FRESH 'VISION

'We moved out of the Sixties into the upper Eighties,' said Doug Hopkins on the recent refurbishment at London's Advision. Studio 1 is now complete with an SSL 6000 48 track and Studio 3 houses the Soundcraft TS24 desk with Master Mix automation.

The Soundcraft system (The Pet Shop Boys used the desk for their last album) along with Audio Kinetics' Eclipse forms the centre of what will be used as a video post production and synthesiser room. Once used as a film dubbing theatre the studio has been completely refurbished, giving 12 feet of headroom and a ceiling design of such aesthetic/acoustic worth that Hopkins described it as 'revolutionary'.

Advision's digital editing suite is now operating at full capacity and Hopkins' cited the studio's high degree of technical expertise and maintenance as reasons for its success.

• Opus Studio of Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, has bought two SL4000E Master Studio Systems. Opus studios is a five room facility that handles all assignments for the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as numerous other projects. The studio has been in operation since 1970 and produces 30 records per year, a third of which are pop and rock music.

• West Side Studios has invested in two Sony PCM3324 digital 24 tracks and a PCM 1630 digital stereo system to fit alongside its SSL, Studer and Quested facilities.

Co-owner Alan Winstanley said, 'with two 3324s and a 1630 system we have total versatility: electronic and razor editing, digital to digital transfer and inbuilt synchronization for 48 track plus interface to our SSL desks.'

• Clock Studios' new eight track room is open for business after having undergone a refit. It now features; UMI 16 track sequencer, Prophet 2002 keyboard, Yamaha DX7 and Yamaha DX100 keyboards, Roland TR707 drum machine, Oberheim OBX, Rockman, Yamaha Rev 7 reverb, Bel delay and Simmons SDS9 module and pads.

BRON'S BACK

Roundhouse Studios has been bought from the receiver by Echo World and is confident of new success under the general management of Gerry Bron.

The new owner (a successful un-named businessman) will be making considerable investments into the studio complex. 'All that's really changed is the financial situation,' said Bron, 'in practical terms you wouldn't notice any difference in the operation of the studios.'

Work on the two partially completed studios will re-commence and substantial outboard gear will be added to the two existing studios over the next few months.

Bron, previous owner of the Bronze Group, will now concentrate on general management of the studio and return to record production. It is six years since Bron last produced, but since his changed circumstances he has unearthed early Uriah Heep live material (slated for release) and is currently involved in producing four diverse projects.

'I'm amazed that I gave it up,' Bron revealed. 'Now, with no other commitments I can get back to using my recording and technical knowledge — and have a good laugh at the same time. I'm a great believer that studio work should be enjoyable.

'I originally built the studio so that I could run my own business and have things under direct surveillance — so it's a bit like it used to be. Without wishing to sound arrogant, I'm confident that we'll soon have one of the best studios in London.'

For the moment Roundhouse's two studios are both working and bookings continue to be strong.

CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY

The Chocolate Factory, of New Cross, London, will celebrate its first birthday in June.

It is, by all accounts, quite a different set up to when it was taken over by Douglas and Garry Morris last year. With greater emphasis being placed on the recording facilities under the guidance of studio manager Chris Baker and engineer James Reynolds the Factory has been able to forge ahead. Over the past 12 months they have had eight chart hits and artists such as The Waterboys, Odyssey, King Kurt and Bananarama have all worked at the studio.

Plans are now in progress to build a second studio at the Chocolate Factory giving two 24 track studios or one 48 track. The record, publishing, management and production company set up by the owners and Chris Baker has signed several artists and product is nearing completion.

AIR FORCE

Air studio, Montserrat has recently had a new SSL console installed. The SL 4000E Series Master Studio System has 48 inputs in a 64-channel frame and it will be used with a custom made sub mixer that will provide engineers and producers with increased flexibility.

Air studio manager Malcolm Atkin said, 'there's a general professionalism that goes straight through the whole SSL system.'

The SL 4000E has been customised with a "Q-Mixer" system, a standard component in all Air facilities, which provides for a separate matrix on the Q-Mix system with several individual Q-Mixers and an integral 400 watt amplifier.

