Recording studio in South Austin
Lightened
A laid-back studio for rock and indie music. Your engineer is included, and we're here to make your music come to life.
Which record do you want to sound like?
Warm, thick drums and guitars that sound like they came off tape.
James keeps gear for each of these decades. Bring a reference track and he'll get you there.
Lightened house show and live recording
Saturday October 24
- Jester King
- Cosmic Peace
- ISSAC
- and other guests and attractions
Nighttime show in South Austin. Address provided day of.
Come hear the room
This is the first night the studio opens its doors. Three bands play, we record every set, and James mixes and masters it afterward. Everyone who RSVPs gets the finished recording.
The cover is split between the bands. We're a residential street, so the loud part wraps up on time.
The studio
A home studio with the setup to track a full band live and still keep every player on their own channel.
- Live room
- The whole band plays together in one room, and each instrument is captured separately so the mix stays flexible.
- Drum room
- Drums get their own room, which keeps them out of the other mics and sounds excellent on its own.
- Natural reverb
- The rooms are treated and tuned, so the space you hear on the record is the space you played in.
- Gear for every era
- Great mics, legendary gear, modern software, and a choice of amps. Bring your own if you'd rather.
- Room to breathe
- A living room inside and a place to relax outside between takes.
- Coming from out of town
- We have rooms for visiting artists. Book them ahead and we'll send you the Airbnb link.
Your engineer is James Tuttle
“I'll give you my suggestions, but the call is yours. My job is to capture your art the way you want it captured.”
James has spent ten years mixing and producing records. He trained with Eddie Kramer, the engineer behind Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and David Bowie, and he brings that rock and roll ear to every session.
He's also a multi-instrumentalist. If your song needs a part nobody in the band plays, he can probably play it. He studied music performance and audio engineering at Western Washington University.
Has worked with Cosmic Peace, Dave Kerly, Ghouls in the Basement, Jester King and others.
Best at rock and roll, psych rock, indie rock, indie pop, punk, new wave and shoegaze. Happy to work in any genre.
Rates
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Studio timeEngineer included. One-hour minimum. | $70 an hour |
| ProductionFrom arrangement to finished track. | Quoted per project |
| Mixing and masteringYour tracks or ones recorded here. | Quoted per song |
| LessonsGuitar, bass, drums, clarinet, some keys. | From $60 an hour |
| Play a house showDebut what you recorded here. | Cover split |
- A 25% booking fee holds your time.
- Cancel free up to 48 hours before.
- Book at least 24 hours ahead.
Book time
Wednesday through Friday are open for sessions. For Saturday through Tuesday, send a request and James will find a time with you; those days open up after 5 pm.
James confirms every request himself by text and sends the booking-fee link to hold your time.