Wow!
That is really sad :cry:
I feel so bad, if their was only some way I could of helped.
I know, maybe I could help them off load some of that sweet gear at a low, low price! :twisted:

The advent of home studios and technological advances cut into its business.

This is exactly why I bailed on music recording years ago and now work in broadcast. Anyone who has paid any attention to the changes in the music recording environment in the past 5-10 years could predict this. Not shocking at all. Just be a realist.

Every thread on this site asking the question "What recording school should i go to" or "I'm considering pursuing a career in music recording. What should I do?" should include a link to this thread.

Honestly, let's remove the shock value. This is an incredibly useful link to those considering a career in pro audio. Things ain't like they used to be, and the good ol' days will never, ever return. Roll with the changes, or be left in the dust.

This is really sad news. It's sort of scary when the world's great studios start to close. Even Polar in Stockholm is gone since May. I wonder what will be next; Abbey Road or even Air? These great studios have made such an important contribution to modern culture; they should be preserved for future generations!

John Stafford

Polar Studios did actually not close because of business going bad, it was doing fine. The problem was the landlord. Polar had an attractive inner-city location overlooking a river and the rushing rates for any kind of attractive officespace made the landlord greedy and raised their rent by 200% (!). As it was expensive even before the raise they of course could not afford it. No business has such margins. But in the end it´s the same, it has closed down. And partially re-opened in a new location. Studio B (the smaller one) is moved to another location and is soon ready to rock. But the Polar facility was no doubt special and there was "magic in the walls". That can never be moved to another spot.

Marcus, I had heard something about the rent increase being the cause, but I thought the whole thing had come to an end, and it's great that studio B will re-open elsewhere. I was looking at the website and noticed that they had a 3M digital setup in studio B. I wonder if it was the same 3M system used by ABBA. I'm always astonished by the quality of digital recording that went on there 25 years ago. With all of the subsequent developments in digital recording, I've never heard a better sounding record.

As you say, the real magic can never be moved, especially given the history of the place, but hopefully the new Polar will prove to be as much of a pioneer as the original.

A few years ago I was in Stockholm and I stayed on Skepsholmen without realising that Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus were setting up a studio next door to where I was staying!

Let's hope that Stockholm can continue it's great audio engineering tradition. At leat Atlantis is still open.

John

John, the studio they were building is a fine one. Check out http://www.monomusic.se and click on "studion". Then you can click for english. Skeppsholmen is a nice place aswell :)

Thanks Marcus!

I've heard some wonderful recordings from there. I have the Swedish language version of Chess, and it has lots of that Andersson/Ulvaeus magic. I know that they reveal their production secrest from time to time, but there's always that extra dimension!

I'd like to have gone to Stockholm for the opening of Mamma Mia on Saturday, but naturally it's sold out. I suppose Im going a bit off topic here!

A lot of studios over here are changing for various reasons. Windmill Lane -where U2 recorded- closed and then reopened in a new location. U2 then built their own studio, but they were then forced to demolish the building. At the moment, U2 are constructing a 30 floor building with a new studio on the top floor. Sounds like a great idea!

I've noticed that the old studios that are still thriving seem to have moved into the area of AV production. I supoose the cheaper studios are less likely to eat into that area of business.

John

John, let me know if you´re coming over here. I can take you out on a beer and some studio sightseeing :)