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  • September Mastering Highlights

    September Mastering Highlights

    • Tom Stephens ‘What Lies In The Difference’ –  Album mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • Shannon Noll ‘Who I Am’ – Single mastered by Steve Smart
    • Jack River ‘Palo Alto’ – Single mastered by Steve Smart
    • Gretta Ray ‘Unwind’ – Single mastered by Steve Smart
    • The Bobby Darin Musical (Australian Cast Recording) [feat. David Campbell] ‘Dream Lover’ – Album mastered by Leon Zervos
    • Tash Sultana ‘Jungle’ & ‘Synergy’ – Singles mastered by Steve Smart
    • DZ Deathrays ‘Pollyanna’ – Single mastered by Steve Smart
    • Anthony Callea ‘Backbone’ – Album mastered by Leon Zervos
    • Confidence Man ‘Boyfriend (Repeat)’ –  Single mastered by Leon Zervos
    • The Pretty Littles ‘Soft Rock for the Anxious’  – Album mastered by Leon Zervos
    • British India ‘I Thought We Knew Each Other’ –  Single) mastered by Steve Smart
    • Maribelle ‘Say It For Me’ – Single mastered by Leon Zervos
    • Laurel Laxxes feat. Holly Tapp ‘Impasse’ – Single mastered by Steve Smart
    • Kasey Chambers  ‘Ain’t No Little Girl’ – EP mastered by Steve Smart
    • Babaganouj ‘Hard To Be’ –  EP mastered by Steve Smart & Andrew Edgson
    • Jinja Safari ‘Crescent Sun’ & ‘Crescent Moon’ – Albums mastered by Andrew Edgson

    Shannon Noll – Who I Am

    TASH SULTANA – JUNGLE

    Pollyanna · DZ Deathrays

    British India – I Thought We Knew Each Other

    Babaganouj – Sorry

     

  • September 2016 in the Studios

    September 2016 in the Studios

     

    Highlights of what’s been happening in the studios:

    • Nicole Millar in Studio 9 with Simon Cohen engineering
    • Illy in Studio 9 with Simon Cohen engineering
    • Horrorshow in Studio 9 with Simon Cohen engineering
    • Japanese Wallpaper in Studio 1 with Antonia Gauci engineering
    • Jonti in Studio 5 working on his new project Midnight Mutants with Jack Prest mixing and producing
    • Chong Lim in Studio 1 with Guy Gray with engineering and Owen Butcher assisting
    • Middle Kids, Gang of Youths, Steve Kibley and Thelma Plum in Studio 1 for XPN World Cafe live recording with Owen Butcher engineering and Dave Taylor assisting
    • The Jezabels in Studio 1 for Pandora Live Sessions with Owen Butcher engineering and Antonia Gauci assisting
    • Sydney Childrens’ Choir in Studio 1 with Antonia Gauci assisting
    • Gideon Benson working with Jack Prest producing
    • The Veronica’s in Studio 2 with Dan Frizza assisting
    • Anatole in Studio 4 with Antonia Gauci engineering
    • Omar Musa in Studio 5 cutting vocals with Jack Prest
    • Crooked Colours in Studio 6
    • Derrick Hodge listening party in Studio 1
    • Sound Design by Jack Prest for Dark Water – Installation Experience a part of The Unconformity festival in Queenstown Tasmania
    • String soundtrack for the SBS documentary Deep Water recorded by Guy Gray and Owen Butcher

    Follow Studios 301 on Instagram @studios301

    bts

    A photo posted by Horrorshow (@horrorshowcrew) on

     

    BEWARE. A photo posted by total dork (@antoniagauci) on

     

  • Malaysian superstar Anuar Zain works on his first album in five years

    Malaysian superstar Anuar Zain works on his first album in five years

    Malaysian superstar Anuar Zain works on his first album in five years at Studios 301.

    After a five year-long wait, fans of award-winning Malaysian singer and multi-award winner Anuar Zain are finally being gifted with a brand new album. Released on Oct 1st this is the crooners 5th studio self-titled album, mixed by 301’s very own Guy Gray in Studio 1 and mastered by Leon Zervos.

    Malaysia’s much-loved entertainer made his new project a truly international affair by working on several of the songs with the Budapest Scoring Orchestra and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra as well calling on a select handful of Indonesian and Malaysian composers. Anuar Zain dedicates this album to his fans and music lovers.

    In the studio: Guy Gray, Owen Butcher, Anuar Zain and Leon Zervos.

    Anuar had this to say about the album:

    “every album produced is in line with my team and my experience. Alhamdulillah, with the experience gained in producing albums… we are much wiser now in our selections and we hope that we are able to continue producing better albums in the years to come. Other than the quality of album recording, we also focused very much on the production…”

    “In making this album we have been working patiently, and carefully handpicked the best people to work alongside us. Contributions of beautiful songs came from many different talented parties hence taking us more time than usual in the song selection process.”

    The album will be available at stores across Malaysia, and on Spotify and iTunes.

    Watch the music video for the single here.

    Anuar Zain – Andainya Takdir

    For details on Anuar’s album and tour, visit www.mydin.com.my, or Anuar’s Instagram or Facebook account (@anuarzainnetwork).

