In the past few months, Studios 301 has seen a surge in activity, with international tours returning to the country and bringing their A-list clients to utilise our facilities. Studios 301 has welcomed Trippie Redd, 24kGoldn, ArrDee, AJ Tracey, YG, James Hype, Jonas Myrin and more.
We have also had the privilege of working with Australian icons including Nick Littlemore, Jess Mauboy, Pacific Avenue, Genesis Owusu, Delta Goodrem, Hayden James and Kormak, Jimmy Barnes, ONEFOUR, Chillinit, Guy Sebastian, Julie Kerr, New Jupiter with Grace Amos, Moonwood and more.
Brand clients included Australis Music for an epic 3 day Pro Audio Roadshow featuring K-ARRAY / KGEAR / KSCAPE, radio station CADA x Bonds doing a complete studio takeover with Flex & Froomes, Lexus with Dan Fontaine, and Roland launching a top-secret new product with drummers from around Australia. Mushroom used our studios to film a documentary on Michael Gudinski.
We are proud to have played a role in creating new music for these artists and allowing them to reach their full potential in the recording process. Additionally, we have had a number of local clients choose our studio for their projects, further cementing our reputation as the go-to destination for high-quality recordings.
We look forward to continuing this streak of success in the coming months.
🚨 Just Announced 🚨 Adrian Breakspear: Two-Day Recording and Production Masterclass
To coincide with their latest album release “Spirals”, Wollongong indie pop collective Pirra have released a three-song live film performing at Studios 301. In the 11-minute film, the band, led by Jess Beck, perform their 2020 single ‘Limousine Lies’ followed by 2021’s ‘Drifting’ and the new album’s title track.
Sean’s powerful cover of ‘Running Up That Hill’ (Kate Bush)
Becoming homeless after a traumatic experience left Sean feeling scared and isolated. Now he wants to use his music to let others know they aren’t alone.
Last month, the Abbey Road Institute students took part in another rendition of their Songwriting Camp over their mid-trimester break. Combining the 2022 cohorts, the experience was designed to replicate real-life industry experiences. Find out more about Abbey Road Institute here.
After the inaugural launch of ‘Greater Good’ in 2021, Good Intent are back at it again with their independent artist initiative. The program gives back to the independent artist community, by providing in kind services and a cash grant totalling $20,000 AUD (double their first year pool).
We are excited to offer a recording/mix/mastering package to the winning recipient. It includes:
The perfect space for songwriting and production sessions. Bring your laptop, plug it into the Universal Audio Apollo X8 and start writing, collaborating and tracking vocals
“Primerchord is always open to having composers pitch their work and finding ways that we can collaborate together. This workshop will be the perfect opportunity to work with the Primerchord team to create works that will be suited for immediate pitch to the library.”
While the festive season may be a quiet time for some, December and January were certainly very busy months for the recording department at Studios 301, having hosted an array of international artists, musical theatre casts, Australian recording icons, and local Aussie talent.
Straight off the touring stages of FOMO Festival, international rap duo Rae Sremmurd joined us for 2 days in Studio 1& 2 to write with their team – Swae Lee’s session engineered by Jack Garzonio, Slim Jxmmi’s session engineered by Jack Prest. Renowned pianist, composer, and former touring musician with Mariah Carey’s band, Lionel Cole tracked his full band in Studio 1 engineered by our very own Jack Prest and assisted by Jack Garzonio. International drummer for Lauryn Hill, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, and P Diddy, George “Spanky” McCurdy ran an exclusive and intimate masterclass in our Studio 1 live space.
In addition to hosting some of the industry’s biggest names in music, we were visited by the cast from two of Australia’s elite musical theatre productions.
The cast of Muriel’s Wedding spent a day with our engineer Owen Butcher to record some vocal takes for their upcoming studio release, and the cast from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory spent 2 days with Stefan Du Randt and Jack Garzonio recording vocals in Studio 1.
We even had a visit from the Royal Australian Navy Band, who recorded a 20 piece orchestra and a massive 100 person choir, engineered by Jack Prest and assisted by Owen Butcher.
