ASC Recording Studio News
TubeTrap Most Significant Room Treatment Product in Past 45 Years
June 2013, The Absolute Sound
The Absolute Sound listed the 100 most significant products of the last 45 years in their July/August 2013 cover article.
Selected by a consensus of the magazine's writing team, the list includes innovations of all kinds, including speakers, amps, tuners, recording media and others.
The the only room treatment product to make the list, the Tube Trap is in a class by itself.
Invented in in the early 1980's by Art Noxon, president of ASC, the Tube Trap is the foundation of the mobile recording studio, the AttackWall used by five-time emmy winner Bruce Swedien and many others, such as Julien Apruzzese and Pete Droge.
ASC at the California Home Audio Show
Summer 2010
ASC Sales Rep Chris Klein traveled to California recently for the first annual California Audio Show to help treat several rooms with ASC acoustics. Though the show featured an impressive collection of High End audio gear, he said the best sound he heard was from Blue Coast Records, who brought some of their label's performers in to play during the show. Chris said they performed beautifully.
Blue Coast Records tried to create a stage-like enviroment for their performers. They used a set of ASC StudioTraps and improvised monitor stands out of two TubeTraps to create a small Attack Wall at the center.
The recordings they made at the show are still available free for download here. You can see more photos of their setup by clicking on the thumbnails here:
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ASC TubeTraps Featured on the Cover of MIX Magazine
February 2010
Music Mix Mobile needed acoustics for their recording studio truck, and they needed them done right the first time, on time, and on budget. So they called ASC.
For over 25 years ASC has specialized in custom high end acoustic packages for studios large and small, mobile or otherwise. Music Mix Mobile called and they got expert advice and world class acoustics. It's featured on the February, 2010 cover of MIX Magazine.
Call ASC for your next custom acoustic project, we might be able to help.
Art Noxon Teaches "Swedien Acoustics" Once Again at Bruce Swedien's Studio Engineer Mentoring Class
January 2010
Bruce Swedien mentored 9 recording engineers from all over the world, once again in his home studio in Ocala, Florida. Art Noxon, Bruce's acoustic design engineer, taught "Swedien Acoustics" to the group each morning session for the first 3 days of this 6 day session.
Martin Kanola, Bruce's microphone design engineer, took over the morning sessions for the last 3 days. Art taught the group about:
- The design and construction of Bruce's studio
- Sound, rooms and microphones
- MATT testing monitor playback performance
- The midfield wrap-around Awall Bruce uses for mixing
- How he uses sound fusion and QSF for gathering full bodied "direct" signals in the live room
- The difference between and uses for coherent and incoherent diffusers
- How signal masking or clarity in the mix depends on the reverb setting
This was the 4th of Bruce's present series of mentoring workshops: "In The Studio with Bruce Swedien" is a comprehensive one week "reprogramming" course for recording engineers who come from all over the world. They hope to discover and take home some of Bruce's technical tricks but who they meet is an engineer who does not even use compressors, limiters or EQ and who never even tries to fix it in the mix.
He's a sound recording artist who does his mixing at the mic. And that's just the beginning. Bruce's mentoring classes are a rare, life changing opportunity for studio engineers to relearn how to approach their work in recording from one of the true and great Master Engineers in recording history.
Bruce's discography starts early with such names as Jimmy Dorsey, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, through Dinah Washington, Quincy Jones, The Wiz and Michael Jackson, Burt Bacharach, Sergio Mendes, James Ingram, Michael McDonald and Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Jennifer Lopez and many many more...
More Info: In the Studio With Bruce Swedien
Art Noxon Teaches Critical Listening Intensive With Bruce Swedien
November 2009
ASC's Art Noxon joined Legendary Studio Engineer Bruce Swedien for a week-long intensive. Noxon detailed studio acoustic design principles, and an overview of what's available. Most importantly, he defined the difference between sound conditioning and soundproofing, and how it relates to world class studio acoustics.
Critical listening is a form of listening that involves analysis, serious thinking and thoughtful judgment. When it comes to recording and mixing music, critical listening is used every day. The class explores all phases of world-class, state-of-the-art music recording right up to and including the final mix.
