Livingston Studio 1

One of the key strengths to Livingston Studio 1 is its abundance of space. There are five different recording rooms, all offering a different range of acoustics. The drum room is very live due to its wooden floor, stone wall, tiled wall and wooden ceiling, and so the definition of cymbals and snares is exceptional. However each wall has acoustic curtains which can be closed to tighten the sound. The front live room is a tighter sounding space and the other rooms offer varied acoustics to suit different needs. There is a great line of vision between all of the live rooms which enhances the feeling of openness, and is ideal for good communication during takes. Add the hue lighting and you can setup the mood of the day very easily.

You enter the studio through its own private, daylit rec room which contains a comfy Chesterfield sofa. On the far side is a corridor leading to the studio.

The control room is centred around a fantastic SSL SL4072 G series console with 72 channels, which came from the famous Wisseloord Studios in Holland. The console contains 8 orange EQs, 8 brown EQs and 16 of the black EQs from the previous Livingston desk. At the back of the control room is a large brown Chatsworth sofa with two outboard racks to the right and three to the left, all of which can be wheeled closer to the console when needed. The patchbay rack (which also contains the reverbs) sits to the right of the desk.

The SSL is a fantastic mixing console which some engineers like to track on, but if you are looking for other mic pre's then look no further - we have plenty to choose from which cover every tone an engineer can imagine; from vintage Neve warmth to API mid-range punch, through to the pristine transparency of the GMLs. You'll also find an equally varied and flexible collection of fantastic compressors, EQs and reverbs.

Monitoring is via a pair of Augspurger Duo-12 monitors with 2 x single 18" subs. These speakers have to be heard to be believed. For nearfield, there's the industry-revered ATC SCM25A Pros or NS10's fed from a Cranesong Avocet.

The control room looks directly into the main recording room, which is the more controlled of the two large tracking spaces. The room is large as it is, but can be almost doubled in size by opening up sliding doors that seperate it from the second recording space on the far side. The two live rooms combined can comfortably hold 16 piece string sections.

The second recording space is a great live drum recording room. It has stone walls and a wooden floor and ceiling that all contribute to a great sounding reverberant drum sound. However you can dampen the reverb time by closing the acoustic curtains hung on the walls which makes the room completely versatile.

Down the far right side of the studio are two large booths providing other acoustic options. The first is a great isolation booth housing the studio's Steinway B Grand Piano. The Steinway B is a 1955 New York Grand Piano that has been lovingly restored. The soundboard has been replaced, it has had new keys, new strings... in fact everything inside the piano is new all using authentic Steinway parts. This is a beautful sounding Piano that is perfect for Jazz, classical or pop piano. The smaller dead booth is perfect for recording vocal and guitar overdubs. A small booth at the far end of the live rooms is a perfect location for guitar amps. With five different recording rooms, all with isolation, Livingston 1 is perfect for tracking bands.

Add to this an great collection of mics, backline, a comprehensive collection of guitar pedals, a vintage Ludwig Hollywood drumkit, a Hammond and Rhodes; and you have a truly world-class recording studio.