Most recording studios are hidden in dungeons and perceived somewhat as sacred places where the general public is prohibited. This is definitely not the case with Openroom Productions, writes Eddie Hatitye.
For more than a decade, Openroom Productions has stood out as one of South Africa’s best recording and production facilities. Uniquely tucked between some of the busiest restaurants at the cultural hub in Greenside, this state-of-the-art production facility has taken the art of music making to a completely new level.
The studio was established in 1999 by Grammy Award winning record producer Darryl Torr, who has for many years reinvented it to offer South Africans an inspiring artistic environment of international standards. His most recent and possibly best upgrade ever came in 2010 when he moved Openrooom Productions from its original base at the SABC complex in Auckland Park to Greenside.
The studio boasts a gigantic 6m x 4m glass window that faces onto the street, giving fans a rare opportunity to see their favourite bands recording. Artists, in turn, get motivated and are drawn closer to their fans. “It is really amazing to be in the studio and watch cars drive past without hearing a thing inside the studio,’ explains Torr. “I’ve always had a dream to build a professional studio that involves the public, giving them the opportunity to be more informed and involved in the creative process within music and I think this is exactly what I envisaged.’
Inside the studio, you find all kinds of high end recording and production equipment, from simplistic guitar pedals and other tone enhancing gadgets to analogue outboard gear and mixing consoles that define the end result of Openroom’s sound. The studio comprises three main working spaces, one more suited to live recordings and the other aimed at pre- and post-production jobs. The third is reserved for TV productions. Key production gear include a Soundtracs cm4400 (soon to be upgraded to a SSL 6000 E | G series), a Digidesign C/24 .C|24 desk, a Vintage Wurlitzer and many more.
The interesting thing about Openroom is that they are not only focused on bands but are also actively involved in the broadcasting space, with TV and radio broadcast credits for shows such as MK’s Studio 1 and 5FM’s Live @ 5 under their belt. They are also currently facilitating a small TV production unit that records activity in the studio and streams live to the Internet as a way of promoting bands. Over the years, they have worked with an array of top acts, including Soweto Gospel Choir, Ashtray Electric, Freshlyground, Louise Carver, Zebra and Giraffe and HHP.
The studio is driven by a humble and passionate team comprising studio manager and sound engineer Tammy Goldenberg, project manager Alan Shenton, full-time sound engineer Wesley Ayliffe and Torr himself.
Tech Box
Studio A:
• Monitors – Genelec 8050, 5.1 system
• Analogue desk – Soundtracs cm4400 (soon to be upgraded to a SSL 6000 E|G series)
• Software – Protools 9
• DAW – Protools HD 3
• Foldback – Hearback system
• Sennheiser HD 380 pro headphones
• Dolby DP600 Programme optimiser
Studio B:
• Monitors: Genelec 8050s and Yamaha HS80s
• Digidesign C/24 .C|24 desk
• Outboard: Universal audio LA610
• Software: Pro Tools 9
• DAW: Protools HD 3
• Bose system L1
ProSystems magazine – 3rd Quarter 2012
