The gift-giving got under way, with bottles of wine and beer, chocolate robots, coasters and a Manchester United toilet brush among the gifts changing hands, with varied degrees of gratitude being shown.

Since Tim got Dawn the art set in The Office, it takes a very special secret Santa gift to bring a tear to our worldly eyes. But the Boot Room’s gift did just that. It was a deep, heartfelt, touching gift that sent an emotional frisson through the assembled guests, and was a perfect trophy to remind us all that without Keith’s and Ken’s inspiration, none of this would have been conceived. Let’s hope they can think of a suitable place to put it.

Over 2011, The Sharp Project’s sound stages became temporary homes to two major TV productions, Mount Pleasant and Fresh Meat. We also hosted several conferences, summits and other events, most notably the Creative & Digital Summit on 29 June which coincided with our official opening, as well as that of George Atkins’ 80 Hertz Studios. Considering we have still been in launch mode throughout the year, that’s not bad going.

So what will 2012’s Christmas party look like? Considering where we are now and where we were last year, the trajectory looks good. But just like everyone else in the country and in the wider world, we’re battling against nervous businesses’ retreat into the comfort of a pessimistic conservation footing. The creative industries do seem to be coping, and in some cases growing, even while the situation on the high street and in manufacturing looks less certain. Perhaps this is the moment when the digital realm finally proves itself as a weatherer of storms, a cost-effective way to keep the wheels of commerce rolling. If so, The Sharp Project has arrived just in time.

In the coming months our local tram stop at Central Park will open, making Manchester city centre a few minutes away and closing off the final gap in physical infrastructure (at least until we get planning permission for a runway). Our campus and café are opening in early March and will mark a real sense of completion in the project. We’ll also be welcoming new businesses, and maybe bidding reluctant farewells to those who outgrow their cloches, but we can be assured that they’ll leave the building weighed down by their former neighbours’ business cards – and long may the cycle continue.

Happy 2012!

The Sharp Project

With the tally of tenants reaching 50, over 75 per cent of the office units are now let. In total, the building accommodates 66 work spaces including 26 converted shipping containers in the Red Street space, and 40 office units across Blue and Gold areas.

New occupiers include The Zood, Made in Manchester, Digital Cools, Social Surf Online, Will Yapp, ELP (Elstree Light and Power), Dig Marketing, Paramount Media and Vibe Republic.

One of the companies that has just moved in, content marketing specialists Dig Marketing, chose The Sharp Project because of their ability to tap into the wealth of talent based there.

Tim Bilsborough, formed the company three months ago with business partner, Gabrielle O’Hare, and between them have 40 years’ experience working in advertising and production at the North West’s leading agencies.

Tim Bilsborough explained: “Having such a diverse range of digital companies literally outside our door is fantastic and made our decision to move here an easy one.  We love the niche entrepreneurial spirit that has been created and want to pull on the resources right here all under this roof and offer our clients a truly unique service.  We’re in the business of selling tailored ideas to companies, particularly in the retail sector, and we know we can find people within the building that can make the ideas happen.”

Rose Marley, General Manager of The Sharp Project added: “Reaching this milestone is a great way of rounding off a fantastic year for The Sharp Project. With 50 of the 66 office units now occupied, we are creating a thriving community of digital entrepreneurs. This clearly demonstrates that the digital and creative media sector is flourishing here in the North West despite the current economic downturn.  There has never been a more exciting time to work in this field with so many opportunities available to small digital businesses and young start-ups.”

Eddie Smith, chief executive for New East Manchester who oversee the delivery of The Sharp Project on behalf of landlords Manchester City Council said: “We’ve delivered a fantastic environment for young digital start-ups and the amount of interest in our facilities is testament to this. Having reached a 75 per cent occupancy rate on the office units is great news. With The Campus opening next year, 2012 is set to be another exciting year for The Sharp Project.”

Sizzle Media

The Lord-Lieutenant maintains Her Majesty’s dignity and seeks to promote a good atmosphere and spirit of co-operation by the encouragement he gives to voluntary service, benevolent organisations, and by the interest he takes in the commercial and social life of his county.

Sizzle Media will be developing a bespoke content management system that allows Deputy Lieutenants across the county secure access to contribute to the system, creating a site that is up to date with regional news and events. Furthermore the system will allow the administration team to make full use of Social Media to help raise the awareness of the services available at GML to a much wider audience.

