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Are you looking to rent a music studio for a day in London? Sometimes, making music is a spontaneous thing. You don’t always want to commit to hiring a studio for many months at a time. That’s where a day-hire studio can be the perfect solution. If you just want to try out some new song ideas or experiment with some instruments, it’s ideal. 

One place you might want to consider is Ten87’s day hire studio, The Club. Situated in South Tottenham, a short distance from Underground and Overground railway stations, it’s the perfect music studio for short-term rent in London. 

The building in which the studio now stands once used to be a popular underground venue. It has been fully equipped for recording and producing music, with precise acoustics, tall ceilings, and various musical instruments. This makes it great for musicians, singers and songwriters without much equipment of their own. You can hire the studio for the day, dive right in and start using all the instruments and equipment already there. 

So, you might be wondering, what instruments does this studio contain? Well, there are several guitars. You’ve got a Fender Strat 1969 custom USA, Fender Tele USA, an acoustic guitar, and a Fender Precision Bass. If pianos are your thing, there is a Yamaha C3 Grand Piano and a Rhodes 73 MK 1.

But it is perhaps KOMPLETE Kontrol by Native Instruments that is the most powerful tool in the studio. It is a powerhouse of virtual musical instruments and effects. It doesn’t just contain electronic sounds from virtual synthesisers but many virtual recreations of traditional instruments. 

Here are some of the excellent instruments and effects included with Komplete:

• 14 synthesisers, including Massive X, TRK-01, Reaktor 6, FM8, Absynth 5, Massive, Kontour, Monark, and Form.
• 30 sampled instruments, including electric guitars, strummed acoustic guitars, grand pianos, electric pianos, African percussion, Middle Eastern percussion, Indian percussion, orchestral strings, and brass.
• A selection of full drum kits.
• 16 effects, including Guitar Rig 6 Pro, phaser, chorus, distortion, flanger, EQ, compression, and reverb.

As you can see, even though the studio is suited to playing traditional live instruments, there are also more instruments than you could ever need in virtual form. So whatever sounds you want on your recording, they are all there. 

But if you do want to use a whole bunch of real instruments, the live room has enough space for a 10-piece ensemble. So, for example, if you are a 5-piece rock band that wants to collaborate with a string quartet, it’s perfectly suited to that.

As for recording and mixing, the control room has an SSL6032E console with 232 (Pulteg) EQ, flying faders, and total recall, making it great for those who want full control over their mixing sessions. And with the Genelec and TPI monitoring systems, you will surely hear everything crystal clear.

So, there you go. If you want to rent a music studio for a day in London, look no further than Ten87’s The Club. Full of all the music-making equipment you could ever need, and with easy access to railway stations in South Tottenham, it’s the perfect music studio for short-term rent in London.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

If you are looking for a recording studio in Tottenham, look no further because Ten87 has everything you need. They don’t have just one recording studio in Tottenham, they have 50! So let’s dive in and see what makes Ten87’s recording studios so unique.

Ten87’s recording studios in Tottenham

Ten87 has three separate recording studio premises in Tottenham these are:

• Gaunson House – containing six studios.
• Markfield Road – containing 31 studios.
• High Cross – containing ten studios.

That’s a total of 47 studios! Let’s take a look at what each of them has to offer.

Gaunson HouseThis is actually where it all began. There are six music studios within a warehouse shared with other artists, bands and labels. All these studios were updated in 2020 to improve their acoustics and appearance. Over the years, Gaunson House has been the location for many big names in the music industry. Yet, it remains an affordable environment for you to get creative with your music and offers various studio options. 

Markfield Road

The Markfield Road studio complex has become a landmark within the British music community and is Ten87’s flagship recording location. It has developed some of Britain’s most exciting music in the past few years, and many musicians have passed through it as part of their musical journeys. It features an impressive 31 long-term let studios of various specifications and sizes, spread across several zones. As if all that wasn’t enough, there are also plenty of facilities on-site – a cafe, bar, restaurant, and event space, with the best coffee and food in the Tottenham area.

High Cross

Ten87’s newest Tottenham recording studio site has an advanced acoustic design across ten production studios. Set away from the busy Markfield Road, the building has plenty of natural light. With backstage storage space, it makes a good choice for larger organisations or touring musicians. The High Cross studios are home to a thriving community of music creators and have some of Britain’s best electronic artists, mix engineers, and sound designers. Suiting them perfectly with the customised panelling, allowing for the best reverb times and sliding doors to maximise the isolation of the sounds.

Why record at one of Ten87’s Tottenham recording studios?

There are so many reasons why recording your music at one of these studios is a great idea. For a start, because it’s a long-term home for many creators, you can become part of a true musical community. With more than 150 recording artists using these spaces, you have an excellent opportunity to get to know a lot of musical talent.

When you arrive, you have the option for the in-house A&R team to introduce you to existing members for potential collaboration. Also, the studios are zoned according to musical genres, so you are more likely to meet others who can complement your creativity.

So, there you go. If you are looking for a recording studio in Tottenham, look no further than Ten87. With 47 studios spread across three different sites in Tottenham, you will surely find a recording studio perfect for your creativity.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

If you are looking for a music studio, long-term let, in London, look no further than Ten87. It is a world-class recording studio community and prides itself on being a long-term home for music makers. It is a music community available to everyone and is home to over 150 musicians.

Ten87 currently has three long-term music studio sites in London, all with high-end studio spaces that provide the perfect place for creators to connect and develop as musical artists.

Tottenham – Gaunson

Gaunson is where it all began. Set within a warehouse shared with other musicians, it comprises six music studios with a range of different options. It has hosted many large names in music, which has helped make Ten87 what it is today. 

Tottenham – Markfield

This is Ten87’s flagship studio site and contains an impressive 31 studios for long-term let, across a range of sizes and specifications. So no matter your music genre or recording style, there will surely be a studio here for you. Thousands of musicians have passed through Markfield on their musical journeys, and it has become an important part of the British music scene.

And when you need to take a break to get some refreshments, you don’t even need to leave the site, as it is next to one of the best spots in the area, Craving who provide coffee, food, booze and events! 

Tottenham – High Cross

This site has the most advanced acoustic design across ten production studios. If you’re looking for a quieter studio setting with a more natural feel to it, High Cross could be ideal. It is set away from the bustle of the main road and features plenty of natural light.

Perfectly designed with customised paneling and excellent reverb times, it is home to many prominent British musicians and producers. 

Brixton House

Ten87 is opening up a new site containing between 25 and 30 studios set within the basement of Brixton House. Rob Burn, Founder of Ten87, said:

“We are so excited to partner with the Future Workspace Fund and Nesta in the creation of a brand new musical hub within the heart of Brixton, a place of such rich cultural heritage. We are looking forward to building a thriving audio community which will provide all levels of artists a much needed space to connect, collaborate and create.”

What facilities are available?

