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soapfloats 20 February 2009

Once in awhile I see a good post about a product/tool and its uses for keeping a studio clean and maintained, or aiding the recording process.
However, it's tricky to find them w/o stumbling upon them.

So I was wondering, how about a discussion on this?

I've invested in gaffer's tape, isopropryl, brass cleaner, an SPL-meter, the usual assortment of household tools, a sautering kit, and a few others.

Anyone have any other suggestions for "non-recording"-related items that really should be in every studio? Like a multimeter? Just wanted to see what everyone thought about this.

Comments

jg49 Fri, 02/20/2009 - 20:31

Who is the glass for? Company? By the time I am finished I don't have time for the glass.

Just a little curious as to what a "sautering" kit is? Or did you mean soldering?

I have found a digital camera to be pretty handy, I take some quick pix of amp settings, pedals, mic placements in case someone wants to do a punch in weeks later. I keep a good supply of battteries around, picks, sharpies I can't live without.

soapfloats Sat, 02/21/2009 - 02:01

Good suggestions, all.

I try to make sure I have something available for the musicians to imbibe.
Usually coffee/water, but a little booze can "boost the comfort level".

I (again) forgot a camera tonight. Not so much for capturing settings, but actual session photos. Dammit.

Sorry, whenever I think "soldering" iron, I think of Christopher Walken in Joe Dirt. It didn't look right to me, but sounded right saying it.
Looking at "sautering iron" in type, it seems more like a cooking device.

anonymous Sat, 02/21/2009 - 06:03

Bottled water. Lots of it. And preferably a fridge to put it in.

An electric heater comes in handy, especially if your studio is built in a 16th Century church! We do have heating and air con, but sometimes you need something a bit quicker.

A torch sometimes comes in handy too, for seeing into the nooks and crannies.

adiant Sat, 02/21/2009 - 11:38

Goo Gone for removing the residue left by pressure-sensitive labels, which seems to be a bigger problem since I moved to a much less humid climate 35 years ago.

Although I bought a pair of inexpensive Radio Shack electronic timers for billing clients for Labour, I find that I use them more frequently when writing and rehearsing scripts for audio material that must be exactly a specific length (e.g. - commercials). Yes, recording equipment and computers pretty much all have time displays on them, but they are not always positioned where they can be read "live" while recording. I was originally looking for a true Stop Watch when I ran into these. Much cheaper. Mine is long discontinued, but Radio Shack Model # 63-878 is $13.99 on their U.S. web site and has the added bonus of being able to be use as a CountDown as well as normal CountUp timer.

Perhaps a bit off topic, but the best thing I ever did when I bought this house new 7 years ago was "Smart Wiring" (one of many names for it). I've moved my studio and office around a lot within the house during that time, but the Smart Wiring saved me every time. One wall box with telephone, cable TV (I use the studio to record a lot of Radio, most of it off cable FM), and computer (Ethernet) outlets all together. The key thing I did different from the Norm for "Smart Wiring" was use Conduit everywhere so that I can add new wiring as Capacity Needs and Technology change. I can certainly see switching to Fibre Optics in the years ahead.

Battery Backup units, in case there are power problems when I'm recording. Or even just typing something into my computer. I'm a fan of APC, but generally find units of their's on sale for $60 or so.

And, also for $60 or so, a Sentry fireproof/waterproof security chest. I have one bolted to a frame of 2x4 wood studs in the basement, which makes it burglar proof. And a larger one, which cannot be bolted, hidden away. Both are used to store backups of all my recordings. And stuff off my computer. I recently switched from DVDs to external Seagate hard drives for backup, to store in those chests.

soapfloats Sat, 02/21/2009 - 21:47

Thanks Bob - that's one of the few discussions I did stumble on.
That link will help tie things together.

I'm still looking for something more on the studio maintenance side - like the Goo Gone adiant mentioned.
Some other good suggestions too, adiant. I do have a clock w/ a second hand in the control room.
Haven't really used it yet, and it's not a stopwatch, but I bet I'll be glancing at it more.
If nothing else it could help me streamline things by being aware of the time I spend. In other words, focus better.

And while I may not buy a security box for my recordings, you've made me decide to archive stuff on disc and put it away. I hate deleting/trashing ANYTHING. Plus, that frees up space on the external HD.

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