Based out of the Sharp Project, Sizzle Media have developed a series of high profile projects with GMLO being the latest win. Recently they were selected to develop the site for the GB British Bobsleigh Team Deen, skiing sensation Daisi Daniels and professional footballer turned pro boxer Curtis Woodhouse. Last Year Sizzle Media designed the Amir Kahn official merchandise outlet ecommerce store. Existing regional clients include Great John Street Hotels, Suzuki, Evevee, Blacks Business Brokers, Astra Signs and Marilyn Comrie OBE.

Find out more about Sizzle Media by visiting their website here

Rose Marley, manager at The Sharp Project commented ‘We thought this would be a great opportunity to offer companies and individuals the opportunity to work to a brief. It’s often hard for interns or junior members of staff to take full creative control on a client brief but it’s such a good experience and process to go through. It fits with the aims of SharpFutures to generate briefs  which can be used to take a risk and show off emerging talent. ‘

Please click here to view the winning entry, by Hogan Burrows at Mocapone

The Sharp Project Christmas Card will be sent out from The Sharp Project in December to their entire database enabling the winning designer’s work to reach hundreds of new regional, national and international contacts and potential future clients in the industry.

Photography by Joel Fildes & Andrew Marshall

Lights, cameras, action: all sourced from within

Collaboration with a host of independents is normal practice for film production crews; even the major broadcasters regularly hire in work for specialist tasks – it’s the bread and butter of most of our tenants. But when you are the production company and you’re a one- or two-man operation, everyone, from the lighting crew to the extras, needs to be drafted in. That’s not a problem for Zemap; it’s their business model. The company is owned and run commercial director Michael Wray and commercial producer Hannah Loughlin, who met while working forManchester’s Channel M. It was during their time at the channel, which was based in Urbis (but has since downsized and moved to Salford), that Michael and Hannah filled their contacts books with the names that they could trust to produce more or less any kind of video work. Exposure to their fellow tenants at The Sharp Project was therefore relatively low-key: they were on nodding and chatting terms with some, and others had been approached for advice on specific queries they had encountered. This situation seems to be pretty normal throughout the Project.

In January 2011 an agency approached them with an offer of work, which Zemap agreed to do, but they were unable to make much progress on it as the client experienced a few hold-ups and the job was put on ice. But with just one week to go until the unmissable deadline, the client got the go-ahead and instructed Zemap to pick up where they had left off. In one week they had to assemble a complete crew, write the script, find actors, a main presenter and extras, do the filming and complete the post-production. Their first few calls to their regular contacts were as unsuccessful as they suspected they would be, mainly because of the short notice. They had to give a yea or nea pretty quickly, so Michael delivered a Captain Oates-style speech to Hannah and walked out of the container.

The presenter gets artistically made up

The open, glass-fronted nature of containers lining The Street means there’s a certain welcoming ethos inherent in them. It helps make faces familiar and so it wasn’t strange to have Michael knocking on the door and talking business straight away. His first port of call was ABF Productions, who not only found him a location scout who secured two suburban locations and a railway arch, they also put him onto a sound crew, a hair and make-up artist and a superb SFX company whose work was integral to the film. Barcode Media are also set designers and were straight away employed, and they recommended the lighting company. Michael knew that Flyka, located just across The Street, used Steadicam operators, and sorted him out there and then. Flyka’s Tony mentioned his own stills photography service and another wish-list entry was crossed out. He then trekked a gruelling 15 metres to Lemon Casting, who fixed him up with the adult extras. And finally a huge studio space was needed to act as an office in the film, and a word with The Sharp Project’s John Mariner sorted that part out and it was filmed in one of the studios.

Two hours after leaving the container he returned. “I’ve just got everyone I need,” he announced to Hannah as he picked up the phone. And he hadn’t even left the building.

