BY J.B. LAWRENCE
Old Skool Productions live area
SOUTH CHINA – Nestled deep in the country side, between two lakes, vast rolling hills, surrounded by an abundance of fruit trees and vines you will find Old Skool Productions. In its short but prosperous history, this professional recording business has managed to spearhead its way through a weak economy and survive despite a somewhat languid recording industry.
A major reason for the downturn in the recording business is that musicians are now able to purchase the equipment needed to record their own material at rather modest prices compared to only a decade ago when it was not affordable to most players. Today, after completing a studio for themselves, musicians frequently rent it out to others at a cost approaching the rates of commercial studios, according to the Association of Professional Recording Services
Old Skool control room
“Although, home recording technology has become more affordable and attainable, nothing can replace the value of a professional engineer/producer and what we can offer both in equipment and experience,” said Grace Falconer, a partner and engineer at Old Skool Productions. “It’s not the professional musicians with professional recording studios that worry me. It’s the musicians in their basements that are actually lowering recording standards.”
Grace and Old Skool owner Gary Clancy bring to the recording field a combined 50 years of professional recording experience and are confident they have built a solid foundation both economically and artistically to help develop budding artists. “Our goal is to create an environment that musicians locally and beyond will find comfortable, professional and complete,” Grace said.
Gary’s career began in the late 60s’ at Sound Studios in New York. In the 80’s he found his way to Portland where he would record some 1,800 songs with Rosewood Studios and gross an estimated $40,000 in a very short time.
To date, the studio has recorded the songs of Mark Knight, a country artist who recently held a spot on the Indie charts at Number 28 and on the national charts at Number 47 with his hit “Betty’s Beauty World”. “Mark’s got the guts and truth of country,” Gary said. He hopes to bring the country artist to a national level by what he calls steering from the back seat
The line-up for the studio has the potential to propel the visions of Gary Clancy and Grace Falconer even further into success. “We have a lot of talent booked in the coming months,” Grace said. She should know after a career working with likes of such music icons as the Ramones, Rancid, and They Might Be Giants.
For now, the studio is analog with a one-inch 24 track machine and Mackie board, but Falconer and Clancy have recently acquired a new console along with other equipment to include a G5 Mac that is being installed with programs such as Pro Tools and Sonar. The company hopes these tools plus their combined experience will give them the edge they need for the future.
Want to record your next hit album with Old Skool? Give them a call at 968-3147.
