Studios in San Francisco?

[burgeis]

Which studios are "the shit" in San Francisco? I'm moving from Iceland to San Francisco and I need a job at a studio over there.

[Brad McGowan]

Tiny Telephone is the trendy cool place for all the hipsters to record. That's owned by John Vanderslice. There's also Hyde Street, which has a rich history and I believe is having some financial trouble right now. I think you're going to have a tough time finding permanent employment at a studio right now. I'm of course making the assumption that you are looking for a studio that records music for bands and artists as opposed to a place that does film, TV, or post work. Your best bet is to find a place with a vibe you like and then go see some shows and introduce yourself to bands. If you are a Nuendo/Cubase person you can even rent out my place in the East Bay.

Brad

[drew]

The Plant just over the bridge in Sausalito might be considered "the shit"

[DSD_Mastering]

If you're into Post, check out One Union Recording.
For Post, it's the sh*t!!

Regards,
Bruce

[kissingonstilts]

Fantasy in Berkeley.

[Duffster]

studio 880 in oakland

[dokushoka]

The big places are closing fast out here...

There are lots of small producer owned operations opening up though, although I doubt there are any "ins" there.

My partner and I are on the prowl for a space as I type this...

[stevep]

I gota recommend Hyde St. Wally Hiders old room

A sweet Neve desk nice room, ect...

They also have an Amek APC1000 there is only 2 left ... i have the other one

Hyde Street Studios

[6dyslexicelephnt]

tiny telephone is the shit

neve console, studer 24 track, lots of cool mics and stuff

erin prellwitz who works there is also the shit but he's moving away. i can't wait until we finish making our album with him because it's sounding so incredible!

[juniorhifikit]

I lived there solidly for 9 years, off and on before that. It's tough.

SF Soundworks seems to have big money behind it and so will probably be a good bet. Studio 880 seems to be doing well. Tiny Telephone is cool and John's a great guy. When I had staff gigs my checks from many other studios in SF would bounce - not a good sign. Post always pays better if you can stand it. There aren't many major labels doing business there. The people who seem to be kicking ass there have their own clientel. If you don't have any clients, find someone who does. Jerry Harrison does pretty well but he's had the same guys forever. Walter A. used to have a studio there but I think he went to LA. Eric Valentine went to LA. Mark Needham... Look on the Digi site for guys with Icons in the Bay Area - chances are, they have a few clients and may need an assistant.

Nice place to live if you can afford it. Good luck! Man would I love a burrito and an Anchorsteam right now!

[dokushoka]

Man would I love a burrito and an Anchorsteam right now!

I'll trade you your place in Paris for all the Mission burrittos and Anchor Steams that you could ever want.

[burgeis]

Thanks for the help. I'm only moving temporarily to San Fran and I thougt I would try to gain some experience while I'm there which could benefit me in my work over here. So I'm not exactly after the big bucks, just enough to stay alive

[CoteRotie]

Well, I can't add anything to what's been written here already about local studios or work opportunities, but if you need any local information or tips feel free to PM me. I live just a few miles south of SF.

Regards,

John

[Brad McGowan]

Originally Posted by 6dyslexicelephnt

tiny telephone is the shit

neve console, studer 24 track, lots of cool mics and stuff

erin prellwitz who works there is also the shit but he's moving away. i can't wait until we finish making our album with him because it's sounding so incredible!

You mean Aaron. He's a cool dude.

Brad

[dropblacksky]

Originally Posted by burgeis

Thanks for the help. I'm only moving temporarily to San Fran and I thougt I would try to gain some experience while I'm there which could benefit me in my work over here. So I'm not exactly after the big bucks, just enough to stay alive

It's a tough market here for sure. There are a couple audio schools and programs in the area cranking out "engineers"...so there are 30-50 guys at least going for every job opening that crops up. Your chances at the few remaining major studios are pretty slim. The other thing is that you're temporary...nobody wants to invest time into someone who's going to leave in a few months.

Unless you have connections, it's going to be tough to get in somewhere...but you could get lucky, so it wouldn't hurt to try and make contact with studios you're interested in. If you're main goal is experience, you'd have a much better chance of getting some sort of unpaid internship (though there will be heavy competition for those as well at the bigger studios) and find some other way to support yourself on the side. Like was said earlier, research who's here...you may stand a better chance getting a gig through a producer who wants some temporary help on projects than you would getting a staff gig at a studio here. Good luck, it's a great place to live if you can find your niche.