Other artists recording in the studios during December and January include Nick Littlemore from Empire of the Sun, Alfie Arcuri, B Wise,Dallas Woods, Ojikae, Chong Lim with David Campbell, Chaika engineered by Bob Scott, JXN, Thief, Briggs, Judy Bailey OAM, Sam Sakr, Cxloe, Fergus James, Coda Conduct, NYXEN and Crooked Colours.
Mastering Highlights
Leon Zervos has been busy mastering new music from Eurovision contenders Kate Miller-Heidke and Mark Vincent, and projects for The Veronicas, Sahara Beck, Amy Shark, Russell Morris, WAAX and many more!
Congrats toSteve Smartwho mastered triple j’s hottest 100 #1 “Confidence” by Ocean Alley.Other highlights by Steve include albums for Mick Hart, an EP for Stapylton Street, as well as new releases for Germein, VACATIONS, Leanne Tennant, Sushin Shyam (India), HEIDI (Indonesia), Not A Boys Name and Hatakaze to name a few.
Ben Feggans has worked on new releases from 2018 JJJ Unearthed Bigsound winners Austen and Keelan Mak, Sinclaire, Odette, Luboku and a tasty new EP by Coda Conduct.
Andrew Edgsonhas mastered an album for Georgia Mulligan, an EP for Riley Pierce, and singles for The Laurels, Gooch Palms, Merpire, Aquila Young, and Oh Reach.
Harvey O’Sullivan worked on a vinyl release for The Living End, and new releases for Miserist, The Widest Ocean, One30, Gavrani, and Belle Kerr.
Introducing: New EP/Album Pricing
Steve Smart masters Triple J Hottest 100 #1
Masterclass
SIMON COHEN
Vocal Recording & Production Masterclass
LAST TICKETS AVAILABLE
In this almost sold out two-part masterclass series, Simon will guide you on an in-depth illustrative look at his vocal process and share some of his secret techniques from recording to producing and mixing pop vocals.
Highlights include US Billboard chart topping rapper A$AP Rocky, english grime artist Skepta and the self labeled “hardest working boyband in show business” Brockhampton. Brockhampton leaked their ASAP Rocky collab a few days later online.
Sony band CLEWS also locked out Studio 1 for 10 days with ARIA winning engineer Adrian Breakspear and Grammy Award winning engineer/producer Nick Didia.
Other notable sessions include a continuation for Chong Lim and David Campbell with Jack Prest mixing full band, string section and orchestra, LDRU, Glades, Australia’s got talent winner Fletcher Pilon with Tim Carr, Stefan Du Randt mixing Karise Eden’s new live EP, Joe Moore, Blessed, Manu Crooks, Genesis Owusu, Elephant tracks listening party for B-Wise, a film shoot for The Presets, recording Bigsound podcasts with themusic.com.au and more.
Our featured release of the month was Thundamentals album “I Love Songs” which debuted at #1 on the ARIA Charts and was vocal produced by 301 engineer Simon Cohen.
https://studios301.com/our-work/i-love-songs/
Mastering Engineer Highlights
Steve Smartmastered this year’s triple j Like A Version compilation, along with releases for Julia Jacklin (Liberation Music), Alex The Astronaut (Minkowski Records), Winterbourne (UMA), The Money War, Morning Harvey, Eden Mulholland, and Sister Peach.
Ben Feggans has been working on music for Bek Jensen, Sanctuary Lakes (Cut Copy), Luboku, Xmpla, Neon Cassettes, MAS1A (Singapore), Kid Fiction, Swaine Delgado,Pacific Avenueand E.T Le Créateur.
Andrew Edgson has worked on a new album for Little May (Dew Process), and tracks for Courtney Barnett (Milk! Records/Remote Control), Thelma Plum (Warner), The Tambourine Girls andRACKETT.
Harvey O’Sullivan has mastered projects for Karise Eden (UMA), Gordi (Jagjaguwar), Irrelevant and a Young, Black & Deadlycompilation (Koori Radio).