Locations were found with a little help from ABF

Admittedly, had notice not been so short, Zemap would probably have done what they and most businesses usually do: rely on their trusted contacts. But under pressure, The Sharp Project delivered. The professionals plying their trade from the units here are by their nature small, nimble outfits who aren’t easily overwhelmed by high pressure jobs. But Michael is convinced that the whole ethos here, of crystallising a cross section of the city’s digital creative talent in one place, played its part. “Without being in The Sharp Project, there would have been no face-to-face contact that day. But it’s a really important aspect. In my business it’s crucial to rely on your own contacts and word of mouth recommendations count for a lot,” he says. But those face-to-face meetings, and being able to give and receive quick ad hoc demos, made this job possible. “Really, if I hadn’t been here, it probably would have meant cancellation of the work.”

And that wouldn’t have been very creative.

Michael was glad he didn't have to use plan B to secure his talent

Here is a video of the finished product. The client, Tasscar, was probably largely unaware of the manoeuvrings required to produce the film, and that’s exactly how it should be when you hire someone to do a job. Tasscar’s manager of the project said: “I was particularly impressed by Michael’s quiet professionalism; he inspired me with confidence.” That assessment would be hard to disagree with, but it’s also an endorsement of the advantage of working in The Sharp Project.

Stirring the Teapot

Zemap moved into their new double container unit from a single unit in August, and it suits them much better. There’s more room to demo their films to clients and with two people in a single container, it was maxed out for space. Now they are considering taking on an apprentice, and room won’t be an issue. And with business picking up, Michael can foresee a time when they will be taking on more employees and possibly be moving out of a container.

There has been a good deal of reshuffling into and around the Project over the past weeks as tenants outgrow their start-up spaces. IP lawyers Ward Hadaway are set to move into Gold after their long stay in a double container, which will be occupied by Stream Pictures, who have outgrown their single. Lemon Casting are upping from their single and downing in a double and are to be joined by Made in Manchester, while Tunafish Media are streamlining from a double to a single. Barcode Media need covet double 7 no more as they are set to relocate there from double 18. And finally a new single container occupant will be Ruthless Images. If you can read that without humming Alan Freeman’s Pick of the Pops tune, you’re simply too young.

Photos: Tony Holker at Creative Photography & Video

Links

Zemap Professional Video Production :: ABF Pictures :: Flyka :: Lemon Casting :: Creative Photography & Video ::  Ward Hadaway :: Tunafish Media :: Ruthless Images

Event 002. Photograph by Lauren Hyde

Intellectual property (IP) law was introduced to protect the rights of innovators and artists and thereby encourage invention and creativity. Why invest millions developing a product when anyone can copy it and sell it for a pure profit? The language of IP is familiar to us all in everyday terms such as copyright, patent, royalties, licensing etc. But there’s a powerful argument that IP law has gone too far, protecting the rights of creators at the expense of people actually using and enjoying their creations. For example it is actually illegal to pay for a CD and then copy the music to your phone, even though there is software openly available to do it. Although it would take an extreme example for a case of private format shifting to be actually pursued by a copyright holder, it does demonstrate that while the letter of the law on IP is outdated, the spirit can pass through the walls.

On 20 October The Sharp Project hosted Event002, a debate chaired and sponsored by Ward Hadaway’s IP lawyers on the future of IP in the digital world, with particular reference to the proposals put forward by Professor Ian Hargreaves in his independent report entitled Digital Opportunity: A Review of Intellectual Property and Growth (PDF). The review was commissioned by the coalition government in November 2010.

Event 002 panel. Photograph by Lauren Hyde

Present were several representatives of the creative industries who will be affected the most by any change in the law. On the chair was Laura Harper (Ward Hadaway); the panel comprised Greg Robinson (Connect 2 Media); Maria McGeoghan (MEN Media); Ben Stoney (The Mob Film Company); Jim Spencer (O Genesis Recordings); Christian Hill (Project:Simply); and David Tolan (Music Masters Production School). For further details and links, please visit the Event002 programme page by clicking here.

It is tempting to frame the IP debate as a battle between creators and consumers, the creators trying to wring as much profit from the consumers, and the consumers wishing to pay as little as possible – and preferably nothing – for the creatives’ output. In the middle are the media organisations who both consume and create material, such as news outlets and film-makers.

But these battle lines exist only in people’s minds. First, creators are themselves consumers, and are perfectly capable of seeing both sides of the argument, even opposing aspects of current law to their own theoretical detriment. Nobody on the panel thought prosecuting someone for copying one of their CD tracks to their phone was a good idea – these people are their own customers, after all.