[andsonic]

It seems like a lot of the big places here are having serious trouble. I'm not sure that Fantasy is even open anymore which would be very, very sad. I'm not sure The Plant is doing much better. Major Label projects seem to be drying up. There's lots of smaller owner operated or smaller stuff.
In the north bay, Prairie Sun is still chugging away. They have an old Neve room, an SSL 4000 mix room and a (I believe) Trident "project" space. In The Pocket is a hidden little gem of a "private" studio with a Neve 8068 and a gearlist that would make a Gearslut sweat. (In The Pocket - Home for some nice desktop pics)
I don't know if the Annex down in Menlo Park is still open. That's a nice place too.
There's a lot of work in non-traditional audio. Post, Game Audio, Toy Audio, Telephone Audio.


Good Luck!

[sfaudiogeek]

Talking House and Broken Radio are two new studios that have opened up recently. And SF Soundworks is a really cool place too. . . But getting a job at any one of these will be extremely difficult as everyone here has said. If you are really dedicated to doing some recording here, your best bet might be to find a part-time "regular" job (or do odd jobs on craigslist) and intern at one of these places. You will get some good networking done, and if you are a good intern will have access to the studios when they are not booked (usually LATE night). San Francisco does rule, but it's tough to stand out with all the music and engineering types around here. . . Good Luck!

[mikecorwin]

Originally Posted by dokushoka

I'll trade you your place in Paris for all the Mission burrittos and Anchor Steams that you could ever want.

Nah, man...I live in LA and still CRAVE Taqueria Cancun tortas!

[Audio Hombre]

Originally Posted by burgeis

Which studios are "the shit" in San Francisco? I'm moving from Iceland to San Francisco and I need a job at a studio over there.

it's pretty ambitious thinking you're going to walk into any studio that's "the shit" anywhere in N.America and get a job, let alone SF.especially in light of the fact you said it's just temporary.as the other poster said, finding peeps that are going to invest in a short timer is slim to none. but hey best of luck to ya

[niteflite]

sfSoundworks is shut down ):

[burgeis]

Originally Posted by Audio Hombre

it's pretty ambitious thinking you're going to walk into any studio that's "the shit" anywhere in N.America and get a job, let alone SF.especially in light of the fact you said it's just temporary.as the other poster said, finding peeps that are going to invest in a short timer is slim to none. but hey best of luck to ya

Now I know what I'm up against. I don't know what I'll actually end up doing over there. But if I don't try and pursue what I really want, I don't expect ending up doing it.

exciting exciting

[burgeis]

Haha, that smiley is disgusting

[loujudson]

Originally Posted by kissingonstilts

Fantasy in Berkeley.

Any truth the the rumor I heard that Fantasy is being sold and going under? Don't remember where I hear that.

I wouldn't want to work in "sh*t", I'd rather have a good smelling studio. Remember the sweet smell of tape? (Guess I'm asking why the euphemism - am I too old? 17 in 67, good career ever since, but not a studio "job".)

I live 15 miles North of SF but all my work is live sound and recording... haven't heard of a studio "job" opening locally for years. LOTS of students though looking for work!

L

[Jax]

Originally Posted by juniorhifikit

SF Soundworks seems to have big money behind it and so will probably be a good bet.

I thought SF Soundworks was getting out of the biz. Maybe I'm imagining that I saw post by Tony Espinoza in the classifieds saying he was selling off everything? I don't know, cos the post is gone.

Man would I love a burrito and an Anchorsteam right now!

Yeah, and the best part is you can get a burrito to go, then walk to the Anchor Steam brewery in 10 minutes and drink from the source!

[juniorhifikit]

Originally Posted by mikecorwin

Nah, man...I live in LA and still CRAVE Taqueria Cancun tortas!

Oh man, Cancun is the BEST!

Originally Posted by niteflite

sfSoundworks is shut down ):

Wow, that didn't take long. Sucks...

[dave-G]

Originally Posted by juniorhifikit

Oh man, Cancun is the BEST!

