AIR Studios
Lyndhurst Road, Hampstead, London, NW3 5NG
+44 (0) 20 7794 0660
airstudios.com
Founded in 1969 by Beatles producer George Martin, since 1992 AIR Studios has been based in historic Lyndhurst Hall, in the quiet London suburb of Hampstead. One of Britain’s premier recording facilities, AIR’s world-renowned scoring stages (including a 3,200-square-foot hexagonal live area) and state-of-the-art mix rooms have drawn A-listers including Coldplay, Paul McCartney and Muse.
Intel: “AIR has two unique recording areas: Lyndhurst Hall, with adjustable acoustics, four booths and a 96-channel Neve desk, has allowed me to record a full-size orchestra alongside a band of drums, bass, piano, two guitars and vocals all at the same time. Studio 1 has booths and moving walls where I have recorded big bands and rhythm sections all at once. There is nowhere else in the world with this level of flexibility. And for a post-session pint, the selection of beers at the nearby Garden Gate is hard to beat.” -Geoff Foster, Grammy Award-winning engineer/mixer
Livingston Studios
The Old Church Hall, 1 Brook Road, London, N22 6TR
+44 (0) 20 7232 0008
livingstonstudios.co.uk
The Clash, R.E.M. and Depeche Mode have all cut hits at North London’s Livingston Studio 1, which was recently acquired by the Miloco Group and underwent a major refurbishment. Now helmed by award-winning British producer Mike Crossey, the spacious complex boasts five recording rooms, all offering a different range of acoustic treatments.
Intel: “Livingston has the ultimate balance for making great records — a homey atmosphere that artists instantly relax in and love, but the equipment and space to get the sonics to the highest standard. It feels like anything is possible at Livingston: You can easily explore different sonic identities — from a dirty analog-tape-driven rock’n’roll sound to a pristine, bright recording, or anywhere in between.” -Mike Crossey, producer/engineer (Arctic Monkeys, the Black Keys)
RAK Studios
42-48 Charlbert St., St John’s Wood, London NW8 7BU
+44 (0) 20 7586 2012
rakstudios.co.uk
Since opening 35 years ago, RAK has played host to some of the biggest names in music, including Michael Jackson, Pink Floyd and, more recently, Adele. Housed in a converted Victorian schoolhouse in the affluent St. John’s Wood area, RAK features four studios, a wealth of vintage and ultra-modern equipment and stylish recreational areas enhanced by lots of natural light.
Intel: “RAK has some of the best-sounding rooms I know, with classic, well-maintained equipment. Professional staff, a fantastic location and an excellent layout make it a great studio to be relaxed and creative in.” -Gil Norton, Grammy-winning producer
Abbey Road
3 Abbey Road, St. John’s Wood, London NW8 9AY
+44 (0) 20 7266 7000
abbeyroad.com
Arguably the most famous recording studio in the world, Abbey Road needs little introduction. Situated in a leafy neighborhood of North West London, the Universal-owned complex boasts three studios (including the iconic Studio Two, where the Beatles cut the majority of their songs), two mix suites, five mastering suites, several production rooms and much more.
Intel: “Abbey Road was the first purpose-built studio in the world. Every day tourists pose for photographs on the zebra crossing-and are shocked when they can’t take a tour of the studios.” -Sam Okell, Grammy-winning engineer
“We pride ourselves in being able to work with any analog or digital format. It’s increasingly difficult for catalog owners to access the older digital formats as the hardware and software becomes rarer, but we’re able to transfer anything when it comes to remastering for new formats and archiving projects.” -Alex Wharton, Abbey Road mastering engineer