Drummer Turned Producer and Studio Owner: When Matthew Moore emigrated from New Zealand to Los Angeles, the furthest thing from his mind was launching a rehearsal and recording studio, let alone one that has become a must-experience spot for musical superstars and indie upstarts alike. Yet, as he established himself as both a professional drummer (playing in numerous rock, blues and jazz bands) and educator, he developed a passion for engineering and producing. While writing songs and developing his craft in the mid-2000s, Moore built and opened up a studio in his Pasadena garage. After 10 years of producing and engineering for a stylistically diverse clientele, he partnered with Kiersten Dilts to build and open Summit Rehearsal and Recording in Pasadena. Summit is a 5000 sq. ft. rehearsal facility and recording studio “one stop shop experience” that provides both boutique band rehearsal space and a state-of-the-art 2000 sq. ft. recording studio. Moore and Dilts (who is no longer co-owner) built it from the ground up, having a hand in “every screw, coat of paint and custom sound panel.” Hands-on customer service has been a Summit trademark from the get-go, and when they opened last year after a three-month COVID hiatus, the facility became an important and therapeutic gathering place for staff and musicians to talk about their challenges.
Six Uniquely Themed Rehearsal Spaces: Summit’s comfortable rooms are ideal for everything from band rehearsal to music lessons and music video shoots. Rather than build out similar spaces generically titled by number or letter, Moore had the compelling and colorful idea to create distinctive themed rooms–each designed for a specific aesthetic or creative purpose. With its retro vibe, the Classic Room (Summit’s most popular) is perfect for film and photography. Moore describes the blue and icy tinged Stratus Room, the facility’s third largest, “as if you’re playing in the clouds and a favorite of metal bands.” The Moroccan Room, known for its brown earthy tones, is the perfect practice room, while the Victorian Room is stark, vintage styled and looks almost like a museum. A favorite choice of teachers, the Jazz Room has red paneling, a piano and vintage drum kit that appeals to jazz musicians and rockers alike. With red accents and black paneling, “The Suite” is a dynamic lockout room that includes a lounge, kitchen and bathroom. The uniqueness of these spaces has attracted the likes of Eric Burdon, Andy Grammar, Alabama Shakes, Ozomatli, Jordin Sparks, Corbin Bleu, Angel Olsen and Bikini Kill. Photos can be seen on website: summitstudiospasadena.com and Instagram @summitstudiospasadena.
Recording Studio: With Pro Tools and analog capability, a high-end mix room, a vocal booth, two iso booths, two amp closets, a large tracking room and vaulted lounge, this beautiful space is also perfect for film and photography. With Moore at the helm offering his engineering, production (and quite often) songwriting expertise, Summit offers a full slate of production services–engineering, mixing, drum tracking, demos, full-band tracking and vocal tuning. Commercial audio services include voiceover, narration and podcast recording. In addition to helping clients develop their crafts, Moore uses the space to facilitate his own songwriting and recording endeavors. He is currently building his own website (matthewmooremusic.com) to showcase his own productions and studio work.
Contact Summit Rehearsal and Recording, 626-486-2685
