NYC - Large Drum iso + nice live room + good piano

[Legacy]

Hi All,

I'm asking this here because so many of us do acoustic music - jazz and classical which this project is.

I'm hoping you can help me brainstorm up a list of studios in NYC are that have the following triumvirate in place:

-Large iso that a BIG kit + percussion can fit in and sound good (having a little room to spare)
-Nice, warm live room.
-Good piano - not overly bright and percussive.

Avatar and Clinton B are on the list (A is too big and the drum 'rooms' are too small for this kit) although I'm not in love with either of their pianos...

Thanks in advance,
Silas

[Igotsoul4u]

look no further then your name!!!! Legacy Recording (right track) studio A would be absolutely perfect. Pat Metheny records there a lot and uses the room in that exact manner. Drums in the live room against the back wall and the perc off to the side near the brick. The piano booth is big and sounds good. The live room is large enough to have the piano in with the drums but obviously bleed will be very high. i think they have an SSL now but there is still about 24 1081's in there. Also the same room where "eye of the tiger" was recorded!!!!!!!!!

[Legacy]

Thanks, Igotsoul4u.

Do you know anything about the piano there? I've never worked in A (worked in A509 but it's too big for this project).

I've got a bit of a chip on my shoulder since they changed their name

But I should at least add A to the list of rooms to check out.

-Silas

[ScottAltiz]

Water Music in Hoboken NJ
watermusic.net

Live room is perfect for drums. Also has a very large iso booth (jungle room) and two medium sized iso booths. Yamaha C7 modified hammers (not so bright as typical C7) Neve 8088 48 input desk, tons of great vintage outboard, 4 plate reverbs.... Probably much cheaper hourly/daily then manhattan studios.
Sounds like it fits your needs exactly. Check them out. The chief engineer there is awesome and the 2nd engineer ain't so shabby either
cheers,
scott

[Igotsoul4u]

Originally Posted by Legacy

Thanks, Igotsoul4u.

I've got a bit of a chip on my shoulder since they changed their name
-Silas

I hate the name change also especially since Right Track was my first employer and more importantly my education. I can't tell you much about the piano from a player perspective except that people seemed to like it and believe me that they would have bitched and moaned if they didn't. Its a 9ft yamaha concert grand and it wouldn't be in there for so long if it wasn't great. The only time another piano came in was when people needed a midi/acoustic piano or they had some sort of sponsorship that would pay to put something else in.

[Legacy]

Originally Posted by ScottAltiz

Water Music in Hoboken NJ
watermusic.net

Live room is perfect for drums. Also has a very large iso booth (jungle room) and two medium sized iso booths. Yamaha C7 modified hammers (not so bright as typical C7) Neve 8088 48 input desk, tons of great vintage outboard, 4 plate reverbs.... Probably much cheaper hourly/daily then manhattan studios.
Sounds like it fits your needs exactly. Check them out. The chief engineer there is awesome and the 2nd engineer ain't so shabby either
cheers,
scott

Thanks, Scott. I've wondered about Water Music for years but never got a chance to work there. It's on the list.

-Silas

[Legacy]

Originally Posted by Igotsoul4u

I hate the name change also especially since Right Track was my first employer and more importantly my education. I can't tell you much about the piano from a player perspective except that people seemed to like it and believe me that they would have bitched and moaned if they didn't. Its a 9ft yamaha concert grand and it wouldn't be in there for so long if it wasn't great. The only time another piano came in was when people needed a midi/acoustic piano or they had some sort of sponsorship that would pay to put something else in.

Thanks. I didn't realize that it's a 9 foot - that's nice. Rather hard to find in NYC.

-Silas

[lexx00]

If you don't mind going to Westchester, do check out Bicoastal Music,
beautiful Russ Berger room, gorgeous Steinway, SSL C200, etc, etc.. lot's of jazz records are done there (last one of note was the Yellowjackets).

[Legacy]

Originally Posted by lexx00

If you don't mind going to Westchester, do check out Bicoastal Music,
beautiful Russ Berger room, gorgeous Steinway, SSL C200, etc, etc.. lot's of jazz records are done there (last one of note was the Yellowjackets).

Man, I love Bicoastal. Live and control are perhaps the best I've ever heard (I live in Westchester so that's nice too). One of the few places in NYC area to get a nice Steinway D also.

I'd be there in a heartbeat but I'm afraid there isn't quite enough room for this group (8 players). There is a drum kit + octapad + perc + xylophone that needs an iso to itself (one player)...

Wishing Hal would turn his office into a big drum iso ;-)...

