Nashville offers many music recording studios. Parlor, an intimate small space which caters to bands and musicians, has earned itself the reputation for sonically superior recordings with its impressive gear list.
Rachel McCann and Josh Gray, the owners of this home in Nashville, have been working to use an unorthodox zoning tool that allows them to do something illegal elsewhere: operate a commercial home studio.
Sound Stage
A sound stage is an indoor studio that has been extensively soundproofed to isolate external sounds from infiltrating production, with walls covered with thick, sound-absorbent material to block external sounds from intruding. Some studios also feature green stages which enable superimposing backgrounds. Some may include rooms for cast and crew, hair & makeup artistries, catering services or lighting rigs if available. It’s essential that when choosing a sound stage that meets all your needs by being large enough for all equipment necessary and soundproofed adequately.
Soundstages require not only being soundproofed but also possess a solid foundation capable of supporting heavy loads. This can be accomplished either by adding a basement to an existing structure, or building new buildings designed specifically for soundstage use – which tends to be the more cost-effective approach than retrofitting existing structures with new soundstage features.
A quality soundstage allows musicians and vocalists to reproduce accurately the size, shape and acoustical cues of an instrument or singer during playback – an achievement achieved with recording and mixing using high-grade equipment. A great soundstage should also reproduce a wide spectrum of frequencies to allow easy identification and isolation of sources for any problems that arise during recording or mixing sessions.
Soundstage has long been used in the music industry. What exactly does it refer to? Simply, it refers to how a track sounds when listening on headphones – an effective soundstage can give an immersive concert-going experience without necessarily needing premium headphones; rather, how they’re set up can also play a crucial role in its creation.
Soundstages are essential components of the creative process for musicians and producers. A high-quality soundstage can make all the difference to your final product; investing in one for your home studio may even prove essential if your goal is to produce songs of your own.
Sound Kitchen
Sound Kitchen Studios stands out as one of Nashville’s more modern recording studios with its extensive equipment list and long list of artists they have collaborated with, mixing and mastering services and video game music production capabilities. Their prices are also easily visible online for ease of pricing transparency for musicians.
The Tracking Room was first constructed in the 1990s and quickly gained recognition due to its brilliant design. Its subfloors “float” on springs to reduce vibration and lock out as much noise as possible; plus there are five isolation booths with doors designed by NASA to prevent sound leakage during recording sessions.
The Tracking Room is not only renowned as a recording facility; they also host seminars on songwriting and maximising music production. Furthermore, The Tracking Room houses an impressive collection of instruments including numerous vintage microphones.
The Sound Kitchen studio in Nashville is widely considered one of the premier recording facilities, known for its energetic songwriting sessions and professional customer service. Furthermore, they also provide various entertainment options suitable for corporate events and private parties.
If you are an independent artist looking for somewhere to record in Nashville, this studio may be just what you need. Equipped with a wide selection of instruments, a Trident 80 C 32-input console and other amenities. They have worked with international superstars as well as up-and-coming indie artists alike.
This legendary studio has been home to some of the greatest songs ever recorded, such as Elvis Presley’s hit ‘Blue Suede Shoes’. Known for its clear and deep sound quality, its sounds has helped launch many star careers.
This historic studio remains a beloved destination for local and national musicians alike. The massive complex features seven studios to easily accommodate any type of musical project, while their friendly staff provides the best care possible to each customer. They even offer packages tailored specifically to each of your needs with one offering vocal coaching to help perfect performances!
The Blue Grotto
The Blue Grotto on Capri Island in Italy, commonly referred to as Grotta Azzurra, is an extraordinary cave that shimmers a brilliant blue. This remarkable phenomenon is created through an ideal combination of depth, breadth, water clarity and lighting source that produce its spectacular effect – it comes from sunlight reflecting off crystalline seawater in this dark cave and producing this vibrant hue that only exists here and a handful of other caves worldwide! The Blue Grotto stands alone as being one of only several sea caves worldwide that exhibit this stunning phenomenon – only few sea caves worldwide can display this dramatic phenomenon!
The Grotto was so named because its bright blue hue is created when sunlight penetrates a narrow opening only two meters wide at water level. Once known as Emperor Tiberius’ private nymphaeum, connected to Villa Jovis where he resided during that period. After becoming widely popularized due to German poet August Kopisch writing about it and making public awareness known, its fame spread rapidly among tourists. Travel writers such as Mark Twain even wrote of its beauty: “the waters of this placid subterranean lake are amongst the loveliest blues one can imagine,” according to him.
Visits can take place throughout the day, though the best time for viewing is from noon until 2pm. At this time of day, illumination effects are strongest while reflections remain stunningly beautiful throughout. In addition, wait times to enter are reduced significantly during this period so you’ll have more time spent inside!
TIP: For optimal viewing experience, visit the Blue Grotto first thing in the morning when its illuminated effect is at its maximum strength and there are typically less boats lined up to enter. Keep in mind, though, that opening hours depend on weather and sea conditions allowing it. Before visiting it is wise to check before.
Studio 78 opened its doors in 2021 to provide musicians with an excellent space to create music. Designed by world-renowned acoustic engineer Carl Tatz, this facility features Phantom Focus monitoring systems, custom control room and iso rooms – as well as being used by Nashville’s premier session players and available for rent to various clients.
The Toy Box Studio
The Toy Box Studio in East Nashville boasts a stately control room that was created by members of Bristol band Actual Size, who continue to be an integral part of its operation today. Although initially intended as rehearsal space for Actual Size members, with record deal money they converted it into recording studio that has since become popular among up-and-coming local bands for recording sessions as well as full time engineering/production business.
Chad Brown, who uses Toy Box Studios with a custom MCI console to mix Mike Farris’ Shine For All The People at Toy Box Studios in Nashville, received his Grammy shortly before Nashville sent a cease-and-desist letter for violating an ordinance against running businesses out of homes – they threatened confiscating all his recording equipment if Chad did not comply.
This can be especially problematic for emerging artists who cannot afford the rent on commercial facilities and those looking to record in their homes with friends and family members. If these studios close down, the music scene will take a significant hit and countless talented musicians will not have access to publishing their music out there.
Lij Shaw is an award-winning engineer/producer and the creator of Recording Studio Rockstars podcast. As proprietor, Lij is leading efforts in Nashville to change the law that prohibits home studio operation.
His success can be found in offering salesmanship, technical expertise and creative design to customers of all kinds; from small DIY basement studios to professional facilities he is known for finding solutions that help his clients meet their goals without breaking the bank.
Carl Tatz Design provided Lij with a full renovation of his control room, installing a Phantom Focus Mixroom and the PFM HD-1000 Master Reference Monitor System with PFM ICE Cube-12 Subwoofers that were accurate to 20Hz – giving his Toy Box Studio an immersive audio experience perfect for tracking bands or overdubbing.