The "Smell" of Music

I recently worked at a studio, unnamed, but important (in Hendersonville, you do the math), where it was carpet and Mississippi Wormwood on the walls. While the console and ProTools were top notch, the decor and the vintage mics were all there. It took me back to when I started as a staff guy at The Soundshop in 1989, where you could smell analog tape when you walked in the studio, you could smell the musty microphones, I felt like I was in a "real" studio, and that was a GOOD thing........... I stiil walk through The Soundshop on certain days and I can smell IT(the music)!!!!!! Anyone else feel the same way about the "Smell" of music and the studios it happened at???????

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Permalink Reply by Mike Porter on June 24, 2008 at 5:34am

Woodland, Criteria (in Miami), the original Belmont studio, Pete Drake's. Those all had the scent of music. You can still get that at RCA Studio B too. While is was working for Quantegy I had a guy approach me at the AES convention in New York about 3 years ago and told me we should package the tape scent in an aerosol can as an air freshener.

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Permalink Reply by Tommy McCormick on June 25, 2008 at 8:03pm

Hey Mark,
I kept some of the wormwood and put it in my tracking room and iso booth for that same reason! (I also kept the old RPG Diffusers) When we remodeled, I'm so glad the Owner (unnamed) had the same passion for that "smell". Not only the history and autographs on the wormwood walls, but,The Vibe, Inspiration and the Soul of the Studio and the Music that has been created there.

I remember my Father's studio had Egg Crates on some of the walls (mid 60's) and the other studio had Burlap on the walls with fiberglass bass traps in the corners. I'll never forget the music and the 15 cent Coke machine in the hallway.

Another Great Memory was Playground Studio in Valparaiso Fl. Finley Duncan at the MCI Console and the music that came out of there was incredible. It was closed for several years but, just re-opened. I tracked piano there the other day and it's been kept pretty much intact and the vibe is still great. An industrial atmosphere and shag carpet everywhere. They put in a Neve where the MCI once lived but you can still "smell the music".