  • Recording and Mastering Studio Recap – August 2016

    Recording and Mastering Studio Recap – August 2016

    August / September in the Studio

    • Rufus – Studio 8
    • Steve Balbi – Studio 1 with Owen Butcher assisting
    • Casey Chambers and Foy Vance – Studio 2 with Owen Butcher engineering, Antonia Gauci assisting
    • MOVEMENT – Studio 9 with Simon Cohen engineering
    • Anwar Zain – Studio 1 with Guy Gray mixing
    • Betty and Oswald – Studio 2 with Antonia Gauci engineering and producing
    • Lily V – Studio 6
    • Imogen Clarke – Studio 9 with Antonia Gauci engineering

    August – Mastering

     
  • Jacob Moore – ‘all in time’ EP

    Jacob Moore – ‘all in time’ EP

    What do you get when you mix 50’s soul and RnB, and put them with textured and atmospheric electronic sounds? Sydney artist Jacob Moore and his EP, ‘All In Time’.

    We caught up with former 40 hours competition winner recently and here’s what he had to say about his journey of tirelessly putting his EP together and working at 301 with Jack Prest.

    On winning 40 Hours comp:
    On the side of performing & producing for a bunch of rad Sydney based acts over the years, I had been building up a broad range of songs on the side that I really liked but had not yet found a home. I had a strong urge to establish something that pertained a vintage soul-blues flavor yet utilized today’s electronic leaning ‘bedroom producer’ ideals as this method was how I had been handling my producer duties over the years – literally creating band music from home & only entering the studios to put the finishing touches on my older work. One of these tracks ‘return to me’ fitted this template so I entered it in Studio 301’s 40 Hours songwriting competition & was announced as one of the winners in August 2015. This enabled me to work with Producer Simon Cohen on a very vocal heavy track ‘infinity’ – Simon was really fun to work with & I felt he ‘got’ the sound I was aiming for. We ended up doing a soft release of this track as my first solo single to give people of taste of the work I was preparing in the back end.

    On working with Producer Jack Prest:
    After releasing my first solo track ‘infinity’, I felt that we had established the musical ‘colour palette’ I wanted to present to the world. I was ready to take things further so after brainstorming a few ideas for my other new tracks with Abbey & the team at 301, we decided to enlist Producer Jack Prest who is renowned for his prowess in electronic music & as a ‘finisher’. We could then fuse all my acoustic & electric home recorded noodlings. take it to one of the big studios at 301 and really beef it up using Jack’s knowledge & production ideas. A couple of the sessions we brought in some musical friends of mine to play some extra instrumentals so I could take more of a directors chair approach. Working with Jack was super rad – he was very informative, could always share a laugh with me (very important!) & would always throw up a second opinion which I always found to be very valuable. I can’t wait to be able to come back and work with Jack & the team at 301.

    You can listen to the “all in time” EP here:

    http://www.jacobmooremusic.com/

     

  • Women In Electronic Music Masterclasses

    Women In Electronic Music Masterclasses

    On Saturday 13th August Studios 301 hosted Music NSW for Women In Electronic Music Masterclasses, with our very own Antonia Gauci leading the Engineering Basics masterclass in Studio 1. Also on the bill we had Looping and Pedals with Rainbow Chan and Songwriting Basics with Buoy. The day was a great success with inspiring and talented students and teacher coming together sharing ideas and practices.

    Thank you all who applied and attended. Follow Music NSW for further announcements and classes/panels/events to come.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Music Oz – 301

    Music Oz – 301

    Studios 301 are excited to announce that we have teamed up with the MusicOz Foundation to be an official partner of this year’s Australian Independent Music Awards. The AIMA’s are an amazing platform which help recognise and highlight Australia’s most talented independent musicians and artists.

    We are proud to be a part of this platform for independent artists which in previous years has boosted such names as Bliss N Eso, Blue King Brown, Porcelian, Sick Puppies, Cog, Mammal, Felicity Urquhart, Blue Juice, The Fumes, Stone Parade, Fiona Joy Hawkins, Art Vs Science, The Jezabels and many more.

    To celebrate, MusicOz have extended the entry date until midnight this Sunday 21st August.

    Enter the awards at the MusicOz website here now

    As an exclusive offer MusicOz & Studios 301 are giving away a Rhode NT1-A Microphone to ONE lucky handpicked applicant next week. To go in the draw simply enter now.

    Good luck with your entries folks!

    ABOUT The MusicOz Foundation – Australian Independent Music Awards

    Musicoz is a national initiative dedicated to improving the quality of original music culture in Australia. For over a decade Musicoz has been developing the music industry at the grass roots level by seeking out, recognising & encouraging the talents of unsigned and independent artists and providing them with much needed development support and opportunities as they carve out their careers.

    The awards cover 18 genres of music with over 5000 entries each year.

    www.musicoz.org

    www.facebook.com/musicoz

     

  • Phantastic Ferniture Article

    Phantastic Ferniture Article

    We managed to get a quick interview in with the winners of our I AM INDIE competition, Phantastic Ferniture, after a weekend recording in Studio 2 with Tim Carr and working on their forthcoming EP. Speaking to Holly our Studios Coordinator, here’s what they had to say.

    Studios 301: How was it recording at 301?

