We’ve been expanding the studio over the past six months or so. We’ve put in a new rehearsal room, upgraded all the soundproofing and installed new mixing desks and computer systems in the two main recording suites. It’s been a massive project, but very fulfilling. It might sound weird since most of the bands who come to us are upcoming indie acts from around town, but I’ve been heavily inspired by Timbaland’s Thomas Crown Studio in all of this. The set-up he’s got, set over 5000sq ft, is incredible and something I hope to emulate one day. Here’s a picture:

Another thing we’ve updated at our studio is our internet connection. It’s hard to believe but previously we just worked off one broadband connection, but the more we used it, the more strained it got and the slower it became to actually do things.

Now, with our new computer systems all being linked in to the web and our policy of backing up files to an external server (an extra safeguard for us and the artists), we’ve found that our data demands are higher than ever. We were advised early on that our new systems would be too much for a standard broadband connection to handle and that we should probably look for other solutions.

The one most commonly mentioned to me was to have a leased line installed. This is where you literally lease a line off the connection provider, which then becomes your own dedicated, high-speed link to the net (part of the problem with standard broadband is that you’re in effect competing with other users in your area, so at busy times, speeds get slower). With a leased line, you’ve got the whole pipe all to yourself at all times, so you don’t have to worry about sluggish connections.

To be honest I was sceptical at first but since we had the leased line put in it’s been a dream. We had a 10Mb leased line linked in to our studio and the effect has been incredible. No more problems with the connection – no agonising waits for files to transfer over to our backup site – and our download speeds have been much quicker than they were before, which is vital considering the number of MP3s we get sent/directed to.

Of course, no studio upgrade would be complete without bringing up some fine new ‘green room’ facilities. We’ve practically got our own bar now upstairs, it’s a great space for the bands and technicians to chill out after laying down tracks, and with the floor space up there we’re considering opening it up as a venue for industry showcases etc. It’s an amazing prospect and one I’m really looking forward to developing in the future. In the meantime, we’re getting some optics put in on Friday – mine’s a JD!