PROSTUDIO
STRIKING THE RIGHT NOTE
A brand-new music recording studio in Dubai has become the go-to destination for many musicians and podcast hosts. With an ambience designed to inspire creativity, state-of-the-art infrastructure and a range of services, MNK Studios hopes to provide a different audio space for artists. Vijaya Cherian and N Nomani go on a tour The drab and dusty facades of the warehouses at Al Quoz in Dubai belie the sophisticated studio spaces within. MNK Studios, a brandnew sound recording studio that recently launched in Al Quoz, fits that description. Since it opened, the studio has welcomed a steady stream of clients with varying recording needs. “This is the only recording and rehearsal space of its kind in the UAE,” claims Miltiadis ‘Milton’ Kyvernitis, owner and managing director of MNK Studios. “This is one of the only places in the region where artists or musicians can regularly hone their talents in a professionally treated environment as well as receive a whole raft of services.” His confidence stems not only from the tech equipment available at the studio, but also his own first-hand experiences of the recording industry’s pain points. Starting his career as a freelance audio engineer in 2003 and joining Dubai Media Incorporated in 2007, he stepped away from the station last year to open MNK, though he has been working on its blueprint for the last five years. The Cypriot entrepreneur also did a short stint at AV distributor NMK Electronics, founded by his father Nicolas Kyvernitis. “The idea for this facility came when I realised there weren’t any rehearsal rooms in the country up to standard in terms of service and value,” says Kyvernitis. Everything about MNK is part of a meticulous thought process, starting from its location at Al Quoz. The 3,500sqft studio shares the same compound as musical instrument store Melody House and backline company MEI, which
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belong to his mother and sister respectively. With the opening of MNK, the compound has become a music hub and a one-stop shop for musicians. Many of MNK’s clients spill over from the more established MEI or Melody House. The Space With three spacious rehearsal rooms and two fully equipped recording studios, MNK is designed to cater to any conceivable audio needs, with some video resources too. Two rehearsal rooms are 320sqft each, and the largest is almost 700sqft. All three are acoustically isolated by 50cm walls and based on a box-in-box system to achieve 55dB in average sound attenuation. They are acoustically treated, designed and built by 21dB Acoustic Design and Consultancy. The large room is also a live room, connected to the facility’s two control rooms via a Dante network. The smaller Studio 2 is designed mainly for audio post work such as adverts and radio spots, with the larger Studio 1 designed for sound design, mixing, mastering and composition. Both have their own vocal booths. Apart from the acoustic treatment, MNK’s rooms come with guitar and bass amps and drums. The two smaller rooms come with a PA system as well as wedge monitors for drums, and the large room runs on multiple wedge monitors. Although these are primarily audio facilities, mood lighting has been fitted to help create the right ambience for artists. “They can change the colours to whatever theme they like based on their mood and