When looking for a long-term let music studio in London, it’s good to know that you will be getting the best facilities available. Here’s what Ten87 has to offer:

• 24/7 access, with on-site parking, high-end electronic security systems, and CCTV.
• Essential amenities, including shower facilities, air conditioning and ventilation, and on-site cafeterias and restaurants. 
• A wide range of flexible studio options, including studio sharing and contracts lasting from 2 months to 3 years.
• World-class, high-end acoustics set in award-winning architecture and featuring plenty of natural light.

How much does a music studio long-term let in London cost?

If you want a studio all to yourself, the prices start at £900 per month. However, if you are happy to share with other recording artists, you could bring that down to as low as £180 per month. And that is all inclusive, with no other hidden costs.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

An audio recording studio is, like the name suggests, a place where audio is recorded. However, it is not just used for recording but for the whole process of audio production, including mixing.

What equipment does an audio recording studio contain?

A modern recording studio contains all the necessary equipment to record and mix audio to professional quality. Such as:

• Computer running Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software – used for sequencing electronic music and editing and processing recorded audio.
• Microphones and Stands – these are necessary for recording vocals and various instruments.
• Mixing Board – once the audio is recorded, it needs to be properly mixed. If the DAW software has its own built-in mixing abilities, a hardware mixing console might not be essential, but most studios have them.
• Sound Baffles – to neutralise or “deaden” the room to reduce any unwanted acoustic effects.
• Headphones and Speakers – to be able to hear the audio accurately.
• Instruments – these will range from traditional instruments such as guitars and drums to electronic instruments such as synthesisers and samplers. 

Who would use an audio recording studio?

A recording studio would be used by anyone wanting to produce a professional sound. This will include singers, musicians, and bands. The benefit of using a professional studio is that you will get the help of an experienced engineer and producer to get the best recording possible.

What jobs are there in audio recording studios?

An audio recording studio is not just a place where musicians and bands get to record their music. It’s also a workplace for some essential members of staff. For example:

• Record Producer – this is the project’s overall creative and technical leader. They work directly with the artist and engineer and make creative and aesthetic decisions to achieve the goals of the artist and the record company.
• Recording Engineer – this person is responsible for setting up and operating the recording equipment. They are experts in everything to do with audio and play a vital role in audio recording.
• Assistant Engineer – works closely with the Recording Engineers and Producers while recording the audio. They will be under the direction of more senior, experienced engineers. 
• Mastering Engineer – once the recording process has been completed and the audio has been fully mixed, the mastering engineer makes final adjustments to the mixed audio. This involves optimising it for playback on a wide variety of equipment. 
• Studio Technician – this person will help with any practical aspects of the recording process. They will operate and maintain microphones and headsets in the recording booths, operate mixing consoles, advise singers on the use of their voice, and edit recordings.
• Studio Manager – this role involves overseeing the daily operations of the recording studio. This can include studio and equipment maintenance, business operations, and customer relations. 
• Bookings Manager – anyone who wants to use the recording studio needs to book time in it. It is the booking manager’s responsibility to handle all session bookings. It is a customer-facing role that involves fielding inquiries via email and phone, discussing studio availability, and coordinating studio visits with new clients.
• Runner – this is a junior position involving helping with anything else around the studio. That can include answering the phone, helping set up the studio, cleaning, and troubleshooting any issues with the sound equipment. 
• Receptionist – there always needs to be somebody to welcome people, whether in person or as a first point of contact for phone calls.
• Cleaner – this one is self-explanatory. You don’t want the studio to get dirty. 

So, there you have it. That’s essentially what an audio recording studio is.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

As our in-house music experts have proven time and again, a quality long term music studio let in London is a fantastic investment for your long term career. Once you have developed your individual sound as a professional musician, a studio is the next exciting step forward. Much like going to the office everyday,  having a long term commitment to practicing and recording music in a professional studio, creates a great environment to help set deadlines and be efficient with creating a polished final finished product. The routine aspect of having a studio to attend long term, nurtures artists and helps them to progress to the next level. 

At Ten 87, we offer a world-class recording studio community with high-end equipment that is open to all. Our substantial architecturally designed studio complex is currently based in Seven Sisters, North East London. Access to Seven Sisters is available 24/7 via a flexible two-month sharable contract with electronic entry systems, allocated parking spaces and CCTV. We are also excited to share that we will be opening a further complex soon in Brixton, South West London. 

A Quality Shared Music Expertise 

Our studio space is all about creating a reciprocal collaborative community, with partners including industry-leading cultural organisations and brands such as iZotope, NTS and Spitfire Audio. Currently, we are home to over 150 recording artists and three types of long term studios (A, B or C). You provide the equipment, we provide everything else – including Wi-Fi, post sorting, a kitchenette, business rates and even on-site shower facilities. Nearby, you can also enjoy the excellent artisanal coffee shop FKA Craving Coffee on top of the legendary Zen records just around the corner. 

Over previous years, technological advances in music tech have taken great steps forward. A high fidelity sound needs to resonate through an acoustically treated and soundproof space in order to limit sound fluctuations and ensure that your end product is crisp. So when it comes to creating exciting new sound interactions, it is all about the finer details. With a long term music studio let, you can enjoy our most advanced acoustic design to date. This is exactly why our studios feature custom panelling, perfect reverb times and exterior sliding doors to increase isolation. 

By using our professional recording studios, you will naturally grow in your expertise as you learn to refine and hone in your sound practice whether that is sound design, mixing and mastering, songwriting, producing or being an artist. We also specifically allocate rooms based on shared interests for you where possible. So you will greatly benefit from our wider community too, as you will be working alongside internationally known producers, sound technicians and songwriters from a multitude of genres. 

Surrounding yourself with trained professionals at the top of their game is the perfect way to learn and share. Our Air Studios Engineer Fiona Cruickshanks discovered this for herself. “It’s so nice to feel like part of a community again and be inspired by all the amazing people creating around us,” she said. “With Ten87, you can get your sound spot on each and every time without hesitation.” Contact us now to discuss the different music studio long term let London package options currently available to you today. 

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

London is well known for its exciting, vibrant and diverse music scene. This is exactly why we created our exclusive day rental recording studio, The Club. Creating music is a unique experience for every artist, but artists universally need a quiet productive recording studio. So, when you rent a recording studio for a day with us, you can expect a visually stunning neutral finish and perfectly proportioned acoustic dimensions. Plus, we’ve kept a wink to its underground past by retaining some of its characterful original features. Together, these combine to create an inspiring world-class tracking facility that is open to all for day hire. 

The Club’s exciting studio space takes the place of the former legendary nightclub Five Miles. During its time, Five Miles was host to a wide range of internationally acclaimed artists such as Theo Parrish and Virgil Abloh (RIP). Now, there is still over four feet of soundproofing between The Club and our long term let studios. The smart new interior was designed in conjunction with expert acoustician Nick Whittaker’s specialist specifications alongside a dedicated team of designers and engineers. So, you can be sure that your music will not be interrupted and that you are in excellent company. 