    Ryan: It was nice not having to record ourselves. Everything we’ve done before has been me or the band having to do it. It was quite relaxing for me not to be yelling at everyone telling them to do things.

    Liz: And it was also nice for us not getting yelled at by Ryan.

    Julia: It was cool just being at a studio space like Studios 301. We haven’t really done that before.

    Liz: It felt a lot easier than usual. It’s hard to make things go smoothly when you’re recording yourself. And also having that external opinion (from Tim Carr) being able to bounce your ideas off, instead of just us.

    Ryan: We don’t get to use spaces like that everyday, with nice gear and big rooms.

    Julia: Or have that much time.

    Liz: It was nice doing things in normal daytime hours. Normally we’re still going at 1am. It was also good to have so much space to set everything up and easily go back to instruments, instead of having to do say guitars, then pack it up, then do drums. You can easily go back to things.

    Studios 301: Do you feel like you played better because of it?

    Collectively: yeah, I reckon.

    Studios 301: How did you find working with Tim?

    Ryan: Tim’s great because the just lets us figure out what we want to do, and then he’ll put one little idea out there and it take it from good to really good.

    Liz: He’s also such a fast worker. I was quite astounded how quickly he mixed things between takes.

    Julia: He’s obviously so experienced and he’s knows exactly what he needs and he just does that while we’re recording.

    Studios 301: I guess that’s the skill as a producer, being quick and making one suggestion that takes the music somewhere else.

    Ryan: Normally the four of us have such strong opinions so it nice to have someone listening to our opinions and taking it on.

    Julia: I think the great thing about working with Tim was because we all do have strong opinions, if we were working someone also with strong opinions as well it might have been difficult.

    Ryan: We would literally be throwing stuff across the room.

    Julia: He was super accommodating and really listened to what we wanted.

    Studios 301: So what’s the future hold for Phantastic Ferniture?

    Julia: Just mainly finishing the EP, releasing it and seeing if people like it and going from there.

    Ryan: We’ve only got two songs released so far.  We’ve also already thought about video clips. That’s half of what we do in the studio. Just spending time figuring out what we’re going to wear and what clip’s going to look like.

    Studios 301: What are the plans for the video clip? Can you give anything away?

    Liz: It’s going to involve dancing.

    Julia: And people that are playing us, but not us

    Studios 301: Any cameo’s?

    Julia: We’re definitely trying to get celebrity cameos

    Ryan: Hopefully over 50’s

    Liz: Or under 50’s

    Julia: So basically anyone (laugh’s)

    Keep an eye out for Phantastic Ferniture’s movements at

    phantasticferniture

    For more information on INDIE Single and EP packages check out https://studios301.com/recording-packages/

  • Engineer feature – Antonia Gauci

    Engineer feature – Antonia Gauci

    With mixing skills that have recently been referred to as taking the track to “boss level bad assery”, 301 Assistant Engineer Antonia Gauci has her sights set firmly on making her mark in the music industry. Having already worked with some impressive names including Alison Wonderland, Cold Chisel, DMA’s, Sticky Fingers and Will.i.Am, it’s Antonia’s most recent work on TINKER’s debut which has been turning heads.
    We caught up with the budding Engineer, Producer, Mixer and Songwriter to talk about the buzz on her most recent work and what’s next…

     

    Triple J music director Richard Kingsmill recently gave the TINKER song you mixed “Fill The Field” some massive support. How does that make you feel and how did that project come about?

    TINKER is a friend of mine, and ex 301 intern Chris Bristow. Chris and I met at a rehearsal space a few years ago and he’s been sending me music and demos ever since. While in Peru I was sent one titled “Slither”. I thought the first batch were still pretty raw so I told him to send me more stuff. A month later he sent through another version which he’d fleshed out and we co-wrote the topline going back and forth via the internet. 12 weeks later it was mixed, mastered and all ready to go. Seeing such a positive response for three unknown people who just made a track is kinda surreal. We didn’t expect to see this big of a support so early, especially from the J’s, so hopefully things continue to be a steady rise for TINKER.

    What are some of the projects you’ve got on the horizon?

    I’m currently working on a few different things…  There’s another lot of TINKER tracks to finish off – recording, mixing, plus a remix. Anatole is working away on his debut LP recorded a string quartet and piano for a few tracks that may end up on it. I’ve been helping Giselle Rosselli with her vocal tracking, she’s an unbelievable singer and songwriter. A debut single from Las Vagueness is due super soon which I engineered, produced & mixed. Plus an EP to finish off with him. Dylan Adams and I just tracked a rekkid for Oslow over the Easter long weekend which is red hot. Oh, and I’ve been involved in some writing with Halite and Top8Drama. They’re all pretty deluxe projects!

    Seems like there’s plenty of releases pending. How do you get involved in these cool projects and how can people find you?<

    I’m fortunate to be friends (or a relative) with these uber talented people, so the projects have come about via friendship, word of mouth, meeting people in sessions, FBi Radio, or simply by approaching artists I want to work with. Projects come through the 301, but I can be reached through my online presence through Instagram, Facebook or my website, antoniagauci.com

    What is your role at 301 and how did you get here?

    I’m an Engineer/Assistant Engineer. I plug in all the gear you desire and help you run the spaceship for your recording and online mixing projects.  I’m also working my way up through the ranks, taking the lead on more of my own creative projects – engineering, producing, mixing and co-writing.

