Ok, where should we record?

[oceanrockstudios]

Try OCEANROCK STUDIOS Aboyne !!

Hi there! why not come out to Aboyne and try our studio ? Much closer than the central belt, lots of good gear and a properly switched on producer! Have a look at www.oceanrockstudios.co.uk.

Cheers

Nathan

[Bobby]

a properly switched on producer.

aye but you would say that.

[oceanrockstudios]

Too right !!

aye but you would say that.

Thanks for your thought' date=' Bobby !! have al ook at the website and drop me an email if you like !!

Cheers

Nathan ( [i']the self-confessed "switched-on" producer! )

www.oceanrockstudios.co.uk

[GraemeC]

Hi there! why not come out to Aboyne and try our studio ? Much closer than the central belt' date=' lots of good gear and a properly switched on producer! Have a look at [url']www.oceanrockstudios.co.uk.

Cheers

Nathan

So if someone was torn between going to you or The Mill how would you sell your studio?

[oceanrockstudios]

OCEANROCK STUDIOS v THE MILL

Opeth. Deicide. Emperor. Dimmu Borgir. Trivium. Machine Head. Cradle. Lamb of God. The Used. Henry Rollins. Fight Club.

Does that answer your question ?

Cheers

nathan

www.oceanrockstudios.co.uk

[GraemeC]

Does that answer your question ?

No not really.....what are you saying? Do you think that reeling off band names makes a studio desireable?

G...

[GraemeC]

In fact I just looked at your website and none of those bands appear on the list of bands who have recorded there.....

But Fubar do!!!

[threeornothing]

Maybe the clencher would be the fact that they actually *have* a website....

I'd gladly make the Mill a great page in return for a demo recording.... :]

[GraemeC]

Maybe the clencher would be the fact that they actually *have* a website....

I'd gladly make the Mill a great page in return for a demo recording.... :]

I'll mention it to Niall....

G...

[Hog]

Opeth. Deicide. Emperor. Dimmu Borgir. Trivium. Machine Head. Cradle. Lamb of God. The Used. Henry Rollins. Fight Club.

Does that answer your question ?

Cheers

nathan

www.oceanrockstudios.co.uk

You have worked with those bands? o_O

[MTA]

I Could do the Name drops too not going to though

[General Ermintrude]

I can change my post too. Isn't this fun?

[MTA]

With reff to which Albums??

If you know the process of engineering the Assistant does quite a bit of the work, If with a producer then they do most of the engineering. I also have done quite a bit on my own as Producer/Engineer for many record co's and studios with chart results. Album credits dont really tell much about the making..

[Daniel]

With reff to which Albums??

If you know the process of engineering the Assistant does quite a bit of the work' date=' If with a producer then they do most of the engineering. I also have done quite a bit on my own as Producer/Engineer for many record co's and studios with chart results. Album credits dont really tell much about the making..[/quote']

did you do any work wit idlewild, when they recorded in cornwall? also which oasis album did you work on

[The Byre]

This thread had turned into a silly 'mine-is-bigger-than-yours' bragging match.

Firstly, I feel Nathan should not use words like "as good as top London sudios" because that is obviously not the case. Making a statement like that just opens you up to ridicule, which is probably not what you wanted. Don't get me wrong, I am sure that you do a great job, but I feel that you are going about promoting your services in the wrong way.

As for which ProTools is professional, the only ProTools anyone is interested in is HD3 - the rest are just toys and are priced accordingly. As for the quiality of the 001, it produces top end distortion that makes everything sound as if it was recorded using cheap Chinese mics. One can use the 001 to drive PT Lite for simple editing jobs, but that is about as far as it goes. I would be very reluctant to use it for tracking or even mixing.

Nathan, top London studios? Which top London studios are we talking about? The Abbey? Air? Whitfield Street? Angel? Have you ever been in any of them? I have and I can assure you that a small Yamaha desk and an 001 is rathgera long way away from an 88R and a choice of every recording format you care to think of from PT-HD to Radar, from Logic to Soundscape, from, well, you get the idea! I have worked in studios all over Europe from London to Berlin and so have a fair idea of what to expect in a studio, top or otherwise.

I have a feeling (just a feeling, mind) that the room might not be up to 'top London studio' standard.

I might also suggest that the Yamaha upright and the other keys might not be up to the kind of instuments that one would expect in a 'top London studio.'

Yes, Aberdeen is probably lacking good studios and Nathen might be just the guy to fill that gap in the market. But before making statements like the ones you have made, I suggest that you spend some time actually having a look at top London studios - or, as someone else has pointed out here, top Scottish studios.

OK, I know MTA has come on a bit strong here and I hope you can forgive him! I know MTA quite well and (trust me on this one!) he actaully a really nice guy and he knows a good deal about recording, having worked with us and with John Cornfield down at Sawmills. In fact we bought Soundscape just so that he has something to play with! (I am more of a Radar man myself.)

