About the Gearbox Recording Studio
Not “perfect” – but “right”… They are not the same thing
Why record at The Gearbox?
The Gearbox is an owner-operated recording studio. We offer both the relaxation and comfort of an in-home studio, as well as the expertise and technical sophistication of a leading world class audio production and recording facility. It’s an ideal environment to be creative and record your music or audio project exactly as you imagined.
The Gearbox’s paramount commitment is to our clients’ satisfaction. You will leave with complete confidence in your production material, a satisfying overall experience, and a competitive, market-ready product.
The Gearbox combines the best of analog and digital technologies with an arsenal of both vintage and modern gear that includes names like API, Avalon, Apogee, AKG, Neumann, Summit and Toft. All of our equipment is meticulously maintained and updated to always be in top form for our sessions. Basic services include recording, mixing, mastering and sound design. Top session musicians are readily available to perform on your project. The Gearbox can accommodate virtually any size ensemble in our spacious live studio, which can be configured in a number of ways.
The Gearbox’s owner/engineer, Ryan Ball, has been working in the recording industry for over 25 years as a producer, engineer, composer and performer. Ryan’s recording credits span many genres including rock, metal, jazz, folk, hip-hop, techno, ambient, and classical. He has done sessions for corporations like HBO and Clearview Cinemas, produced segments for NPR, and has worked with many established artists such as My Chemical Romance, Anthrax and Ill Niño just to name a few.
Service and The Gearbox
In a way, making a recording is like climbing a Himalayan mountain. You, as the artist, are the mountain climber and the producer or engineer you hire to help you make the record is the Sherpa. It’s the job of the Sherpa to get you up the mountain and back down in one piece. The question then becomes – who is in charge while climbing the mountain? Is it you, the mountain climber, or the Sherpa that you are paying to guide you safely and protect you from disaster?
You eventually have to establish the dynamic that you are comfortable with and clearly define the role that you wish to see the producer/engineer play. Often the assumption is that the producer leaves their stamp on every record they touch. The fact is: a good producer is invisible and should only be there to serve to music and bring the best out of an artist.
Both producing and engineering are services. Ideally the service starts with listening to the artist’s goals. Sometimes an artist needs a solution. Sometimes they prefer to find their own solution. In a producer or engineer, you want someone who has the ability to work alongside of you to help focus your musical vision more precisely.
Once your goals are clearly defined and a production plan is put into action, making great recordings can be very easy – as long as you are willing to put in the time and work to really make it right.
The Gearbox combines the best of analog and digital technologies with an arsenal of both vintage and modern gear which includes names like API, Avalon, Apogee, AKG, Neumann, Summit and Toft. All of our equipment is meticulously maintained and updated to always be in top form for our sessions.