Czech out SONO Recording Studios

We’ve been waiting to bust out the puns on this one for a while, but all jokes aside, you really must Czech out our newest partner studio, SONO Recording Studios. Located in the western suburbs of Prague, this full-service residential recording studio is as comfortable as it is prestigious. The complex is comprised of two studios, both with live rooms and Neve control rooms, pre production suites, and a 3000 square metre residential ‘studio hotel’ complete with restaurant, bar and a manicured garden.

SONO specialise in orchestral recording, and have become world-renowned for their impeccable skills and services when it comes to recording orchestras and symphonies of every size. The large studios allow recording space for philharmonic orchestras of up to 100 musicians! Unlike other studios SONO can also supply the orchestra with musicians from the Czech Philharmonic & Prague Symphony, as well as facilitate live recordings at other venues. But make no mistake, SONO are experienced recording every type of project, including film scores, with a client roster that includes David Bowie, Joss Stone, Nazareth, Gypsy Kings, Julian Lennon, Living Colour, Glen Hansard, The Levellers, Mike Stern, and Limp Bizkit.

The larger of the two studios, Studio 1, features a brand new 48 channel Rupert Neve Designs Neve 5088 console, large live room with 8m high ceilings, four separate booths and a bar! The high ceilings and many windows flood the space in natural light, and with the wood and sandstone walls creates a warm and vibrant live space for all manner of large recordings; rock, jazz, classical – you name it! Motorised glass walls allow a number of different configurations for isolation making it ideal for live projects. In the control room, the Neve desk is joined by Tannoy, Genelec and Yamaha monitors, Pro Tools HD3, an Otari tape machine, and a host of outboard, plug ins and other pieces of equipment, which can all be viewed in the compressive gear spec here. In between takes you can relax in Studio 1’s private rec room, which has its own kitchen/bar, and TV area.

Up in the attic you’ll find Studio 2, but you can forget about any notions of a cramped and dark space. This room has 4m high ceilings, large windows looking over the surrounding forests, making it airy and full of light. The angles of the walls and roof create a really interesting sound, and with slate, sandstone, wood and glass surfaces, every acoustic is covered. Like it’s bigger sister, Studio 2 also has a Neve control room, centred around a V51 console with compressors/limiters on each channel and an 8 channel master section. Outboard and monitoring are provided by top brands such as Lexicon, Tannoy and more, with the tape machines and Pro Tools located in a separate machine room for peace and quiet. Studio 2 also has its own rec room next door with a bar and kitchenette for breaks and meals.

The on-site ‘studio hotel’ features seven bedrooms, a restaurant, and bar where clients can sample international and traditional Czech cuisine, or the country’s world-famous pilsner beer, as well as other types of spirits and drinks. Add to that, en-suite bathrooms, free Wifi, satellite TV, private parking and surrounding gardens and you’ll feel like you’re in a commercial hotel! The nation’s capital, Prague, is just 20 minutes away from SONO, making it easy for clients to experience the beauty and history of the city during down time or days off. Take a look at the local ‘what to do’ guide from the studio here.

World class equipment and engineers, home comfort and relaxing location make SONO the perfect studio to write, record and mix any type of project, regardless of genre or size.