This last few days we've been recording again at the delightful Old Granary Studio, just over the border into Suffolk. It is primarily a venue for classical chamber concerts, but is also fully equipped to record in the warm acoustic of the live room. Set in pastoral beauty, surrounded by the fields of the Raveningham estate, birds flitting and singing all around, it is perfect for the 'getting away from it all' vibe that we find conducive to focusing and making music. And the laid-back environment is enhanced by the calm and supportive work of Ben Giller who is engineering the sessions.
Over the years we've recorded in lots of different studios, from the grandeur of Great Linford Manor to studios tucked into box rooms in London suburbs. For us, successful recording usually flows when we can switch off from the concerns of everyday life and focus on relaxing, ideally without worrying too much about the ticking of the metaphorical clock that heaps pressure on the already unforgiving scrutiny of the studio. If you're worried about how much time you've got to get something done, it usually yields poor results. Having said that, it is also easy to drift into weird studio time, where hours and days pass with nothing much to show for it. Certainly in years passed it has probably not been the healthiest environment for us, with late sessions, smoking, drinking and takeaways all playing their part. But these days we seem to have found a slightly better routine that allows us to give our best performances - well rested, well nourished and basically observing office hours. Not so rock and roll maybe, but hopefully, ultimately giving better results!
