With dBs Manchester, located in the basement of New Century, helping budding music producers start their careers, we wanted to take a look at some of the best independent recording studios in the city and what our students should know about them.
Manchester is one of the greatest cities in the world when it comes to its music heritage. Up there with the likes of New York, London, Berlin, Liverpool, L.A and Bristol (where we have another campus), it is one of the main engines of British music culture, and has been for decades.
With the dBs Institute Manchester campus, located in the heart of the city and in the basement of one of its best venues, New Century, helping to develop the music industry by nurturing the next generation of talent, we thought we should shout out some of Manchester’s best recording studios.
Here, we take a look at five music studios in Manchester and what makes them great.
5 of the best music studios in Manchester
Oscillate Recordings
Oscillate Recordings is run by seasoned music producer Chris Hughes, who has spent the better part of 15 years writing, producing and engineering music for major record labels and artists. Much like Chris, the studio doesn’t just focus on a single service or type of artist – it delves into all aspects of sound production from recording, mixing and mastering to post-production audio and voiceovers. And it doesn’t stop there, offering hands-on training on the industry’s leading equipment.
Staying true to its well-rounded services, Oscillate Recordings is one of the most forward-thinking recording studios in Manchester and is constantly trying new things and working with industry insiders, including:
- The Courteeners, The K's, Calva Louise, La Fontaines, Delights and Bad Boy Chiller Crew
- Mastered an album for Ubisoft's Rainbow Six Seige game
- Paul Pogba for an Adidas advert and Darren Sturridge for his Dudley Road record label
- Romelu Lukaku and TheColorGrey
- Working on sound design for two CBBC Newsround animations
- Adding Chris Hughes as a panellist on our upcoming webinar in June
Chris Hughes, the Manager and Head Engineer/Music Producer from Oscillate, spoke to us about what he looks for when shortlisting candidates for work placements or employment opportunities.
"When hiring, I always look at the areas the candidate has specialised in whilst studying. It helps me to think about where their skills could fit into the studio and where we could help them grow - both in soft and hard skills. Importantly as well as having great technical skills we need to know how you will bring business to us. Proactive candidates are always given priority. For example, do you have an existing client base you can bring to the studio? Do you have social media ideas to push our brand? Do you have a label you are starting up and or part of a club night?
If I could give one piece of advice to future graduates, it would be to put yourself out there and proactively make connections with studios you admire, as it will put you in a great position when it's time to apply for a job post-graduation. Don't be afraid to contact them and ask about shadowing opportunities, work experience and internships. It shows initiative and passion, both of which are appealing to studio managers and engineers."
Eve Studios
Situated on the outskirts of Manchester is the recording studio, Eve Studios. With the option of residential accommodation on-site, it’s particularly popular with those wanting to spend focused time writing, recording and mixing music with a strong emphasis on experimental production. Plus, they’ll hire their studios out by the day or hour too if you don’t need accommodation.
This Manchester-based music studio prides itself on having ‘all the retro stuff’ as well as state-of-the-art software, including classic NEVE and CALREC vintage recording consoles, real EMT plates and an impressive selection of vintage mics – all available for use to give tracks that extra special something. Earlier this year, they played host to artist Studio Electrophonique for a unique recording experience that paid homage to the BBC and their fearless Radiophonic Workshop. The outcome of this session, utilising vintage methods and equipment, is well worth a listen.
Their recent clientele includes chart-toppers The Lathums, Doves and Everything Everything. International clients include Wiz Khalifa, Billy Ocean and Albert Hammond Junior. We managed to secure some time with a former in-house Eve Studios sound engineer, who is now working on a freelance basis, to join our upcoming sound production webinar in June. He’ll share his personal career milestones, lessons learned and much more.
Hope Mill Recording Studios
Launched by music producer David Tolan, Hope Mill Recording Studios has some seriously big hitters that have been known to frequent this studio in Ancoats, including Primal Scream, Rudimental and Johnny Marr. When he's not managing the studio, he’s a part-time teaching fellow and module leader. Educating and mentoring the next generation of talent is something that’s extremely important to David.
This Manchester-based music studio supplies a great mix of analogue and digital technology, making it the perfect choice for recording artists. The building itself is designed to maximise the acoustics to make each recording pop. The studios themselves are unusually flooded with daylight so you won’t feel like you’re in a bunker for hours on end.
80 Hertz
Based within the trendy creative office and production space The Sharp Project, 80 Hertz is a major player among the growing number of music studios in Manchester. The studio is no stranger to working with major commercial brands and publishers like Nike, McDonald’s, Penguin and Sky.
There’s a vast selection of equipment on offer at the studio. No matter how niche your needs are, the studio’s team will work closely with you to make your recording project a success.
White Bear Studios
A more recent addition to the community of Manchester-based recording studios, White Bear Studios was established in 2011 by producer, musician, mixer and electronic music aficionado David Page. Starting from his humble beginnings of making mixtapes from his dad’s CDs, he then progressed to being in a band and decided he wanted to record his own music. After studying and completing a Music Technology and Sound Design degree, he took the plunge and opened White Bear Studios. You can listen to some of the great tunes he’s produced since opening the studios on the website and via their Spotify playlist.
This studio may be smaller than some of the others we’ve mentioned, but it carries a mighty, well-respected reputation and longstanding relationships with artists across a variety of genres. So, it’s certainly one that should be checked out for internship or employment opportunities.
Honorary Mention: Strawberry Recording Studios (1967 - 1993)
Although it has been shut down for over 20 years, Strawberry Studios Stockport is a staple in the Greater Manchester music scene.
What started as a tiny studio above a Stockport record shop in 1967 became one of the most legendary recording facilities outside London. Local music veteran Peter Tattersall bought the modest Inter-City Studios for just £500, funding it by working early morning bakery shifts. When The Mindbenders' Eric Stewart invested £800 to become a partner, his love for The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" inspired the studio's iconic new name.
After relocating to Waterloo Road, Strawberry hit its stride in the early 1970s. The studio became home to 10cc, with Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme recording all their albums and chart-topping hits there. Their success funded major upgrades, transforming Strawberry into a world-class facility that attracted everyone from Paul McCartney to the Bay City Rollers.
The late 1970s and 80s saw Strawberry become synonymous with Manchester's music revolution. Producer Martin Hannett's work brought Joy Division, The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays through its doors, while The Smiths, New Order, The Buzzcocks, Simply Red and James all recorded at the Waterloo Road studio.
Despite its stellar reputation, the rise of digital recording technology in the late 1980s made it difficult for independent studios to compete with major label facilities. After nearly three decades of musical innovation, Strawberry closed in 1993, but its legacy remains an integral part of Greater Manchester's incredible music heritage.
If all of the above hasn’t convinced you that Manchester is the place to come to study your sound or music course, then check out this interactive map showing just how booming the industry really is across the city.