On the other side of the battlefield (a metaphor which has already been captured and imprisoned) consumers themselves are not driven by a desire to get things for free. They will willingly pay for things that they see as valuable, and recognise that creators need to earn a living, especially if they want those creators to go on creating valuable things. Proof? Think of shareware that relies on donations; Wikipedia; Radiohead’s album, which relied on customers paying whatever they wanted for it (but as Ben pointed out, they have already made their money; their business model doesn’t help bands starting out).

In the digital world, where copying material is not just easy to do, it can spread unchecked around the world in minutes, the challenges of creators to secure their revenue have never been more difficult to surmount. Horror stories were told of pre-released movies and albums being leaked – on one occasion via the recording studio itself – which spread the products around the world, bypassing any possible measures to apply a means of collecting payment for it. It is impossible to know how many of those lapping up the free material would never have bought it anyway, but it is probably fair to say that the artists involved, plus any retailers, management companies and others, missed out on potential income.

An interesting angle regarding copyright came from Maria, who told a story of an incident that recently happened in Manchester. Members of the public caught photos of the event seconds afterwards on their phones, while the MEN’s own photographer had to be sent to the scene and could only record the aftermath. Guess whose pictures made it to the front page? But the interesting thing was that the passers-by were thrilled to have their name on the cover of the Evening News, and it apparently never crossed their mind that they might be entitled to royalties. A photo could potentially go global and the photographer could be oblivious to its value.

Maria from MEN Media. Photograph by Lauren Hyde

Maria compared the story with the iconic 1985 Smiths photo taken outside Salford Lads Club. Its photographer, Stephen Wright, still gets royalty payments for it because it is so widely used, but its ubiquity also makes certain people assume it is free, and Stephen apparently spends a lot of time chasing up payments or requesting its removal, depending on who has used it and why.

As the presentations drew to a close, the panellists were asked to make their own concluding remarks. There seemed to be something of a consensus that the law as is stands is at best too rigid and at worst unenforceable, so there needs to be some freeing up of the law, but perhaps not to the degree the Report suggests. One of the most effective ways of tackling the problem would be through educating consumers on the value of artistic output so that there might be more stigma attached to piracy. But the panel’s reception of the Hargreaves Report was lukewarm, particularly in that if it were applied only to the UK or even to all of Europe, it would be next to useless, as jurisdictions with lax or non-existent IP laws would become havens for piracy.

Questions from the floor showed that the panel, comprising mainly people from the creative industries, had not been preaching to the converted. One questioner suggested that they were living in the past, and that if they did not adapt their business model to something that was applicable to the digital realm, their demise would be sealed. Asked to suggest other business models the questioner could not, apart from pointing to Spotify as a successful alternative model. But in fairness the absence of an alternative suggestion does not mean one doesn’t exist (and he’d be a fool to spill the beans here if he did have one).

Another inquisitor, Manchester Digital’s Shaun Fensom, attacked the inflammatory use of language to demonise people who copy work – “pirates”, “thieves” and such like – stating that theft deprives the owner of an object, whereas copying does not. Perhaps a little humility is called for on the part of the media industry if they are to gain public sympathy.

On the night of the event, still and moving images of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were being shown around the world. The potential earnings for such global use would be breathtakingly high, easily enough to make someone for life, but would any of those who took the images, probably armed fighters who had risked their lives to reach the centre of Sirte, receive any royalties? It would be interesting to know if the people filming the attack were to end up better off than the people doing the attacking, but it does raise a moral point (albeit extreme, admittedly) between the claims creatives make and the way their claims are perceived by the public.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of IP law now or under Hargreaves’ recommendations, the onus seems to be on the creative and digital industries to persuade the public and, consequently, the lawmakers of their case. It need not be hard because they have a strong case, being such an important industry to the UK economy. But there is a sense of unease in the creative industries to the way things are going, and as long as the public perceive the media industries to be making huge profits whilst nit-picking with “the little guy”, there is a danger that IP rights could end up being loosened to the point where creativity is not financially rewarding enough to partake in. And that would hurt everyone in the land.

Perhaps somewhere between the fairyland of artists giving away all their material for free and the prosecution of someone for copying a song to their phone is a happy medium that everyone can happily disagree on.