'SSL has been kind enough to modify the console so that we actually have 24 actual output groups,' explained Atkin. 'The last eight output groups, groups 25 to 32, are labelled as Q-mix one to eight and are routed off the Q-stereo switch. It's a lovely addition. Paul McCartney had it put on his console after he had seen it here, and a lot of other people are talking about adding it as well.'

Air, Montserrat, situated on a 26 acre site on the Caribbean island, is owned by George Martin, and is not, as some believe, his private studio. Most of its work comes from Europe at present and the team are looking forward to breaking into the American mainstream market.

CHURCH NEWS

Eurythmics' Dave Stewart's North London Church studio is soon to be upgraded with a Soundcraft TS24 56 channel in-line console and the new SCM Saturn 24 track tape machine.

Construction work is also underway within the Church on a new 24 track studio, mainly as a response to the increasing amounts of production work Stewart is taking on.

This new studio will be equipped with a Soundcraft package comprising a 48 channel TS24 in-line console, Saturn 24 track tape machine, SA150 and SA1000 power amps and an SCN 20 two track mastering machine.

TIME FOR ABBEY

The concept album of Time, the musical currently performing at London's Dominion Theatre, was devised, created and co-written by Dave Clark and completed, mixed, assembled and cut at Abbey Road.

The album, which features amongst others, Julian Lennon, Cliff Richard and Stevie Wonder has over two dozen tracks linked by a narration by Sir Laurence Olivier.

Ashley Howe was one of three engineers used on the project. 'Virtually all the mixing was done at Abbey Road,' he said, 'and a great many overdubs, including Stevie Wonder's vocal on one of the tracks. We mainly used Studio Two, but some of the work was done in the Penthouse and Studio One.'

RED BUS REFIT

Elliot Cohen reported that Studio 2 at Red Bus has been refitted with a SSL 6000E console and is now firmly geared to the video post production market.

Completely redesigned by Discrete Research to accommodate the new console the studio will open later this month or in early June.

'Video post production is the way the business seems to be going,' said Cohen, 'but we intend to develop Studio 1 as well. Its MCI is very attractive to people looking for mixing purposes. It'll be interesting to see how trends develop and to draw some comparisons between the MCI and the SSL.'

Red Bus will be using Discrete Research's own monitors on a trial run to replace the existing JBLs and Questeds. Cohen believed they will be one of the first to use the monitors in the UK.

PARADISE IS COOL

Asadul has installed a new Toshiba cooling system into London's Paradise Studios. This, said the studio, is particularly important in a control room that houses such heat producing hi-tech hardware as the Fairlight, PPG Wave 2.3 and DX7s.

The studio is also looking for new premises in the West End of London and would be pleased to hear of any vacant and suitable buildings.

PICNIC OPEN TO ALL

As a freelance guitarist it had always been Trevor Danby's ambition to run his own studio. Picnic Studios, opening later this month, is the realisation of his aim.

Situated in West Peckham, near West Malling, Kent, the 24 track Andy Munro designed studio features a Studer tape machine and automated MCI desk.

Based in the middle of a fruit farm Picnic plans to offer full residential facilities. The studio has been specifically designed, said Danby, to 'give a brighter, live sound.' The control room measures 18' x 20' and the studio 24' x 20'. Monitors, while being Tannoy at present, are to be switched to Munro's own version of Quested monitors.

The control room will house an extensive rack unit plus a specially designed console for synthesiser placement. Danby forsees a client list that will be varied but predominantly rock orientated.

He plans to attract clients not only through the excellence of the facilities but through the diligence and skill of the engineers that will work there. 'I'm aiming for engineers that are co-operative and conscientious' he said. Too many in my experience as a musician seem to be cynical and all too ready to say a problem cannot be solved!

'Geographically we're only a 10 minute drive from the Wrotham turn off from the M20 so I don't see our situation as a problem,' he concluded.

With rates of £30 per hour, extensive parking and easy loading facilities, Danby's Picnic could soon become a main course.