It’s that time of year again with the 2016 ARIA Awards just around the corner. We’d like to extend a huge congratulation to all of this year’s nominees, and give a shout out to the amazing artists we have worked with who’ve made the list. We’d also like to give acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of our Studios 301 engineers who worked on many of those projects.
Below is a list of nominees and their works that our Studios 301 engineers have contributed to;
Senior Mastering Engineer Leon Zervos leads the pack mastering NINE nominated projects:
Guy Sebastian ‘Black & Blue’ – 2 nominations (single master)
Gang Of Youths ‘Let Me Be Clear’ – 2 nominations (EP master)
Olympia ‘Self Talk’ – 1 nomination (album master)
Joe Chindamo & Joe Black ‘The New Goldberg Variations’ – 1 nomination (album master)
Bob Evans ‘Car Boot Sale’ – 1 nomination (album master)
Nominated credits by our Studios 301 producers and recording / mixing engineers:
Illy ‘Papercuts (Feat. Vera Blue)’ (Best Pop Release)
Vocal production – Simon Cohen. Recorded in studio 6.
Illy was also nominated for Best Male Artist & Best Video
Peter Garrett ‘A Version of Now’ (Best Alternative Album)
Assistant Engineer – Dan Frizza
Mastering Engineer – Steve Smart
Urthboy ‘The Past Beats Inside Me Like A Second Heartbeat’ (Best Urban Album)
’Second Heartbeat’ feat. Sampa The Great and Okenyo’
Vocal production – Simon Cohen
Emma Pask ‘Cosita Divina’ (Best Jazz Album)
Recorded and mixed by Simon Cohen in Studio 1
Stu Hunter ‘The Migration’ (Best Jazz Album)
Recorded in Studio 1. Assistant Engineer Simon Cohen and Owen Butcher
Finally, a MASSIVE shout out to our on-again-off-again tenants and buddies RUFUS for being nominated for Telstra Album Of The Year, Best Australian Live Act, Best Dance Release, Best Group and Best Cover Art!
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).
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.
Andrew Edgson is one of Studios 301’s new generation of mastering engineers. Over the last 10 years he has mastered for Aria Award winning and multi platinum selling projects including Matt Corby, Sarah McKenzie, Vance Joy, and The Griswolds just to name a few. Recently he has been working with a whole swag of tastemaker bands that have caught the eye of triple j and TheMadden Brothers. We caught up with Andrew to talk all things mastering, and to find out what he’s been working on lately.Can you tell us a bit about your recent work and what you’ve been up to?
The last 6 months have been really busy for me. I’ve been able to work with a broad range of artists including Matt Corby, Hayden Calnin, Bag Raiders, A.D.K.O.B, Chase Atlantic, Jack and The Kids, The Lulu Raes, Ben Gillies, Burrows, Drued, The Hamiltons, The Frankner, Warhawk, Georgia Mulligan, DMAs, Pepa Knight, The Great Awake, BRUVVY, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, The Song Company, Pinchgut Opera, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, and the list goes on…
There has been some industry hype surrounding a few of the artists you’ve been working with recently… I’m talking about the triple j Unearthed wins from both A.D.K.O.B, Jack and the Kids, and all the attention Chase Atlantic are getting from The Madden Brothers. Can you tell us what’s going on with these projects?
It’s great to see these bands getting the recognition they deserve, A.D.K.O.B were one of the winners of the triple j unearthed competition late last year, winning a slot on the St Jerome’s Laneway festival. In a similar vein Jack and The Kids won the more recently announced unearthed competition getting a spot on the Groovin’ the Moo festival. Chase Atlantic have been picked up by The Madden Brothers, and are currently in talks with international labels.
What these sessions were like?
All of the sessions were actually unattended, so in these cases I was working alone, simply hoping that any changes I made were helping bring the artist’s vision closer to fruition. It’s a tough call as to whether I prefer this way of working. In one way it’s great to not be on the clock, so if I want to listen to 30 mins of Beyonce mid session I can, however there is the issue of delayed feedback. In the end we are working on art, and that is something that shouldn’t be rushed for the simple point of saving a few dollars.
