinking you’re listening to open-backed headphones. They organise a recording with almost military precision, giving its every element enough space to express itself

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Inside each earcup, Røde has fitted a 40mm full-range transducer with a claimed frequency response of 5Hz – 35kHz. You don’t need to spend long inside the NTH-100 to realise those numbers are entirely reasonable.

things up a little. And on the subject of cables, the NTH-100 are supplied with a 2.4m cable with a 3.5mm connector at one end and a ‘twist/lock’ version at the other – it’s a sensible length for those who want to use the headphones in a professional environment, especially as the cable can attach to either earcup. But the fact that a 1.2m alternative is a cost-option seems a bit mean.

At 350g the Røde aren’t the lightest headphones around, but they’re comfortable for extended listening sessions. This is thanks in part to the ‘CoolTech’ gel in the ear-cushions that prevents the pads returning your own body heat for an impressively long time. And they stay adjusted exactly as you like them using ‘FitLock’ – a physical headband-locking mechanism that’s a strong contender for a ‘so simple it’s brilliant’ award.

33 GEAR REVIEW

SOUND

Dynamic headroom for big volume changes is more than adequate, and the Røde pay proper attention to the more nuanced harmonic variations apparent in pretty much any piece of music too. Rhythms are expressed with absolute certainty, and the low-frequency rigour the NTH-100 demonstrate means tempos are always on the front foot too. Some listeners will undoubtedly find these headphones wanting when it comes to outright bass presence, but those who value realism over unnatural, overheated and overconfident low-end sounds will realise the Røde are giving them a complete, but uncoloured, picture.

EVO 16 is compact and well built and uses similar design elements to the original EVOs – the slightly sunken buttons and main dial, for example. While EVO 4 and 8 are designed for desktop use, EVO 16 adds rackable aspirations, with free rack ears

GEAR EVOAUDIENTREVIEW16WHAT 24-in/24-out interface with smart features, digitally controlled preamps and a decent price. DOOG Smartgain takes the strain out of setting recording levels and Motion UI makes every feature as clear as daylight. DBA No USB power. Not the most attractive piece of kit to have on your desk. DVERICT ★★★★★ EVO 16 feels like a next generation audio interface, with cutting-edge features like Smartgain, multi-channel loopback and Motion UI. It’s all packed into a sturdy and compact interface, bristling with connectivity, and at a very attractive audiomediainternational.comprice.

All new for EVO 16 is the Motion UI system that shows parameters on a brilliantly clear display. The other big headline is the loopback feature –available on up to 16 channels – an essential inclusion for podcasters, gamers, and other streamers who demand the flexibility of mixing multiple audio sources from their computer with their own speech.

EVO 16 adds to the range’s 2-in/2-out EVO 4 and 4-in/4-out EVO 8, so you’d expect it to boast eight ins and eight outs and you’d be correct… on the analogue side of things anyway. It is also expandable by way of up to 16 more digital ins and outs via two pairs of optical connectors that deliver 16 channels at 44.1/48kHz or eight at 88.2/96kHz. That’s a maximum of 24 ins and outs, then – an impressive count at this price.

Audient’s EVO range of interfaces is designed to offer simplicity, value and a great sound. The interfaces are not perhaps as sonically glossy as those in Audient’s ID range, which all feature the same mic preamps used in the company’s high-end consoles. Instead the EVO range has digitally controlled analogue preamps that allow the interfaces to include features like Smartgain which sets your input signal levels for you.

BUILD QUALITY

want to use the accompanying EVO Mixer software on your computer for more complex routing tasks.

for £399/$499/€459

SOUND QUALITY

Serious studio owners will quite rightly demand the kind of console quality that Audient’s more pro ID range or other high end interfaces deliver. But side by side, the ID specs aren’t too dissimilar to EVO 16’s – certainly on the mic pre side of things – so I think you could end up paying substantially more elsewhere for not that much of a sonic uplift. Certainly for project studio owners and many others, the EVO range delivers the goods. Combined with the digital control, it feels crystal clear and precise, uncoloured and, dare we say, more modern compared to some interfaces that offer all sorts of input colouration.

EVO 16 has the answers for when both audiences come knocking, then, and in terms of features, ease of use and bang for buck, there’s very little else that comes close.

The Motion User Interface (UI) feature is based around a bright central display which is very clear across a wide viewing angle. It homes in on specific aspects of the interface – channel input, for example – and displays key parameters which can then be altered with the single main dial on the front of EVO 16. This is a highlight, as clearly seeing what is going on makes you less reliant on having your computer close to hand. However, you will

CONCLUSION

Audient’s EVO 4 and 8 clearly have newcomers to music production as a target audience, and those that aren’t bothered about conventional setups nor pristine and legendary console character. EVO 16 takes this core idea but shifts its target further upwards towards studio users who just want to get on with the job with minimum fuss. Then, of course, there’s the growing pro streamer market for which this is an ideal solution across many scenarios.

