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Welcome
to Suitcase Recordings. I created this
business as a way to make my recording
skills available to a greater number of
artists, in a wider variety of situations.
I've never really dreamed of owning my own
studio, or working out of a single
facility. I love the challenge and
creative opportunities of the freelance
world. Add to that the total freedom of
location recording, and the whole world is
your studio.
Please
don't think of me as a budget alternative
to traditional studios. I can work in
traditional studios, and have
relationships with several. However, I
like to work in non-traditional spaces,
because I think that it's inspiring to the
artist, more comfortable than a 'studio'
(often a converted office space), and
offers sound-sculpting possibilities
beyond what a treated drum room and vocal
booth have to offer. Call me crazy, but
many of my favorite albums were recorded
outside of the studio walls, like
Radiohead's 'OK Computer', Led Zeppelin
IV, The Doors' 'L.A. Woman', Wilco's
'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot', The Rolling
Stones' 'Exile on Main Street', etc. Add
to that the number of great albums made in
small home studios, and you start to
wonder why anyone would work in a
traditional studio. Granted, if you're
doing radio jingles, or books-on-tape, a
traditional studio is the place for you.
But I just don't find them
inspiring.
Then
there's the gear. My mobile rig is as good
as the gear you'll find in most small to
medium sized studios, my mic locker is
better than many, and the computer side of
things is the same. You'll notice if you
look around the web that most studios
advertise their gear list prominently.
They also usually have some artsy pictures
of their fancy floors and nice lighting.
While these are important elements of a
facility, they tell you nothing about the
work that is done there. If I walk into
that room, the recordings I make will
sound different than if another engineer
handles things. The only thing that
matters is, of course, their productions.
No audio demos is a bad sign!
Lastly,
I should point out that I am here to help
you make a great record, one that you can
be proud of for the rest of your life. I'm
not here to abstract your songs into some
homogenized ideal version of the track. I
can do all of the auto-tuning, etc that
any studio can offer, but that's not what
I'm here for. I'm here to get your vision
on tape, the way you want it to
be.
-John
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