Sonic Ranch
Encyclopedia
Sonic Ranch, in west Texas
, is the world's largest residential recording studio complex. There are 5 world-class studios designed by Vincent Van Haaff on a 1700 acres (6.9 km²) pecan orchard which borders the Rio Grande
River and old Mexico
. Located 30 miles (48 km) east of El Paso
, Texas, in the border town of Tornillo
, there are 5 houses on the property where artists stay while recording. The studio was founded in 1989 by the current owner/director Tony Rancich around a large traditional Spanish hacienda
, which is an adobe structure that was built in the late 1930s, with pine-tree vigas
as the ceiling structure. Some rock bands have also noted the calm, rural wilderness and easy access to Juarez, Mexico across the border.
board which was used to record many Motown artists, including Diana Ross
, The Temptations
, Gladys Knight
, Bubba Knight, G. C. Cameron
, James Jamerson
, Marvin Gaye
, and The Jackson 5
. Madonna
purchased the console and had it in her studio Brooklyn in Hollywood in the early 1990s, where Yoshiki Hayashi purchased and put it together with another 8078 into its present form by Pat Schnider and Wess Dolly. Sonic Ranch acquired this console in 2006. The Big Tracking Room that is connected to this control room is 36 xx and has 22 feet (6.7 m) ceilings. There are two isolation booths in the Big Tracking Room and two isolation booths in the large 36 xx Control Room.
The A Studio, which was the first studio to be established at Sonic Ranch, is partially subterranean and features a 40-channel E/G SSL
console with vintage Neve outboard mic pre/EQs and has four tracking rooms with differing acoustics and dimensions.
The Stone Room is a five-sided room made of stone, with a slanted latia ceiling which optimizes acoustic diffusion. When stripped of baffles and carpets, it serves as an echo chamber
during mixdown. The center tracking room, leading to the Drum Room, has carpets and absorbable material between the traditional vigas in the ceiling structure which shortens the decay time in the room and makes it suitable for vocals and electric guitar tracking.
The Drum Room has a wood floor, a slanted wood ceiling and wooden doors which can be opened or closed to adjust the ambiance of the room. The top room, which descends into the control room, contains a 6 in 11 in (2.11 m) 1978 K. Kawai
piano and a 1961 Hammond B3 with Leslie
.
The Adobe Studio was designed by Vincent Van Haaff within a hundred-year-old adobe
structure with a vaulted wooden ceiling. It contains a vintage Neve 8088 console with Class A 31102 mic pre/EQs which were designed by Rupert Neve
in 1977. The Adobe Tracking Room is 30 x and has geometric ceiling panels, corner and half rounds, and massive ceiling trusses to enhance acoustic diffusion. This studio is on a property that contained one of the original "Custom House" crossing points from Mexico into the United States.
was designed by Vincent Van Haaff and is in the left wing of the original Spanish hacienda. It is 20 feet (6 m) wide and 40 feet (12 m) deep and contains a 64-channel SSL G/G+ console. It resides next to the swimming pool in the hacienda patio.
The Mastering Room is in the center section of the Spanish hacienda and is 18 ft (5.5 m) wide and 27 ft (8.2 m) deep. It features a Rupert Neve-designed Masterpiece. The Mastering room has wooden panels and colorful fabrics from Brussels and Paris woven into its acoustical design. This room contains two of the 30 original Salvador Dalí
lithographs which, along with artwork by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse
, Joan Miró
and Marc Chagall
, are dispersed throughout the complex in an "art reflects and inspires art" motif.
and 1978 K. Kawai grand pianos, and a 1961 B3 organ with 147 Leslie. The mic collection includes 3 Neumann U47 Long Body Chrome Tops, 2 Neumann M249s, 2 Neumann KM 53s and 54s, 2 Steven Paul Audio Modified Neumann U67s, 2 Neumann M269s which are the European version of U67s, 3 Neumann U87s, 3 Telefunken
ELAM 251s, 2 Telefunken ELAM 250s, 2 AKG C12s, and 2 Coles 4038s.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, is the world's largest residential recording studio complex. There are 5 world-class studios designed by Vincent Van Haaff on a 1700 acres (6.9 km²) pecan orchard which borders the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
River and old Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Located 30 miles (48 km) east of El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
, Texas, in the border town of Tornillo
Tornillo, Texas
Tornillo is a census-designated place and border town in El Paso County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,609 at the 2000 census. It is part of the El Paso Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, there are 5 houses on the property where artists stay while recording. The studio was founded in 1989 by the current owner/director Tony Rancich around a large traditional Spanish hacienda
Hacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...
