STUDIO NAME: The Velvet Lounge

CONTACT: www.vlrecording.com

LOCATION: Cottage Grove, OR

KEY CREW: Keith Schneider (owner/engineer/ producer/multi-instrumentalist), Phredd Talbot (engineer/producer/low-resolution delay aficionado)

CONSOLE/MIXERS: Mackie D8B digital mixer with 72 inputs

RECORDERS/PLAYERS: Mackie HDR 24/96, Alesis Masterlink, Nagra TA 1/4” 2-track

MONITORS: Mackie HR 824, dbx 15” sub, 223 crossover; Ashley CGT 1800

OUTBOARD: Empirical Labs Distressor [2], RSP Saturator, Apogee PSX 1000 AD/DA

EFFECTS: Line 6 Echo, Mod, Filter Pro, POD XT, Bass POD

MICROPHONES: Lawson L-47MP [2], AEA R84, Neumann KM184 [2], Shure SM-57 [2], SM-58 [2], Sennheiser e835 [2], AKG D550, CAD TSM 422 [3], Rode NT-1, Electro-Voice BK1

MICROPHONE PREAMPS: Manley Voxbox, Millenia HV-3D (four channels)

COMPUTERS: Windows XP PIII with 384MB RAM, 240GB hard drive

DAW: Digidesign 001

SOFTWARE: Digidesign Pro Tools, Syntrillium Systems Cool Edit Pro, Sony Sound Forge, Antares Auto Tune, TC Electronic TC-1 reverb

KEYBOARDS/MIDI: Roland Fantom X, Rhodes, VK-7; Wurlitzer electric piano, variety of vintage Casio and garage sale air organs

GUITARS: Gretsch Country Classic JR, Duo Jet; Fender American Standard Stratocaster, Danelectro Baritone, Hodad, Dan-O bass; Washburn custom-shop readnaught, 1964 Gibson acoustic, many more

AC POWER: Furman IT-1220

ACOUSTIC TREATMENT: Acoustic Room Systems

STUDIO NOTES: The year 2005 marks the start of, not only the 10th anniversary of velvet, the fabric, but also the 10th year of operation for Oregon’s The Velvet Lounge. OK, wait. That stuff about the fabric was a lie, but the Velvet Lounge stuff was on the up and up. The studio’s produced over 50 full-length albums and 2005 sees them with a completed studio space renovation that had them gutting “the interior of our 1,200 square foot building and starting over. It was a monumental task, made easier thanks to the tireless help of several local high school kids — Rex, Ian, and Jason. . . .

“We’re very fortunate to have Chris Klein of Acoustic Room Systems (www.acousticroomsystems.com) located in our little town of Cottage Grove. Chris helped us create a control room that is a joy to work in. We now have the control room acoustics of a million-dollar studio. The ARS treatment is a system that provides low- and high-frequency absorption and also high-frequency diffusion in a 1-1/4" thick profile. Once the acoustic system is installed it’s covered with stretched fabric so it looks…beautiful.

“This studio is a space where artists feel completely secure to push the limits of creativity. Musicians who come to the Velvet Lounge want to stay forever; it’s a really comfortable place to record. We’re even in the process of purchasing a large yurt from Pacific Yurts, which will serve as living quarters for studio guests.

“And we’re big fans of any piece of equipment that does severe damage to the signal. Distressors, saturators, filters — anything that makes something sound wounded. We record a lot of bold indie rock bands and songwriters who have the Tom Waits’ aesthetic, so we often get to create strange alterations of everyday instruments — which makes our job a blast.”