All accepted practices and concepts of standard recording studio construction and operation were called into question and more than a few were totally discarded and rewritten during the planning and ground-up construction of this unique recording environment. Studios have always been built around the science of sound first, with the psychology of creation coming in as an afterthought at best. The Woodshed was built to be first and foremost a creative environment. Every aspect, down to the smallest detail, was viewed with beauty and creation in mind.
The location of the studio dictated many of the design approaches. On the middle terrace of a three-tiered one and a half acre property in the center of Point Dume in Malibu, the Woodshed commands a unique sweeping view of the Pacific and the coastlines of Malibu, Santa Monica, and Palos Verdes. Normally, studio design would dictate no windows, due to acoustic anomalies and soundproofing difficulties inherent with glass. But there was no way that the studio's panoramic view could be compromised - so there are 12 glass French doors and 11 windows, opening to welcome in the fresh ocean breeze on a whim. Craftsman architecture was selected as the style for the building because of its harmonic approach to nature and the remarkable peace one feels when inside a properly designed Craftsman building. All of the structure stays true to the Craftsman ethic, with santos mahogany floors, mahogany doors and windows, massive Douglas fir beams and rafters.
Studios have been designed for decades around large analog recording consoles and over-sized in-wall speaker monitors. Technology has rendered that model obsolete. Within digital recording environments, most of the functions of behemoth consoles have been quite effectively replaced by the mouse and a small alphanumeric keyboard. Large speakers have long fallen into disfavor, given the better accuracy and quality of near and midfield monitors available today. Once the dinosaurs of wall-mounted speakers and a static console were taken out of the design equation many new concepts began to emerge. The mixing station could be small and portable, freeing up room for musicians and instruments.
This is where things start to get interesting functionally. There is a hidden track system in the ceiling on which soundproof wall panels glide into place, dividing the studio space into any number of possible configurations. Depending on the acoustics and ergonomic workspace desired the studio can be transformed within an hour to a small control room with a live room capable of holding thirty string players or to a more conventional large comfy control room with one or two medium (yet very live sounding) drum/vocal/whatever rooms. Or the panels can simply be folded away altogether to reveal one very large project room.
All electronics that are not absolutely necessary to be within arm's reach have been ensconced in the computer room, below the ocean view deck. This has two distinct advantages - the control room has no ambient noise whatsoever (believe it or not, something very rarely considered to any degree in studio construction) and the aesthetic environment becomes one of an ocean view living room. Also below the deck are two additional soundproof isolation booths, wired into the recording rig through the walls, that can house guitar/bass speakers and/or the studio's Leslie. The small office can also be pressed into service as another isolation booth if needed - and even the tile bath is wired for sound if one wants that very bright sound of ceramic reflection. Above the office is a small wonderfully therapeutic sleeping loft where one can be lulled to sleep by the sound of the koi pond and stream just outside the windows. Of course, that loft is wired for sound too.
If one wants to utilize an analog console and/or an analog tape machine the studio is set up to accommodate the wiring for those pieces. There are 8" diameter conduits running everywhere under the floor that provide ample and easy wiring access to the computer room. Rental of such gear is merely a phone call away.
The Woodshed is equipped to satisfy the most demanding recording artists, with an eclectic collection of the very best mic preamps money can buy and a mind expanding assortment of soft synthesizers, sample libraries and plugins to complement the extensive selection of acoustic and electric instruments of all sorts scattered around the studio. With a 5.1 monitor setup and the room's portable 50" plasma screen the Woodshed is also designed for use as a film and television scoring facility of the highest order - dozens of hit films and shows have benefitted from scores written, recorded and mixed in their entirety within the studio's peaceful confines. Voiceover work and final film mixes have also been handily accommodated here, sometimes utilizing remote technology allowing the director to guide the process from the bowels of Hollywood - or from any Protools equipped facility in the world.
All in all an incredible place to create. As one visitor put it - "Imagine a Four Seasons Resort bungalow overlooking the ocean in Bali - then add in state-of-the-art recording equipment, and you begin to imagine the studio".
Architect - Akai Yang
Builder - Kevin Beck, Structural Realities
Studio design consultant - Jack Vieira, Pirate Acoustics
Web design - Cooper Ladnier
Graphic design - Linda Gibbs
Photos - Keegan Gibbs http://www.keegangibbs.com/