, which is an adobe structure that was built in the late 1930s, with pine-tree vigas
Viga (architecture)
Vigas are wooden beams characteristic of older adobe construction in the southwestern United States of America, and commonly encountered for ornamental rather than functional purposes in Pueblo Revival Style architecture...
as the ceiling structure. Some rock bands have also noted the calm, rural wilderness and easy access to Juarez, Mexico across the border.
Studio Complex
The Neve Control Room (designed by Vincent Van Haaff) features an 80-channel vintage Neve 8078 Console with 31105 mic pre/EQs. The left side of this console was the original West Coast MotownMotown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
board which was used to record many Motown artists, including Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
, Bubba Knight, G. C. Cameron
G. C. Cameron
George Curtis "G.C." Cameron is an American soul and R&B singer. G.C. is credited with having "six different voices."-The Spinners:...
, James Jamerson
James Jamerson
James Lee Jamerson was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records' hits in the 1960s and early 1970s , and he is now regarded as one of the most influential bass players in modern music history...
, Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, and The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...
. Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
purchased the console and had it in her studio Brooklyn in Hollywood in the early 1990s, where Yoshiki Hayashi purchased and put it together with another 8078 into its present form by Pat Schnider and Wess Dolly. Sonic Ranch acquired this console in 2006. The Big Tracking Room that is connected to this control room is 36 xx and has 22 feet (6.7 m) ceilings. There are two isolation booths in the Big Tracking Room and two isolation booths in the large 36 xx Control Room.
The A Studio, which was the first studio to be established at Sonic Ranch, is partially subterranean and features a 40-channel E/G SSL
Solid State Logic
Solid State Logic is a manufacturer of high-end mixing consoles and recording studio hardware headquartered in Begbroke, Oxfordshire, UK.- Company information :...
console with vintage Neve outboard mic pre/EQs and has four tracking rooms with differing acoustics and dimensions.
The Stone Room is a five-sided room made of stone, with a slanted latia ceiling which optimizes acoustic diffusion. When stripped of baffles and carpets, it serves as an echo chamber
Echo chamber
thumb|right|Echo chamber of the Dresden University of Technologythumb|right|Hamilton Mausoleum has a spectacularly long lasting unplanned echoAn echo chamber is a hollow enclosure used to produce echoing sounds, usually for recording purposes...
during mixdown. The center tracking room, leading to the Drum Room, has carpets and absorbable material between the traditional vigas in the ceiling structure which shortens the decay time in the room and makes it suitable for vocals and electric guitar tracking.
The Drum Room has a wood floor, a slanted wood ceiling and wooden doors which can be opened or closed to adjust the ambiance of the room. The top room, which descends into the control room, contains a 6 in 11 in (2.11 m) 1978 K. Kawai
Kawai
The of Japan is best known for its grand and upright pianos, electronic keyboards and electronic synthesizers. The company was established in August 1927, and has its headquarters in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka.-Pianos:...
piano and a 1961 Hammond B3 with Leslie
Leslie speaker
The Leslie speaker is a specially constructed amplifier/loudspeaker used to create special audio effects using the Doppler effect. Named after its inventor, Donald Leslie, it is particularly associated with the Hammond organ but is used with a variety of instruments as well as vocals. The...
.
The Adobe Studio was designed by Vincent Van Haaff within a hundred-year-old adobe
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
structure with a vaulted wooden ceiling. It contains a vintage Neve 8088 console with Class A 31102 mic pre/EQs which were designed by Rupert Neve
Rupert Neve
Rupert Neve is an English electronics engineer and entrepreneur, who is particularly known as a designer of professional recording equipment. He is known for his work on microphone preamplifier, equalizers, and early large format mixing consoles...
in 1977. The Adobe Tracking Room is 30 x and has geometric ceiling panels, corner and half rounds, and massive ceiling trusses to enhance acoustic diffusion. This studio is on a property that contained one of the original "Custom House" crossing points from Mexico into the United States.
was designed by Vincent Van Haaff and is in the left wing of the original Spanish hacienda. It is 20 feet (6 m) wide and 40 feet (12 m) deep and contains a 64-channel SSL G/G+ console. It resides next to the swimming pool in the hacienda patio.
The Mastering Room is in the center section of the Spanish hacienda and is 18 ft (5.5 m) wide and 27 ft (8.2 m) deep. It features a Rupert Neve-designed Masterpiece. The Mastering room has wooden panels and colorful fabrics from Brussels and Paris woven into its acoustical design. This room contains two of the 30 original Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
lithographs which, along with artwork by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse
Henri Matisse was a French artist, known for his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor, but is known primarily as a painter...
, Joan Miró
Joan Miró
Joan Miró i Ferrà was a Spanish Catalan painter, sculptor, and ceramicist born in Barcelona.Earning international acclaim, his work has been interpreted as Surrealism, a sandbox for the subconscious mind, a re-creation of the childlike, and a manifestation of Catalan pride...
and Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall Art critic Robert Hughes referred to Chagall as "the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century."According to art historian Michael J...
