A Fresh Musical Headspace in the Aspen Valley: Launched in 2011 in a 1900s-era historic house in Carbondale, CO (40 minutes northwest of Aspen), Cool Brick Studios offers a small-town Colorado experience for musicians seeking state-of-the-art recording, mixing, and mastering. Owner/engineer Dave Taylor describes it as a “cowboy, hippie, and artist community that’s the perfect place to come to get out of their regular day-to-day headspace, be creative, and rejuvenate. It’s quiet and friendly, and besides recording, the area offers a multitude of recreational opportunities, including horseback riding, rafting, fishing, hiking in summer, and of course skiing in the winter.”
Owner’s Background: In addition to being a veteran acoustic rocker, guitarist, and bassist, Taylor’s multi-faceted background includes stints in broadcast radio, voiceovers, being a DJ and music director, and six years learning the recording and mastering ropes in N.Y.C. Eager for a lifestyle change, he moved to Colorado and worked with horses for a number of years before opening his studio. Over the years, hip-hop/rap artists, singer-songwriters, country performers, fellow rockers, and more have been welcomed in. “My time working with horses taught me patience and how to be conservative with the expertise I bring to the table for my artists,” Taylor says. “I help them get what they need without being heavy-handed and keeping the focus on their musical vision.”
PhantomFocus: The opportunity to purchase the house where Taylor runs Cool Brick Studios led him to fulfill his dream of becoming the only commercial recording studio in Colorado featuring a Carl Tatz PhantomFocus™ Mix Room. The system is the world-leader in near-field monitoring with customized acoustic treatment and tuning for those who demand the highest level of accuracy and performance. Hardware includes dual subwoofer modules, the PhantomFocus Processor, PhantomFocus PFM HD 1000 monitors, and the PhantomFocus eChair™ ensemble, rendering the ultimate monitoring experience. On the studio’s website, Taylor writes, “Your tracks will explode with richness, warmth, and presence in any genre!” He adds, “When they set it up, they sat me down in my sweet spot and started running their playlist. Ten seconds into the first song, I felt a monumental shift, knowing I could offer a sonic experience like few others can!”
On-Site Services and Remote Mixing and Mastering: For clients who generally come from the four-state surrounding region, Cool Brick, in addition to Taylor’s engineering and mastering experience, offers two studios with a vocal booth and separate drums, which can be used individually or combined. The studio has a dynamic array of vintage mics (Neumann, Telefunken, etc.), a Burl Mothership 80 which offers warm analog sound with pre-amps from Grace, Neve, Burl, and Audient, and a drum room featuring a ‘70s birch Pearl drum kit. Cool Brick also offers affordable stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound design and Adaptive Scoring™ for independent filmmakers. Based on his rep for creating a pure, accurate listening environment, Taylor is currently experiencing a booming global clientele seeking his mixing and mastering skills via digital transfer.
Contact: Cool Brick Studios 970-948-7766
