Silo Sound Studio: A cut above the rest

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Silo Sound Studio: A cut above the rest

by Tom Walsh

Posted on December 7, 2011

I don't remember the first time I heard of Kerr/Macy studios, I just know I remember hearing the name. It was probably some time in the nineties when I was still playing guitar in a Denver rock band. At that time I was still in the info loop and kept hearing about all kinds of local studios. “This studio will do this for this much money, that studio won't give you as good a product but they're way cheaper,” and so on and so forth. But one name kept popping up.....Kerr/Macy. Supposedly at that time Kerr/Macy was the studio to be at. They had a professional staff that knew how to do their job and they had a killer studio. The one bad thing I kept hearing over and over about the studio was their prices. Everybody kept saying you had to be well known and have quite a bit of money to record there. Since I was never there, I couldn't say one way or another whether that was true or not.

Fast forward to 2011. I was finally able to go to Kerr/Macy studios, only it's not Kerr/Macy anymore. It is now Silo Sound Studios. What I saw inside this studio went beyond what I thought a pro studio should be. Back in the eighties I recorded at a few different 'pro' studios, and to me they were pro because I didn't know any better. But now I do know better. I could live at Silo Sound Studios and probably be very comfortable. The studio is warm and inviting with plenty of plush couches to sit and relax on while discussing your next step in the recording process or while listening to a playback. The lighting is just right, and there is a very relaxed feel to the whole place that makes you think it would be a killer place to stretch out and take a nap. I would guess this is good for the creative process, especially for first time studio goers. If you don't feel pushed or rushed and you can gather your thoughts and think about what it is you're doing, then you will most likely end up with a much better product.

I say studio in the singular term when in fact Silo is made up of three separate control rooms and an ISO room that use a mix of state of the art and vintage recording equipment. Studio A is the primary tracking and mixing studio. Studio A boasts a 36 input analog console, a couple 24 track tape machines and a Pro Tools HD3 rig. The space has fifteen foot ceilings and has three isolation areas, one with a grand piano. Studio B is their newest control room, studio C is an intimate overdub suite towards the front of the building and the tracking room is a huge 25x35 space with fifteen foot ceilings, two large isolation areas and two airlocks for amps. Each iso area is large enough for a drum kit. This is definitely a studio to see.

Not only is the studio great, but the staff there is made up of first class, talented people. You notice how talented when you walk in the front door and see the gold records on the wall. Not only do they work work with some well known names, but they also work with beginners and local bands and musicians. They are as comfortable doing demos as they are recording big budget projects.

The other great thing about silo? If you have your own producer in mind but want to use Silo? Bring your producer along! Silo is one of the few studios that doesn't force the artist to use in-house production. Their reasoning for that is simple. If you have your own producer chances are that person knows your music better than a producer or engineer that is not familiar with your work.

If you want to make sure you're getting the best staff for

your money look no farther than than the staff roster at Silo and the people they have worked with in the past. The Grammy award winning, platinum recording staff; Clark Hagan, Todd Divel, Jeff Kanan, John Macy and Nick Sullivan; at Silo offer up a terrific resume that includes Chet Atkins, Tantric, Ray Stevens, Madonna, No Doubt, Kelly Clarkson, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and more.

While talking and listening to people at the Silo open house one thing became abundantly clear. Silo Studios is not a wham, bam, thank you ma’am type of operation. They are not the type to record your stuff, collect your money and kick you out the door. On the contrary, from what I picked up, they are about fostering relationships with whomever it may be that they are working with. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in Los Lobos, whether you’re John Common or some local start up. You get the same service, the same expertise and the same support at a decent, affordable rate, and that says something about the studio and staff. When you share a love of music, how well known you are or aren’t doesn’t matter. What matters is the connection and the bond that music has provided and the willingness to put out the best product you can.

For more information on Silo Sound Studios visit:

silosound.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Macy-Sound-Studios/81177341416