, are dispersed throughout the complex in an "art reflects and inspires art" motif.
Equipment
Sonic Ranch has a collection of 54 vintage and modern guitars, 45 vintage and mod amps, 54 guitar pedals, 1927 SteinwaySteinway
Steinway may refer to:* Steinway & Sons, an American and German piano manufacturer* Steinway Hall, a building housing concert halls, showrooms and sales departments for Steinway & Sons pianos* Steinway D-274, the concert grand piano by Steinway & Sons...
and 1978 K. Kawai grand pianos, and a 1961 B3 organ with 147 Leslie. The mic collection includes 3 Neumann U47 Long Body Chrome Tops, 2 Neumann M249s, 2 Neumann KM 53s and 54s, 2 Steven Paul Audio Modified Neumann U67s, 2 Neumann M269s which are the European version of U67s, 3 Neumann U87s, 3 Telefunken
Telefunken
Telefunken is a German radio and television apparatus company, founded in Berlin in 1903, as a joint venture of Siemens & Halske and the Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft...
ELAM 251s, 2 Telefunken ELAM 250s, 2 AKG C12s, and 2 Coles 4038s.
List of artists recorded
Following is a list of some of the artists who have recorded songs at Sonic Ranch:
|
Zoé Zoé is a Latin Grammy Award-winning Mexican alternative/psychedelic band. They initially formed in Mexico City in 1994, although membership started to stabilize in 1997... Kalimba Marichal Kalimba Kadjaly Marichal Ibar is a Mexican singer and voice actor.- Career :Born in Mexico City, Kalimba began his career at the age of three. He and his sister M'balia Marichal began performing in theater and on television. Kalimba appeared on shows such as Chiquilladas and Chocolate Chip... Ely Guerra Ely Guerra is a Mexican singer-songwriter who was born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.- Biography :... Cannibal Corpse Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band from Buffalo, New York. Formed in 1988, the band has released eleven studio albums, one box set, and one live album... Jumbo (band) Jumbo is the name of an Avanzada Regia Alternative rock band from Monterrey, Mexico.They were founded in May 1997 with the following lineup:*Alejandro Clemente Castillo Guerra, known simply as "Castillo";... Plastilina Mosh Plastilina Mosh is a Mexican alternative rock group from Monterrey, México, part of the musical movement known as Avanzada Regia. Jonás González is the lead singer and guitar player. Alejandro Rosso is more involved with the creative process, providing most of the instrumentation and occasional... Erik Rubin Erik Rubín Milansen was born on January 30, 1971 in the city of Puebla, Mexico. He was a member of the Mexican teen pop group Timbiriche.-Early career:... Benny Ibarra Benny Ibarra De Llano is a singer, musician, producer and actor. He was born into a family of artists. His mother, Julissa, was a singer and actress in the 1960s; and his father, Benny, an actor and 1960s rock singer in the Mexican band Los Yaki.Benny Ibarra 's brother, Alejandro , was a singer... Jello Biafra Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys... Girl in a Coma Girl In a Coma is a rock band from San Antonio, Texas on Joan Jett's Blackheart Records' label. The band is made up of Mexican-American sisters Nina and Phanie Diaz and long-time friend, Jenn Alva . The name is a reference to The Smiths' song Girlfriend in a Coma... The Blackout (band) The Blackout is a post-hardcore band from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, formed in 2003. After some time backing Lostprophets on their Liberation Transmission Tour, along with Dopamine, Covergirl, Kids In Glass Houses, The Guns and Men, Women and Children, they released their first mini-album The Blackout!... Camera Can't Lie Camera Can't Lie is an American rock band based out of Minneapolis. They were discovered and are currently managed by the Grammy Award-winning record producer, Stephen Short. The band is constantly on tour and have so far released a debut full-length album, Love the Noise, along with a... This World Fair This World Fair was a rock act based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The line-up included the singer-songwriter Chris Kalgren , along with a touring band consisting of Alexander Young and Matt Lennander . This World Fair internationally released their first full-length album, self-titled This... Pamela Moore Pamela Moore is an American singer and songwriter, mixing hard rock, pop and electronica. She currently resides in Seattle, Washington in the United States.-History:... Nevermore Nevermore is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 1991, they are known to incorporate elements from styles such as thrash, power, progressive, and neo-classical metal into their songs, and also makes use of acoustic guitars and a wide range of vocal styles.-Early years... Shearwater (band) Shearwater is an American indie rock band formed in Austin, Texas in 1999 by Okkervil River members Jonathan Meiburg and Will Sheff, although Sheff is no longer with Shearwater.-History:... Elefante Elefante is the Italian/Spanish/Portuguese word for elephant: it may also refer to:*John Elefante, an American rock and roll vocalist who got his start in the music business with the rock band Kansas... |
