Looking to further embrace a hybrid analogue/digital workflow in service of its client base of artists, engineers, producers and corporate clients, Nashville’s in:ciite Studios called in studio integration team Pro Audio Design (PAD) to bring a custom AMS Neve Genesys Black GB-96-G3D into Studio A.
in:ciite has positioned itself among the leading recording and audio postproduction studios in the greater Nashville area since opening its doors in 2022. Performers including Gary Sinise, Nicole Kidman and Brad Paisley as well as major entertainment entities such as Disney, Netflix, Universal Pictures,and Warner Bros,are in:ciite regulars, attracted by the studio’s mix tasteful old-school musicality and efficient new-school expertise.
in:ciite has set itself apart by serving the growing number of film, TV and advertising clients who have been relocating to the greater Nashville area over the past few decades. Although still serving Nashville’s established musical communities, keeping an eye on the future has enabled them to differentiate by developing an expertise in a broader range of audio postproduction disciplines.
‘Our goal has always been to be a full-service, one-stop-shop in terms of audio production and postproduction, and our evolution with the latter has been in response to where we’ve seen the industry grow locally and nationally,’ explains in:ciite Studios President/CEO/co-founder, Chris Thomason. ‘We’ve seen that the future of Nashville is in embracing these increasingly diverse recording and audio post-production projects. Given that, we’ve invested accordingly in ensuring we have a cutting-edge space that is taking advantage of the latest studio technology.’
Like most studios in the area, in:ciite is still regards classic analogue gear as part of its sonic identity. Adopting a hybrid set-up of analogue and digital components has enabled the studio to bring modern speed and convenience without sacrificing the sound they love. ‘Nashville is still all-analogue in terms of sound and we still treat the studio very much as a ‘cutting room’ in the analogue tradition,’ says Director of Studio Operations, Terry Watson. ‘We knew we wanted a digitally-controlled analogue console as the new centrepiece of Studio A so that we’d have the quality we know and love with the convenience of instant-recall and other quality-of-life features – which ultimately led us to the Neve.’
‘We had opened discussions with Dave Malekpour and the team from PAD when we realised that the Neve Genesys Black GB-96-G3D fit the bill. From there, it was customising it specifically for our facility and giving them the reins to ensure it was perfectly integrated into our studio space.’
‘The analogue/digital hybrid workflow is centred on digitally-controlled analogue with a DAW-driven architecture,’ explains Pro Audio Design co-founder/CEO Dave Malekpour. ‘This enables you to run almost every feature of the console from the Genesys Black control plug-in, including EQ, Dynamics, Levels, and Aux Sends. This means you can stay in the sweet spot, and work on any channel in the console without having to move from your seat – which was a priority for the in:ciite team.’
The PAD and Neve teams worked together to plan and build out a custom 48-channel Genesys Black that maintained its existing large-console format while fitting into a smaller, more ergonomic footprint perfectly matched to Studio A’s existing layout. Doing so ensured that in:ciite’s engineering talent had complete control of the session without having to leave the ‘sweet spot’ of the studio’s mix position.
‘It’s a big win for functionality when you have all that manual control within arm’s reach,’ Watson says. ‘It’s incredibly important for quick turnover and both Neve and PAD were very sensitive to the details we needed to get right to ensure that everything we had was accessible and fitted to the space’
‘We approach these integrations like a manufacturer rather than as an ‘installer’,’ adds Malekpour. ‘We have the experience to know the many connected concerns involved to ensure these consoles are the right technical fit, sonic fit, ergonomic and aesthetic fit for the room. It’s more than just showing up and plugging in a bunch of wires. We work hand-in-hand with these manufacturers to provide the right equipment, and then ensure that our integration work is also a manufactured result that matches.’
A critical part of the project involved removing the studio’s existing console and ensuring that the turnover to the Genesys Black was seamless and efficient to avoid long stretches of time without being able to take on clients. Malekpour and Production Manager Eric Anderson walked the in:ciite team through a meticulous Pre-Install process that turned what is often several weeks of install work into a streamlined, ten-day install, minimising studio downtime and ensuring they could get back to work as quickly as possible.
‘We know a quick-turnaround is a big value add for our customers, so we do a lot of pre-work to ensure things are ready to go when the moment arrives,’ Malekpour says. ‘We worked closely with the in:ciite guys to make sure that every detail had been accounted for so that the install could go smoothly and they could get back to work as quickly as possible.’
‘The install itself was ultimately very streamlined because we had worked out all of those details in advance and could focus on delivering high-quality workmanship,’ he continues. ‘That’s really the mission of PAD right there – thinking it all out ahead to save the client time and money so that when it’s time to deliver, there’s no delays.’
‘PAD led us through this with excellence and had the complete trust of our team,’ says Thomason. ‘It made us very confident in what the result would be and that there were no surprises when the install was completed.’
With the Genesys Black happily installed in Studio A, the in:ciite team has been able to press ahead with more ambitious projects – including an increasing number of Dolby Atmos recording and mixing projects, and sessions with 35-piece orchestras. The new workflow enables them to maintain the musicality and quality that they are known for with a renewed speed and efficiency.
‘The fact that Genesys Black gives us 48 Channels of 1073 preamps with absolutely no noise is a gift to begin with, but doing so with such fluency of DAW integration and instant recall makes the workflow seamless for us,’ Watson says. ‘We work with very high-profile clients and they expect the best when they come here. Genesys Black elevates what “the best” can mean with absolutely zero downtime of the kind we might have had before.
‘There’s a power and precision to this workflow that has proven itself quickly, and we’ve gotten an incredible response so far from our clients as a result. We have the PAD team to thank for that.’
‘When the original space was created in 2001, we had the privilege of working alongside the studio designer Russ Berger and did some system spec work for the original owners,’ Malekpour adds. ‘It feels fitting to return to this space more than 20 years later to play a role in providing for its future.’
More: www.inciitestudios.com