Echotown Studios – Studio Member

Tell us a little about what makes your studio unique! What do you stand for and what is at the heart of why you are in the recording industry?

Our goal when building Echotown was to achieve a safe and inclusive space for anyone (in the industry or not) to create their art.

Our co-owner, Grace Capaldi, is a full-time wheelchair user and understood how little there is out there, in the way of accessible recording spaces. Together with her husband Nick Capaldi, they created Echotown. The studio was built literally from the ground upwards enabling them to make every aspect of the building as accessible as possible. They had help from Drake Music (a charity who use technology to break down disabling barriers to making music) and visually impaired musician/producer Jason Dasent who offered advice with the inclusivity side of the build, equipment purchases and set-up.

Since opening, we have had the pleasure of witnessing many people with varying disabilities visit us without having to worry about simple things that should not be an issue, for example, accessing the building or toilet facilities.

We want anybody and everybody to feel comfortable and confident that this is a place where all you have to do is turn up, and to find there is no wall between you and your creativity.

Are there any previous recording, mixing or mastering projects that your studio has been a part of that you are particularly proud of?

We are incredibly honoured to be trusted with any project that comes in. We love seeing local bands and artists come through the doors, many of whom work on fantastic original material which is always great to see.

If we were to highlight some projects, being a part of Billy Bragg’s bonus material for his ‘The Roaring Forty’ release was very special. This involved digitally transferring alternative takes from Billy’s past projects including work with Wilco. Session stems were transferred and mixed at Echotown from a mixture of DAT and 2” tape. We are also currently involved in a re-issue for Ben Waters’ album, ‘Boogie4Stu’, which was originally released in 2011 as a tribute to the legendary Ian Stewart, a founding member of The Rolling Stones. We are recording and mixing additional tracks for a deluxe package featuring special guests Keith Richards and George Thorogood. In our post-production work, we have been trusted by companies such as Paramount+ and ITV to deliver high quality voice overs.

What does an average day at your studio look like?

The studio is located in the outskirts of Dorchester, Dorset where we are surrounded by gorgeous countryside. Behind the gates, clients are treated to the sight of a well kept garden, large pond, picnic area and stress free parking! We will generally start off with the friendly welcome of our guests, make coffees and teas and do the studio tour before the creative juices really get going.

We enjoy showing artists the very cool gear we think they might like to use. We feel very lucky in that we always seem to have amazingly lovely clients who get on so well with our in-house engineer Gareth Matthews. A vibe exists that just oozes the perfect conditions for our clients to be as productive and creative as they wish to be.

The best part of any day in the studio is seeing clients’ faces beaming a huge smile of excitement as they relay their day and tell us how happy they are with the results. As we lock up for the night, we often think “Well, another great day. Happy clients. The walls have soaked in more magic at Echotown.”

Tell us about your studio staff. How do they contribute to your studio’s ethos and reputation?

We’re a small team of three here at Echotown and together, we all bring different skill sets and experiences. Grace, as well as handling the day to day running of the studio, uses her experience and knowledge to help others. She regularly appears on industry panels around the UK, talking about subjects ranging from inclusivity in music to women working in the music industry.

Nick, being a musician himself, brought an artist’s vision to the studio build. His contributions led to visually stunning surroundings. Clients are always taking a ton of photos during their time at the studio. Nick also oversees the maintenance and restoration of the studio’s equipment.

We have to give a massive shout-out to our in-house engineer Gareth. The stars must have aligned when 3 years ago, he was brought as a friend’s guest to our opening event where we met him for the first time. We quickly learned Gareth was a master at his art in shaping sound, but equally, a master in shaping great working relationships with our clients which we constantly receive positive feedback on. He has always had faith in Echotown and he has given us so much support and helped guide us to success with his knowledge and passion.

Is there a highlight from the previous working month (or recently) at your studio that you would like to share?

We were recently contacted by the American band ‘Dropkick Murphys’ who wanted us to record the vocals for a song they are working on. This was a guest vocal from a big artist but until they announce the details, we can’t really say who.

Another highlight was recording co-owner Nick’s Christmas Album – ‘12 Christmas Kisses’, where we had the pleasure of working with Sam Brown and Aled Jones as well as a whole host of top session musicians. We also got to experiment with the many tape machines we have at the studio. The mixing was a hybrid of analogue and digital which worked really well for this project.

We must mention, we are so proud of our collection of microphones, outboard (Which includes an original 1959 Pultec, original Blue Stripe 1176 as well as many other A list pieces) and our beloved 1980’s SSL 6000 E console which we invested so much love in to restore to its former glory days. Much (or all of this) is one of the many reasons people come to us. I think our favorite microphones that we have in the cupboard are a 1959 Neumann U47 and a 1940s RCA 44BX Ribbon mic which is huge and very heavy. We have 2 Neumann U67s which both have their own sound which is always gorgeous. We also love our matched pair of Neumann KM84’s. These are pure elegance, especially on Acoustic Guitars.

Is there anything else you would like to say about your studio and share with the Guild?

You know what, we were warned against opening a new studio in this day and age. We were told we were crazy. “So many studios are closing!” “Why are you doing this in Dorset?” Why in Dorset? Because, apart from the fact we live here, there was nothing in the way of hi-end recording facilities for many miles! That’s another thing we are proud of actually. Putting Dorchester on the map. Some said it wouldn’t work. But here we are 3 years in, with regular clients, hundreds of releases, new friends gained, more knowledge learned and a whole lot more in love with the recording industry.