Our Exclusive Recording Studio Specifications

Use of The Club includes access to a substantial combined area of 100m² – this includes a separate session area and a listening area. Our on-site studio equipment includes a vintage SSL6032E fully loaded with the legendary 232 (Pulteg) EQ and total recall. You will also benefit from custom monitoring from Genelec, and comprehensive outboard and backline equipment. Musicians will doubtless also enjoy access to our Fender, Mac, Shure, Neumann and Yamaha C3 Grand Piano instruments. There is even enough space for a 10 piece ensemble separate from the listening booth.

Our secure access Tottenham studios are accessible 24/7 and offer on-site parking, Wi-Fi and kitchen facilities as standard. If you are in need of some refreshments, you can also access the excellent local cafe Craving which is situated on our doorstep, alongside some great local pubs and a brewery. We actively encourage collaboration between our clients so you can make use of our in-house A&R team as well as commercial partnerships with iZotope, Spitfire Audio and Aston Microphones by calling ahead. 

We think that we have designed the perfect option to rent a stunning recording studio for the day. So, we also encourage you to share facilities with friends and family to get the most out of the experience. Kai Campos from English Electronic duo Mount Kimbie said: “I’ve had a few studios at Ten87 and it’s been my musical home for a number of years now. The strong community element is an important part of why I’m here.” If you need a temporary space for inspiration to capture your perfect new sound then come and join The Club! 

For full specifications visit here.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Between our world-class acoustics and award-winning architecture, the Ten87 team are passionate about helping our expert engineers, producers and artists create top high fidelity sounds. We want our 150+ long term lets and day hire clients to thrive within our friendly architecturally designed facilities. But, what exactly makes our music recording studio facilities stand out from the rest?

1. Bespoke Soundproofing & Acoustics

“I was originally a sound engineer and rented some space from some friends in a studio in Stoke Newington,” explained Rob Burn, founder and owner of Ten 87. “It was open plan and we were struggling to find artists to record. We ended up splitting the space up into a few different rooms and rented them to producers we knew.”

But we didn’t stop there – the design process for the Ten 87 studios was extensive and comprehensive. We consulted designers, architects, engineers and artists to create the perfect environment for you to work in. Thanks to our extensive early research, we use soundproofing material that expands as far as 4ft to guarantee that your session is uninterrupted by the outside world.

2. Collaboration

We understand the importance of the wider music community and how individuals can really benefit from working with others, to expand their practice and make new connections. As part of our dedication to collaboration, our facilities are enjoyed by internationally acclaimed artists and local musicians alike. We encourage you to share studios to help grow our community.

You can also reap the benefits of our very own in-house A&R team to really make the most of the process. Plus, we will place you in zones with other artists who we feel are a great fit for your interests where we can. Our own commercial partners include iZotope, Spitfire Audio, Slate+Ash, Aston Microphones, Roland, NTS.

3. Accessibility

Our extensive Tottenham facilities are open 24/7 with CCTV and secure entry included as standard. You will also personally benefit from bright and light spaces, on-site parking, Wi-Fi and a kitchenette. The studios themselves feature customised panelling, perfect reverb times and backline storage options too. So, you can really get the most of your time with us. 

If you are feeling in need of a break, we recommend trying Craving Coffee – some of the best coffee in town just seconds away from your door. Or, one of the nearby local pubs!

4. Flexible Contracts 

All of our competitively priced contracts are inclusive of our advertised facilities alongside a range of studio options and terms ranging from two months to three years. We now also offer an exciting new day hire venue named ‘The Club’, which was previously known as a popular nightclub called ‘Five Miles’. 

During its time, Five Miles was host to a wide range of artists such as Theo Parrish and even Virgil Abloh (RIP). Now, it has been converted around the incredible acoustician Nick Whittaker’s bespoke design. The result? The perfect neutral finish and proportioned dimensions for a truly even listening environment for you to enjoy.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Behind every hit is a mix engineer that hears those bits the producers don’t. We caught up with acclaimed mix engineer, producer, and Ten87 stalwart , Alex Evans after a particularly hectic month of mix work to hear the stories behind his favourite mixdowns.

We sat down with grammy nominated mix engineer Alex Evans to hear his favourite mixdowns he’s worked on and the stories behind them.

You’ll be sure to hear more of Alex’s sonic fingerprint in the future no doubt – until then have a gander at Alex Evans’ Twitter, Instagram and website.

For info on how to join Alex as a member of our community be sure to get in touch here

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Prolific beatmaker, producer and mix engineer Kam Shariff AKA Yvngface narrows down 5 elements he can’t work without.

Ten87 Studios resident and heavyweight producer and sample creator Kam Shariff opens up about the tools and rituals he needs to get things done for the first addition of our series – The Bits.

Yvngface’s work has featured on tracks by the likes of Drake, DJ Khaled, J Hus, Vybz Kartel, Wiley, 2Chainz, Dizzee Rascal to name just a few and has been in resident at Ten87 since those early days in 2017 so we are over the moon to hear what makes him tick.

Massive shouts to Kam for talking us through what he needs to get to work, he’s busy in the studio still plugging away on new bits for Levi and an upcoming tape from HMD (Black Butter Records) which we’re looking forward to hearing into 2021.

If you’d like to know more about becoming a member of Ten87 be sure to fire over a message here.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

We take a look at some of the most popular monitors here at Ten87 Studios.

We hear a lot of water-cooler chat between mix-engineers, sound designers and producers swearing by a certain make or model of monitor. With a sea of choice available out there we’ve decided to put a little list together of the 3 most popular boxes used at Ten 87 towers (and one wildcard)…

For info on how to become a member of our community be sure to get in touch here.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

It’s no secret that it isn’t the best of times to be a musician right now. Neither is it the best time to be a mix engineer, vocalist, hairdresser, tattoo artist or healthcare worker, we’ve all had a tough ride over the past 18 months. However for those working in music, the last 5 years have really felt like the perfect storm has been brewing.

In this piece, we take a look at how streaming, politics and a pandemic have come together to challenge those making music in 2021.

In a few short years streaming completely transformed the structure of the global music industry. 

Streaming currently reigns supreme as the format of choice for listeners around the globe. Part and parcel of releasing music In 2021 is getting it published onto streaming platforms and playing the game to get material featured in playlists that hit a global audience. 

For many artists today streaming revenue represents the majority of their income. However it’s no secret that streaming royalty payouts are unethically low; Artists must now obtain over 1 million streams to make on average just £2000.

To add to the struggle, In wheels Brexit. 

Earlier this year, it was discovered that the UK Government rejected visa-free travel for musicians when deciding terms of the new EU Brexit deal. The music industry was ignored despite contributing a massive £5.2 billion a year to the wider UK economy.