Thanks,
Silas

[RobAnderson]

Hi Silas

Kampo Studios down in the village comes to mind - decent live room, decent piano (I think it's a 7-foot?). I am not sure if the Drum iso is quite big enough for all of that stuff; control room is a little on the small side as well, but the live room is a good size.

Did you rule out Avatar C? The flexibility of those iso booths might work for all of that percussion.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Legacy

Thanks, Scott. I've wondered about Water Music for years but never got a chance to work there. It's on the list.

-Silas

We recently spent an entire day tracking at Water.

Great live room! The console is ever so sweet sounding. I wish we had enough time to mix more tunage on it.

[Legacy]

Originally Posted by RobAnderson

Hi Silas

Kampo Studios down in the village comes to mind - decent live room, decent piano (I think it's a 7-foot?). I am not sure if the Drum iso is quite big enough for all of that stuff; control room is a little on the small side as well, but the live room is a good size.

Did you rule out Avatar C? The flexibility of those iso booths might work for all of that percussion.

Hi Rob!

Hope all is well. Thanks - Kampo is now on the 'check out' list. If their Steinway B is really nice for acoustic stuff it would be a rare find.

Avatar C is on the list for sure. It would be perfect in every way except I'm not crazy about the sound of the live room for getting warm solo string / wind sounds. I've often fought some hard sounding reflections in there. Great room in every way for rock and jazz. I like the people there also.

Thanks,
Silas

[ajfarber]

Sear Sound studio A has a nice Steinway C. Studio C has a Steinway D.

Also try Kaufman Astoria Studios. Great room with a Mason & Hamlin AA.

[Marlan]

Try Bennett Studios in Englewood. Not a 9 foot but a decent piano.

[ESL]

They also put out Entenmann's and the coffee's not bad.

[ajfarber]

Originally Posted by ESL

They also put out Entenmann's and the coffee's not bad.

Right! And you can hear Walter's jokes and smoke your brains out too.

...or not.tutt

[Legacy]

Hey Guys (Hey Marlan, Hey Andy),

Thanks. I've always wanted to work at Sear but I also felt like maybe I should just intern there

It's definitely on the list for this project.

If I'm recalling corectly, Bennett's drum iso may be too small although I like the studio.

I hope to check out rooms / pianos over the summer with the pianist.

-Silas

[ajfarber]

Originally Posted by Legacy

Hey Guys (Hey Marlan, Hey Andy),

Thanks. I've always wanted to work at Sear but I also felt like maybe I should just intern there

It's definitely on the list for this project.

If I'm recalling corectly, Bennett's drum iso may be too small although I like the studio.

I hope to check out rooms / pianos over the summer with the pianist.

-Silas

Bennett is a good studio if isolation is what you want. I like to have everyone in the same room without any iso or headphones and Bennett can be problematic. Their rates are good but the mic list is not deep unless you go to their rental items. If you don't care about tube and ribbon mics, Kaufman Astoria is the place to go. The iso room is large and the main room is the best in NYC. All solid state mics and pres and the Neve V is a bit funky, but the good room is worth the trip.

As for an intern at Sear, You're probably too old and experienced to be a gofer, but they might need a paid assistant. Call up Walter and feel him out.

As others have suggested, Avatar has a good room and iso booth, but the piano is just so-so. Legacy 48th street has a big iso booth, about the size of Clinton B. The room is good, also like Clinton B but with a warmer sound.

[thedoner]

If you're willing to travel an hour, The Barbershop in Lake Hopatcong, NJ might work for you.
Great live room. 3 OD booths. The largest booth could fit a big drumkit, and the medium booth could fit the perc. kit if you were willing to separate them. Booth 3 is smaller but fine for vox, sax, etc.
The piano is a very nice (not overly bright) Yam. C7 which was purchased from Chick Corea.

SSL 9000k
Tons O' mics
Tons O' pre's
Very true CR with Griffin Monitoring

Well worth a look.
Good Luck!
-Doner

[Legacy]

Yeah, this project is one of the few that I work on that really needs iso. I prefer the everyone in the room approach except when its wrong for the project...

The reason we need a huge drum iso is that the drummer / percussionist switches from kit to xylo to synth trigger frequently within a piece. He's used to doing it this way live so I want to be sure he can have all the instruments set up around him the way he needs.

Many thanks to all for the ideas,
Silas

[thedoner]

Ahhh, I didn't realize that the drummer is also the percussionist. I guess you need a REALLY big booth. Look into Kaufmann, their mic & pre collection is not on par with BarberShop, but if memory serves me, you could park a bus in those ISO's. Plus the live room is HUGE!
-Doner