     

    I first came to 301 through Eric J, who I met when interning/ assisting at BigJesusBurger (RIP).

    I got to know the team while working on the first 2 seasons of The Voice, and after freelancing and assisting at the majority of Sydney’s major studios (for the most part of 2 years), I was offered some casual work at 301. I was assisting casually until I was there all the time, and in 2014 I became a full time part of the team.

    What gets you excited in the studio?

    I find tracking to be exhilarating, especially if it’s vocals, guitars or synths, when we’re filling out the bare bones of the song. I also like experimenting with sounds. I reverse, pitch up and down, reverb and delay the bits and pieces and then repeat the process. If I can make something sound weird or learn something new then I’m super excited! And when I’m really into it I get this nervous energy and will dance in the control room.

    How does working at 301 fit into your life and activities outside of 301?

    301 does take up most of my time (being full time) but they’re flexible and understanding when it comes to my touring/show playing, writing, DJ-ing, radio presenting, ridiculous commitments.
    I like to create everyday if I can. 301 are generally the ones who tell me I should be taking 1 or 3 days off.

     

    For more information or for bookings please contact:
    Abbey Smith
    Studio Manager

     

    Links:

    Antonia Tinker2

    Antonia Tinker3

    Antonia Tinker4
  • Mansionair – Working on new music & recording at 301

    Mansionair – Working on new music & recording at 301

    At Studios 301 we’re no stranger to having our production suites occupied by some of Australia’s best artists, producers and songwriters. One of our most recent tenants were the incredibly talented guys from Mansionair. Forming in January 2014, the band have gained quite a following in a short time. Their first single, ‘Hold Me Down’ has amassed a phenomenal 10 million+ views on YouTube, 2 million+ plays on Soundcloud, and peaked at #1 on Hype Machine upon release. After playing shows around the globe, headlining festivals, and selling out their own multi-date tour, the boys are back in the studio working on their debut album. We had a chat and laughs over some beers, and have put together for you the highlights in PG form.

    You guys have a history with recording at Studios 301, can you tell us a bit about it?

    We’ve been in and out of 301 since the start of our band. At the beginning of 2014 we moved into one of the production rooms (Studio 7) and began working together for the first time since we wrote ‘Hold Me Down’. We spent most days harvesting sounds we liked and developing who we wanted to be as a band. In there we wrote and mixed ‘Second Night’ and built our live show from the ground up which we debuted at Bigsound 2014. Following that we went in to Studio 5 and worked on a bunch of new live songs for some NYE festivals and also our first headline show. Over summer of 2015 we took some time off and jumped into Studio 8 for two weeks to touch up some songs for SXSW. Following this we returned to track our last two singles with Tony Buchan (‘Pick Me Up’ & ‘Speak Easy’), and finally earlier this year, we moved into studio 11.

    What have you been working on this time around?

    This time round we spent two months working on a bunch of new songs for our debut record and also touching up our live show.

    How is the general vibe and experience working out of Studios 301?

    301 is not like anywhere else we’ve worked. One thing we’ve always loved is the community. Everyone in the studio is such great company and everyone’s working on something different so it’s always refreshing to be around. We’ve made so many great friends with both other musicians and the 301 staff. Alex and Lach have become semi-professional ping pong players and Jack’s spent many sunny afternoons workshopping lyrics in the courtyard.

    Finally, what’s on the horizon for you guys?

    Over the next month we will have finished writing our album. We’re in the middle of deciding what tracks we want to include and also what tracks we feel are missing. We’ve got this massive bank of songs that we’re sifting through, 90% of them were written at 301. We’re looking forward to going on the road with The Rubens in June and then following that there will be plans to tour the album.

    We can’t wait to hear new music from the guys, but in the meantime, we’ll leave you with their triple j Like A Version which is one of our all time favourites!

    Here are some post from the Mansionair guys at Studios 301.

    Pic 1

    Meant to be writing an album…..

    A video posted by Mansionair (@mansionairmusic) on

    Pic2

    Album is well under underway! (lyrics are taking a different turn)?? A photo posted by Mansionair (@mansionairmusic) on

    Pic 3

    shoutout to @rufussounds for making us feel at home in our @studios301 production room. Could this be our new logo?

    A photo posted by Mansionair (@mansionairmusic) on

    Pic 4

    Easter fun times. Spent the holidays writing. Gonna go sleep now 🙂 ????? A photo posted by Mansionair (@mansionairmusic) on

  • Internships @ Studios 301

    Internships @ Studios 301

    Hi there!

    My name is Stefan du Randt and I facilitate the Studios 301 internship program. In 2015 I moved to Sydney from South Africa, where I was working as the engineer for Grammy award winning producer Darryl Torr in his Johannesburg studio.

    It was a dream of mine to come to Australia and work at Studios 301… and in late 2015 this became a reality as I was offered the position as General Assistant and Internship Manager after completing the internship program. My experience of the internship was overwhelmingly positive and I really enjoyed learning from the team at 301.

    Recently we’ve had some really awesome interns coming through. Some highlights have been – Dylan, who assisted at none other than Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 in Los Angeles (the one with the Neve 8068 in Sound City…!) before making the move to intern at 301, Francis who was recommended by Birds of Tokyo and he’s absolutely killing it, and a whole bunch of interns with different backgrounds including Elise, Zach, Nick, Jules, Brendan and plenty more to name everyone. (Sorry if I missed you we love you all!)

