And now, the electronics (or, how about those virtual realities?)

The electronic package is an interesting blend of semi-semi-pro, pro and audiophile gear, and it speaks directly to the issue of how neutral electronic systems are in comparison to acoustic ones. The console is a kludge: A Fostex 460 4-bus mixer/recorder with two Mackie 1604 mixers flanking it. In practice, Mike uses one of the Mackies as a monitor mixer during tracking/overdubbing and as the stereo mixer during mixdown. Simple and cheap.

This rig is used about half the time for "live-to-two" mixdown to DAT and/or PCM F1 (Sony 601s). For multitrack work it drives a Tascam MSR-16 1/2" multitrack with dbx noise reduction. Outboard gear includes a small array of compressor/limiters, a Roland 660 digital EQ, some Alesis MicroVerbs (both I and II), and a TC Electronics delay line (among other things). Oh yes, there's a rack o' synths (Korg, Ensoniq, Roland, et al) and a Mac IIcx with plenty o' software.

This is a pretty basic, if viable, array of pieces. Mike obviously chose to spend his bucks in the acoustic realm; note that he spent more on monitors than on consoles! This is also borne out in the mic collection. Along with an array of SASS microphones (which are really quite special - try 'em some time), Mike has a pair of B&K 4003 omnis, some Shure SM81s, some of the good Crown PZMs, plus your basic array of EV, Shure, Beyer, etc. mikes. One specialty item is a batch of Countryman mics, which are pretty neat little miniature electret condensers for use on drum kits and other spots where space is at a premium.

Cheap tricks (er, interesting design solutions)

I particularly like Mike's diffuser design. He simply built up a stack of wood lath strips, using an industrial roofing stapler. The result: an inexpensive wall treatment that will effectively scatter energy above 1 kHz.

Another simple item: he surface-mounted all of his wall switches and plugs, to cut down on leakage through walls. Yet another item: special double-layer "corrugated" greenhouse Acylite panels to provide light with extra acoustical isolation. I also love the low-cost AC system.

His biggest mistake, according to him? The mudroom door. He thought he'd want isolation from the parking lot out back so he sacrificed 12 square feet on the median plane. Turns out the space was more valuable than the isolation. Moral of the story: give yourself as many cubic feet as possible in the control room, or you're gonna chew yourself out bigtime later on.

The Final Mix

Mike figures he's spent about $80,000 on equipment, all told, and he built the studio for about $95,000! The result? An acoustically excellent, working 16-track space with plenty o' privacy and enough cash flow (if there ever is such a thing) to keep the creditors at bay while he works on his own stuff. I figure he's got to generate $1,000 a month to service the basic debt (three or four days of work, at his modest billing rate). Naturally, he's got to eat and stay warm too, and there's always a question about exactly how many clients there can be in Vermont (hint: Montpelier isn't Nashville; it isn't Branson; hell, it's smaller than Artesia, NM!).

Whatever. This is a home/project studio with a vengeance. Emphasis on things acoustical makes it possible for Mike to make some great recordings with a pretty modest investment in equipment. He's made it professional enough to support himself at the same time, which is a neat trick. And he's done it mostly by careful planning and clever, sometimes ingenious, design solutions.

For information, classy conversation, etc. contact:

Mike Billingsley, prop.
Straight Arrow Recording
3 Kent Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
(802) 223-2551

Dave Moulton is busy producing more Golden Ears CDs. Alex Case is trying to make his modem work and Peter Alhadeff is preparing a Recording Industry Price Index.

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