Studios 301

Studios 301 is an Australian recording studio. Established in 1926, Studios 301 is the longest running professional recording studio in the southern hemisphere. It is also Australia’s largest Studio complex featuring 72 channel Neve 88R console and 72 channel SSL K Series consoles. Separating from EMI in 1996 it now has two complexes, the largest of these is located at 18 Mitchell Road, in the Sydney suburb of Alexandria, the other location is 373 Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay.^[1]

Background

Studio 1 of Studios 301

Founded in 1926, the Columbia Graphophone Company studios were one of the oldest established in the world. In 1954 they relocated and were given a new name, EMI Studios. In 1978 they were renamed again as Studios 301 and completely re-equipped. Now privately owned, 301 have one of the largest recording rooms and mastering facilities in the Southern hemisphere. In 1996 Studios 301 was purchased by the management team at the time, then was sold again in 1998 when producer/engineer Tom Misner took ownership and underwent a multi million dollar relocation & re-build. Up to early 2011, Studios 301 were part of the SAE Technology College group, until SAE were sold and Tom Misner retained ownership of Studios 301.^[2]

History

Studios 301 Orchestra Room

Studios 301 has a long and distinguished history, starting with the 1928 recording of the arrival of [[Charles Kingsford Smith]] and Charles Ulm into Australia following their flight from America, the first flight of its kind.^[3] In 1932, the studio recorded another first, a landline recording of the Melbourne Cup, and in 1954, the recording of the first symphony in Australia (John Antille's 'Ballet Suite' with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra).^[4]

In 1954, the studios relocated from their original site in Homebush, to 301 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, and underwent a name change from Columbia Graphophone Studios to EMI Studios.^[4] Stereo Recording was introduced to the studios in 1958. The first artist to be recorded in stereo was the Don Burrows All Star Band.^[4] In 1969, the studios made the transition to 8 track recording, using a 3M 1" machine, and four years later EMI installed the "Abbey Road" Console, which was a 16 track 2" machine.^[4] Transition to 24 track recording was made in 1975.

A total refit and redesign of the studios was carried out in 1978, and the name was changed to Studios 301.^[4] The studios were now able to make fully digital recordings (the first for Kerrie Biddell and her band in 1979).^[4]

1996-1998 saw Studios 301 changing hands after EMI sold them in a management team buyout. The School of Audio Engineering (SAE) group of companies, headed by Tom Misner, acquired Studios 301, as well as Soundtrade Studios in Stockholm, Sweden.^[4] Misner directed the move of the recording facilities to their current location in Alexandria in 1999. The mastering facilities following in 2006.^[4] Navitas bought out the SAE Group in 2011, however Misner retains ownership of Studios 301. The band 5 Seconds of Summer were discovered at Studios 301 by studio manager Adam Wilkinson in 2011.

Studios 301 Mastering and Recording

Studios 301 Neve 88R Console

Since 1980 Studios 301 Mastering has been catering for a multitude of Australian recording artists along with an ever-expanding international clientele. 301 Mastering is Australia's premier and largest fully purpose designed and built mastering complex. It features specifically tailored acoustics and monitoring along with high-end analogue and digital signal processing including vintage custom EMI TG mastering consoles and components providing a smooth, warm analogue sound. It is situated within the Studios 301 recording/mixing complex in Sydney. Artists who have used Studios 301 include Kanye West, Coldplay, Lady Gaga, Muse, Black Eyed Peas, U2, Taio Cruz, Snoop Dogg, Powderfinger, Silverchair, Sneaky Sound System, Bag Raiders, The Vines, Washington, Santhosh Narayanan and Angus & Julia Stone. Dating further back, David Bowie, Prince, Elton John, Bob Dylan, The Easybeats, John Farnham, Icehouse, The Divinyls, Slim Dusty, The Angels, INXS and Midnight Oil.^[4]

In July 2012, Studios 301 successfully wooed prolific American producer Nick DiDia to work in their Byron bay studio.^[5] October 2012 sees the opening of six new production studios at the complex, making it one of the largest in the world.^[6]

Credits

References