Hansa Studios: By the Wall 1976-90 (documentary 2018)

 

Oh yea, back in the late 80's I sat in on a session with Nile Rodgers in his studio when he was producing my friend's girlfriend Lorelei McBroom. I don't think that the album was ever released.

 

Had mastering done at Metropolis, The Exchange and at Abbey Road in Uk and attended for the sessions on many occasions.
Refused the master's from Abbey Road on 2 occasions... would never use them again regardless of their reputation.

 

I'm challenging your assumption that you're missing out on much. Is it really the studio which is legendary? Or is it the staff with talent and creative vision who were connected to the studio that made the legendary music?

I'm challenging your idea that any "magic" is going to rub off by visiting.

 

I understand that i may not be missing out on much, but i think it bothers me more that i am not sure of that. If i am sure...it would be better anyway...

What am i missing out on (what will i lose i mean) if i do it once and be disappointed?

 

Often both.
I completely agree though that you're not going to somehow absorb any special mojo visiting a famous place. It's simply nice to go to a shrine and see it for yourself. I would enjoy seeing Abbey Road for instance, it would feel like a church almost. I don't feel compelled to work there though.

 

Fair assessment.

You may have to dispel the notion that there's "magic" involved in the production process before you can move on. A lot of people keep looking for that next VST, the next DAW, the next tutorial, the next bit of gear, the next interview with a pro, etc. thinking if they could just get that secret sauce then they'd be pro.

Only you will be able to determine that for yourself, if that's your belief system.

 

Probably the most well known place I've recorded at was Brittania Row, Pink Floyd's studio. Nice Neve desk. Coincidentally, I went for a curry last night with an old friend who mentioned he'd bought their massive plate reverb when the studio closed in the 90s. Small world.

Exactly this, and me too. I just missed out on visiting Abbey Road last year when they opened their doors for their Stories in Sound days, which were hosted by Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew (authors of arguably THE authoritative and definitive book about recording the Beatles, titled somewhat appropriately "Recording The Beatles")
@stav keep your eyes peeled for the next time:
https://www.seetickets.com/tour/abbey-road-studios-presents-stories-in-sound

Yeah, no. There's obviously no magic pixie dust in the air, it's just a room... BUT it would be a blast to stand in the space where the Fabs did the majority of their recorded work. Curry mate who has recorded and mixed there a number of times says it's surprising how dead and non-reflective the huge Studio Two is.

I'd also love to visit all of the aforementioned in this thread just because I'm massively interested in the history of recorded music: Sun, Capitol, Hansa, Electric Lady (good call @Lois Lane ) Muscle Shoals, Motown, Stax...my inner nerd would be wanking himself into a frenzy at each of them, IDGAF. Also Rudy Gelder's Van Gelder studio.

And that Hansa documentary that @Radio posted is excellent, and a must-see. Slightly jealous you've visited, and I'd love to record there. Same with @shinyzen visiting the Capitol chambers

Edit: almost forgot, I've also recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World. Nice view of the pond from the main room there.

 

Last edited: Mar 22, 2025

I once enjoyed the fortune of recording a Demo at the Hansa studio in Berlin (the small one, but of course we took a peep into the famous Meistersaal as well). The great thing was - after the recording session we were done. It sounds so good, we hadn't to add or correct anything. Pretty good for a demo.
It was a great experience.

P.S. I think that's the true secret of all these shiny pro productions: they take the easiest path to achieve a goal. Then, errors and the hard stuff become a pleasure.

 

My family went to Memphis back in the early 80's. Parents (and me) were Elvis fans. We went to Sun Studios. They took a pic of me holding a guitar with headphones on sitting in the studio. I didn't do any mixing, or mastering, or recording. I was only 12.

 

its partially true. I have seen shit quality productions come out of multi-million dollar studios, and have seen excellent quality productions come out a focusrite clarett and sm7b in a bedroom. The thing is, it really boils down to who is behind the tools available, and a multi platinum producer is far more likely to be in a mega studio than someone who is just starting out. They will also most likely be able to make an incredible song in a room packed with excellent gear, instruments etc, than they would with a laptop and some plugins IF (big if) they know how to use them and what they are doing. Of course, this isnt black and white, just what i have seen in my time in the industry.

 

I think studios are overrated and a thing of the past. With AI every bedroom can sound like a pro studio.

(No, I'm not jealous. What makes you think that?)

 

Man, I'd love to visit Paisley Park one day. The new relaunched Miraval in France looked really nice, too. The former A&M studios in Hollywood. Westlake (of Quincy Jones & Michael Jackson fame). Record Plant in Sausalito. Criteria and The Hit Factory in Miami.

But yeah exactly - in the end these are just rooms, with (often / or used to be) legendary gear and an illustrious past. I mean, you can book Abbey Road, if you want - it's just going to cost you probably $10,000 a day at least.

 

@liquidlove i really think my generation is spoiled with home studios, its such a better vibe imo. especially if its with a homie, you can just pull up or they come through, play, make dinner if you want, talk, play, no rush or pressure with takes, the vibe is just much better for creating to me. i would never pay to record in Abbey Road its not comfortable at all. like from the jump, paying thousands of dollars to use a space for a few hours, with a random engineer; who doesnt trust you using the shit. because some others artists recorded here 60 years ago? aint no way im getting finessed like that

Paisley Park did have some cool stuff though, i wont ruin it for you but like one room had a stage that was just laid out, dope lighting and everything with a big sculpture of his logo, he used if for band rehearsals and release party/concerts. having that in your house is just too fresh