Before Brexit, musicians were able to tour 90/180 days in the EU without permits. Now, acts have to ensure they check every individual country’s entry requirements and pay a small fortune for the privilege of a short term working visa. European touring has turned into a dangerous wild west for many acts, with agents, managers and artists left in a muddle of confusion and red tape. UK musicians now have to navigate a 3 max stops on a tour before returning home to the UK leaving musicians with a lack of momentum on europe’s touring front.

The lack of consideration for the nation’s talent and their livelihoods is questionable. The ending of freedom of movement for musicians, will no doubt prove detrimental to an industry whose touring infrastructure was once so well renowned.

For more information on what’s in store for British Acts touring in the EU… read more here.

The past 18 months have left artists, touring companies, agents, bands and everyone in between, severely impacted in one way or another.

Within the post-streaming record industry, many artists have been forced to pivot their income streams into touring, this provided both a renewed way of monetising their art and a strengthened connection with audiences. With this suddenly removed, these artists are now faced with the prospect of pivoting once again in order to maintain their profile and secure their financial survival.

A challenging task considering the refusal from the current government to support musicians, but in turn has allowed various sporting events to make place with large audiences. This year ascot was able to take place seemingly without social restrictions in place and Wembley stadium will be packed with 60,000 fans in the next week, all while our large venues stay shut.

The studio has provided an important creative refuge for many artists and producers fortunate to have access to a creative space. For these creators, focusing their effort into their creativity was a natural reaction. However for those that rely on in-person sessions or the use of large tracking facilities, the restrictions around Covid-19 have meant a bumpy ride.

There has been huge growth in the utilisation of platforms such as Instagram & Twitch to stream live performances. For those with an established audience this has been one of a few ways in which to maintain engagement with their fanbase.

The return of live music will (hopefully) bring about a refreshed respect for the arts. However, with the government’s announcement of a 4 week delay to lockdown easing, over 5,000 live events have now been cancelled at a cost of 100’s of millions to the industry.

With all of this uncertainty, what can we do to support our favourite artists, bands and producers? 

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Whether recording a podcast, music or a radio show, getting good sound at home can often be a difficult process. Luckily, there are a few simple things you can do to improve your setup. But before we jump into the tips, it is important to distinguish between ‘soundproofing’ and ‘acoustic treatment’.

Soundproofing refers to the construction of a room, using different construction materials in walls to reduce the amount of sound which escapes the room. Soundproofing is for scenarios where you might need to play loud and not annoy your neighbours. 

Acoustic treatment differs from this; the aim instead is to create a certain acoustic environment. In production terms, the most common environments are the live room and control room. The live room is used for recording acoustic instruments and the control room is the playback space. A home studio is typically a hybrid of these two spaces, and very important for improving the sound quality of your recordings, as well as making mixing decisions in the post-production process. 

We teamed up with Mixcloud to explore different ways to improve your home setup to be better set for recording and listening.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

In the coming months Ten87 will be hosting an exciting series of events led by the newly formed Trans* Creative Collective – co-founded by studio favourite Charlie Deakin-Davies, record/mix engineer Max Blue Churchill, visual producer Nelly Rodrigues and music producer Jesley Faye.

All four have taken ownership of the need for better resources and representation for the trans, non-binary and LGBTQ+ community in their respective creative industries and established TCC as a safe space and platform for like-minded creatives to truly express themselves.

The TCC use the term Trans* as an umbrella term that refers to many identities within the gender identity spectrum, including, but not limited to non-binary people, trans women, trans men, gender fluid people, essentially anyone who identifies outside of being cis-gendered.

Ahead of their first live event, we sat down with Charlie, Max and Nelly to talk about what The TCC stands for, their journey so far, and the shape of things to come.

Jules:

Hey! Could you start by introducing yourselves?

Max:

My name’s Max, my pronouns are he/him. I’m a recording and mix engineer, and co-founder of The TCC. Within The TCC I have been working on event ideas, connecting Trans* creators, and community outreach.

Nelly:

I’m Nelly, my pronouns are they/them. I’m a non-binary filmmaker, also working in radio. I focus on getting marginalized people involved with big names, because it’s great to say, we support you and then it’s another thing to actually do it. I focus on doing it.

Charlie:

I’m Charlie, my pronouns are they/them. I’m a record producer/writer and engineer as well, like Max. Within The TCC I’ve been involved in organising things generally – I collaborate with everyone and oversee what’s happening to make sure our ideas get launched.

Jules: 

Can you tell us a bit about the collective, what does TCC stand for?

All:

Trans* Creative Collective!

Charlie: 

Last year during trans visibility, Max said “Charlie, it’s Trans Day Of Visibility. We should do something”. I was like, “Why don’t we do a documentary with Abbey road?” and then we did and it was amazing! We brought in a production crew, including Nelly and Jesley, and we filmed a documentary about trans visibility. From doing this, it sparked this whole other idea, and we suddenly realized there was a massive community that we didn’t know was there, so we decided to do something about it. We spent about eight months developing the concept behind The TCC. A lot of really long zoom meetings! We ended up managing to launch this year.

What The TCC is to me, is a community of creative people who are often marginalised from certain groups and events – the goal is to create a totally accessible and welcoming space for our community. The collective is also very action based rather than just an online community, which is amazing. 

Nelly: 

All the conversations we were having when making the documentary played a major part in me coming out. From the moment I met you all I felt like I had a voice, I have a platform that you’ve brought me onto, which is now The TCC. And it’s been a year since then! I feel like so much personal growth has happened.

Max:

As a trans guy who is trans masculine presenting, I went to a lot of events where I felt there wasn’t enough trans representation. I remember saying to Charlie, “It would be really cool to see someone like us on panels” and then Charlie was like, “Max, I think it’s gonna have to be you!”. The TCC is a space in which I feel I can be myself, and now I feel I can also inspire others, giving back to a place I’ve taken so much from.

Jules:

That’s so great. Do you feel like things are moving forward in terms of trans* inclusivity in the creative industry or do you feel it’s still an ongoing challenge? 

Nelly:

I can only talk from a video perspective, but it’s a challenge. The company I work for is the biggest of its kind in Europe, and the LGBTQ+ people I come across, they all either work in makeup or talent – the more glam roles. When it comes to the production team, I am sometimes the only black person there, let alone the only non-binary person – hello, unicorn! I had this joke about it with the head of my company, where I said, “I’m a unicorn in this environment. I’m a black, asian, non binary child of a first generation immigrant”. But it feels very lonely in those spaces. 

Max: 

Having a network of trans* identifying people creates a safe space where you don’t have to deal with issues of being misgendered – which is what happens a lot. Having this sort of community is also a really good way of getting people from the outside to understand, and for normalizing gendering people correctly, because it should be normal.

Jules: 

Can you talk about your upcoming events and what you hope will lead the change that needs to happen? 

