Inside Studio B: Where the Song Gets Built
Inside the Studio · Round Table Recording Company Blog
If Studio A is where the band plays, Studio B is where the song gets built. It's our production room, and we've made so many great records here.
Many songs that left Round Table Recording Company started as an idea in Studio B. A beat, a chord progression, a hook somebody hummed into a phone. This is the room where we take that idea and turn it into a record.
What Is Studio B Built For?
Studio B is a 900 square foot digital studio built for music production. We create music here for local, regional, and national artists, and we produce music for TV and film.
It's a digital room at heart, but we also have some outboard preamps, compression, and EQ for when a sound needs a little extra character. We move fast on the computer and reach for the hardware when the song calls for it.
What Creative Tools Are in Studio B?
Studio B is loaded with creative tools. It has a diversified selection of hardware MIDI devices, plus software that puts millions of sounds and instruments at your fingertips.
Pianos, synths, strings, drums, orchestral sounds, textures you've never heard before. If you can imagine it, there's a good chance we can find it, play it, shape it, or create it until it fits the song.
How Does a Song Go From an Idea to a Finished Track in Studio B?
It starts with a conversation. Before we record anything, we talk about what the song is supposed to be: the sound, the audience, and where it's headed, whether that's a radio single, an album track, or a placement in TV or film.
Some artists walk in with a finished song. Others bring a melody, a lyric idea, or a beat on their phone. Either way, the producer works with you to shape it, map out the arrangement, and pick reference tracks so everybody knows where the song is going.
Then we build the song's musical foundation right here in Studio B, using virtual instruments, samples, and programmed parts to create the groove, feel, and textures. This is where a song starts to sound like a record instead of a demo. Some of those parts stay on the final record, and we replace others with live players once we know what the song needs.
When it's time to add live performances, here's how it usually plays out:
Bring in session players in Studio A. A lot of the time, we build the song in Studio B, then follow up with session players in Studio A when the song needs a bigger room.
Record right in Studio B's live rooms. Studio B has two live rooms of its own, so plenty of parts can be recorded without leaving.
Use Studio A's rooms from Studio B. Studio B is wired straight into Studio A's piano room, so we can record the grand piano or use Studio A's rooms while still working from the Studio B control room.
We try to keep things as authentic as possible. If a programmed part has a character we love, it stays. If a bass line needs the weight and feel of a real player, we track it live. We make those calls song by song.
Want the full picture? Read How a Record Gets Made: The Production Process and the Producers Behind Round Table Recording Company or visit our music production page.
What Makes Studio B's Two Live Rooms Different?
Studio B's two live rooms were designed to sound very different from each other, and that's on purpose. The live room directly in front of the engineer is literally a live sounding room. It has an acoustic profile that sounds bigger than the size of the room. Put a guitar, a horn, or a group of singers in there, and it opens right up.
The back live room is the opposite. It has a tighter sound and is designed to capture everything from the lows to the highs while minimizing sound-wave reflections. That makes it fantastic for:
Vocals
Audiobooks and voice-over
Foley and sound effects work
Podcasting
Instruments that need a tight, close sound
Combine those two rooms with the rooms in Studio A, and every production we create in Studio B has access to the right quality and texture for whatever the song or audio project calls for.
What Is It Like Inside the Studio B Control Room?
The control room is spacious enough for two artists and two producers to work together comfortably. It's big enough that nobody feels crammed in, and small enough that it still feels like a creative space.
Studio B also has a window in the control room, and we don't take that for granted. Many control rooms are dark, and after a few hours, you lose track of the time. In Studio B, you get to pick your vibe.
If you want to feel connected to the world outside for mood and inspiration, the window is a blessing. If you want a darker, low-light setting, close the curtain and dim the lights. Either way, the room works for you.
What Kind of Music Gets Made in Studio B?
Hip-hop, pop, country, and plenty of other genres sound great coming out of Studio B, and vocal work really shines in here. With its creative tools, two live rooms, and a team that knows how to get a great vocal performance, this room has a long list of records to its name.
Come See Where the Songs Get Built
Got a song idea, a beat, or a project for TV or film? Studio B is ready for it. Come take a tour and hear the rooms for yourself. Tell us about your project through our music production inquiry form or reach out on our contact page, and we'll help you plan a session that fits. Let's build something great together!
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Frequently Asked Questions
How big is Studio B?
Studio B is 900 square feet. That includes the control room and two live rooms, one with a big, open sound and one with a tight, controlled sound.
Is Studio B a good studio for hip hop and pop?
Yes. Hip-hop, pop, and vocal-driven music are a big part of what gets made in Studio B. The room is loaded with hardware and software instruments, and the back live room is built for clean, tight vocals.
Can I record live instruments in Studio B?
Yes. Studio B has two live rooms, and it connects to Studio A's piano room, so you can record the grand piano or use Studio A's rooms. Many projects start in Studio B and add session players in Studio A.
Can I record voice-over, audiobooks, or podcasts in Studio B?
Yes. The back live room in Studio B is designed to minimize reflections, which makes it a great fit for voice-over, audiobooks, podcasting, and foley work.
How many people can work in the Studio B control room?
The Studio B control room comfortably fits two artists and two producers. It's roomy enough to work as a team and still feels like an intimate creative space.
Does Studio B have natural light?
Yes. The Studio B control room has a window, which is rare for a control room. Leave the curtain open for daylight and inspiration, or close it and dim the lights for a darker, late-night feel.
Round Table Recording Company · Indianapolis, Indiana · www.thertrc.com