Big Rock Audio
Can a room feel like a musical instrument?
This one does.
Big Rock Audio began as a personal studio built by producer and engineer Steve Metcalf. What started as a private workspace grew into something more and had to be shared.
Versatile, efficient and musical - this space has mojo. Nuff said.
I have said that acoustics are the second most important thing in a recording studio—next to the artist and performance. I mean that. However, if we are speaking only about the technical part of recording sound, acoustics are surprisingly much more important than other technical parts of sound recording. Mind-blowingly so.
Without good acoustics, recording is like trying to paint without prep. What a mess.
When I designed this space, I took my professional experience in systems design and acoustics and put it to work, making acoustic excellence my top priority. I used guidelines from AES, ITU, and EBU to make decisions, and was actually able to meet compliance in all relevant categories, which honestly surprised me a little, since small acoustic spaces can be very difficult to treat.
In the end, what we have is an acoustic environment that offers clean mic capture and reliable mixing. This saves time and makes recording a lot easier—because almost everything you do sounds pretty good with next to zero effort.
That is why acoustics are the most important thing technically. They set the foundation for the whole project.
— Steve
As I built this studio, each piece of gear was selected to fill a production gap. There is a reason everything is here.
Microphones from Sennheiser, Rode, Shure, Dachman, EV, and others cover dynamic, condenser, and ribbon designs. Some have even been custom modified in-house for specific sounds. Between them, there are dozens of high-quality options ready to go.
Preamps from legends like SSL, Soundcraft, and Audient, analog compressors and effects, more plugins than even I can remember, multiple drum kits, guitars, basses, amplifiers, percussion, and synths all mean that if you're chasing a particular sound, chances are we can get there quickly.
Whether you're after a modern production or something with a vintage character, the tools are here. You're also welcome to bring your own gear, and I'll do everything I can to make it sound its best.
If you're serious about making music and would rather work somewhere quiet than fight the noise and distractions of the city, you've found the right place.