Charlie: 

Women’s events tagging non-binary onto the end of the description is not enough. It’s too much to assume that an all female led event will know enough about the requirements of the trans* community. So our events will exist as a celebration of the previous events that have come before us, such as 2% Rising and Redbull and NormalNotNovelty, but we’re creating a version that people in our community can come to in a space where they feel completely understood. With The TCC community you’re not being misgendered or being grouped in as ‘ladies’. We want to educate people in the community too. If you want to run events that are trans* and non-binary inclusive, then here is a really good example of how to do it well, and we want to help.

Max:

It feels so vital that events for the LGBTQ+ community are hosted by people who have shared experience. The limitations sometimes encountered as a trans* identifying person are very specific. For example, there’s been parts of my career that I’ve had to tweak because of surgeries. How do you navigate those things? It’s just little conversations about things like this that will bring the community closer together. Since we launched The TCC, we’ve had many people reach out wanting to talk about their experiences, so by hosting events, this means that people have a place to talk openly about more sensitive topics in a safe space, as well as sharing in our creativity. 

Jules: 

What has the initial response been like? And what are you hoping to see happen in the future?

Charlie: 

The way we pitched it was that The TCC is a safe space for trans* creators and allies, and after we launched it was clear there was a demand for it. We now have a collection of other people that are keen to do anything they can to help The TCC grow. It’s overwhelming because we’ve all experienced lots of discrimination, all in different capacities. I remember we were talking about this – it was scary – the thought of doing the first launch and thinking, “are we going to get any backlash?” We didn’t know if we were just suddenly gonna get an influx and all of our social accounts doxed – and that was just a risk that we agreed to take. 

Since then, we have only had positive responses, you know, tens of thousands of views on our first few posts! The only negative response was on TikTok – someone reported our video and our account got shadow banned – I got it appealed – but we’ve seen our views massively capped since then. 

Nelly: 

I have already been doxed for being black – being black and trans, I’m worried that could happen again, but I know that I have a good community behind me now. I’ve had to learn how to deal with discrimination myself, so I want people to have access to legal information to know what their rights are. There are trans* and trans* ally lawyers out there that want to support us.

Charlie: 

One of the core reasons why we launched The TCC is the directory. It’ll include producers, artists, solicitors, managers, A&R’S, and so on. It already exists, but it would be amazing to improve and expand it further, and basically create a green list for the music industry. People can go on this list, find trans* and trans* ally creators, who are skilled and understand what’s going on creatively right now.

We are so excited here at Ten87 to be partnered with The TCC, and can’t wait for what the future holds. Thank you so much to Max, Nelly and Charlie for chatting with us about the project.

The Trans* Creative Collective’s first showcase event is happening here at Ten87 on the 5th February, the event is free and tickets are available here. Until then go and check out their Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Yorkshire born singer songwriter and Ten87 resident Billie Marten has been busy in the studio working away on an exciting new album. With her career starting at just 12 years old, signed at 15 and nominated for the sound of 2016 award, the indie folk singer-songwriter’s delicate acoustic sound continues to inspire audiences worldwide. 

On a cold and gloomy January afternoon she was kind enough to invite us into her world to talk about her musical process, her sources of inspiration and new endeavours in self-production on her latest project.

What are the key aspects of your process, and tools you need for writing music? 

The most important thing for me is an actual physical urge to write, I can’t sit there every day and wait for something to happen, it has to be more of an instant feeling, knowing that I have something to say. Noodling around is also helpful however, and any ideas I get I’ll note down for later use, but mostly it’s spontaneous. Sometimes you have to creep up on it too, pretend you’re not even trying to write. I need a good pen, my moleskine (classically), my ’58 Gibson, and the inspiration of course.

Where is your favourite place to write music? And where do you seek inspiration when uninspired?

If I’m feeling uninspired, I keep quiet and go into my introspective self, ingesting lots of other peoples’ work as reference, in search of that common creative thread. If music dies down I’ll get really into reading and listening, and then the circle comes back around again.

At home our table sits in front of big windows, and the window is quite hidden from the world, so it’s a great place to observe and write. I love to walk around London’s busyness and green spaces, with my headphones in but not listening to anything, so I’m removed from society in a way and people don’t notice me listening and taking in their character or their words. It’s a great hack for new lines.

What’s the music that kept you going through 2021?

Lots of music has been heard, that’s for sure. My favourite thing in the world is being a music fan, more than making it myself. Diane Cluck’s album Oh Vanille / Oh Va Nil has been a real saviour, in terms of what one can make with so little. Gerry Rafferty’s Right Down The Line has been on constant repeat, the band Coco who seem to have just arrived from nowhere are brilliant, El Michels Affair, DANGERDOOM, Sam Evian’s new album, a lot of Labi Siffre and The Beatles back catalogue of course, and recently this girl PACKS from Canada who I think is real cool.

What are you working on? 

I’m beginning to feel out the next album, slowly digging my way into the production world, and just seeing how far I can get without asking for help in the usual places. It’s a real experiment, and I lose faith sometimes and make daily mistakes, but it’s getting there. I’m finding a lot of joy in simplicity and sparsity at the moment, amidst all the constant noise, so it’s more about capturing the perfect recordings and what fits perfectly with the ears, tonally speaking.

How has your experience been being a part of the Ten87 community?

This is not a forced response I promise – it has been a real blessing finding Ten87. I felt immediately welcomed into the community and there are wondrous people hiding in the studio cubes, people with completely opposing tastes and musical backgrounds but somehow it really works. If you need to borrow a really specific piece of gear someone next door is bound to have it, and everyone is always on hand to help. There’s no element of competition and you can be as close or as far removed as you like.

I put forward my song Liquid Love recently for the beat club, and it was incredible to hear so many peoples’ interpretations of it. Little creative projects like that keep you going, and it’s a real treat to be here. My work ethic has gone right up also!

Thanks again to Billie for giving us an insight into her musical world. We’re really excited about the new paths she is taking with her upcoming project, and can’t wait to hear it. If you are not familiar with Billie Marten’s music already, go and stream her latest EP here, And check out her website, and socials on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

For those that don’t already know, Danny Trachtenberg (Aka Danny T) is a seasoned recording Engineer and producer with almost a decade in the game. Danny’s work spans across music, film and TV, and includes credits with the likes of A$AP Rocky, Jorja Smith and WizKid.

A few weeks back, I was lucky enough to get an insight into the fine details of the tools and techniques used within his production process. Danny has been a pillar of the Ten87 community for almost 4 years, and In that time he has built up an incredible space filled with sonic rarities and all the modern tools required to execute his sonic vision.

We asked Danny to talk us through some of his favourite credits and the stories behind creating them.

From our time together it’s obvious that Danny’s practice is truly helping artists to grow sonically, expanding their horizons through a genre hopping adaptability, and vision not seen in many Engineers.