Wow that’s a big 6 months. How important is it to stay connected in the industry and have close ties with management and artists?
The international music industry is surprisingly small, so I try to keep relationships with people in all roles, at all levels, across the globe. I wouldn’t recommend spending too much time concentrating in one space, as it’s so easy to reach a point of diminishing marginal returns. This concept can actually be applied to a lot of things; for example why become an expert mixing engineer in a specific genre only to find a year later the genre is out of fashion, along with your career. Be smart with your time, it’s pretty much the most valuable thing you own.
Looking through your discography you have a keen interest in jazz and classical but also mastered all the way over to indie and dance. How do you manage to stay across genres and not get pigeonholed?
As much of a cliché this is; I honestly enjoy a broad range of music, the variety is what keeps things fresh for me.
How do mastering engineers get their work?
To a degree it is a popularity contest, but this is predicated on a consistent level of quality work. This platitude seems appropriate, “you’re only as good as your last record”.
Are you an analogue or digital guy?
My mastering is usually a combination of both digital and analogue. There are however certain genres and even specific recordings that benefit from an entirely digital approach, much in the same way there are some recordings that scream out for the vibe soaked analogue treatment. It’s a matter of assessing a recording on its merits and choosing the appropriate approach to bring out the best in the music.
How did you get into mastering?
It’s a matter of having good ears, a habit of working hard and a being in the right place at the right time. I have come up through the ranks at Studios 301, so I have a good understanding of how to do all of the jobs available in a recording or mastering studio. Mastering is where I found the right balance for my personality; it has absolutely developed into a passion of mine, and is something I would be happy to dedicate the rest of my life to. There is a great piece of advice I picked up along the way – happiness in life is finding something you really enjoy doing, and doing that every day for the rest of your life. For me, this is mastering.
You’ve been mastering at Studios 301 for 10 years, what are the biggest changes that you have seen happen in music?
The biggest change is the change in distribution strategies that are now open to artists. When I started out, CDs were the primary method of getting music out into the world, now there is a multitude of formats and file types. The relevance of this to a mastering engineer is we need to be across all the different codecs and how they impose their own sound onto a recording, and how best to get around their shortcomings.
What’s the biggest piece of advice you can give someone wanting to be a mastering engineer?
If you want to become a mastering engineer, get yourself setup with a good quality monitor controller, a great DAC, and a set of speakers that you think sound great in the space you have available to listen in. Your speakers are the tool that you make all your decisions through, so if they are not setup right you are already handicapped, and it will be very difficult (almost impossible) to produce results at the consistency you need to. Once you are setup in the speaker department, you need to spend as much time listening to music as possible; your aim is to teach yourself what sounds good and what doesn’t sound good, this should turn into a pursuit that lasts a lifetime. Lastly get practising on the tools, mainly EQ and compression, which should be developed to the point of being second nature. I think it’s worth pointing out that the brand of tool is almost irrelevant, it’s what you do with them that counts. Check out more on Andrew Edgson: www.triplejunearthed.com/article/dirt-mastering
You can make a mastering booking with Andrew instantly online here.
It’s been over a week since the tragic news of the untimely death of music icon Prince. Tributes to the late singer, songwriter, and producer have continued to pour in from his countless legions of fans.
The crew here at 301 were honored to have worked with Prince in our studios in 1992 whilst he was in Australia on his Diamonds and Pearls world tour. The icon and his band recorded in Studio B at our former Castlereagh Street location. Prince recorded tracks that would remain unreleased as he transitioned into his “Love Symbol” era shortly after.
Stephen Crane and Greg Cameron who were working in the 301 Tech department at the time reminisce about the Prince and the New Power Generation’s late night sessions at 301.
“It was all just a flash in time. It was very exciting, he’s just such a musical genius! When we found out that he was coming in we prepared the studio for a week,” they recalled.
According to the guys, Prince had booked three sessions at the studio but he only came in for two. Greg recounts how the icon’s band would come straight to the studio from their shows and begin setting up, whilst Prince would return to his hotel room and watch the entire concert he’d just performed.
