Dave Simons - Studio Stories: How the Great New York Records Were Made: From Miles to Madonna, Sinatra to the Ramones

Miles Davis at Columbias 30th Street studio, recording Kind of Blue , March 1959.

T he bright red awnings of Maxies Delicatessen add color to the otherwise drab exterior of 723 7th Avenue, an ancient 12-story structure that has played a part in creating some of the most popular sounds made in the city of New York.

Since 1978, the building, at the corner of West 48th Street, has been home to Quad Recording Studios, owned by veteran engineer Lou Gonzalez. Its client list includes modern hitmakers like Alicia Keys, Destinys Child and Coldplay. Quads predecessor, Associated Sound, was a favorite hangout for 1960s songwriters like Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and the birthplace of My Boyfriends Back and other hits of the girl-group era.

The interior of 723 7th is remarkably well preserved. Riding up the old-style elevator, one can easily imagine producer Jeff Barry on his way to a sixth-floor session. or Carole King heading back to her Broadway cubicle to finish off Hey Girl with husband Gerry Goffin.

Gonzalez, who got his start turning the dials at Bob Goldmans Mira Sound Studios in the late 1960s, has never completely shed his sense of tradition: a fleet of Studer tape machines and other relics of the past has been seamlessly integrated into each of Quads state-of-the-art recording rooms. Still, Quads beautifully appointed studios are a reminder of just how much the business of making music has changed over the years. Sleek, automated consoles have long since replaced the funky old mixing desks of yesteryear. Where artists once labored to get the job done in two hours using three tracks, Quads visitors are afforded a virtually endless supply of work space.

The same technology that transformed full-service studios like Quad over the past decade also lit a fire under the home-studio market. Today, even the most basic do-it-yourself machine offers at least eight recording tracks (four more than the Beatles had) and an array of built-in effects, giving musicians the freedom to work on new ideas on the spot rather than wait to book studio time or assemble a crew of players, Its impact on the record industry has been considerable.

Nearly one-third of the hits Ive done have originated in the home or home-type studio, notes Dave Hard Drive Pensado, who helped deliver Pinks 2001 classic M!ssundaztood album.

In many ways there are a lot of things the home guys do that are in fact better than the recordings that come from a big facility. Thats because, in general, the creativity that emerges from a home studio almost always surpasses that of an expensive studio. Never mind the sound quality personally, Id rather start with the kind of feeling and emotion you get on a homemade record like Pinks. Thats the main thing.

For those who believe that an Internet-based musical revolution is at hand, the prospect of a 16-track in every garage is certainly good news. But theres a flip side to all this digital democracy. As sophisticated machinery like ProTools becomes more affordable, even professional artists are now minimizing their trips to the studio. The increasingly popular practice of shuttling tracks back and forth between living room and control room means that, now more than ever, records are being produced bit by bit, rather than in one large gulp, as was once the norm. Great for the bottom line, perhaps - but not always the best thing for the listener.

When you have excellent players all working together at once, there is usually some friendly competition. People tend to perform to the best of their abilities, notes Matt Wallace, producer for Maroon 5. Faith No More and Paul Westerberg. The interaction sparks additional excitement, thereby creating a more lively track. It plays a large part in the overall warmth and spirit of the recording. Thats whats at stake when you go it alone.

Moreover, the ability to fine-tune every element ol the recorded work combined with the more leisurely approach to recording that is itself a byproduct of the digital age has all but removed the chance for anything haphazard or accidental from sneaking onto the finished product.

People now have the wherewithal to make really perfect-sounding records. says Wallace. But from my experience, as the quality of the recording gets better, the quality of the musicianship very often suffers. The result is a safer, homogenized product. Josh Freese, a top session drummer who has worked for Evanescence, Avril Lavigne and the Offspring adds, Lets face it when youve got Pro Tools, theres no need for those pesky chops.