    We’re looking for more exceptional interns, so if you think you’ve got what it takes, send me an email: interns@studios301.com

    Include a cover letter detailing why you think you’re the one for the job plus your CV.

    Follow Studios301 on Instagram and check for the #301InternLife hashtag for regular updates on the internship program.

    https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/301internlife/

     

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    Console maintenance. 🙂 #neve #analog #studioswag #301InternLife A photo posted by Stefan Du Randt (@stefandurandt) on

    Pic 3

     

    The art of multitasking #301internlife @arlene_elise

    A photo posted by @studios301 on

     

    Pic 4

     

    Tape echo done right! #analog #tape #ssl @mrdanfrizza doing his magic in 301 studio 2. #301InternLife A video posted by Stefan Du Randt (@stefandurandt) on

    Pic 5

     

     

     

    Pic 6

     

    Our senior engineer Simon Todkillin it… Photo cred: @dylan_smithy #301internlife A photo posted by @studios301 on

     

     

  • Mastering Malaysia’s #1 Girl Group: De Fam

    Mastering Malaysia’s #1 Girl Group: De Fam

    At Studios 301, we pride ourselves on working with the best up-and-coming talent both locally and from around the world. Our latest international success story comes via our mastering department in the form of Malaysian super girl group, De Fam.

    Signed to Tune Studios and Universal Music Group Malaysia, De Fam’s debut single #SUPERGIRLS, mastered by 301’s Leon Zervos, has skyrocketed the three dancers-turned-pop singers into stardom and on to become Malaysia’s #1 girl group.

    Along the way, De Fam have collected some pretty impressive accolades including:

    • #1 Shazamed song in Malaysia
    • #1 across Malaysian radio stations
    • Over 2.5 million views on Youtube
    • Song of the year & best breakthrough act at the Hitz FM met 10 Awards

     

    So what’s next for the trio?

    With the release of their second single “With You”, also mastered by Leon, De Fam are ready to bring their sound back into the spotlight, and on to the world stage.

     

    Head A&R of Tune Studios and Da Fam producer Bryan B had this to say about the project,

    “We’re trying to redefine the sound here in South East Asia at Tune Studios, and with the help of Studios 301, we’re able to compete in the international market with our products. I’ve been sending my tracks to Leon for mastering for over 4 years now, and every time it comes back great.”

     

    Watch & listen to Da Fam’s debut single #SUPERGIRLS here:

     

    De Fam Ft. Brandon Beal – With You

     

    Leon Zervos is a 4x Grammy and ARIA award winning mastering engineer, having worked on albums totaling over 100 million sales. Spending much of his 30+ year career in New York City, Leon has mastered for Maroon 5, Rihanna, Ne-yo, Pitbull, Pink and many more.

     

    Socials:

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialdefam
    Label Facebook: www.facebook.com/TUNEstudios

     

  • Tips on How to Deliver Your Track For Mixdown – By Jack Pres

    Tips on How to Deliver Your Track For Mixdown – By Jack Pres

     

    Whenever I’m working on a mix for a new client a question that frequently gets asked is “What is the best way to deliver the files for mixdown?”. Although there are no hard and fast rules, (always make sure you touch base with your mix engineer as everyone has their own personal preferences) here are some tips, from questions that I get asked, that will help prepare your track for mixdown.

    Can I just send you my session file?

    I always request the audio stems. (Individual bounce files of each element of the mix) Even if I am working in the same DAW as the client this is always my preference. In my experience working with session files can become too problematic.

    1. There is a strong possibility of missing plugins/audio files
    2. In most cases it can be difficult to navigate someone else’s session.

    I prefer to start a clean session every time. This way I know exactly what is going on and can use my workflow to get my maximum results.

    What sample rate/ bit depth do you want?

    Another big question I hear is in regards to sample rate and bit depth. My preference for this is to have the files delivered at the same sample rate and bit depth as your original project. This way there is as little conversion as possible. Any necessary conversion can be left up to the mastering engineer. Sample rate/ bit depth is definitely is something you should check with your mix engineer first, because everyone has a different opinion and personal preference.

    How do I export stems?

    When exporting your stems always make sure that you are exporting your stereo tracks as stereo files, and mono tracks as mono files. I know this may sound simple but this is the correct way to export stems and you mix engineer will love you for it. Additionally, also be careful of your export settings and be sure not to add any normalisation or dithering. If you are not sure how to do this, I recommend doing some research or googling about the export window of your DAW and you’ll find the answers you need.

    Should I leave on my effects?

    Possibly the most important question I get is “Do I leave my effects on or turn them off?”. Because I work predominantly on electronic music this is particularly important as the effects can be integral to the sound of a track.

    My general rule for this is as follows:

    • If the effect added is a part of the sound i.e. a filter sweep, phaser, sidechain or things just sound wrong without it, then leave it on.
    • If the effect is not integral i.e. some subtle EQ or compression, then bypass it.

    If you are using auxiliary sends for reverbs or delays etc. bounce each auxiliary to it’s own stem.