Kids in Glass Houses Kids in Glass Houses are a Welsh rock band from Cardiff, and are considered a significant part of the Cardiff music scene. The band's name is inspired by the lyrics "not throwing stones at you anymore" from Glassjaw song "Tip Your Bartender". The band achieved success on the strength of the singles... The Clay People The Clay People is an industrial rock band based in Albany, New York. Singer-programmer Daniel Neet has been the only constant member throughout the band's history, leading the group as its sound has evolved to incorporate gothic, industrial and metal influences... Jesus Adrian Romero Jesus Adrian Romero is a Mexican author, Christian music singer, composer and pastor from Hermosillo, Sonora in Mexico.- Biography :Jesús Adrián Romero was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, México... Lennon Murphy Lennon Anne Murphy, named after musician John Lennon, is a singer-songwriter out of Hendersonville, Tennessee, United States.-Early life:Murphy was born in Ronkonkoma, Long Island, New York on March 31, 1982. When she was four years old, Murphy and her mother moved to Hendersonville, Tennessee,... Davíd Garza Davíd Garza is an Austin-based, American singer-songwriter who infuses rock and pop with a Latin feel and whose vocal style draws comparisons to Freddie Mercury, Jeff Buckley, Donovan and Robert Plant.-Biography:... Kidz in the Hall Kidz in the Hall is an American hip hop duo from Chicago, Illinois.-History:Group members Jabari Evans and Michael Aguilar met in 2000 during a talent show at the University of Pennsylvania. They began recording songs, making demos, and performing at local shows which eventually led to Double-0... Deep Blue Something Deep Blue Something is an American rock band best known for its hit single "Breakfast at Tiffany's." The group was founded in 1992 in Denton, Texas by University of North Texas students Todd and Toby Pipes, Clay Bergus and John Kirtland... Rorschach Test (band) Rorschach Test was an American industrial band from Denver, Colorado, formed by James Baker after he was expelled from the church. Baker was a young priest based in Denver until being defrocked in the early 1990s for his allegedly heretical questioning of church doctrine. Unsure of his next move,... Flotsam and Jetsam (band) Flotsam and Jetsam is a thrash metal band that formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982.-1981-1986: The beginning:The band's original name was "Paradox" founded by Drummer Kelly David-Smith and two other guitarists, until 1982 when bassist Jason Newsted joined. Jason had come to Phoenix with his band... Skinlab Skinlab is a groove metal band formed in 1994 in San Francisco, California by vocalist/bassist Steev Esquivel and guitarist Mike Roberts, now with San Francisco Bay Areas RAZE the STRAY, guitarist Gary Wendt Skinlab is a groove metal band formed in 1994 in San Francisco, California by... Un Dia De Octubre Un Día de Octubre is a Mexican music group. It was created on 4 April 2006 in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, with distinct ideas among its members about performing at their best, creating a new style, with innovation and high quality.... Explosions in the Sky Explosions in the Sky is an American post-rock band from Texas. The band has garnered popularity beyond the post-rock scene for their elaborately developed guitar work, narratively styled instrumentals, what they refer to as "cathartic mini-symphonies," and their enthusiastic and emotional live shows... The New Mastersounds The New Mastersounds are a four-piece funk band based in Leeds, England.In the late 1990s, guitarist and producer Eddie Roberts was running a club night in Leeds called "The Cooker." When The Cooker moved into a new venue with a second floor in 1999, there was space and the opportunity to put a... Sublime with Rome Sublime with Rome is a musical collaboration between Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh, formerly of the band Sublime, and singer and guitarist Rome Ramirez. The group chiefly performed songs by Sublime, which was fronted by Bradley Nowell until his death in 1996... The Dirty Heads The Dirty Heads are a Reggae rock band from Southern California with a melodic style that includes hip hop and punk genres. Their debut album, Any Port in a Storm, was released on September 23, 2008, by Executive Music Group .-History:... |
List of producers / engineers
Following is a list of some of the producers and/or engineers who have recorded and/or mixed songs at Sonic Ranch:
|
Jason Suecof -Career:Jason is best known for his production and song-writing with the band Trivium. He produces most of his albums at his own Orlando, Florida based studio, Audio Hammer... |
Paul Leary Paul Leary is an American musician from Austin, TX, best known as the guitarist for American rock band Butthole Surfers. He is also the producer of a number of songs and albums by other bands, including U2, Sublime, the Meat Puppets, Daniel Johnston, The Reverend Horton Heat, Pepper, Maggie... Erik Rutan Erik Rutan is an American heavy metal musician from New Jersey. He currently leads Hate Eternal on lead vocals and guitar and has also spent time with Morbid Angel and Ripping Corpse... |