Once done at his hotel room, he would make his way to 301, arriving at around 2am and working until dawn with recording engineer Mark Forrester and Angelique Cooper who performed MIDI programming.
“Prince would arrive at the studios with blank Post-It notes. He worked out all of the arrangements on the spot, then he would write the individual arrangements on notes for each member of the band,” Stephen recalled.
“He’d give these to each musician and they would all play their parts. They would do one take, maybe two and leave. Prince would spend the rest of the night singing and recording overdubs, working with Mark and Angelique.” “Prince was so impressed with both engineers that they were invited to the US to complete the songs at Paisley Park. Angelique would take that offer up and spend some time at the legendary compound with Prince.”
Stephen added, “I recall hearing that Prince had at least 5000 multitrack reels full of music all unreleased at that time. He was just writing and making music constantly.”
The plaque at 301 reception commemorates Prince recording at the studios.
Sad Grrrls Club is a collective of non-male musicians and music industry professionals based in Australia. Their aim is to promote gender diversity in the local music scene by giving non-males a helping hand to create music and get that music heard.
Founded in 2015 by Rachel Maria Cox, the Sad Grrrls Club collective started as a tour and festival which saw Cox, alongside “freak-folkie” Ess-Em, perform with local acts in Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle, Wollongong and Brisbane, building up to the first ever Sad Grrrls Fest run over two days in Sydney. The project received a huge amount of positive feedback, but the question everyone was asking was “what’s next for the Sad Grrrls?”
Never one to take a break, RMC immediately started work on Sad Grrrls Club Records, a DIY record label that would help bring together not only non-male musicians, but also recording engineers, producers, mastering engineers, photographers, graphic designers, videographers and artists to create an ongoing project that could help promote gender diversity in the industry.
We caught up with Rachel about the upcoming Sad Grrrls Fest in Sydney which Studios 301 is a media sponsor.
How does it feel to be in your second year of the festival?
It’s very exciting to see how it’s grown from last year. I’m really glad we’ve almost doubled the number of artists involved, and it will be cool to take it to Melbourne for the first time. I feel like I’ve watched my baby growing up. I’m really proud of everyone who’s put work into it to make it what it is.
Being an artist yourself what do you think the biggest challenge in getting your music out is?
The biggest challenge I think is with so many avenues you can pursue to share your music, choosing which ones are going to be most effective. There’s so many different options and platforms and especially if you’re just starting out, knowing where to begin can be daunting. It really helps if you have someone a little more experienced guiding and mentoring you, and of course there’s no substitute for playing live and quality music.
Where do you see yourself and the festival in years to come?
I would really like to see the festival gradually become a nationwide event. Personally, I’d be very happy if I could make Sad Grrrls Club my full time job and use it to share my own and other people’s’ music.
The lineups for Sydney and Melbourne were just announced.
In January 2015, VAANI was working on a debut album of songs which integrated her singer/songwriter talent with her spirituality. In the course of touring the conscious-living festival circuit, she crossed paths with English electronic musician SOLON, who was DJing and curating yoga events on the East coast. Together they collaborated to finish and release VAANI’s debut single ‘The First Ray’. Less than nine months later, she tragically passed away from cancer, leaving a treasure trove of unfinished songs in the memory bytes of her laptop.
Before he left for India to process the loss, her husband Edo shared some of VAANI’s unfinished tracks with SOLON , who picked up the rough-hewn draft that was ‘The Jewel’ and turned it into the track that’s just been released: a song of lush organic instrumentation, a bed of sampled beats, a celebratory vibe and above all VAANI’s voice radiating from front and centre.
“VAANI’s message in the song is simple”, says SOLON. “At the heart of all of us lies something unique, something special, something that each of us has to share. Life is about finding it and realising it. Jo embodied this approach to life. She spent her last six years sharing what she had to share – with no doubt, no hesitation – just full commitment. “The Jewel” captures that spirit in which she lived. She was and continues to be an inspiration.”
Jo (VAANI) & Edo
Talking to 301, Matt Singmin (A.k.a. SOLON) shared his involvement in this amazing project.