Wooden Duck Studios

They offer a range of audio related services, including composition, production, recording and mixing.

Making use of high-end analogue equipment and the latest digital tools, our services are tailored to meet the individual needs of a wide range of clients and budgets. We produce bespoke compositions for use across different forms of media. With a network of people offering a diverse range of skills, we tailor the production process to suit any brief and strive to deliver authentic work to our clients. On the production side, we can take demo ideas right through to fully realised works, ideal for artists looking to develop their sound.

With a range of instruments, equipment and musicians to utilise, we ensure that each track is uniquely presented in its best possible form.

Wooden Duck Studios
www.twitter.com/#!/Wooden_Duck

Experts from the media, music business, film industry and legal sector will take part in Whose Work is it Anyway? a no-holds barred discussion on the issue of intellectual property and the major changes that are on the way.

The Government is looking to overhaul the current system in an effort to unlock an estimated £7.9bn of additional GDP and promote greater innovation and growth in the UK economy.

The proposed changes include the establishment of a digital marketplace where copyright content can be licensed; greater access to so called ‘orphan works’ whose copyright owners cannot be traced; and allowing more lawful copying, such as from a laptop to an MP3 player.

The proposals follow recommendations from an independent report commissioned by the Government and led by Professor Ian Hargreaves, Professor of Journalism at the Centre for Journalism Studies (JOMEC) at Cardiff University and Chair of Digital Economy.

The panel for Whose Work is it Anyway? is chaired by Ward Hadaway partner Laura Harper, law expert and head of the specialist Creative Industries team based at The Sharp Project.

On the panel will be Ben Stoney, Head of Digital at The Mob Film Company; Maria McGeoghan, editor of the Manchester Evening News; Greg Robinson of Connect2Media; Christian Hill, Director of Project:Simply; Music Producer and co-founder of OGenesis Records, Jim Spencer and Music Producer Dave Tolan.

Laura Harper, Partner at law firm Ward Hadaway said: “Intellectual property is at the heart of the creative sector’s success so this issue is something no creative enterprise can afford to ignore. These recommendations will fundamentally change the core aims of intellectual property law and have a significant effect on day-to-day business. We’ve managed to put together a fantastic line-up for this debate, featuring some key players in the sector to discuss whether the proposed way forward is for the better. It promises to be a lively discussion and an event not to be missed.”

Rose Marley, from The Sharp Project said: “We are privileged to have experts Ward Hadaway as tenants and value their insight into with such a topical issue that could affect so many creative businesses. This is just one of a range of events we plan to host, that offer creative companies the opportunity to be informed, ahead of the game and therefore able to deliver best practice in their field.”

Please click here for further information.

Places are limited and registration is essential.  For enquiries and registration email events@thesharpproject.co.uk or call 0161 205 1717.

For more information on The Sharp Project visit www.thesharpproject.co.uk.  For more information on Ward Hadaway’s Creative Industries team visit www.wardhadaway.com.

This is the sight that greets visitors to 80 Hertz at The Sharp Project - a beautiful reception with a two-way staircase. (Photo: Richard Ecclestone for Future Music Magazine.)

Turning up at 80 Hertz Studio today, the whole thing seems to be magically sealed behind an unassuming door off the main corridor. But until literally hours before we officially opened our doors on 29 June 2011 it was a fenced-off building site and materials dump with an external office. George was a constant fixture, usually seen standing in his hard hat clutching his phone, presumably sorting out the delivery of some piece of building fabric or recording equipment (or, for all I know, doing horoscopes). And before it was a building site it was, like most of the building when he started, a dark, echoey, slightly damp space.

George had left university and founded a studio in 2005, the original 80 Hertz, in a building built by Manchester Midi School. (The name 80 Hertz comes from a high-pass filter button on all mixing desks.) George’s reputation and talent as a producer and engineer quickly spread and he would go on to work with mainstream acts such as Lily Allen as well as an eclectic range of artists such as The Twang, Wiley, Rae Morris and All the Young. But along the way there were downs as well as ups. Out of the blue one day his landlord announced that his tenancy was over and the studio was effectively closed down. He was faced with a limited number of options: re-found the studio elsewhere (but money would be a problem); seek employment full-time or freelance in a studio; or simply get out of the recording industry altogether. He decided to take the freelance route, taking his work to Blueprint Studios in Manchester, where he would see out the next few years.

