MODERN MUSICIANS NEED AUDIO, VIDEO, BROADCAST, AND SOCIAL MEDIA JUST TO BE SEEN. SO WHY BUILD A STUDIO THAT ONLY DOES ONE OF THOSE THINGS?
Merriam productions recording studio is presenting an entirely new vision of what a production facility can do. There are already dozens upon dozens of professional recording studios in Toronto. To simply add another well-designed Toronto recording studio would have barely made a ripple in the landscape, and so a very different concept was needed.
As the prevalence of video as a marketing medium is grown, so has the need for low-cost high-quality video production. Independent musicians particularly are always looking for new ways to have the material, their brands, and their musical identity cut through the white noise and find an audience. More and more, this is best accomplished through mixed-media; video, blog, music etc.
So if the need by musicians is for production of media in every channel and space, then why only build a studio capable of producing one? It was therefore decided that Merriam productions would not only be capable of producing the highest levels of audio, but also a video, live shows, and more.
Studio B is located on the lower level of Merriam’s Oakville facility. It resembles a conventional commercial recording space, complete with a full control room, medium-sized recording room with 7 foot grand piano, and in isolation booth. The entire space has been designed by Martin Pilcher, and conforms to the very highest levels of acoustic design. Every wall and surface has been considered for its acoustic properties, including angles, materials, and sizes. If all you’ve experienced is “That guy down the block with an awesome home recording studio” then prepare to have your mind blown. The control room utilizes the most modern and universally accepted recording studio equipment and recording software standards – this includes the use of Pro tools, SCE 24 automated control surface, a suite of outboard gear, and a world-class library of plug-ins. Floor to ceiling glass between all spaces makes for excellent sight lines and a collaborative atmosphere.
Studio A is located on the main level of the Merriam Oakville said facility, directly over top of studio B. Studio A is a multi-purpose performance and broadcast space. It has available seating for up to 100 guests, a full DM X lighting system with digital computer control, a 192 inch high definition video wall, stadium level sound reinforcement, three built-in high definition video cameras with remote control, and the 32 track patch bay directly to studio B below.
This Toronto recording studio a can be utilized in any number of ways: as a world-class recital space, to record or capture a music video, a live to air concert, product launches, corporate events and seminars, conventional recording sessions including film scoring, medium and large ensembles, or live off the floor jazz, pop, or rock recordings. Studio a also has the unique ability to have any piano from Merriam Pianos world-class showroom moved onto its stage for recording.
Integration between the two studios
Merriam Productions from Merriam Music on Vimeo.
The most exciting elements of Merriam productions truly is the ability to integrate studio a in studio B within the same projects. These are things that the best professional, or serious home recording studio have yet to accomplish.
The video wall in Studio A is one of the largest live performance recording permanent video wall installations in Toronto. Its placement at the rear of the stage, and its seamless integration with the DMX lighting system, gives any client the ability to fully replicate the conditions on a professional touring rock or pop stage. Whether the client wants responsive video backdrops, or specific video content in scenes, the 192 inches gives an immersive experience that is not duplicated anywhere else. In addition, the three permanently installed HD cameras, when used in conjunction with two staff videographers, means that five independent camera angles can be captured per take, all at a fraction of what the cost normally would be.
A recent conversation with a prominent indie music producer in Toronto really underscored this particular offering. There is a serious shortage of small and medium-sized performance facilities in Toronto, capable of capturing audio and/or video at a high commercial level. In the cost to bring these capabilities to some of the more preferred performance venues runs into the tens of thousands – making it, quite frankly, completely unaffordable. Most of the facilities in Toronto that are equipped with both recording studio equipment and video equipment capable of producing the quality that musicians require for commercial use are totally unsuited for live performance.
Studio A does both handily. A musician or band can use the space for a very high-end, intimate performance with a real audience. But at the same time, capture the performance with both video and audio at full commercial levels. Not only does this mean that bans or musicians interested in a “ live and feel” for an album can create atmosphere entirely naturally, but it also means that ticket sales from an audience could very well find or completely offset the entire cost of the recording.
Studio A and studio B’s direct video integration means that studio a can also be used exclusively for audio recording projects, since the engineer sitting in studio B can be fully connected to what’s happening directly above him. The direct patch bay that links the two studios allows the engineer downstairs to fully utilize all of the professional audio recording studio equipment of studio B to capture whatever is needed in studio A.
This opens up a number of possibilities for the types of recordings that can be done, since the studio a room is amongst the largest recording rooms in Toronto. It can easily accommodate a string ensemble, a small orchestra, a jazz big-band, or a large indie rock or pop band.