Tell us the story behind ‘The Jewel’
Early in 2015 I worked with singer-songwriter called Jo Mall-Kahn (a.k.a. VAANI) to produce an electronic remix of her debut release ‘The First Ray’ – turning what was an acoustic ballad with a Norah Jones style, into a darker/sparser neo-soul track inspired by Portishead / James Blake / Nicolas Jaar.
Tragically a few months later she was diagnosed with cancer, and within 2-3 months she’d passed away. It was a real shock to everyone – she was young and living super healthy, and also devoting her life to helping others through the charity that she co-founded ‘A Sound Life’. It was just one of those things that doesn’t make any kind of sense.
After the funeral, Jo’s husband Edo (lead singer of Gelbison) left me with the files for some of her unfinished tracks, one of which was the rough cut of ‘The Jewel’. When I heard it, I instantly knew that it was a magic song and that I could do something with it and help bring it to life. So while Edo spent a few months in India processing the loss of his wife, I got to work remixing the track and by the time he got back we had a version of the track ready for final tweaks.
Edo Kahn and SOLON working to bring “The Jewel” to life
How does the original mix of ‘The Jewel’ compare with the remix you worked on?
The original mix had a more of a world music vibe – lots of Indian / ethnic style drums and densely packed with organic instrumentation. The first step I took was to strip all the instrumentation back so that Jo’s vocal could have more space to come through. The only instruments which remained from the original mix were the harp and piano, but I ended up re-recording the piano to make it better fit with the new online mix. The original arrangement was longer with extended choruses to reflect the way in which Edo & Jo would perform live, with the call and response sections that are the hallmark of devotional music (a.k.a. kirtan). I cut these back to give the track a more traditional song structure and to ensure that every section of the song kept pulling the listener in. In terms of the sound, a strong influence was a track called ‘Sapphire’ by Bonobo from his latest album ‘The North Borders’ – solid and snappy beats, a tight groove, delicate organic instrumentation and the way that every sound has its own place, were all things that were inspired by ‘Sapphire’ and that I worked to bring to the ‘The Jewel’ remix.
How did you go mastering with Ben Feggans?
It was a fantastic session. I always prefer to attend mastering sessions and have an input into the final eq, compression and loudness decisions. Ben is really receptive to feedback and takes the time to understand the vision for the track. We spent a lot of time listening to two reference tracks – ‘Sapphire’ by Bonobo and an early Coldplay track called ‘Warning Sign’. I talked about the elements of those tracks that I was inspired by and looking to capture – and he totally got what I was after.
He enhanced the low end with the API EQ and added some top end sheen with the Sontec. The Knif Pure-Mu took care of compression and tucked the kick drum under the rest of the track – solid and thick but not detracting from the rest of the instrumentation. One of the most surprising aspects to the session was the impact that the Analog to Digital converters had on the track. We listened to two options: the Prism AD2 and the Lavry Gold. I was shocked at how much of a difference there was. While I have no doubt that Prism is extremely accurate, the Lavry Gold sounded deeper, had better separation and gave the track the kind of sound that you hear on so many world-class records – a kind of high-end richness. I was really happy with the results.
A Sound Life sounds like a fantastic organisation with some high profile supporters in the music industry – tell us more.
All proceeds from ‘The Jewel’ are going to A Sound Life, the charity set up by Edo and Jo to help bring music and yoga to those in need (e.g. people in hospitals, aged-care, mental health and disability facilities). We managed to raise over $4000 in the first week from “donations for download” which was really encouraging for the charity as well as for the music.
The organisation has managed to create a wonderful community of musicians and yoga teachers, and with Edo’s network through his past life in Gelbison, a number of fairly high profile muso’s have come on board – Sally Seltman was at Sydney Children’s Hospital last week with Edo, and Ben Lee has been volunteering for them for some time now. If you are a musican and want to make the day of somebody less fortunate than you by just turning up and doing what you do, check out http://asoundlife.org/give/
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The Jewel (SOLON Remix) is out now and available to download at:
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.
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.
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.
There is a strong possibility of missing plugins/audio files
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:
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 towardsthe 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.
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.
Jo (VAANI) & Edo