But every morning George would get out of bed and gaze at his old recording helmet dangling forlornly from its hanger, and with an 80 Hertz hum continuing to rumble in his ears, he resolved one day to give the whole thing another go.

Location would be an important factor, particularly from a cost point of view. He searched Manchester for a suitable location and even got involved with talks with Peel Media, who wanted him to set up on the then embryonic MediaCityUK site. Talks ultimately collapsed.

Over beer one evening his friend mentioned a new project that was being planned for the digital industries; George pricked up his trained ears. The next day he was being shown around by The Boot Room’s Keith Jobling who was himself in the process of getting the project off the ground. George saw fabulous prospects. There was the availability of space to design the bespoke studio he had in mind; the isolation from other businesses and households (perfect for 24-hour sessions); the potential for being a go-to place for the TV, movie and digital media operations planned to operate from there; the focus on getting huge amounts of data in and out of the building at high speed; and also good rates. Negotiations went on for quite some time, but eventually, with encouragement from Sue Woodward and other key people at the project, came the handshake that secured the build.

The view from the studio to the main corridor during construction. Interestingly, pitch sensors showed that the building's previous occupants had left a residual sharpness amounting to about a tenth of a semitone. The studio was designed to be flat by the same amount to achieve concert pitch throughout.

Now all he needed was the money. George had no choice but to continue working freelance, so a bizarre period of his life was commenced in August 2010 consisting of working with the builders from 3 a.m. to 11 a.m. and then going to Blueprint for the rest of the day to perform his freelance duties. This went on for three gruelling months, until eventually he undocked from the mother ship and cast himself fully into his new role. As time went on, and as tenants started to fill the containers and other phases, the pile of building materials slowly got sucked in through the door until all that was left outside was a broken-toothed Wurlitzer keyboard. There was still plenty to do inside, but the walls, floors, ceilings and windows were in place and stairs replaced the precarious ladder.

7 April, 2011 - builders preparing the frame for the main control room window

Without an investor, George had had to use some creative ways to acquire materials and equipment. But he managed to get it all finished without external backing. The investment and the risk are therefore all his, which amply demonstrates his commitment. He was helped immeasurably by Alistair Weir of PRP Architects and studio owner John Wood, who gave their time for free.

Opening Night

20 June 2011 - Mechanical Bride on the grand piano on The Sharp Project's opening night, as seen from the control room

When May 2011 ended and the calendar was flipped to June, a heart-stopping day appeared. June 29 was The Sharp Project’s opening event, and 80 Hertz was playing a pivotal role. As well as showcasing the studio to everyone at the event, it would play host to two live performances, one by Rae, another by Mechanical Bride. As if that were not pressure enough, Rae would be having her slot filmed and shown live on the big screen in the campus via George’s mixing desk. This was one deadline that could not slip, and George drafted in as much help as possible, culminating in a sleepless pre-launch 72 hours that would make those 3 a.m. starts look slovenly.

But complete it they did, and by ten to eight that evening every room was full of silent guests taking advantage of the lines of sight to the main studio, where Rae poured her emotional masterpieces into the microphone from her piano stool. George characteristically blended into the background as he tweaked the mixing desk, pausing only to readjust the matchsticks holding his eyes open.

Line of Sight Philosophy

The standard model of recording studio construction involves moving into a new building and partitioning as best as possible. The control room has to be acoustically isolated as the sound coming in has to be as close to 100% electronic as possible, as it is this that is being recorded. But thereafter, the isolation of the various musicians has been more down to what can be got away with. If there is plenty of space the possibilities are wider. Abbey Road, probably the most famous studio in the world, has a large live room, and when Pete Waterman wanted to found his studio in Manchester he went for an abandoned church. But not all studios have the luxury of space, and isolation is often a case of plonking a padded board between musicians.

Inside the vocal booth looking into the control room. The only standing wave in here is from the singer gesturing to the producer for another bash at the falsetto passage. (Photo: Richard Ecclestone for Future Music Magazine.)

