Building a recording studio: acoustic design

After the performance you put in front of the microphone, the most important consideration in a recording is the space you record in. It's also the one that is given least consideration. We tend to think that we can ‘fix it in the mix’, but the truth is that a poorly captured sound will always sound like a poorly captured sound.

I was fortunate to do my Initial Teacher Training in a sixth form college with not only dedicated recording facilities but a whole recording setup designed around the students' needs. I have subsequently taught in institutions with facilities ranging from professional-level spaces to the non-existent. The impact that these spaces have on learners goes far beyond just the quality of their recordings; establishing a workflow, understanding the impact of acoustics first-hand, and managing a recording space creates a sense of value in the learners' work, and is ultimately reflected in the music they make. Building a studio space may seem like a daunting task, but it does not have to be prohibitive either technically or financially, and the benefits of setting up a studio far outweigh the efforts.