Depends on which Taqueria Cancun .. I used to get stuff from the one among the crackheads at Market and 6th St, but after a rat crossed my path in the dining area, I decided driving from South of Market to Pancho Villa, El Toro, La Corneta, or the Cancun in the mission might be worth the effort.

Fact remains, there are NO burritos like San Francisco burritos anywhere else on the planet. (sheds tear)

As for the original poster and studios... try rustling up some freelance work and bringing it in to places like The Plant, Fantasy or 880.

-dave

[Jax]

Originally Posted by dave-G

Depends on which Taqueria Cancun .. I used to get stuff from the one among the crackheads at Market and 6th St, but after a rat crossed my path in the dining area, I decided driving from South of Market to Pancho Villa, El Toro, La Corneta, or the Cancun in the mission might be worth the effort.

Man... 6th and Market for burritos? Good thing you came to your senses. That block is the dirtiest area in the entire city, and they've even cleaned it up some. They're (mayor's idea) actually trying to gentrify the area... lmao. Well, I guess the crackheads have migrated slightly more north and now the 'loin is a lil more rancid.

The best two taquerias in town right now are La Corneta in Glen Park and Pancho Villa on 16th, IMO. El Toro sucks. Taco Loco at 29th and Mission is ok when you're in a jam.

[dave-G]

Originally Posted by Jax

Man... 6th and Market for burritos? Good thing you came to your senses. That block is the dirtiest area in the entire city, and they've even cleaned it up some. They're (mayor's idea) actually trying to gentrify the area... lmao. Well, I guess the crackheads have migrated slightly more north and now the 'loin is a lil more rancid.

My place was near 5th and Folsom ... 7 years there! What can I say? That Cancun was simply the neighborhood taqueria!

And just to show you how purely "Crack" that neighborhood is, late at night of the day I moved in, I went out in search of a convenience store for some food. Ended up just on the other side of Market in the 'loin. Took my cash out of my wallet and left it under the seat. Came back to find my car broken into, wallet gone. Knowing it was a cashless wallet, I thought maybe whoever took it threw its other contents away, so I started looking. A conscientious crackhead joined the search with me. There were pieces of things strewn all up and down the block. The thief apparently didn't want my credit cards, as I found them almost immediately. My crack-assistant found a couple of things too, including an uncashed check that was folded up and stuck to the back of my old student ID. As we searched, people wouid walk by every other minute and mutter something under their breath that my new assistant told me was an offer of crack. He said the best way to get them to leave you alone is to say "no thanks, I do heroin."

"No thanks, I do heroin" ... I tried it the next opportunity I had. The crack-offerer nodded an acknowledgement, as if saying "Oh, my mistake".. and went on about his business. I got to use it 4 or 5 more times, laughing internally.

As soon as I found my driver's license next to a trash can on the corner, I thanked 'Cracky' and gave him the remaining $4.21 I had in my pocket as a gratuity (hey, it impressed him).

. . .


Anyway ... burritos. MMmmmmmmmm ... And the other wrapped-up culinary jewel down in the Mission is the chicken shawermas at Truly Mediterranean on 16th near Valencia, served only on Tuesday and Friday.. Get it with hot sauce and feta. ... Outstanding.


Good luck, Icelander .. You might not find a studio job immediately, but we can damn-sure get you fed.

-dave

[dokushoka]

Dave, great story!

I live in the Richmond District now but I used to live just a few blocks from your old place at 6th and Howard and before that, 13th and South Van Ness where there was literally a "crackhead city" of tents out front!

My favorite burrito in SF is actually in Potrero Hill at a weird spot called "Dos Pinas." It looks cheesy inside but my boy Charlie makes the best burrito (and tacos) that I have ever had. You really can't touch SF for Mexican food.

[juniorhifikit]

You can't touch SF for ANY food!

I thought Pancho Villa and El Toro were owned by the same folks? The chicken shawerma at Truly Mediterranean is amazing, as are the crepes at Ti Couz, the fresh noodles at San Tung, the dimsum at Tong Kiang, the ceviche at Taqueria Cancun down by Bernal Heights (the one at Market and 6th sucks), the cornmeal pancakes at Kates Kitchen... Holy crap, I'm getting hungry! Don't forget Big Nate's for BBQ... and the sushi!

Geez! I must stop now!

The souffles at Chez Jacqueline!! (couldn't resist)