Why is isolation so important? Fundamentally, it’s because each instrument is recorded on its own track and they are all mixed together to make a finished recording, and you do not want to hear bass and drums in the background of the vocal track. Also, the snares of a snare drum, which are effectively a bunch of coiled springs a millimetre from the drum head, rattle when they pick up vibrations from the other instruments (i.e. all the time). These problems are easily avoided by recording the tracks separately, one after the other. The drums will usually be recorded first, and then the musicians will listen on headphones and play along one by one, recording it several times until they are happy. The vocals are sometimes the last thing to go down, but there’s no right or wrong order – acts will record in the order that befits the sought sound.

This is where George sees the origins of sterile recordings. Music, he says, is about interaction between the band members. Just as a pianist would not record the left and right hands, or indeed each finger, separately, so a band whose members do not practice their parts one by one should not record one by one. Look at a live performance of a band and you’ll see movement, eye contact, laughter, touching, dancing and experimentation going on. Musicians will instinctively work off each other rather than follow a single lead, and yes, that includes drummers.

Then after months and years of interaction in the practice room and on stage, off they traipse into the studio and they are suddenly expected to reproduce their live sound with a completely different mood and methodology.

Many of the recordings we now consider classics would have been recorded as if live. Although multi-track recording was invented in the mid-1950s, it took time to establish itself and even when it did, the number of tracks was limited. In 1968 when the Beatles recorded The White Album, eight-track recording was revolutionary; all their previous work had been recorded on four-track machines. With two guitars, a bass, a drum kit and two or more vocal tracks, it’s a squeeze. But as time went on, tape and hardware got cheaper and more advanced, and studios became 16- and then 24-track, allowing even individual drums and cymbals to get a track of their own and multiple overlays and harmonies could be put down over the other instruments and vocals. Some acts were masters in the studio and got the most out of it, but all too often bands would see empty tracks and fill them with unnecessary sounds that added nothing to the overall performance.

One of the specifications George gave to his architect was that line of sight should exist as much as possible between acoustically isolated live rooms. Musicians can of course hear each other as all the rooms are wired to the hub so they can listen on headphones, but with this line of sight they can also give and take visual cues. With this ability the whole band can perform dynamically, upping the tempo and loudness together, introducing colour and maybe even going off at an unexpected tangent and guiding themselves back to a crescendo. It’s how some bands rock. Even little errors and slips of the finger that would have screamed “wrong” in isolation and caused a stop and start again when recording track-by-track can end up adding to the overall sound or even go completely unnoticed. The verb used for making music is playing, and we shouldn’t lose sight of that.

Inside the live room, the largest space in the studio. Line of sight to the control room, drum booth and green room (which can also be used for recording) are maintained. (Photo: Richard Ecclestone for Future Music Magazine.)

George also hopes that this approach will make it easier for smaller bands to pay for studio time. The time they spend perfecting their songs is up to them, but once they roll up to the studio the clock is ticking. There’s inevitably some time required to set up the equipment and get the levels right, but recording simultaneously means that a performance can (theoretically at least) be recorded in a few minutes rather than a few hours, and then any tweaks, overlays and re-recordings can be put in afterwards. And since the studio is putting together its own collection of instruments (including a piano), amplifiers and effects, they could literally turn up with their guitars and drum sticks, count to four and go. A well rehearsed band could have a single recorded in an afternoon.

Serving a Changing Industry

The music industry is not what it used to be; everybody knows that. But even when it was what it used to be, it wasn’t what it had been; this is a state secret. Humans simply have ears for music and don’t really care how they consume it. By far the most important change of the past fifteen or so years has been the ease with which anyone with a computer can create complex, high-quality music and sell it or give it away, completely bypassing labels. It’s astonishing that it’s now fourteen years since Your Woman became the first bedroom single to reach number one in theUK – but even White Town had to get vinyl pressed. How quaint.

The control room. From here we can see the main live room and the drum booth, and behind us is the vocal booth. In fact, let's call this the control booth. (Photo: Richard Ecclestone for Future Music Magazine.)

So do we need recording studios any more? And if so, how can they service digital music? In answer to the first question, it’s a clear yes. There are no signs that people will stop writing songs and performing them on physical instruments any time soon. For the best possible results it has to be recorded in an acoustically designed studio with professional engineers and producers. But digital music? As White Town and countless others since have proved, it is not essential, but there are still factors in the studios’ favour. There’s still the aforementioned expertise on hand, as well as the industry-standard gear on offer. And it’s not uncommon for artists to create the tracks in the comfort of their own homes and at their own pace but then to go to a professional studio for mixing and mastering.

