A LOOK AT THE KEY WORKSPACES
Studio 1 – Record / Mix
• Neve 8048 Console
• 20 x Neve 1093 Preamp / EQ Modules
• 12 x Neve 1064 Preamp / EQ Modules
• 1,200 sq . ft . Tracking Room
• 5-Station Private Q Headphone System
Studio 2 – Record / Mix
• Solid State Logic 4080 G + Console
• 80 Inputs w / Ultimation & Total Recall
• 280-sq . ft . Tracking Room
Studio 5 – Mastering
• Analog & digital equipment , online mastering services
Studio 6 – Record / Mix
• Solid State Logic 9080 K Console
• 80 Inputs w / Ultimation & Total Recall
• 5.1 Mixing Capabilities
• 9-ft . Projection Screen & Sony Video Monitors
• Dolby Certified
• 550-sq . ft . Tracking Room
For more information , including equipment lists for each studio , visit www . metalworksstudios . com .
28 • PROFESSIONAL SOUND
STUDIO 5 MASTERING SUITE
shift environments like hotel rooms and buses , and they ’ re also building a studio into Drake ’ s new house ,” Moore says . “ We ’ re also able to adapt as audio styles transform in EDM and hip-hop , and we ’ re privy to the information from that front line , because of these relationships .” And there are many others like Cadastre who ’ ve gone from MWI to working with some of the most prominent artists and engineers in the world .
Many in the music and recording industries cite the rise of digitally-dominated genres like EDM and modern hip-hop as another catalyst for the shift from large-scale commercial studios to their project or home-based counterparts ; however , that ’ s another area where Moore and Metalworks seem to differ from the status quo .
“ Analog is still , and I think always will be , a big part of music production , and that ’ s especially true for more traditional genres ,” he begins . “ So when it comes to the equipment we ’ re using in our studios , it ’ s still going to be a blend of digital and analog . Those decisions about gear and software are really driven by looking at the market as a whole and deciding which tools the majority of creators are going to need .”
In his experience – and , again , in what ’ s coming back to him from contacts in other places and parts of the industry – the creators from the bottom to the very top of the hiphop and EDM production pyramids are looking for new sounds now that so many longtime staples ( 808s and MPCs , anyone ?) are so heavily proliferated throughout their respective genres . In many cases , their approach is to simply create their own samples from an analog source and sometimes using analog recording equipment . “ There ’ ll never be enough tones and sounds in the world to satisfy creators and artists ,” Moore tacks on , “ so they ’ re always going to be searching and recording new ones .”
Moore and his team ’ s recognition and , more importantly , embrace of such trends is another core strength at Metalworks . Whether it ’ s policy or workflow or overall direction , they want to be as malleable as possible .
“ Anybody that ’ s ever been in a meeting with me discussing objectives and the direction of Metalworks , they know there ’ s one thing to never say , because they know it ’ s not going to go over well ,” Moore says , laughing . That line ? “ Because that ’ s the way we ’ ve always done it .”
“ In every process or destination we ’ re seeking , we ’ re looking at it with how we ’ ve been successful to a certain point , but then looking at things we ’ ve done poorly or that need improvement . It ’ s always about refining the system ,” Moore says . “ I talk a lot in meetings about trying to create great systems . That helps us communicate better and keeps us working as a team ahead of the curve .”
He elaborates on the point , but the overall idea can easily be summarized by Walter-via-Wayne Gretzky ’ s famous ( and overused ) quote : “ Skate to where the puck is going , not to where it has been .”
“ It ’ s a great metaphor for business ,” says Moore . “ Easier said than done , but it ’ s always something we strive for .”
Moore recognizes that being at the forefront of industry trends and subsequently able to adapt to them is critical to Metalworks ’ ongoing success . He also recognizes that , despite his years of experience doing just that , at this point , his staff is the company ’ s greatest asset in that regard .
“ If somebody asked me , ‘ What ’ s the key to the company ?’, I ’ d say it ’ s our people , without a doubt .”
Amidst Metalworks ’ 40 th anniversary celebrations , the biggest issue that Moore and his team are working on is that of human resources and , specifically , his and his managers ’ interactions with their entire staff .
“ This is really a watershed moment for us ,” he explains . “ We were recently told by our HR consultant that , when you ’ re over 85 employees , you should have a dedicated HR manager . The only thing that concerns me about that model is becoming distanced from our staff . I want to walk around and