WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IN A RECORDING STUDIO?
Recording studios like to show off all the equipment they have, especially regarding microphones and outboard equipment. But what is the most important piece of equipment in the studio?
It’s a bit of a trick question. Because the most important piece of equipment in a studio is the room, or the rooms. Firstly, the acoustic character of the live room is vital. A bad-sounding live room will ruin any record. The live room should have some life and character to it, whilst also being controlled. A totally dead live room will sound flat and boring, but an out of control one will be impossible to tame, meaning everything you record will be wet and washed-out. Any recording studio that is proud of their live room should be happy to give you a tour, let you see and hear it, and judge for yourself if it’s going to be a good fit for your music.
Of course, after the live room comes the control room. The control room’s sound should be much dryer and more controlled. You need the most honest reflection of what you’ve recorded here. The room shouldn’t colour or distort how you hear what you’ve recorded. Therefore, it makes sense that the control room should be acoustically treated. The studio should be able to talk about the character of the room, the treatment devices that have been installed and the reasons why they have been selected.
Only after you’ve got two great-sounding rooms can you consider an actual piece of equipment. But without doubt, the most important physical piece of equipment in a recording studio is the monitors. Good studios will have different monitoring systems to listen through. They won’t be limited to just one. You should be able to ask the studio what monitors they have, and they should be proud of them. If the studio only has a cheap pair of 400 € monitors, you should be wary. Whilst theoretically it is possible to produce good mixes on cheap monitors, when working with someone professional it is fair that you expect them to work with professional equipment. As monitors are the most important piece of equipment in the studio, they should be prioritised. And if they haven’t been, you should question this.
GLOSSARY
The process of optimising a room’s acoustics by using materials to absorb or diffuse sound waves.