35 GEAR REVIEW

available as an option. We used it as a desktop interface and also sat it snugly beneath our laptop, and it performs just as well in these capacities, with rubber feet avoiding slippage and damage.

Using the unit is pretty much as easy as Audient intended, especially features like Smartgain. This is an option that we loved on the first two EVOs and it’s present and correct on EVO 16, but with a higher multichannel capacity. Using it is just a matter of hitting the green button, then whatever channel you are levelling and then green again. The channel then sets its input so you don’t clip, and all in less than 20 seconds. Do this across all eight inputs simultaneously if you wish, and you have a very quick multi-input setup for band or drum kit recordings.

“The Motion User Interface is based around a bright central display which is very clear”

DAY TO DAY USE

The eight analogue inputs are all on combi XLR-1/4” jacks with switchable phantom power. You can connect mic, line and instrument level gear to the first two which are located at the front. The remaining six accept just mic/line inputs and are around the back along with the eight analogue outs, which can be connected to studio monitors or outboard gear. Here you’ll also find the USB C connector, power (this isn’t, sadly, a USB powered interface) and those digital connections. The last two outs are two independent headphones on the front of the unit, great for setting up different mixes for two people monitoring or playing.

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GEAR

9 WHAT A complete suite of classic synth and keyboard instruments for Mac and PC. DOOG Fine software emulations of most of the best keyboards ever made, and for a fraction of what they would cost you in hardware. DBA The collection has become quite bulky so the tyranny of choice will become a real issue. DVERICT ★★★★★ This is about as good a collection of plugins you’ll find and there’s no better way to bolster your access to classic synth and keyboard sounds (not to mention a couple of newer instruments) without spending tens of thousands of pounds on the real audiomediainternational.comdeal.

Arturia started producing software synth emulations in the early 2000s with the Modular V and Mini V, both based on classic Moogs. Towards the end of that decade it bundled these plus emulations of the ARP 2600 and Yamaha CS-80 together into what has become the Arturia V-Collection. Now at v9, the collection dwarfs that initial set, with 33 instrument emulations and over 9,000 presets. The collection comprises analogue and digital synths, vocoders, pianos, organs and even samplers, and at €599, it’s a lot less than any single one of these instruments will probably cost you secondhand in hardware.

WHAT’S NEW IN V9?

After eight previous versions you’d think that pickings for new keyboard emulations would be thin on the ground. However, Arturia has managed to add a couple of significant classic synths and also made quite a few enhancements to existing instruments. The company has also added 14 sound banks and there are two final ‘Augmented’ additions that see V-Collection 9 go a little off road, which I’ll come to later.

First of the new classic synths is SQ80 V, a recreation of Ensoniq’s crosswave digital synth. This was a keyboard with a pretty unique sound that covered everything from coarse to lush sounds thanks to its mix of digital oscillators and emulated analogue filter. It’s the kind of unusual synth that you might not risk buying in hardware but will be only too ARTURIAREVIEW COLLECTIONV

OVERALL SOUND

emulated and entirely new instruments! Augmented Strings and Voices are sample-based with real-time synth and morphing controls. While they initially feel a little out of place, their rich sound and ‘augmented’ nature means that they can be pushed into unusual sound design and score-based territories. So while they are a surprising inclusion, they do work well, offering a more contemporary alternative over the other sounds in V-Collection which can perhaps be overly nostalgic. And perhaps this is a new direction for a collection that is surely going to run out of keyboards to emulate, and we can see more Augmented titles of this ilk bulking out version 10 in a year or so.

pleased to discover in software, especially with an expanded UI that makes it somewhat easier to wrestle with.

The MS-20V typifies what V-Collection has mostly been about over the years – the sound of the vintage synth. And of the other new v9 highlights this sound doesn’t get any more famous than that made by the CS-80 V which has been ‘rebuilt’ for this update. It is now on v4 and models Yamaha’s original synth brilliantly, although is now a little easier to control and less fiddly (and of course won’t set you back five figures). Sound wise, expect those lush pads and strings and a combined electronic oomph you will rarely hear anywhere else.

37 GEAR REVIEW

Other classics to get a refresh include two Sequentials (the legendary Prophet-5 and Prophet VS), and the Piano V instrument, which now has 12 modelled pianos to cover all of your acoustic needs. Which brings us to those unusual inclusions in v9 that we hinted at earlier, and two distinctly non-

V-Collection 9 gives a needed refresh to a number of Arturia emulations and the two new classic additions are welcome. The Augmented titles point to a possible future and the sound banks are a great way to get the full ‘V’ experience. We’re not convinced existing users – especially v8 – will need to make the leap just yet, but to newcomers, this is a powerful and attractive suite of instruments. With a single instrument inclusion costing up to €249 alone, getting all 33 and those extras for €599 seems like a steal. The only issue then, of course, is that of plugin bloat – having way too many options – and there’s a tyranny of choice feature on that subject alone. Otherwise this is an essential sonic museum tour with a very decent entry price.

