*****
What happens when two engineers leave a studio they’ve spent years building and start again with one clear goal? Make room for musicians to play together.
Sam Winfield and Tom Millar join Nate, Ben, and Neil to tell the story of The Pines Recording Studio, their new space in the Berkshire countryside. They talk about moving on from Studio 91, turning a old building into a recording studio, and the surprises they found beneath the floorboards.
The conversation moves from construction to the records they want to make there: tracking full bands, finding sounds in a large live room, using bleed creatively, and committing to tones while recording. Sam and Tom also explain how working as a pair helps them adapt to each artist and keep a session moving.
Chapters
01:09 — A little weather talk
03:42 — Meet Sam and Tom of The Pines Recording Studio
06:03 — From studio assistants to creative partners
09:47 — Studio 91, the pandemic, and a change of direction
12:19 — Why build a studio dedicated to recording?
15:38 — Making music in the Berkshire countryside
20:16 — Finding the building and imagining the live room
23:49 — Building a room within a room
27:32 — Protecting the vaulted ceiling and solving construction surprises
35:25 — Hearing the new room in action
41:56 — Letting the artist and song guide the session
48:56 — Analog gear and committing sounds on the way in
55:43 — Gobos, bleed, and room microphones
01:00:40 — Choosing when to track live
01:07:58 — How Sam and Tom work together
01:12:41 — Desert island gear
01:14:27 — Where to find The Pines
Key Five Takeaways
1. A studio can give artists a change of setting. Sam and Tom wanted The Pines to feel like a place where musicians could step away from daily routines and focus on making music.
2. The room changes the performance. Space for a full band lets players respond to one another, while the live room sound becomes part of what they hear as they play.
3. Building the space took constant problem solving. Keeping the vaulted ceiling, controlling sound, and fixing an unexpected hollow floor all shaped the finished studio.
4. Early decisions can help the rest of a record take shape. Sam and Tom describe dialing in tones during tracking so each new part responds to a sound that already feels like the record.
5. Their approach changes with the artist. They value live performances and creative commitment, while recognizing that some songs and players call for tighter, more isolated tracking.
Resources & Links
- The Pines Recording Studio - https://thepinesrecordingstudio.co.uk/
- The Pines on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thepinesrecordingstudio/
Listen to Sound Discussion:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sound-discussion/id1727711992
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4QLiTjT6OpY3prLIL8QoqD
Subscribe To Our Newsletter:
https://sounddiscussionpodcast.com/newsletter
Shop:
https://sounddiscussionpodcast.com/shop
Sound Discussion Is:
@natekelmesmixes
@benhlms
@merchantaudioproductions