Electrical Audio
Encyclopedia
Electrical Audio is a recording facility
founded in Chicago, Illinois by musician and recording engineer Steve Albini
in 1997. Hundreds of independent music projects have been recorded there.
Founded during an era of increasing popularity for digital recording
, Electrical Audio was unusual for using only analog recording
technology, including mixing console
s, tape recorder
s and many outboard sound effect
s. The rooms are also designed to offer natural reverberation
rather than adding the quality in post-production.
In a 2007 post on the studio's message board, the studio's technician Greg Norman revealed that the studio had acquired a Pro Tools
rig for computer-aided recording and editing, saying it had become "as important to have as a piano
". Norman also went on to write that Albini, who dislikes digital recording, "won't be recording with [Pro Tools]. So don't ask him about it."
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
founded in Chicago, Illinois by musician and recording engineer Steve Albini
Steve Albini
Steven Frank Albini is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, audio engineer and music journalist. He was a member of Big Black, Rapeman, and Flour, and is currently a member of Shellac...
in 1997. Hundreds of independent music projects have been recorded there.
Founded during an era of increasing popularity for digital recording
Digital recording
In digital recording, digital audio and digital video is directly recorded to a storage device as a stream of discrete numbers, representing the changes in air pressure for audio and chroma and luminance values for video through time, thus making an abstract template for the original sound or...
, Electrical Audio was unusual for using only analog recording
Analog recording
Analog recording is a technique used for the recording of analog signals which among many possibilities include audio frequency, analog audio and analog video information for later playback.Analog recording methods store signals as a continual wave in or on the media...
technology, including mixing console
Mixing console
In professional audio, a mixing console, or audio mixer, also called a sound board, mixing desk, or mixer is an electronic device for combining , routing, and changing the level, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. A mixer can mix analog or digital signals, depending on the type of mixer...
s, tape recorder
Tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, tape deck, reel-to-reel tape deck, cassette deck or tape machine is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices, usually using magnetic tape, either wound on a reel or in a cassette, for storage...
s and many outboard sound effect
Sound effect
For the album by The Jam, see Sound Affects.Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media...
s. The rooms are also designed to offer natural reverberation
Reverberation
Reverberation is the persistence of sound in a particular space after the original sound is removed. A reverberation, or reverb, is created when a sound is produced in an enclosed space causing a large number of echoes to build up and then slowly decay as the sound is absorbed by the walls and air...
rather than adding the quality in post-production.
In a 2007 post on the studio's message board, the studio's technician Greg Norman revealed that the studio had acquired a Pro Tools
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
rig for computer-aided recording and editing, saying it had become "as important to have as a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
". Norman also went on to write that Albini, who dislikes digital recording, "won't be recording with [Pro Tools]. So don't ask him about it."
Studio layout
The facility was built by gutting an existing building and customizing the space to Albini's specifications, including walls made of adobe bricks shipped from New Mexico. Electrical Audio comprises two separate studios, A and B.Studio A
Studio A is the larger of the two studios and has three separate performance rooms. Center Field is the largest at 1200 feet (365.8 m) squared, Alcatraz is a 'dry environment' room and Kentucky is a brighter live room with improved low frequency linearity. The control room runs a 48 channel Neotek Elite console and can accommodate up to 132 inputs.Studio B
Studio B is the smaller of the two studios with an 800 square feet (74.3 m²) live room and a 300 square feet (27.9 m²) isolation room. The control room runs a 36 input Neotek Series II console.See also
- List of Steve Albini's recording projects, many of which were recorded at this studio
External links
- ElectricalAudio.com is Electrical Audio's home webpage.