Recording Music
Since 2009
Dark Pine Studios
A Semi Private Recording Studio
Music Matters
our story
After surviving being struck by lightning, music became an integral part of my life after several years of hiatus.
After joining a band, we started playing out and gathered a decent following. But to expand our musical career, we needed a demo, but the cost was too much for what we needed. This was at the early stage of “home recording”.
Having purchased a starter setup, it quickly expanded to be the only professional mobile recording studio in North Carolina.
Needing an overdub facility, the studio grew from the passion of wanting to have an affordable professional studio. Thus Dark Pine Studios was born.
Max Dearing
ingredients
When outfitting the studio, several historical pieces of gear became available with the closing of Reflections Studio in Charlotte, NC. Among those pieces are one of the most recorded pianos in gospel music and one of the rare EMT plate reverbs that characterized some of the greatest songs ever recorded.
The studio features the historically significant first Custom Series 75 made in the United States, Augspurger Duo 8 speakers and one of the most accurate control rooms in the world.
The studio gear list is impressive with some of the most sought after classic analog gear in the world.
All of which is integrated into a hybrid ProTools system large enough to capture any ensemble coming in the studio.
sustainability
The priority was to make the studio as affordable as possible That remains the focus of the business.
Track like there's no mixing. Mix like there's no mastering. Master it for the final polish.
Max Dearing, Dark Pine Studios
Affordable Quality
One of the purposes of building the studio was to bring affordable recording and mix services to the local Alamance county music community.
To that end, the studio has some of the best rates for local Alamance county artists.
Unlike many studios in the region, we accept and encourage engineers and producers to use the studio for their projects.
From tracking to mixing and mastering, the studio is engineer friendly and appointed with some of the finest in classic analog gear.
Contact us and let us quote your nest project.
The Studio build
The studio construction started September of 2007 and was granted the certificate of occupancy December of 2009.
The images are a sampling from the build blog and represent most of the stages of the build. Though there are a lot of images not included here.
The studio was designed by Max Dearing and through a comedy of errors, the design was modified and completed by Rod Gervais.
Rod is the author of one of the “essential publications” for the “Do It Yourself” studio builder; “Build It Like The Pros” and the studio is featured in the 2nd Edition of his book.
The studio was designed by Max Dearing and through a comedy of errors, the design was modified and completed by Rod Gervais.
Rod is the author of one of the “essential publications” for the “Do It Yourself” studio builder; “Build It Like The Pros” and the studio is featured in the 2nd Edition of his book.
I had the grateful help of some fine contractors and some very good friends. Without their help, the studio would likely never have been completed.
If you are thinking about building your own studio GO FOR IT!! BUT, I urge you to get the assistance of a professional studio designer. They will find and fix problems with your design that you had no idea were problems. So, build it yourself but don’t design it all on your own.
If I can be of assistance, please feel free to contact me. I’m always willing to share what knowledge I have.