    I request all vocal parts to be completely raw and effect free unless there is a vocal chop/ filter effect that is key to the track.

    I will then request both a set of stems with full effects and a set of stems completely dry. I want both because this way I can start my mix as close to your original production as possible and then swap out stems if any of the effects are causing issues for the online mix. I also generally request midi stems of lead, pad and bass parts so they can be easily swapped out or layered if necessary.

    BPM

    Finally make sure you include the BPM and key of the track somewhere with your stems. This is a small thing but will help immensely and take the guesswork out on my side. (and will show your mix engineer you care.)

    Blog by Jack Prest, Producer/ Engineer at Studios 301

    For enquiries or bookings with Jack please contact:

    Studio Manager Abbey Smith

    Email: abbey@studios301.com

    Phone: 02 9698 5888

    More Jack Prest blog posts

    https://studios301.com/news/its-a-producer-focus/

    https://studios301.com/blog/jack-prest-analog-v-digital-1/

    https://studios301.com/blog/jack-prest-analog-v-digital-2/

     

     

  • It’s a producer focus

    It’s a producer focus

    Meet our resident Electronic Music Producer and Engineer Jack Prest

    With a background as a DJ, Artist and Sound Designer, Jack’s been working as an engineering and producer at Studios 301 for the past 5 years. Recently He’s been increasingly moving towards the role of a finisher. A producer who enters the artists process at varying stages of development (sometimes near complete, sometimes early demos) and takes it to a finished product. This process includes everything from reworking/writing lyrics and top-lines, adjusting arrangements, tracking new parts, working production and a the final mixdown ready for master.

     We sat down with Jack for a quick chat about his role as a producer and what he’s been working on lately.

    What do you think your main role as a producer is?

    As a producer my main role is realising the vision each individual has for their work. Finding what makes it original and bringing that to the fore while also making it work sonically in the best way possible for the particular style. 

    Can you take us through your process of working with artists?

    First step is to listen to some demos. For me I need to be able to hear an end goal from the demo or it’s not something I can work on. Then generally a chat either via phone or in the studio to discuss the work with the artist, what they are tying to achieve? where they want it to go? and why they are making it? Once we have established that we both feel like working together can be beneficial then generally we book in a production/mix session to complete one track. If everything works out well then we chat about moving on to bigger projects like an EP or an album. 

     How does working on other artist’s projects differ from working on your own? (If it does at all)

    It’s definitely a different process. With my own work I can be completely self driven and make whatever I’m feeling. Working on other people’s records, the most important consideration is what they want to create with their art. I could take their tune and turn it into something completely different but if they don’t feel a sense of ownership and expression with the end result there there is not much point in making it.

     What excited you most about the process?

    I have to say the moment of completion. When someone has brought you something they have been struggling with or something they can’t fully realise and you are listening back in the studio and everyone has big smiles cause it sounds awesome. That just makes me happy.

    What are some projects to look out for you have been working on?

    Currently I’m working on the new Jonti record which I’m really excited about, I’ve also done some great stuff with two young up and coming producers Daily Holla, EP recently released on German Label Emprise Records, and Jerome Blaze. Both are major talents and expecting big things for them in 2016. I’m really vibing working with new artists, it gives us a great opportunity to sculpt a sound and build something together.

     What’s it like working at Studios 301?

    One of the great things about being at 301 is working with an amazing crew. I’ve had some great success working recently with Simon Cohen, where I take care of the production and Simon steps in to cut vocals. Working with our assistants Owen and Antonia is so valuable, their knowledge of the studios and the gear means I can focus on the sounds and the big picture and know everything will run smoothly. I’ve been writing some stuff with Antonia and keen to do more of that, she’s got some great ideas. I’d also have to mention the mastering team, I really don’t go anywhere else, Ben Feggans does a lot of my stuff, but Steve, Leon and Andrew are all jedi’s and dependent on who’s right for the project I 100% trust these guys to get the final stage right.

    For more information or to enquire about booking with Jack please get in touch.

  • December – January Release Highlights

    December – January Release Highlights

     

    Dec releases

    December

     

    • A.D.K.O.B ‘Glue’ single – Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • Art vs Science ‘Off the Edge of the Earth and into Forever, Forever’ vinyl album – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • Ginny Blackmore ‘Over The Moon’ album – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • Troye Sivan ‘Blue Neighbourhood’ album – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • X-Factor finalists Matt & Jess and Louise Adams both released their self-titled debut albums – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • Daily Holla ‘Progress’ EP – Co-produced and mixed by Jack Prest, Mastered by Leon Zervos

     

    Jan releases

    January

    • DMA’s ‘Too Soon’ single – Antonia Gauci Assistant Engineer
    • We Lost The Sea ‘Departure Songs’ album – Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • Paces ‘1993 (No Chill) feat. Jess Kent’ single – Vocal Recording by Simon Cohen
    • The Jezebels ‘Synthia’ album – Produced by Lachlan Mitchell (Studio 3)
    • Matt Corby’s ‘Knife Edge’ single – Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • Georgia Mulligan ‘Worst part’ single – Mastered by Andrew Edgson
    • The Whole of the Moon ‘Celtic Woman’ album – Mastered Leon Zervos
    • Stay In, Do Nothing ‘Horror My Friend’ album – Mastered by Steve Smart
    • Gideon ‘Talk Talk’ single – Mastered by Leon Zervos
    • The show “Chypher” (A raw celebration of hip-hop culture) premiered at Sydney Festival in January. Sound design and composing was done by Jack Prest
    • Congrats to Steve Smart who Mastered the motion picture soundtrack for Hindi film Salt Bridge in which 7 songs were shortlisted for nominations at this year’s Academy Awards.

