NAME: Akadak
LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA
KEY CREW: Randy Mitchell, owner/engineer/producer, Lillian Mitchell, studio manager
MONITORS: Genelec 1031A, AR18, Yamaha NS10, Minamus 7, Sony MDR V6 [3], MDR 7506 [2], MDR V600 headphones
AMPLIFIERS: Hafler DH200, DH101 preamp (modified by Pacific Innovative Electronics); Furman HDS-6, HR-6 headphone system [2]; SAE4200 speaker switching system
OUTBOARD: Universal Audio LA2A, Aphex Compellor, dbx 160X, 160XT
EFFECTS: Roland SRV2000, Korg SDD2000, Line 6 Pod Pro, Palmer Speaker Simulator
MICROPHONES: Shure SMS7 [3], Rode NTV, Audio Technica AT4060, AT4050, AT4040; AKG D112, C451B [2]; Crown PZM, PPA LD-1 [2]
PREAMPS: Brent Averill-Neve 1272 [2], Universal Audio 2-610, API 7600
SAMPLERS/KEYBOARDS: Roland JV-90, S-760; MOTU MTP-AV
COMPUTERS: Apple G4/466, PowerMac 8600; NEC LCD 1830 monitor, 1.3 GB RAM, Seagate Cheetah 18 GB ultra-wide SCSI drives, EZQuest 80 GB Firewire, Western Digital Mercury Elite 120 GB Firewire, Onstream ADR-50 tape backup, Retrospect
DAW: Digidesign Pro Tools HD3, 192 interface, 882/20 interface
SOFTWARE: Digidesign Pro Tools 5.3.1, Soft SampleCell, SoundReplacer; Bitheadz Unity, Access Indigo, Spectrasonics Stylus, Waves Platinum bundle 3.6, Metric Halo SpectraFoo, IK Multimedia Amplitube, T-Racks 24; Native Instruments FM7, B4; Celemony-Melodyne, Propellerhead Reason, Sony Oxford EQ, Oxford Inflator; Antares Auto-Tune, Line 6 Amp Farm, Serato Pitch N’Time, Synchro Arts Vocalign
INSTRUMENTS: a plethora of vintage guitars and amps.
STUDIO NOTES: Studio owner/operator Randy Mitchell relates, “Instead of the cold high-tech ‘we have ways of making your record’ feel, Akadak has more of a ‘your grandmother’s living room’ feel. Clients are relaxed. Vocal performances, especially, go much faster in the no-pressure vibe. All the antiques are a bit more costly than typical studio furnishings, but the comfort factor is worth it.

“The room was designed and built by Truman Weatherly. The original 15-foot high-pitched ceiling was dropped almost two feet with two strategically placed baffle-covered openings (which measure one square foot each) to create the perfect bass trap. No standing waves or bass build-up. This makes the sound the same any place in the room and mixes sound the same anywhere clients play them.

“The walls are cinder block with a 1-inch gap in the middle so sound is stopped from either side. Inner walls are standard isolated floating studio construction with varying angles to reduce standing waves.

“The clientele is normally custom projects and demos with an occasional person of notoriety. A Pat Boone vocal edit, Keb’ Mo’ coming in to produce, or a Billy Bob Thornton Pro Tools edit/overdub/recording date.

“The duties at Akadak vary between just recording guitars, writing (Akadak is also a music publishing company), mixing, programming, engineering, producing, editing, or any combination of these functions.

“Notice the ergonomic look of no console. I tried using different consoles and controllers and found that by the time I went for a knob or fader, I could make a key-stroke and/or mouse-click faster.”

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