If you haven’t already heard the work of Danny T then go ahead and check out his website, and socials; Instagram, Vimeo and Discogs. We’re all looking forward to hearing more from the prolific engineer very soon.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Beneath the surface of the day to day bustle of the studios, a very special project has been quietly brewing; Ten87’s first day hire tracking and mix facility aka ‘The Club’. After nearly a year and a half in the making, the team are all so excited to see the space finally ready for action. We sat down with Ten87 founder Rob Burn and studio manager Sam Burgess to talk through some of the space’s technical specifications, equipment and special features.

What equipment and outboard specifics are there in the Club?

The room is centred around a vintage SSL6032e fully refurbished by the lovely people at AES Pro Audio. Legendary tech Peter Higgs spent the past three months painstakingly refurbishing every element of the board. The desk has 24 channels of the original 242 EQ, as well as eight channels of the 232 (Pultec) EQ.

The original onboard SSL computer has been ditched in favour of a new system from THD labs called ‘Tangerine’. The system allows for seamless integration with modern DAW’s and total recall within its design.

We are very excited to announce that TPI will launch their brand new M220 main monitors via the room, presenting “the very finest audio reproduction systems available”. In addition, we have a pair of Genelec 8351s taking on near field duties and the classic Avantone Mixcubes as extra reference speakers.

Over the years I have built up a pretty comprehensive collection of vintage and modern microphones that I will bring to the space, as well as the entire Aston microphones range (a big thank you to our kind sponsors).

When we were planning spec for the room, we surveyed our wonderful community of engineers and producers for their input. Through this we have covered the main bases with regard to outboard. To give some alternative options for preamps, we’ve got 10 channels of Neve 1073. We also have a pair of Universal Audio 1176’s and an LA2A. 

What instruments and backline are set up in the space?

The live room is a great size. We knew from the start that we somehow had to get a piano in there. A good friend of ours was looking for a home for her stunning vintage Yamaha C3 and the rest is history! We also have a beautiful vintage Rhodes piano in there and a collection of guitars and pedals.

What varied types of recording sessions can The Club hold?

The space has been set up for tracking primarily. The desk makes the space very versatile. The Club can host everything from one-on-one vocal sessions, to full band live recordings, all the way through to 10-person string ensemble sessions. 

Are there any special key features of the club as a day rate studio that you’d like to mention?

We have real EMT 140 plate reverb which is going to give a unique flavour and vibe to the room, and which we are very excited about. We also went into quite a lot of detail planning the foldback system for the space. There are eight panel locations dotted around the complex, making it easy to set up the hearback mixers in a variety of different locations. Giving really great flexibility to sessions and players.

What new future possibilities will The Club bring to Ten87?

Our community was a big driver behind setting up the space. We have such an inspiring group of creators who call the studios home. However for many, a part of their musical work can’t be done solely in their long-term studio room. 

The Club will allow for more projects to be solely written, produced and recorded under our roof. To make this a reality we’ve introduced a community rate for our existing members to take advantage of, which we hope will enable our existing members to use the space.

The high level of the studio’s sonic potential, and new energy that this space will bring to the Markfield Road site for the future is incredibly exciting. Next week we will be looking at the architectural design that has gone into The Club as well as the interesting history behind the space. The Club will be open for bookings from the 4th April, for all enquiries please contact info@ten87.studio and for the full tech spec visit our day hire page.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Following on from last week’s blog, we picked up the conversation with our founder, Rob, to talk about The Club’s conception, architectural design and the process of building the space.

Can you tell us a bit about the space and its history?

The space previously operated as a nightclub called Five Miles. During its five years, the space was host to a range of artists including Theo Parrish, Floating Points, Four Tet, and even Virgil Abloh (RIP). Equally, it was a great place to go and hear something that you’d never heard before. It had a cool, industrial vibe as well as a Middle Eastern café and on-site brewery.

The space was designed around an incredible Alcons soundsystem, with acoustic design from L’acoustics, and became widely regarded as one of the best sounding small club rooms in the UK. However, sadly, Five Miles was unable to survive the restrictions and uncertainty of the pandemic. It was a huge loss to the area and London’s wider club culture, but we’re glad that the site will live on as a space for music. 

What was the concept behind The Club’s design?

So many studios we’ve visited over the years have a really bold aesthetic, which can sometimes feel imposing. By contrast, we wanted to create a neutral environment that felt comfortable. Traditionally, it’s considered an engineer’s job to translate a performance exactly as it sounds live, without their personal taste influencing the recording. We wanted to make sure that The Club conformed to these rules as well. 

How do the shapes within the interior affect the acoustics of the space sonically?

We worked with the incredible acoustician Nick Whittaker on this project. He firstly guided us with the proportions of the rooms and the isolation principals required for a tracking space. After we completed the basic construction of the space, Nick came to site to take readings of the reverb times in order to work out the correct panelling positions and construction.

The shapes are inspired by the tessellating forms that are seen throughout the design of the Ten87 complexes. With the panelling in the live room, we’ve experimented using angles and symmetry to deflect sound in a ‘pleasing’ way. We ended up sacrificing a fair bit of space in order to achieve the perfect dimensions for the control room. The large ceiling cloud follows the angle in the ceiling and creates a really even listening environment. 

We retained some of the original acoustic panelling from the old Five Miles space in the rear wall. If you look closely, you can see some faint outlines of some of the old graffiti that remains from the old space.

It was a pleasure talking to Rob to learn more about the fine technical details, unique history and journey in the creation of ‘The Club’. This new day hire feature of Ten87 studios will open up many doors and exciting possibilities for our current residents and future collaborators.

The Club will be open for bookings from the 4th April, for all enquiries please contact info@ten87.studio and for the full tech spec visit our day hire page.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Brian d’Souza, better known as Auntie Flo, is an award-winning sound artist, DJ, music producer and live performer, known for ‘taking World Music into the future’ (The Guardian).

The multi talented musician is the central figure in the new breed of club music, fusing electronic and world influences alongside the likes of Four Tet, Daphni (Caribou), and Romare. As a DJ and live performer, Auntie Flo has toured extensively around the globe, performing in Asia, Australia/New Zealand, US/Canada, Africa, Latin America and frequently in Europe and the UK.

Auntie Flo has been described as offering a gateway to musical gems and strands of music that are lesser known and in need of exploration, and we had the great pleasure of catching up with him here in his Ten87 studio.We talked all things ‘Swell’, his new platform focusing on sound therapy, his vast collection of world instruments and the producer’s interesting techniques within his recording process.

Congratulations on the launch of your new organisation ‘Swell’! could you give a brief description of what Swell is? And about the positive links between music and wellness?

Thanks! Firstly, I shudder at the term ‘Wellness’ – it sounds so banal and fluffy. I guess what we are trying to do is reframe the conversation about what music and sound can be: the fact it isn’t merely ‘entertainment’ and that by framing it as such, really detracts away from the positive benefits we all get from listening to music and being immersed in sound. There is a great opportunity here: we are all expert listeners, and have been musically active as listeners since before we were born in our mothers’ womb. As a result, our ears are finely tuned to be able to listen to a wide variety of complex sounds at the same time, which in turn trigger a whole range of responses in our brain and nervous system, as well as our body. This then leads to a really fascinating field of study that is at the core of what we are doing with Swell – the way music and sound can unlock different states of consciousness and help one dive deeper into themselves and be more mindful of the world around them. 