Upgrade prices vary (starting at €99) depending on your existing version

A synth you might well have bought in hardware –thanks to the many reissues made by Korg in recent years – is the MS20. Arturia’s MS-20 V is a faithful looking emulation and sound wise it’s pretty good too. It’s perhaps not quite as gutsy as the original, but there are two filter options (the Mk1 and 2) and enough controls to wrestle sounds that are easily close enough to the original’s often head splitting tones.

“Perhaps this is a new direction for a collection that is going to run out of keyboards to emulate”

Arturia V-Collection 9 is available now for €599.

Augmented Strings and Voices are sample-based with realtime synth and morphing controls.

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BOTTOM LINE

38 TalkWantWeCUSTOMERS.SOTHIS?READINGAREYOURacceptalladvertsunlesstheyfeatureamanhuggingaspeaker…toreach50,000industrymemberseachmonth?torosie@audiomediainternational.com Andaudiomediainternational.comdon’tworry-ifthat’syouradvert,wecanhelp you create an advert that looks great for free and then it’s yours forever. Audio Media International reaches live, studio and install industry members every day. From engineers to CEOs, studios to venues, artists to R&D, we’ve got you covered.

40 Making Passion Heard In Again.Vienna. BUDGET.ONEXCELLENCEAUDIOA Further information: https://austrian.audio OC16 LARGE-DIAPHRAGM CONDENSER MICROPHONE DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED IN VIENNA THE ALL NEW Equipped with the CKR6 Capsule Handmade in Vienna 40 Hz / 160 Hz High Pass LowFlat148Max.TechnologyOpen-Acoustics-FilterSPL:dBSPLDesign&Weight

“I am extremely sad to announce the death of my Dad, ATC’s founder and owner, Billy Woodman.

OBITUARY

Recently, ATC shared the following statement from Will Woodman, ATC CEO

“He was truly an exceptional man in every aspect of his life. He was one of life’s true gentleman.”

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Billy Woodman

My family would appreciate some privacy during this incredibly difficult time.”

The loss of my Dad is profoundly felt by not just me, my darling mum, Mumble, his grandchildren, his family, and friends, but the entire ATC family that he created and very much loved.

Dad was an extraordinary man, not only gifted as an engineer but also as a jazz pianist and undertook exquisite restorations of vintage cars. He was truly an exceptional man in every aspect of his life. He was one of life’s true gentlemen and leaves a remarkable legacy. He inspired many, not least me, in how he led his life, always with courage, kindness and generosity.

built. At the heart of this was outstanding transducer design and engineering that focused on achieving the best sound reproduction possible.

Dad founded ATC almost five decades ago. His principles, philosophies, and absolute commitment to achieving engineering excellence are the foundation on which ATC is

41 OBITUARY

Dad’s emphasis on running ATC as a family business has remained and under his leadership and guiding hand, we have ensured that ATC has continued to grow and succeed with the constant support of fellow Director and lifelong friend, Bob Polley.

Dad passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on 21 July 2022, aged 76 years old. Although Dad had suffered with a number of health issues over the years, he had always defied the odds and recovered, his death has been a shock to us all.

This is TYX, founded by Tileyard. Apply for membership into Europe’s largest music-centric creative community.

TYX offers world-class content creation spaces and music production studios. Designed with maximum ﬂexibility and minimum set-up time.

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YOUR TIME YOUR SPACE

43 WHAT’S ON CONVENTION DIARY 2022-23 PLASA Show 2022 4th-6th September 2022 Olympia National Hall, London, UK www.plasashow.com SHOW IBC Show 2022 9th–13th September 2022 RAI, NetherlandsAmsterdam, show.ibc.org Cedia Expo 2022 29th Sept–1st Oct 2022 Kay Bailey Hutchison Conv. Centre, Dallas, Texas, USA cediaexpo.com BPM 2022 15th-16th October 2022 Cranmore Park, Solihull, UK www.bpmshow.co.uk PASIC 2022 9th–12th November 2022 Indianapolis Conv. Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA pasic.org AES New York 2022 19th-20th October 2022 Jakob Javitz Centre, New York, USA aes2.org LDI 14th–20th November 2022 Las Vegas Conv. Centre, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA www.ldishow.com CES 2023 5th–8th January 2023 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA www.ces.tech * Integrated Systems Europe is the AV industry show ISE 2023* 31st Jan–3rd Feb 2023 Fira de Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain www.iseurope.org audiomediainternational.com

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Audio Media International Issue 3

Articles inside

STUDIO PROFILE: BLACK ROCK

STUDIO PROFILE: GROUSE LODGE

LARKIN POE

FRONT ROW

INTERVIEW: PMC

MPG PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: MARTA SALOGNI