36 channels of Audient ASP8024 console are at the heart of Red Bull Studios in Amsterdam, a place where studio manager Jasper Cremers reckons, “Anything is possible.”
This mantra extends across the worldwide Red Bull Studios Network, as Jasper explains: “The idea behind Red Bull Studios is creating a place for musicians and artists where they can create whatever they want.”
One of the biggest draws, is the free use of the studios – a rare phenomenon. “The artists that come here are free from any obligations – and that’s when the creativity starts flowing. Our motto is ‘giving wings to artists’ and with our studios we aim to do just that.”
The recording studios are booked up to the end of the year and beyond, so these unique opportunities are certainly being utilized, according to Cremers – by an assortment of artists.
“The best thing about the Red Bull Studios in Amsterdam is that we really encounter a diverse array of musical genres. Amsterdam is known for the Amsterdam Dance Event so there’s a very strong electronic music scene in this country, but there’s also a huge band culture here. And let’s not forget the big hip hop scene in all its forms. The list of artists goes from Mayer Hawthorne and Dennis Ferrer to Diplo with Ghostface Killah in between.”
It was this variety of musicians coming through the doors of the Amsterdam studios that led Cremers to choose Audient.
“Due to the diversity in genres we have in our studio, we wanted a neutral sounding desk that could go in any direction.” The large format ASP8024 console, complete with with Dual Layer Control (DLC) and integrated patchbay is actually the second console to grace the Amsterdam complex. Cremers admits, “The first console was a vintage one. Looked great but the maintenance was high on that baby.
“The best thing about the Audient is reliability. You don’t want to get in a situations where you need to stop recording because the console isn’t working properly. That’s a killer for every studio and engineer. Our Audient took away that concern.”
Red Bull Studios Amsterdam also boasts a live room big enough to host showcases and intimate one-off gigs, and there are regular workshops and lectures on offer to help inspire young artists, welcoming anybody who makes music, including budding producers. “They have the opportunity to enhance themselves,” agrees Cremers. “All we can do is offer them the tools to grow, the rest is up to them.
“Come prepared and use your imagination.” he says. Pretty good advice all round, we reckon.