Sun Recording Studio Room Design.

[glenn Taylor]

]Hello All, I just got back From Memphis. My band was chosen to compete in the 2009 International Blues Challenge. Great bands. We didnt win, but the best part of my trip was a tour of Sam Phillips Sun recording studio. The best part of the tour was seeing the duct tape x on the floor where Elvis Sang "Thats alright momma" Why/ I think this song followed by heartache hotel, great balls of fire changed the main stream music forever. Influencing the Beatles and many others who have changed pop music and culture.
My question to those who know the room is. What do you think of it's design for recording blues , rock and other medium volume sessions using only those white 12"x 12" tiles with the holes in them.
Glenn.[/SIZE]

[junkshop]

The ceiling is made with 12 x 12 tiles but they're on some kind of frame that gives them a sawtooth kind of profile.
It's a good sounding room but the magic of Sun had more to do with really, really great talent scouting than the room, equipment, etc, etc. Sun is probably the best example of great vision combined with being in the right place at the right time.

[glenn Taylor]

Yes thats true. I have about the same size room. Wood floors. 14' wide 35' long . Ceiling about 8 ft. Dry wall and a little glass on the walls. I want to get it a little fatter usung a lot of those 12" x 12" panels. My studio is bright. I want to get the lower mid to reflect more rather then the high mids and highs. Might this changes help.
Glenn.

[Bob Olhsson]

It's pretty typical early '50s radio studio construction.

[dbbubba]

The really cool thing was the original coke machine.

There wasn't much else there that was original when I visited in '89.
Well, there was the piano.

My impression was, "Really? In here?"

[Waltz Mastering]

Originally Posted by glenn Taylor

I have about the same size room. Wood floors. 14' wide 35' long . Ceiling about 8 ft. Dry wall and a little glass on the walls. I want to get it a little fatter usung a lot of those 12" x 12" panels. My studio is bright. I want to get the lower mid to reflect more rather then the high mids and highs. Might this changes help.
Glenn.

Wood, Dry Wall, and Glass are highly reflective surfaces which amplify the high end. Probably need some absorption and diffusion for a better low end response also parallel walls don't help.

TW

[Bob Olhsson]

The original gear is all at Sun Records here in Nashville except for the board that's on display at the Rock hall.

[dbbubba]

When I went to see Sun Studio in Memphis it was a tourist trap for sure, but my wife and I had a day to kill before the band played that night.

We were comp'ed rooms at The Peabody and the band was good, so it was a fun weekend.

[Dean Roddey]

This reminds me of the movie Mystery Train. I've not seen that in a long time. Any musicians would probably appreciate it. It's about a young Japanese couple back in the 80s who are in love with all things early rock and rock-a-billy, who come on a pilgrimage to Memphis to visit all the holy places.

[dbbubba]

I have some friends who a stellar musicians who grew up in Memphis and they were always embarrassed by what tourist traps Sun Studios and Graceland had become.

[glenn Taylor]

Originally Posted by dbbubba

I have some friends who a stellar musicians who grew up in Memphis and they were always embarrassed by what tourist traps Sun Studios and Graceland had become.

Yes
Elvis was everywhere. I ate at a burger place someone suggested. They said the owner used to cook burgers for Elvis. "THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I could see living in a tourist trap would be a pain. I didn.t like all the rules for the blues contest. Sure you need to have them. I love music. I don.t love it becoming a big ego thing on who can play the fastest most bad to the bone licks. However the band that came in second from Oregon played great as a unit. The singer sounded like Paul Rogers from Bad Company. I heard they should have been 1st rather than the old guy that won up coming new guitarist.
As far as Sun records, tourist traps ,80's movies and Elvis goes. The guitar player in my bands stood on the x where Elvis sang and said he could feel Elvis channeling through his fingertips.
GT.