When you listen to music on your car radio or iTunes, it is likely that the music you’re listening to was created in a recording studio, where songwriters, musicians and spoken word experts team with sound technicians and music producers to record a unique sound.
Live Oak Studio is Berkeley’s full-service recording facility serving the music, film, spoken word and game communities. We use the Avid Pro Tool System for our high-resolution digital recording. We combine professional acoustics, state-of-the-art equipment and professional engineers to ensure that every recording session results in the best possible finished product for our clients.
Our Bay Area Recording Studio consists of a control room and an isolation booth, where high-volume instruments, such as drums, can be played. These recording rooms are carefully constructed to promote optimal sound quality. They also help performers see and hear each other while they record; we strive to help our clients feel as comfortable in our Bay Area Recording Studio as they would in their own homes or rehearsal spaces.
Working With Live Oak Studio
Lead engineer James Ward has worked at Live Oak Studio for more than 15 years, and he expertly interfaces with all of our clients, scheduling and managing the details of each recording session.
There are many variables that determine the amount of time clients spend in the studio. The standards and expectations of the recording artist are always factors. The number of instruments must also be taken into consideration—in general, the more people to manage, the more complex the recording session becomes. If the individual or group is well rehearsed, the recording session will go much more smoothly than if the individual or group is not familiar with the material.
Audio recording sessions represent different challenges than those of musicians. If there is dialog, there may be separate voices for each person as well as sound effects that must be carefully integrated. In some cases, there is a liberal use of foreign dialog, and the audio person may require help with pronunciation. Another consideration is that even audio experts require breaks, so recording sessions may be broken into shorter sessions. Our comfortable lounge provides a place to rest between sessions.
Live Oak’s engineer, James Ward, is an expert editor. James expertly manages the recording session and edits the material to produce a final recording that is representative of the artist’s best work.
Live Oak Studio has recorded a wide range of music styles with global, award-winning artists who call Live Oak Studio their home during their stay in the Bay Area. At Live Oak, we combine creativity with technology and expertise to produce an exceptional experience and outstanding results.