Did your interest in sound therapy spark from being a music producer?

I studied psychology and sound design at university and really focussed on how music affects our brain and body. As a DJ and producer, I get to continually see first-hand the effects that music has on an audience and the thing I love most about DJing is the challenge to get a room of strangers into a heightened state by playing songs in a certain order. 

Training in Sound Therapy was the next logical step in my mission to understand how sound works from a behavioural and neurological level. I see Sound Therapy as a kind of inverse DJ set – instead of driving a euphoric state via the release of dopamine, endorphins and adrenaline, a sound therapy session entrains the listener to a deep state of relaxation, reducing heart rate and cortisol, the stress hormone. This then drives a lower brain wave state from beta to alpha/theta, which are commonly regarded as a place where we can be more creative and find better mental clarity. 

Could you tell us a bit about your collection of acoustic world instruments and the stories behind them?

I’ve always collected a lot of acoustic instruments, especially on my travels as a DJ. They all tell a story that is personal to me, but give me the chance to sample them and build a unique bank of sounds that is different to anyone else. This in turn gives me a better chance of making songs that sound unique. Over lockdown, I wasn’t able to travel so went on an eBay mission to buy lots of instruments – I picked up a Shruti Box from India, which has formed a crucial part of the new release I have with Sarathy Korwar. I bought a Soviet Era accordion to use as part of my Beacon. Black radio album that I was commissioned to by The National Trust, based on Orford Ness aka ‘The Island of Secrets’ in Suffolk, which was central to spying on the Soviets during the Cold War. I also acquired as many ‘sound healing’ instruments as I could, from condor feathers to a huge Sun Gong, which were all used as part of my Sound Therapy course.

How else do you create original sound? Do you use outside field recordings in your music?

I’ve always used a lot of field recordings, but during lockdown I decided to train properly and did a 5-day course with the BBC’s world renowned sound recordist Chris Watson. I learned about lots of different mic techniques and ended up spending a lot on a bunch of high-end equipment, from shotgun mics to contact mics. This has helped take my field recording practice to another level – there is this whole sonic world out there that we don’t realise is there, masked underneath all the noise!

Can you tell us about the layout of your studio here at Ten87?

It’s pretty packed with a range of gear! I really like old Casios, and I must have around 10 of them. My favourite is the CZ5000, which is just so simple and pure. The crown jewel is my Yamaha CS-60, which was a bit of a spur of the moment eBay buy but once that I don’t regret – it is an incredible synth. I’ve also got a range of original Roland drum machines – 808, 727, 606 etc – still the best! I run everything through a bunch of effects buses to bring more character, so I’ve got a Roland Space Echo 201, which is a classic, as well as my new favourite the Hologram Microcosm. I try to do as much stuff out of the box as possible, and then record into Logic.

Big thanks again to Auntie Flo for chatting with us, and giving us an insight into his process. If you’re not already familiar with his work and music, go check out his Website and socials on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and give Swell a download. We really look forward to seeing the new journey of ‘Swell’ and catching up again soon!

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Introducing SoundNode, a company providing a full range of sound services for film, broadcast, multimedia and other audio-visual programs. They have worked behind the scenes on countless amazing projects such as for The Sir David Attenborough Green Planet AR Experience, music videos by artists such as Rita Ora and Childish Gambino, as well as clients including Adidas, and Gucci.

SoundNode integrates all the various stages of capturing and editing audio all within one team, under one roof. Providing any combination or the entire range of sound services necessary to make your production sound amazing. “I’m a big fan of SoundNode. Since discovering them 5 years ago, I’ve used them for location sound recording and audio post across multiple projects. Their audio skills are second to none.” Becci Ride, Producer/Production Manager – Disney, Formidable Media.

Exciting developments have been underway in their Ten87 Markfield Road studio, where a brand new Dolby Atmos set up has been installed. We were lucky enough to go down and have a peak during the installation process, and to see the final install. We spoke to SoundNode about some of their work and this fantastic new technology they have acquired.

Can you tell us a bit about SoundNode and the work you do?

In SoundNode we are a company made of a friendly and professional team of sound engineers who specialise in providing the full range of sound services for audio-visual productions. We pride ourselves in providing services of excellent quality and doing so with a friendly and creative approach, no BS, just loving what we do.

We offer both the on-set sound recording as well as the entire range of audio post-production services up to final mix and deliverables. In doing both we can make sure that the entire sound of a production can be taken care of under one roof, thus being able to maintain the best quality and creative direction throughout the entire process.

What are some of the favourite projects you’ve worked on?

This is a tough one as many jobs have been really exciting in very different ways. The content we work on is hugely varied and it ranges from Online Short Commercial/Corporate content to long form factual content, Theatrical Feature Films and TV/Streaming Series. So really the full roster of programs, all with their own thrills and challenges.

The projects we usually enjoy most are longer ones where we truly can bring the SoundNode experience of taking care of all things sound from beginning to end, being involved during the conception phase, to the shoot, and all the way until bouncing out the final mix. The vast majority of our work is part of a bigger collective effort with many departments who all add their contribution to the project and we thrive a lot in this collaborative environment. So our favourite projects are the ones where this collaboration is truly even, fruitful and creative. Often we have long established friendly and personal relationships with the people we work with and for – thus we might also favour projects where it feels like you are working with a bunch of old friends.

How has the installation of the Dolby Atmos system into your studio here at Ten87 been?

Atmos is still a quite new technology and as with every new technology there are some challenges in the install and setup. We already had a 7.1 setup before and the step up to 7.1.4 might seem small but due to various implications on the technical side and the workflows we did end up replacing the entire surround speakers system, our controllers, main monitoring controller, speaker calibration and main audio interface. But coming from 7.1, at least the general layout of the room and the majority of wiring and installation was there.

For this installation we have opted for a 7.1.4 system based around the Avid MTRX Studio interface which allow us to have a fully calibrated and time-aligned system through the DADman software, Focal Trio6 Be 3-way speakers for the front channels for excellent clarity and definition, full range Genelec 8040’s for the horizontal surrounds, bass managed Genelec 8020’s for the ceiling channels, and a JBL sub.

We also had to adjust and improve the acoustics as we now have more point sources in the room triggering sound from the ceiling downwards which was not the case before. So we opted for a combination of additional skyline diffusors and broadband absorption to be able to control the reflections without making the room sound dead or dry. This coupled with our existing 110″ acoustically transparent projection screen really creates an exceptional listening environment.

What are the main features of this new technology?

