WSDG Excels at Architectural Acoustic Design at High Mountain Records Studio
“It feels like being on holiday here!” Acclaimed composer Christian Kolonovits finds musical paradise at High Mountain Records
Erl, Austria, June 4, 2024 – Nestled in Erl, in the Inntal Valley and one of Austria’s oldest villages, High Mountain Records studio is a new high-end recording facility owned by multi-talented producer, engineer, drummer, and recording artist Lukas Gleich. It offers a much-needed space to support Gleich’s growing roster of recording artists.
The studio is housed in a recently completed two-storey building located in the heart of the village. To bring his vision to life, Gleich sought the expertise of WSDG’s (Walters-Storyk Design Group) team in Switzerland to assist in its design and construction.
Gleich’s first contact with WSDG was at the start of 2020 through a local music dealer, who introduced him to WSDG Project Engineer, Mario Reithofer.
“I was already familiar with WSDG and aware of their reputation as experts in architectural acoustic consulting and media system engineering. However, when I reviewed their projects, I was impressed by the diverse and fascinating work they had undertaken, which spans recording studios, arts and entertainment, broadcast, residential, and more,” he says.
After an initial conversation with Reithofer, Gleich was introduced to WSDG Partners, Gabriel Hauser and Dirk Noy. Together, they looked at the specific requirements for the studio and discussed Gleich’s creative ideas.
“The discussion with Gabriel and Dirk was very productive,” explains Gleich. “Despite my vision for the studio, I lacked expertise in this field, so WSDG’s input was invaluable. We exchanged numerous ideas, ultimately agreeing on the best solution for the studio. The result truly blew me away and exceeded my expectations. The acoustics of the rooms, particularly the control room, are exceptional. We had famous Austrian composer, Christian Kolonovits, visiting our studios a few weeks ago, and he absolutely loved the facility, saying it felt like being on holiday!”
The High Mountain Records facility comprises two main areas: Studio A, which houses a 50m² live room; and the smaller studio Studio B, with a 20m² live room, providing a warm and inviting ambiance reminiscent of a cozy living room. Both are fitted out with geometrically identical 33m² control rooms with Control A featuring a custom-designed Ford Mustang taillight-inspired ceiling cloud, and Control B which has a beautiful, open design with a large balcony and mountain views.
In keeping with the town of Erl’s history of music appreciation and its enviable reputation for attracting fine musicians, Gleich was committed to providing his clients with a world-class studio environment. “The WSDG team did a great job maximising the available space to create flexible vocal and drum booths,” he adds. “We also worked with Hutter Acustix who did a beautiful job on the interior acoustic construction.
Both Studios are available for exclusive long- and short-term lockout periods for clients. HMRS’s flexible design programme incorporates options for opening Studio B’s live room towards the control room to accommodate or broaden recording workflow possibilities. A Dante network expedites high-quality remote recording of live performances from the extraordinary Festspielhaus Concert Hall. Additional studio gear includes an API 2348 32 channel console, ATC SCM-150 PRO loudspeakers, complemented with ADAM SUB15 subwoofers. Studio A features two Burl Mothership units with 56 inputs and 64 outputs, whilst Studio B’s equipment includes a Universal Audio Apollo X6 audio interface, a Burl B16 Mothership, Heritage Super 8 and API preamps, and PMC 6 monitoring.
Featuring state-of-the-art instruments, including a Steinway & Sons C piano, Sonor Vintage Serie drums, Fender Vintage 52 Tele electric guitar and Martin D16 acoustic guitar, the studios also have an impressive microphone collection that includes premium Neumann U67 and U47 Vintage, Sennheiser, AKG, and Earthworks Audio among other solutions. Individual monitoring is managed by KLANG:kontrollers, which offer an easy access to groups, individual channels, and immersive in-ear mixing.
WSDG’s innovative sound isolation design techniques eliminate sound leakage between the Live and Control Rooms throughout the complex, and prohibit exterior noise from encroaching into the building.
“As well as high-end recording sessions, High Mountain Records offers complete video production and editing options for YouTube and distribution to other social media platforms,” adds Gleich. “The high-end audio system clearly positions our studios as a first tier recording option for virtually any musical format, be it rock, rap, soul, pop, classical or whatever new genre rises next from the bottomless mists of creative human artistry.”
“It has truly been a pleasure collaborating with Lukas and the entire team on this project,” concludes Gabriel Hauser, Partner, Senior Acoustician, WSDG. “Right from the start, gaining insight into Lukas's vision enabled us to identify the key elements to bring this project to life. The result is an exceptional facility that harmoniously integrates visually appealing design with top-notch acoustical properties."
To learn more about High Mountain Record Studios, visit http://highmountainrecords.com
For more information about WSDG, visit www.wsdg.com
Hi res images are available for download from https://bit.ly/HighMountainStudios
Steve Bailey
