XL STUDIO GUIDE

Central Texas recording studios

A look at a sturdy dozen, plus more recording studios in the Austin area

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

A guide to some of the best recording joints in town. The list here ranges from state-of-the-art studios where multiplatinum albums have been produced to spare bedrooms with laptops instead of consoles. A complete list of studios in Central Texas and throughout the state is available at the Texas Music Office Web site.

BISMEAUX STUDIO

South Austin; (512)444-9885; fax 444-4699

Owner: Ray Benson
Manager: Sam Seifert
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'Reinventing the Wheel,' Asleep at the Wheel; 'What's Going On,' the Dirty Dozen Brass Band; 'From the Cradle to the Grave,' Dale Watson

THE BUBBLE

Central Austin; (512)420-0170
Owners: Frenchie Smith, Steve Hall
Tracks:24
Recorded here: The Steps EP; 'If We Can't Escape My Pretty,' IV Thieves; 'Comedy Horn,' Zykos

CACOPHONY RECORDERS

East Austin; (512)771-9863
Owners: Erik Wofford, Darwin Smith
Tracks:24
Recorded here: 'Passover,' Black Angels; 'Anti-Anti,' Snowden; 'Voxtrot,' Voxtrot

CEDAR CREEK RECORDING

South Austin; 444-0226
Owner:Fred Remmert
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'These Four Walls,' Shawn Colvin; 'Home,' Dixie Chicks; 'Blue Nightfall,' Jimmy LaFave; 'Anodyne,' Uncle Tupelo

CONGRESS HOUSE STUDIO

South Austin; 444-5762
Owner: Mark Hallman
Tracks: 48
Recorded here: 'Grown Backwards,' David Byrne; 'Love and Fear,' Tom Russell; 'The Phenomenal,' Ruthie Foster; 'Dilate,' Ani DiFranco; 'What I Deserve,' Kelly Willis

FLASHPOINT RECORDING STUDIO

Downtown; 476-7009
Owner: Bennet 'East Side Flash' Spielvogel
Tracks: 32
Recorded here: 'Paradiso Loco,' Effron White; 'Gotta Own Up,' Larry Wilson; 'Monotoneland,' the Monotones; 'Stories of Life, Songs of Love,' Byrd & Street

MUSIC LANE RECORDING

East Austin; (512)476-1567; (512)289-4333
Owner: Jason Demetri
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'Wildflower,' Sheryl Crow; 'Foiled,' Blue October

PEDERNALES STUDIO

Briarcliff; (512)447-2337
Owners: Lisa and Freddy Fletcher
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'Sublime,' Sublime; 'Stardust,' Willie Nelson; 'Summerteeth,' Wilco; 'Sacred,' Los Lonely Boys; 'Wave on Wave,' Pat Green; Upcoming South Austin Jug Band release

PREMIUM RECORDING SERVICE

Hyde Park; 454-3180
Owner: Bruce Robison
Tracks: 32
Recorded here: 'Translated From Love,' Kelly Willis; tracks from 'Voxtrot,' Voxtrot; 'Woke on a Whaleheart,' Bill Callahan; 'For So Long,' Robin Ludwick; 'Fireflies,' Faith Hill; 'Eleven Stories,' Bruce Robison

SWEATBOX STUDIO

South Austin; 762-9258
Owner: Mike Vasquez
Tracks: 24 digital, 16 analog
Recorded here: 'Beauty School,' Crackpipes; 'The Beguiled,' the Beguiled; 'Hits For the Misses,' Sons of Hercules

TOP HAT RECORDING

Travis Heights; 441-3021
Owners: John Harvey, Mary Podio, Ron Ellis
Tracks:32
Recorded here: 'Red Dog Blues,' Michael Fracasso; 'Exciting Opportunity,' Beaver Nelson; 'Charmed,' Torch; 'To Be Loved,' Ian Moore; 'Soundtrack from Jon Dee Graham's "Swept Away," ' Jon Dee Graham