There is of course, nothing to stop you building a good studio and if you do, you will find that people from all over the Globe will come to record with you. We have just completed a Danish film earlier this year and we did the pre-production for a major UK film last year. Also we have a steady string of US and UK advertising work come to us. We just sent the music to a New York agency for an anti drugs campagne at midnight last night (Thank F for broadband!) and we have a top New York act coming here over the Winter period. So you see, if you build it, they will come!

You could do well to follow MTA's advice and go for Soundscape. It's cheaper than PT and does much more. It is also 100% stable and you will have to admitt that PT Lite does go into a coma if you ask it to do two things at once! BTW, 60% of all films made in Scotland have their A for V done on Soundscape - ask John at 'The Base' in Glasgow.

Oh yes, and if you are ever in the Inverness area, come past and crack a few 'brewskis' with us - you know it makes sense!

Cheers

Andrew

www.the-byre.com

[Flash@TMB]

You've done it so many times before. You always seem to miss the word ASSISTANT out of your job description' date=' though.[/quote']

Shut the door on your way out - it's way past your bedtime.

[Flash@TMB]

long post that makes sense

Nathan - I agree with Andrew. Comparing your setup to a 'top London studio' is just asking for trouble. The gear you have available is only a small part of the story. What counts most is your skill as an engineer, and if you are any good then the word will get out. People did recordings 30 years ago with less sophistcated gear than I have in the bar and they still got great results. BTW I don't even know how to use my own gear LMAO!

Most bands that frequent this site are looking for low cost, and your charges look reasonable. The biggest obstacle will be transport and if they can't afford the bus fare then they won't be able to pay you anyway LOL

If you really have worked with the bands you've quoted then you need to publisise that more. In advertising terms that will probably count for more than the gear. For instance some studios round here still use DAT, and get excellent results. And it's the results that count.

Good Luck!

[General Ermintrude]

People did recordings 30 years ago with less sophistcated gear than I have in the bar and they still got great results.

George Martin and Phil Spector must be humbled by your praise. You're a helluva guy, Flash.

Now it's past my bedtime.

[oceanrockstudios]

Friends !!

Dear Friends out there in the recording world !

Please let me make myself extremely clear. At our studio, we get the results that top UK studios get: - in the quality of the performances and in the combined skill of the artists and the production. So, to see you all reel off lists of " My car is bigger than your car " and stuff like that is pathetic !! I am fascinated about how wonderful the client list is at the Byre in the Highlands, New York etc. But out here in the real world it is a very different world to yours. So do not go trying to rubbish the Aberdeen based studios just to big yourself up. Why dont you start your own topic rather than invade this one?

So, if any prospective bands are reading this topic, please be aware that at OCEANROCK STUDIOS we do not spend our time splitting hairs about technology. We have good equipment, we have a good attitude and we do not mess about !! Best of all is that we get great performances out of the artists because they prefer a no nonsense approach.

Now, as for the list of bands, these are influences not clients. And if you understand who these bands are, then you will understand what as a studio we do.

Cheers

nathan

[HeinzHines]

Now' date=' as for the list of bands, these are influences not clients. And if you understand who these bands are, then you will understand what as a studio we do.

[/quote']

This doesnt really compute in my head....to be fair....you made it look like you had recorded those bands....listing influences doesnt mean anything...a decent studio should be able to cater for everything....

I have looked at your studio and it looks ok....24 is maybe a little steep IMO...just because for a pound more an hour people know they can get awesome results at the Mill with a recognised engineer....

I wish you luck and all....

[Cloud]

I can't help but feel that "Oceanrock studios" is nothing more than a room in some bloke's house in which he's kitted it out with expensive stuff for him to play at record maker...

Here's a hint : stop trying to compete with real studios, because you'll just look ridiculous if a band turns up expecting a professional place and they get what you're offering. As referenced earlier in this thread, what gives you the advantage over The Mill? I don't know *anything* about the production process, but on the scale of things - The Mill is a well known, established studio with some very significant credits to its name and ran by someone who knows his stuff, versus your place, ran by someone who appears to have little grasp on reality and which is essentially a room in some bloke's house.

As for you getting the results that top UK studios get - why not get permission from some artists that have recorded at your studios and put up some MP3's so we can judge for ourselves? Fair enough, MP3 is hardly a great format for hearing the little things that put the edge to a finished record, but we can get the general idea for the capability for the studio.

Personally, I wouldn't be jumping to pay for a studio where the biggest act recorded was Fubar and where the owner was "influenced" by such a narrow selection of bands.

[Cloud]

24 is maybe a little steep IMO...just because for a pound more an hour people know they can get awesome results at the Mill with a recognised engineer....