Basically since the 1930’s – when stereophonic sound and even rudimentary forms of surround sound were first being experimented with – we have been panning in the same way: the pots controlled how much level to send to one or the other speaker. This was the same for the digital surround sound formats such as 5.1 and 7.1, which became more popular in the 90s, but just with more speakers. The issue with this is that, as it was a fixed level to each speaker, if the speakers in different listening environments were placed in different positions to the original one, it would result in the intended panning of the source being affected. And we all know that every room and setup is different, thus we were left with either playing it fairly safe in terms of using the surround field or living with the fact that “bold” panning that might sound cool in the sweet spot of one listening room might be not working so well for a viewer sat in a different room. 

Dolby Atmos revolutionises this, as it is not just a system of more speakers around and on top of you, but it also changes the way we can pan the ‘Objects’ within the space. In Dolby Atmos, we move ‘Objects’ to a position in space and it is the Renderer that then decodes what level it needs to send to each speaker for that ‘Object’ to be reproduced from that position based on the room and speaker setup that you have. The more speakers you have, the more accurately these positions can be reproduced, but the system allows you to go down to stereo and do a binaural render to make sounds come from all around you just while wearing headphones (with each system’s limitations that is).  

So what does all of this mean for the end users? Well first, Dolby Atmos now introduces height with ceiling speakers, so the full 3D space is a reality: planes flying over your head, birds chirping up in the trees, rain falling on top of the roof, etc. can all be achieved which was not possible before. Additionally and perhaps even more importantly, the same mix can be reproduced in multiple different systems, with different amounts of speakers and channels; in surround sound systems, home entertainment sound bars, as well as binaural renders on headphones, and everything in between. It also allows for better translation of the mix from the dubbing room to the listening room, as the system compensates for the differences of the rooms and speaker amount/placement.

What will having the Dolby Atmos system mean for SoundNode?

Dolby Atmos has now been around for a while, and it is clear that it is here to stay as we now see platforms like Netflix, Disney +, HBO Max, Apple Music, Tidal etc. all streaming content in this standard. Additionally, the Home Entertainment environment has become a very significant one for the industry and further becoming more so in the near future. We have set up our facility especially for these kinds of programs and environments, letting us and our clients produce top quality content in excellent monitoring facilities, particularly designed for their audience and their audiences’ expected listening environments.

For work on big Theatrical Dolby Atmos film mixes, the technology and our setup allows us to do all of the pre-mix work in our more competitive facilities and then easily translate that mix when taking it to the large format Dubbing Theatres for the final mix.

And finally from a creative point of view, we are now approaching the track-laying and sound designing differently and taking into account the 3rd dimension. We are thinking what comes from above, we are thinking vertically as well as width, depth, front and back.  Basically, making programs more immersive and exciting for the audience with a very powerful tool to make great sounding and emotionally engaging content.

Thanks so much to SoundNode for sharing your world, and chatting with us about your exciting new set up! If you’d like to keep up to date and follow SoundNode’s journey then check out their socials on Instagram and Facebook, and also on the SoundNode Website.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.

Hinako Omori is a wondrous producer and musician from Yokohama, Japan. Her thoughtfully crafted compositions weave between forest bathing, ambient electronics and celestial soundscapes, which transcend the experience of them into something more than music. We were lucky enough to be invited into her studio to take a brief peak into her musical world. The critically acclaimed artist talked to us about her release ‘a journey…’, and gave us a generous insight into her process, as well as some of the new technologies she is exploring such as binaural sound.

Can you tell us a bit about the themes and concepts behind your new project ‘a journey…’? 

Of course! “a journey…” came into being through a very kind invitation from my friend Oli Jacobs, head engineer at the beautiful Real World Studios. It was during the Summer of 2020, and as we were still in the first wave of the pandemic they weren’t able to host WOMAD Festival in person as they would usually do. They arranged an online, immersive audio version, and Oli very kindly asked if I’d be interested in taking part. I’ve always been fascinated by binaural and immersive audio, so I was over the moon!

I had a couple of weeks or so to put something together, so I decided to piece together some demos to make a continuous piece and took the stems up to Real World. The day before the mixing session, the lovely Katie May (who is an incredible engineer also at Real World) and I took a binaural head to the surrounding areas of nature, such as the Mendip Hills, and the piecing together of the songs and field recordings became the album.

The use and importance of binaural sounds comes up in your work, could you tell us a bit about what this is and how it works? And why it is important for your music.

Binaural sound (very broadly!) is literally how we hear sound through our ears – how sound waves arrive at each of our ears at different times, enabling us to place the source of the sound and create a spatial awareness.

Binaural recordings can be used to create a more immersive atmosphere and experience, and one of the ways we can do this is by using a dummy head with two microphones placed where our ears would be, capturing the audio how we would hear it.

As this project was during the beginnings of the pandemic and I was conscious that not everyone might have access to nature, I wanted to create an atmosphere where you could pop on some headphones and fully immerse yourself in nature from the comfort of your own home – I feel that the binaural field recordings that we captured from the forests around Real World Studios definitely helped me in creating a sonic environment for the music.

Have there been any essential studio tools/items that have helped you through the process of making your new album?

My dear synths, Sequential Prophet 08, OB6 and Moog Matriarch – I love them and use them on everything!

How would you explain the relation in your work between sound and visuals?

It’s a really interesting question as I’m not sure necessarily if the visual side of things come into my head at the start of the music creating process for me, unless it’s for a particular project or theme. I think a lot of the time it becomes clearer as the project unfolds, perhaps!

I’ve been incredibly lucky to collaborate with artists I admire greatly on visuals for different projects – Gustavo Eandi and Emi Takahashi on release artworks, and Thomas Harrington Rawle and Jessie Rodger on visuals for live shows/videos. Emi also created videos for “a journey…”. It’s been such an absolute honour to collaborate with them, and to see their magical vision come to life.

How has your experience been being a part of the Ten87 community?

It’s been such a lovely experience getting to know the incredible community here, and there’s always so many wonderful opportunities for collaboration. It really is a very uplifting environment with a very warm energy, and I’m really grateful to have met everyone here.

Thanks so much to Hinako for showing us around her Ten87 studio and sharing her world with us. If you haven’t already listened to ‘a journey…’ The project is available to stream on all platforms. She has also recently released a collection of reworks of the album called ‘a journey with friends…’.

We wish Hinako the very best for her upcoming tour of ‘a journey…’, being the first time to hear this project live. To keep up to date with her journey visit her website and Instagram.

At Ten87 Studios we offer long term studio hire and day hire music studios. Each recording studio is acoustically treated and sound proofed to optimise any type of audio recording and music production. We are home to a large community of musicians, producers, engineers and audio professionals working in the music industry. Our main day hire studio is a world class tracking facility equipped with the best in recording studio gear, instruments, outboard and backline. We’re based in Seven Sisters, Tottenham with easy transport links to the city centre – ideal for anyone looking for a London recording studio.