What is a music production studio? And how much does it cost to build one? Here, we will answer both of these questions and then pay our respects to some of the best music studios in the world.

What is a music production studio?

A music production studio is any space where you can record and mix music. This could be anything from a few pieces of equipment in a budget home studio to a fully-equipped professional studio. 

Typically, a professional music production studio will consist of:

• A live room, where singers and musicians can perform their music. It is often treated with soundproofed walls, so the sounds don't leak into other parts of the studio.

• A control room. This will contain all the equipment to monitor and mix the audio, such as a mixing desk, speakers, and other audio processing equipment.

Depending on the particular studio, instruments may be available, or you might have to use your own.

How much does it cost to set up a music studio?

How much it will cost you to build your own studio depends on your requirements. If you are just looking to make some music on your own at home, the costs can be much lower than they used to be. 

Computers are much more powerful than in the past and cheaper. So if you are making electronic music on your own, you might only need a good computer with some music software, a MIDI keyboard, some speakers, and some sound treatment for the room. But if you want to record a live band with vocals, you will need more space, instruments, and some decent microphones.

So, depending on your needs, you are looking at anything between £500 and £20,000.

However, the costs can be significantly higher if you are looking to build a professional recording studio. Here are some of the additional costs that you might need to pay:

• Designing and building the studio space - £12,000 to £18,000.

• Mixing console - £18,000 to £85,000.

• Audio processing equipment - £35,000.

• Speakers - £2,500.

• Microphones - £1,300 each.

• Recording booths - up to £3,400.

There could be other costs, too, such as additional equipment and the general maintenance of the studio. So, for a professional music production studio, you could be looking at anything from £70,000 to £150,000 or more.

Famous music production studios

We couldn't write an article about music production studios without paying our respects to some of the most famous studios in the world:

• Abbey Road Studios, London, UK. Yes, the one where the Beatles recorded Abbey Road. Other well-known albums recorded there include Duran Duran's debut album, Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, Lady Gaga's Born This Way, and The Bends and OK Computer by Radiohead.

• The Dungeon, Atlanta, USA. Famous for the Dungeon Family, a hip-hop collective that grew out of it. Artists who have recorded there include Outkast, Gnarls Barkley, Bubba Sparxxx, Cee-Lo Green, Janelle Monae, and Future.

• Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Alabama, USA. Famous bands and artists to record here include Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, and the Black Keys.

• Trident Studios, London, UK. Hidden away down an alley in the fancy Soho area of London, Trident has seen the likes of Queen, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Lou Reed, and James Taylor.

• Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, USA. Initially created for recording Disney music, it went on to welcome Led Zeppelin, the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, the Doors, Jet, and Macy Gray.