WIRE RECORDING STUDIOS

South Austin; 442-7073; fax 442-7892
Owner: Stuart Sullivan
Tracks: 24
Recorded here: 'Sing Me Back Home,' New Orleans Social Club; 'Childish Things,' James McMurtry; 'What I Really Mean,' Robert Earl Keen; 'Cruel and Gentle Things,' Charlie Sexton; 'Movimiento Popular,' Grupo Fantasma

More studios that make it into the liner notes:

• A-Valve Productions.447-2600. Paul Zanetti, co-owner.
• Austin School of Music Studio. 476-7666. Dave Sebree, owner.
• Aerie Studio. 924-9671. Mark Addison, owner/producer.
• Alta Vista Recording. 326-5490. Tom Johnson, owner.
• Arlyn Studio. 447-2337. Lisa and Freddy Fletcher, owners.
• Audiomoxie. 835-8735. James Laurance, owner.
• Austin to Boston Recording. 219-9053, 431-4881. Mark and Linda Donovan, owners.
• Balderrama Recording Studio. Manor. (512) 835-5886. Arturo Balderrama, owner.
• Bayside Austin Recording Studio. 707-8858. Timothy W. Bond, owner.
• Bee Creek Studio. Spicewood. 264-1379. Spencer Starnes, owner.
• Ben Blank Audio. 263-2936.
• Brain Machine Recording Studio and Mastering Suite. 836-3100. Randy Avenell, owner.
• Broken Arrow Studio. 796-5843. Michael Hickman, owner.
• Castle Zeek Recording Studios. Cedar Creek. (512) 303-7611. Dmitri Thomann, owner.
• Chicken Shack. 773-8976. Phil Anstrom, owner.
• Coinhead Studio. 466-0762. Courtney Audain, owner.
• Cribworks Digital Audio.452-3047. Merel Bregante, Sarah Pierce, owners.
• Curly Head Music. 445-2694. Monte Mann, owner.
• Deceptive Sound Recording. 301-7203. Mike Jasper, Karin Stephenson, owners.
• Digital Domain of Austin.328-9058. Chris Erlon, owner.
• Figment Studios. 419-0193. Rick DeLellis, owner.
• 501 Audio. 485-3181. Corey Roberts, owner.
• Folkreel Studio. 323-9660. Eric Blakely, owner.
• Infinity Recording Studios. 784-0615. Barrett Walton, owner.
• Jumping Dog Studio. 257-7165. Ron Flynt, owner.
• Lava Studio. 560-4566. Scott Rehling, Kevin Kielian, Bryan Anderton, owner.
• Lorien Sound Studio. 282-2734. Gordon Garrison, owner.
• Love Monkey Studios. 731-3163. David W. Love, owner.
• Markilepsy Studio. 293-4699. Mark DuFour, owner.
• The Means of Production. 698-7439. Adam Whaley, owner.
• Mixture. 462-2611. Mark Younger-Smith, owner.
• Music Lab Inc. 326-3816. Danny Cabela, president.
• Ohm Recording Facility. 567-6273. Chico Jones, owner.
• Omnistudio Recording Studio. 458-6610. Brian Davis, owner.
• Parrot Tracks Studio. 292-8729. George Coyne, owner.
• Porchlight Recordings. 657-2683. Jeff Jones, owner.
• The Production Block.472-8975. Joel Block, owner.
• Promise Land Studios.451-6607. Michael Hersh, studio manager.
• Room-Space for Sound.656-5505. Mark L. Fishman, owner.
• Singular Audio. 923-3162. Alex Keller, owner.
• Stardog Studio. 338-1964. Mike Castoro, owner.
• The Still. 462-0408. Doug Ferguson, owner.
• Stinson Recording Studios - Recording Conservatory of Austin. 231-0344. John Stinson, owner.
• Studio Illusions.Cedar Park. 258-9100. Tom Parker, operations manager.
• Larry Telford Digital. 444-6464.
• Tequila Mockingbird.499-8655. Wally Williams, Danny Levin, owners.
• Wonderland Studios. 444-8030. Eric McKinney, owner.