The wondrous data speed available at The Sharp Project also allows the studio to be used for interesting concepts such as live online broadcasts. The Rae Morris event could have been simply a dress rehearsal for things to come.

Jewel in the Crown

Ever since George first signed up and threw himself into The Sharp Project there has been a buzz about the place, not only among those working here who have seen it grow from nothing. So ingrained is the studio into the fabric of the project that it’s sometimes overlooked that it’s the work of one man (albeit helped and assimilated seamlessly and willingly into the building by all concerned) and not a homogeneous part of the project. But it shows what can be done in this place where flexibility and open-mindedness inform strategic decisions.

Now his studio is “complete” (although I get the feeling he’s a bit of a vintage gear hoarder) he’s ready to mould it to his way of doing things. George loves genuine, heartfelt music, and has designed his studio around its recording. He is dismissive of the juggernaut that is simplistic, manufactured, humourless pop that is churned out by certain sections of the industry, and reserves a particular loathing for the output of TV talent shows whose sole purpose is to part pre-teens with their pocket money (and a bemusing number of long-since-teens with money that should be in their kids’ pockets). He clearly appreciates quality pop, and has a track record that proves he knows how to create it.

Although modern recording and broadcasting is digital, George already has some analogue tape-to-tape gear waiting to go on stream. He loves the dynamic range and warmth of magnetic recording and is looking forward to his first request to record onto tape. Even though it will end up in the digital domain for reselling and distribution, the magnetic signature will remain to have a profound effect on the sound. And vinyl, once described by someone as quaint, has still not formally been declared dead and continues to show signs of revival.

One of the studios kitted out for post-production. (Photo: Richard Ecclestone for Future Music Magazine.)

Audio Master

All this talk about bands and music is probably the obvious way to describe a recording studio, but working studios offer all manner of audio recording services, and 80 Hertz is no exception. Broadcast quality spoken word recordings will always be needed; there’s a TV and radio advert and jingle industry to service; and other miscellaneous recording tasks can be performed here, such as sound effects for the games and film industries.

But with George and his team at the desk, it’s going to sound great.

Links

80 Hertz :: Website :: Twitter :: Facebook :: Soundcloud

Artists :: Rae Morris :: Mechanical Bride :: The Twang :: Wiley :: All the Young

Other Links :: PRP Architects

The Sharp Project

The new companies moving into the ‘Gold’ Phase 3 section of the building include Playface, a sports software and digital media solutions company and Fac365 who provide crew, facilities and equipment for the broadcast industry.

The 30,000 sq ft space, which is located at the heart of the building, has a mezzanine level with light and airy offices and a glazed roof suitable for office or studio use.  In total there are 28 units that range from 500 sq ft through to 1300 sq ft. This phase has a large communal space in the centre, where a cafe will open later this year, creating a social and event space with wireless connectivity so tenants can get together over a coffee and network or hold meetings with clients.

New tenant, Mark Chadwick, Director of Playface said: “The Sharp Project is the ideal location for us.  It’s close to the city centre but also right at the heart of the Eastlands development area and world leading sports facilities.

Mike Hayes, Managing Director of fac365 said: “We chose the Sharp Project for the vibrant atmosphere and sense of community spirit it will bring.”

Sue Woodward, Director for The Sharp Project said: “This part of the building adds to the range of working environments we can offer new tenants and existing ones who want to expand into a larger space. It’s great that we also have companies who started off in shipping containers, and now want to move into bigger units as they grow.  Our vision, to create our own eco-system where start-ups can flourish within a vibrant business community, is becoming a reality, which is fantastic.  The Sharp Project has always been more than just a building and always will be.”

This not-for-profit initiative is led by urban regeneration company, New East Manchester on behalf of site owners Manchester City Council.  Eddie Smith, chief executive of New East Manchester added: “Phase 3 is at the heart of the building and will become an important hub for tenants to meet, network and socialise. With the glass roof, this part of the original building has been completely transformed into a modern, attractive space to work. By providing the right environment, Manchester will remain a key player in this growing sector, bringing jobs and investment to the city.”