Studio A

Studio A blends modern tech with Beatles decor, featuring a restored Neve 8078 console.

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The Room That Began It All.

Studio A has all the comforts and technology of a modern studio, with a throwback to recording’s early days with a Beatles-inspired decor. ​At the room’s center is a highly-customized Neve 8078 console with an impressive pedigree. The board was custom-built for Motown (LA) and later sold to Donald Fagen. John McBride bought the console from Fagen in 2002 and immediately began an extensive six-month restoration with Geoff Tanner, one of the console’s original builders at the Neve factory. The original quad bus was removed, and a second stereo bus was added, giving the board 24 busses. Additional inserts were added to every channel, either pre- or post-eq, as well as the Flying Fader automation system. Studio A’s Neve also is now available in plug-in form, meticulously modeled by KIT Plugins as the BB N105.

Studio A features 11 different recording areas including a variable Hidley-designed chamber with a scalable ceiling for customized reverb time. The large tracking room has adjustable flutter-free panels for added reverb control.

  • Notable: 72 input Neve 8078 with automation, rare & vintage outboard gear collection
  • Tasks: Tracking, overdubs, and mixing
  • Clients: Smashing Pumpkins, Willie Nelson, Greta Van Fleet, Dolly Parton, Ed Sheeran
Floor plan of Blackbird Studio A showing layout of tracking room (689 sq ft), piano room (490 sq ft), vocal iso (48 sq ft), and isolation booths iso 1-5 ranging from 18-152 sq ft, plus chamber (32 sq ft), machine room, studio control room, mic locker, and gear racks
Studio A Floor plan

Studio A Gallery

  • Studio live room with acoustic guitars on stand, guitar pedals on floor, and red-yellow striped acoustic treatment on walls.
  • Recording studio control room with large analog mixing console, Yamaha NS-10M studio monitors, Genelec main monitors, VU meters, and view into live room through window.
  • Rack-mounted audio equipment including patch bays, preamps, compressors, and signal processors with multiple cable connections running below.
  • Recording studio control room view from mixing console showing symmetrical monitor setup, large window into live room
  • Overhead view of drum kit with multiple cymbals and microphones positioned around it
  • large recording studio live room with high ceilings, red and yellow acoustic treatment, drum kit in center, guitar amplifiers, control room window above, and guitar display wall in background.
  • Large-format analog mixing console with hundreds of channels, faders, and illuminated VU meters in meter bridge, studio monitors visible in background.
  • Rack of audio outboard gear including preamps, compressors, and EQs.
  • Piano room containing Yamaha grand piano with various other keyboards.
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  • Studio live room with acoustic guitars on stand, guitar pedals on floor, and red-yellow striped acoustic treatment on walls.
  • Recording studio control room with large analog mixing console, Yamaha NS-10M studio monitors, Genelec main monitors, VU meters, and view into live room through window.
  • Rack-mounted audio equipment including patch bays, preamps, compressors, and signal processors with multiple cable connections running below.
  • Recording studio control room view from mixing console showing symmetrical monitor setup, large window into live room
  • Overhead view of drum kit with multiple cymbals and microphones positioned around it
  • large recording studio live room with high ceilings, red and yellow acoustic treatment, drum kit in center, guitar amplifiers, control room window above, and guitar display wall in background.
  • Large-format analog mixing console with hundreds of channels, faders, and illuminated VU meters in meter bridge, studio monitors visible in background.
  • Rack of audio outboard gear including preamps, compressors, and EQs.
  • Piano room containing Yamaha grand piano with various other keyboards.

Studio A Equipment List

  • MIC PREAMPS/CHANNEL STRIPS

    • 6 TELEFUNKEN V72
    • 4 TELEFUNKEN V76
    • 2 TELEFUNKEN V76M
    • 4 GML
    • 2 NEVE 1080
    • 4 NEVE 1081
    • 2 API 512
    • 2 API 312

  • EQ

    • 2 API 550A
    • 2 EMI TG 12412
    • 2 PULTEC EQP-1A
    • EMI 12345 CURVE BENDER
    • GML 8200
    • 3 API 560

  • COMP/LIMITERS

    • TELEFUNKEN 670
    • 2 EMI TG 12413
    • 2 NEVE 2254
    • NEVE 33609
    • RCA 86-A1
    • RCA BA6A
    • 2 TELETRONIX LA2A
    • 2 UREI LA3A
    • 4 1176 BLACKFACE
    • 1 1176 REV A (BLUE STRIPE)
    • 1 1178
    • 2 DBX 160 VU
    • CHANDLER EMI TG 12413 (ZENER)
    • API 2500
    • 2 EL8 DISTRESSOR
    • EL7 FATSO JR
    • MERCURY 66
    • TUBE-TECH SMC 2B
    • TUBE-TECH CL 1B
    • Smart Research C2

  • EFFECTS UNITS

    • AMS DMX-1580
    • AMS RMX 16
    • EVENTIDE H3000-D/SE
    • LEXICON 200
    • LEXICON 480L
    • LEXICON PCM70
    • LEXICON PCM81
    • 2 LEXICON PCM 42
    • 2 YAMAHA SPX90II
    • YAMAHA REV 5
    • BBE 882i SONIC MAXIMIZER
    • 2 DRAWMER DS201 DUAL GATES
    • SPL TRANSIENT DESIGNER (4 CHANNEL)
    • EMT 250

  • KEYBOARDS

    • YAMAHA C7 GRAND PIANO​
    • FENDER RHODES 88 ELECTRIC PIANO
    • WURLITZER 200A ELECTRIC PIANO
    • HAMMOND B3 ORGAN W/ LESLIE CABINET
    • BERNARD BROCK TACK PIANO

Where the legends make records.

Make a reservationContact us

Are you ready to make yours in studio A? To book this studio, just click below or call Rolff at (615) 467-4487

Our other studios

  • Studio I

    Control room with David Bowie Aladdin Sane poster, yellow-green velvet chair, production desk with iMac, MIDI controller, studio monitors, outboard gear racks, view to kitchen, purple walls.

  • Studio H

    Control room with API console and meter bridge, office chair, computer monitor, window to vocal booth showing red curtains, multiple studio monitors including Yamaha NS-10Ms, red and striped acoustic treatment on ceiling, outboard gear rack right.

  • Studio G

    Not available
    Compact control room with tiered production desk holding mixing console and computer monitor, flanked by ADAM ribbon studio monitors, office chair at workstation, beige tufted lounge chair left, large windows with pendant lights, evening view outside.

  • Studio F

    Dolby Atmos mixing room with large console, level meter display, multiple monitor speakers including three soffit-mounted front monitors, surround speakers, display showing Blackbird logo, red carpeted floor.

  • Studio E

    Control room with large console, monitor array including Genelec and Yamaha NS-10Ms, large display showing console image, orange wood acoustic treatment visible right.

  • Studio D

    Control room with mixing console, studio monitors in soffit, guitars on wall, leather seating, pendant lights, red walls, production desk area.

  • Studio C

    Wide view of mixing room with digital console on desk, computer monitors, surround speaker array including floor-standing monitors, wooden acoustic treatment throughout, glass panels in ceiling showing acoustic panels above

  • Studio B

    Mixing console with Genelec and Yamaha NS-10M monitors, VU meter bridge, window into wood-paneled vocal booth with microphone visible.