That's what I was trying to say - why would anyone pay 24/hour for a "studio" in someone's spare room when they could pay 25/hour and get The Mill?

It'd be interesting to see if "Oceanrock" was even on the same level as Captain Toms when it came to recording/producing.

[oceanrockstudios]

Hello Cloud !!

That's what I was trying to say - why would anyone pay 24/hour for a "studio" in someone's spare room when they could pay 25/hour and get The Mill?

It'd be interesting to see if "Oceanrock" was even on the same level as Captain Toms when it came to recording/producing.

Well, if you are interested to see, why dont you come and have a look? You seem really keen to diss something you havent seen. And for your information, this studio had been working succesfully for two years and is a stand alone building !!

The Mill is an excellent facilty. And big respect to exile and the moorings and captain toms. There is clearly enough work for all to go round. So thanks to you Cloud for all the attempted adverse publicity - it only makes real musicians more curious about what is on offer.

So, rather than all your increasingly negative stuff, how about some positive ideas about how studios can serve their customers better ?? One thing is for certain. NO-ONE is under any illusions when they record here - what you see is what you get, and what you hear is even better !!

Come on Cloud, lighten up !!

Cheers

Nathan

[Flash@TMB]

Cloud - I feel that your criticism was a bit OTT. In all fairness his basic setup does not seem too dissimilar to The Mill. Whether he gets results of a similar quality is not something we can judge until we've heard them. He's just being a little optimisitic in comparing his operation to 'top UK studios'.

The rate is not at all bad. Assuming he was working 4 billable hours each day, 5 days a week, 46 weeks a year (that's PAID hours remember), then he would GROSS around 25K a year which is the minimum he would need to function. Remember that he will have tax to pay, and rent/mortgage, consumables, and equipment to maintain/replace. Yes there are places that charge significantly less... but theres always someone prepared to work for nothing. Nathan should not be criticised for trying to earning a reasonable living. He has after all invested a not inconsiderable sum of money in this venture, equivalent to approx 2-3 years net income.

Nathan - The Moorings Bar is a bar not a studio. We have a live recording rig that's all.

[The Byre]

Home brew in paper cups?

I must disagree with Flash and agree with some of what Cloud says here and the reason is as follows:

There is a complete mismatch with and an utter disregard of reality by most people running 'demo rooms' project studio' (call them what you will.) There is a real belief that somehow a cheap desk can do what an Amek, Neve or SSL desk can do. Many in the project World honestly believe that somehow a budget mic will sound every bit as good as a Neumann or Brauner. They actually and honestly think that somehow a set of plugins in ProTools, CuBase or CoolEdit will give the same results as a rack full of hardware costing tens of thousands. They believe that thier garage or bedroom conversion will sound as good as the main room at Air.

I'll put this bluntly: You can no more build a commercial studio for a few thousand, than you can start a taxi company by bolting two bicycles together and calling it a car - or start a JCB hire company with a bucket and spade.

Most musicians have got their own project studio where they can record into CoodEdit or PT-Lite and do some bar-beat editing - most will have their own PA mixers and a load of stage mics like SM57s and 58s. They are looking for something that they do NOT have - like good mics, a grand piano, a big room that sounds nice, a proper drum room, a real monitoring system, a choice of multitracks, good 5.1 monitoring with a choice of systems and so on. They certainly do not need what they have already at home in the garage!

That is why demo studios struggle to get clients.

There is a complete parallel universe thing going on here. This other universe is sadly being fed by the home-studio industry and they (i.e. the manufacturers of semi-pro kit) perpetuate all kinds of myths and good old fashioned untruths in order to sell their boxes.

These myths include out and out lies like:

- Many hit records have been recorded at home on a computer

- Plugins can do everything real studio hardware can do

- A hit record will make you rich

- You don't need to learn about music to succeed

- Samples are as good as the real thing

People spend huge sums of money chasing these myths. They buy channel strips and tons of software and all kinds of Chinese microphones from the likes of AT, Rode, SE etc. and waste vast amounts on mickey-mouse monitors from Behringer, Mackie, Samson, etc. Worst still, they attend courses in audio technology, believing that there is a career out there (somewhere) for them, not realising that there are about 50 full-time, commercial recording studios in the whole of the UK.

Just as there is no number of bicycles you can tie together to build a taxi company, there is no number of cheap mics or Yamaha desks you can install to build a studio. There are standard pieces of kit that every studio has to have to attract clients, just as a London taxi company has to have an Austin Taxi, or a JCB digger hire company has to have a line of JCB Site-Masters.

Hey Flash! Could you sell home-brew in paper cups in your bar? How about bar stools from Ikea? Or a PA made from a hi-fi from Asda? Na, I didn't think so!

Hey, don't shoot the messenger - it's the way it is.

Cheers - Andrew

www.the-byre.com