     

  • Justin Bieber and Studios 301’s Simon Cohen Create a Global Number One!

    Justin Bieber and Studios 301’s Simon Cohen Create a Global Number One!

    When you see Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran’s name together you know that whatever it’s tied to is going to be big, and that’s definitely the vibe attached to arguably the biggest song in the world right now. On November 9, 2015 Justin Bieber released the ode to his ex- titled “Love Yourself”. The track co-written with Sheeran and producer Benny Blanco has received massive acclaim globally, but what you might not know is that the vocals were recorded right here in Australia, by our very own Vocal Producer Simon Cohen.

    Here’s what’s gone down since the release:

    • “Love Yourself” has gone #1 on official charts globally including the USA, UK, Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Australia and New Zealand.
    • It’s sold over 1.1 million copies in the USA alone.
    • It’s equalled John Lennon’s UK chart record, by being 1 of Bieber’s singles to occupy the entire top three in the UK charts. ‘
    • Remember Craig David? (Yep that guy who was only too happy to “fill you in” wanted to know “what your flavour was”? Well he got in on the action, covering the song for BBC 1Xtra Live Lounge – adding his own spin on it of course), a move that has seen his career reignited and his own album “Born to do It” from August 2000 back in the UK charts.
    • It’s the first ARIA #1 Single of 2016, and Justin’s longest running Australian single to date.

    Pretty cool huh? So where do we come in on this? Great question. As mentioned, Simon Cohen our very own engineer at 301 Studios, not only has worked with Bieb’s in the past, but was hand picked to work on this project! Simon was Justin’s go to recording engineer on his recent trip to Australia in September, and well as they say “the rest is history”. So what’s it like to work with JB? How did this all come about? Well we managed to steal a few minutes of Simon’s time for a quick Q & A, so all you Belieber’s out there could get the 411.

    When you were working on the track did you think it was a hit?

    SC: They had told me that Ed Sheeran had co-written it, so I had high expectations of the songwriting. I got the files before I flew down to Melbourne so I had heard it a couple of times and I was singing it to myself as I was flying down thinking, “this is a great song!”.  You always hope that people can hear what you hear in a song, and in this case the overwhelming fan reaction has been amazing.

    It’s a point that I have spoken to a lot of people about recently. I think we are kind of going back to this amazing place where, because the playing field is leveled production wise, it’s back to who has the best idea, the strongest song. This is the perfect example as it’s literally a guitar and a vocal. Its the skeleton of a song in its purest form and it’s the one that’s connected with everyone.

    Is this the biggest single you have worked on?

    SC: Yes, I think its going to be hard to find anything that compares to this one. A lot of the work I have done with big name artists has been great but nothing has been as big as this single. Particularly when working with touring artists a lot if their main singles may already be done. In other cases, it might be months before anything eventuates from something you worked on and then you’re like “Oh great, that song finally came out!”.

    What was it like engineering a Justin Bieber session? What was the setup?

    SC: Justin works pretty fast, so as an engineer you have to get your settings as quickly as you can and it’s all about capturing that amazing performance. He has one of those very finished voices to start with, so I imagine he would sound phenomenal on just about any mic you put in front of him. But in this case it was an LA type set up, a Telefunken ELA M 251 going into a NEVE Pre and a Tube Tech CL1B Compressor. One of my favourite mics into one of my favourite pres, into one of my favourite compressors. You can’t go wrong with that chain.

    This is the second time you’ve worked with Justin now. How was working with him the first time around?

    SC: That was in 2014 here at Studios 301 and then they flew me to Perth too. It was all a bit up in the air, because after last time we worked together he went on a bit of a hiatus. We’d worked on a bunch of songs over a couple of different days, and the next thing I had heard, he wasn’t doing music anymore. Hopefully not because of me! (laughs)

    Being a big part of such a big record. Does it change anything or the direction of where you’re headed?

    SC: I think it just affirms what I have been doing and it definitely feels like I’m on the right path. Obviously number one in so many countries is a bit of a tough one to beat. Lol we’ll see.

    When did it hit you, that this was actually quite massive and was something big?

    SC: Probably when I started getting texts from people with screen shots of it already charting in the US even before it was released as a single. You always hope when you do a one off some with someone, that it will become their hit single. It just continued to chart and chart without any official release. It was awesome. It’s cool to hear the track playing and people know the words. You can smile knowing you were involved in that. Very humbling though. A lot of my friends seemed to be listening to it over summer! Some have even done their own covers on YouTube and I was like “Did you know I worked on that track?” I was met with a lot of “What? No Way?”. All good feedback too.

    So let’s talk about covers of tracks then, what do you think about Craig David jumping on this and covering the track? Have you heard it?

    SC: Haha, what a career move huh. I have to say, now that Craig David has been linked to me in some small way I think I can die a happy man. Career goals met!!

    So what’s next for Simon Cohen? 