Yamaha Chooses ASC Acoustics for it's Rolling Showroom
October 2009
Yamaha Commercial Audio needed acoustics for their new Rolling Showroom demo truck, and the choice was simple: Call ASC. The Showroom is a 53-foot, double-expanding trailer that will make appearances at national tradeshows and events throughout North America. The unit is loaded with the latest pro audio gear from Yamaha and NEXO.
Yamaha's Advertising & Creative Manager Bruce Welnack called and we went to work custom building a modular poly diffuser and bass trap he designed for their project truck.
Check out a short video on MIX TV showing more about this amazing truck.
In the Studio With Michael Jackson
July 2009
Bruce Swedien's new book focuses on the creative and technical aspects of Jackson’s studio productions and offers more than 100 photos, including many of Jackson at work in the studio, as well as other artists and collaborators. It also has photos of the studios and equipment used for Jackson’s sessions, plus scores of Jackson’s handwritten notes and other never-before-seen ephemera.
No one was closer to Michael Jackson at the height of his creative powers than Bruce Swedien, the five-time Grammy winner who, with Jackson and producer Quincy Jones, formed the trio responsible for the sound of Jackson's records – records that topped the charts and shook the world.
In a recent interview with Matt Gallagher for Mixonline, Mr. Swedien said, "I’m a funny guy: I don’t believe in secrets. I’m going to tell everything in this book—how I did every sound in as much detail as I can."
ASC is Saddened by the Sudden Death of Michael Jackson
June 2009
It is with profound grief that ASC thanks Michael Jackson for all he has done for both the music world and the world in general, promoting a message of peace and love. Mr. Jackson is perhaps the most famous musician ever to use ASC-TubeTraps to record every vocal track on every album he has made since Bad.
Bruce Swedien, the five time Grammy winning sound engineer who worked with Jackson for many years, even used ASC-TubeTraps to record the sound of Jackson's dance moves while he laid down tracks in the studio.
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| Bruce Swedien introduced Michael to ASC TubeTraps while recording the BAD Album. | In a 2005 interview with Geraldo Rivera, Jackson chose ASC TubeTraps as the backdrop. | |
ASC extends their deepest condolences to the Jackson family, his friends and his fans.
ASC Mourns the Passing of Ed McMahon
June 2009
We are saddened to hear the news of Ed McMahon's passing, and our hearts go out to his friends and family. Just a few short years after ASC opened its doors, ASC TubeTraps were used by Director Bill White for a commercial starring Mr. McMahon.
The TV commercial (third reel in) was for Mannington Floors, and used an ASC QSF cloud (suspended TubeTrap array) to help direct vertical sound reflections toward the mic.
Note the improved audio of that particular commercial compared to the others.
Professional Engineer and Musician Pete Droge Profiled at ASC
June 2009
Engineer and musician Pete Droge of Puzzle Tree Music sat down and shared his experiences using ASC’s AttackWall and StudioTraps. "I’m a total believer in ASC TubeTraps. I don’t really have a clue how they work, but I know that they do work.
Pete has served as producer on two of his own albums as well as work by numerous others, most notably Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard. He’s mounted tours with Tom Petty, Neil Young, and Dixie Chicks, and appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The Jon Stewart Show.
More Info: Pete's Profile
Orriel Smith To Appear on The Tonight Show
April 2009
On Tuesday the 28th, folks from the Jay Leno Show will pick us up to shoot a short audience segment of Orriel singing her "Chicken Opera". It will be aired that night. Last time she was on the program it was years ago and it was The Johnny Carson Show.
Ms. Smith is an avid QSF fan. A few years ago, she sent in some comments. "Being aware that the “voice” is mostly air, I like the idea that StudioTraps create a bright atmosphere to reflect or absorb the air/tone in a way that is controllable and consistent. The standard “recording booth” can seem overly absorbent and airless to me, not to mention claustrophobic. Operatic singing is based on overtones that are large, full with a ringing high presence. The feeling of singing within the StudioTraps is that of being within a “live and active” atmosphere and is extremely predictable.
Check Out Orriel Smith's Website
Di Notte Studio AttackWall
March 2009
ASC created this custom AttackWall for Julien Apruzzese, owner of Di Notte Studio in Paris, France. Even though we completed it a few years ago, it was only recently we discovered Mr. Apruzzese's Facebook Page.