    SC:  Hopefully just moving on to more really great records, and helping people fulfil their dreams. Hopefully soon, it might be time for a “Thundamentals” record – I’d love to be involved in that, but hey who knows. I’ve got a good feeling 2016 is going to be a big year for music. Let’s hope so!

    For studios enquiries or to book Simon Cohen please contact us.

    Listen here:

  • Mastering Focus – Ben Feggans

    Mastering Focus – Ben Feggans

    In recent years, Ben Feggans’ passion for independent music has established him as one of the most sought after mastering engineers in the country. Carving out a niche for indie dance, electronic and hip hop,  Ben has mastered numerous releases for artists such as Rüfüs (“Blue EP”), Ngaiire, Willow Beats, The Kite String Tangle and Dustin Tebbutt, Miami Horror,Tuka, and 360.

    Ben worked closely with the Australian record label Future Classic since its humble beginnings in 2005, propelling Australian artists including Hayden James, New Navy, Flight Facilities, Flume and Mitzi to international acclaim.

    We caught up with Ben to talk all things mastering.

    You’ve managed to carve out a niche around the Indie/Dance, Electronic, Dub and Hip-hop sound. How did that come about?

    BF: It just kind of evolved that way! I have a real passion for electronic and acoustic music, and initially worked with many electronic music artists as a mix engineer before mastering. I think you have to understand what the music is about when working on it, and the artists get that.

    What’s your definition of mastering?

    BF: Mastering is “the presentation of a mix”. It’s like framing a picture, you don’t want to upset the balance of the painting, just enhance what is already there.

    What makes your approach unique?

    BF: I’m quite technical so I use a combination of analogue and digital processing that is extremely well matched sonically and electronically. It’s mostly a simple chain but the right chain that works together as a whole. My approach is “less is more”.

    How does your process differ from other mastering Engineers?

    BF: My process is probably similar to other engineers. I give the entire track a good listen before making any changes, just to get a feel for what the artist is trying to achieve in their overall sound, then make a decision on the sound balance and processing. Different styles of music have a certain focus in terms of frequency balance, impact and dynamics. From experience, you tend to know which areas are the best to enhance for overall enjoyment to the listener. It’s also important that the style of music is mastered for the target medium it will be played on.

    What excites you about the future of music?

    BF: I have worked with labels such as Future Classic for over 10 years and enjoy the direction that indie/dance music has taken in Australia. Artists such as RUFUS and Ngaiire are pushing the boundaries with songs that are radio and dance floor friendly. I hope that there is more of a cross over sound in the future.

    If you could have made one key piece of equipment you use, what would that be?

    BF: The Duntech Sovereign speakers are essential. In terms of gear I’d like a Knif Soma EQ to match by Knif Vari-mu compressor. Mastering equipment is so expensive in Australia – maybe Studios 301 can buy me one?

    Do you have an tips or advice for people mixing or getting songs together for mastering?

    BF: Listen to your online mix on a variety of playback systems. Level match and compare with commercial tracks, and ensure there are no frequencies (especially sub frequencies) that are out of control but you just can’t hear it due to your room or speakers. A spectrum analyser and RMS metering definitely can assist this. Leave a few dB of headroom when bouncing audio for mastering. Most importantly, be satisfied with your mixes and remember it takes years to sound like a pro!

    What’s the most important aspect in the mastering process?

    BF: The room, monitoring and experience. You can’t master a record without the knowledge that your room and monitoring are accurately telling you what is going on.

    Check out Ben’s blog posts here:

    https://studios301.com/blog/ben-feggans-on-loudness-part-1/

    https://studios301.com/blog/ben-feggans-on-loudness-part-2/

    https://studios301.com/blog/dangerous-bax-vs-uad/

    And his posts on Gearslutz https://www.gearslutz.com/board/members/15707-ben-f/

    For mastering enquiries or to book Ben Feggans please contact

    Mastering Manager

    Lynley White-Smith (02) 9698 5888

    lynley@studios301.com

  • Is It A Banger? – Winner Announcement

    Is It A Banger? – Winner Announcement

    After listening to each and every single song uploaded, we’re excited to reveal the winner of our Is It A Banger? Electronic Music Competition.

    Let us tell you, it was a very difficult call. The overwhelming number of entrants and the consistently strong production was mind-blowing. We had every type of banger you can think of including Trap, Deep House, G-House, Big Room, Nu-disco, Jungle, Electro-pop, Tribal, Future, and everything in between.

    We’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who entered, and we’re looking forward to working with you in the future. There were so many standouts but after dwindling down the shortlist, we are very proud to be able to announce our winner.

    Without further ado, congratulations to Sydney electronic duo POLARHEART, who took out the competition with their track Dystopia.

    Polarheart now receive 2 days studio time at Studios 301, mastering by 301 engineer Ben Feggans, an exclusive introduction to 120 Publishing (Ministry of sound Australia), and a studio collaboration session with hitmaker Chris Arnott.

    Here’s what Chris Arnott had this to say of the winners, “I was really taken by Polarheart’s songwriting, tasteful production and beautiful vocal delivery. Really looking forward to spending some time in the studio with them.”

    A big thanks once again to all of the amazing electronic music makers who entered. The future is looking very bright.

    Banger!