More Info: Complete Story
Music Mix Mobile Featured in MIX Magazine Interior
February 2009
ASC recently completed an acoustic package for a state-of-the-art mobile mixing studio. The studio features ASC MatrixPanels on the sidewalls, suspended MixClouds above the board, and Quarter Round TubeTraps front and rear. The studio is profiled in the February '09 issue of MIX Magazine.
“We decided that anything worth doing is worth overdoing,” Co-owner Joel Singer says. “We purchased a new top-of-the line Freightliner chassis, and had a custom control room from Boulevard Body Works installed. We overdesigned the climate, electric and acoustic systems, and then installed top-end recording equipment.”
Music Mix Mobile’s projects include Bon Jovi in Central Park, the Sundance Channel’s Spectacle with Elvis Costello, Rosie O’Donnell Live, Fall Out Boy, Coldplay, Beck and more.
More Info: Music Mix Mobile
Week-long Critical Listening Intensive With Bruce Swedien and Arthur Noxon
January 2009
Course Goal: To enhance your ability to critically analyze musical sounds on a continuing basis as a professional. This master class is designed for those professionally involved in the technical aspects, the performing, and the production of high-quality recorded music.
Critical listening is a form of listening that involves analysis, serious thinking and thoughtful judgment. When it comes to recording and mixing music, critical listening is used every day.
We will explore all phases of world-class, state-of-the-art music recording right up to and including the final mix.
More Info: Read the Press Release
Westviking Studio Used to Record Grammy Nominated Album
November 2008
ASC is proud to announce this incredible video showing off ASC-TubeTrap acoustics. Lead Vocals by Brent Carter. Drums by Josh Garneau. Guitars by Jordan Garneau. Pianos/Keyboards by Mason Embry. Written by Kent and Jordan Garneau and Darren Corlew. Orchestrated by Jeremy Lubbock. Produced/ Engineered by Bruce Swedien. Co-Engineered by Keith Henderson.
About West Viking Studio
Grammy award winning producer/engineer Bruce Swedien built the latest incarnation of his Westviking Studio last year. He turned to ASC to supply acoustics and Arthur Noxon to engineer a full acoustic makeover for what was a basic steel barn. This included custom soundproofing and low frequency damping control. The Control Room features a full AttackWall including wall mounted Fractional TubeTraps plus vented bass trapping SoundPlanks on the ceiling.
The Live Room features more vented SoundPlanks plus a huge supply of StudioTraps for QSF setups as seen in the above video.
More Info: WestViking Studio
ASC Provides Acoustics For The Who's Tommy
In 1987, we designed and built Pete Townshend's sampling room in the Boathouse, Eel Pie Studios. It was a prototype for the QSF recording concept. Pete was blown away by the sound he got in that room. He wrote the factory and told us his story. It went something like this: “The Boathouse was so smooth that no one could hear which fader ran the nearfield or farfield mics. They sounded the same. For the first time ever, I had to tape along side the faders, labeling the two mics, so my engineers could remember which fader was the nearfield mic and which was the ambient mic.”
In June 2008, a call went out to ASC to design and build the acoustic conditioning for the orchestra pit and mix platform at a unique and new production of The WHO’s Tommy. James Johnson (Sound Designer) has created a unique and unprecedented high definition 3 dimensional sound delivery system called exp3d tm, which will debut at the show. Mr. Johnsons’ work on Tommy also includes the design of live and recorded 3d sound effects, and supervision of the live audio mix.
Along with Janie Hendrix, he was Executive Producer of the Jimi Hendrix 3D Sound Theater, which debuted at Woodstock '99. Working from the original master tracks he oversaw mixing in 3 dimensions of Jimis’ music, the creation of 3d sound effects, as well as sound system design, architectural design and construction of the theater.
Meanwhile, the ASC crew stepped up to the plate since the timing was tight with no room for delay. Special acoustics, in this case modified SoundPlanks, were designed to be arrayed in the orchestra pit. Head Engineer Arthur Noxon worked with Sound Designer James Johnson to handle the rock band working in a cement walled orchestra pit at the Ricardo Montalban Theater in LA.
