Omega Studios
Stronger than Ever at 54: Founded in 1968 in nearby Kensington, MD, Rockville-based Omega Studios is one of the oldest recording facilities in the U.S. and one of the few state of the art studios in the mid-Atlantic region that specializes in live recording. Over the years, Omega has hosted sessions for a wide variety of artists and productions, including Michael Bolton, Def Leppard, Mya, the Washington Opera, the U.S. Marine Band, U.S. Army Fife & Drum Corps, Disney Cruises and, for a series of podcasts, the Broadway cast of Hamilton (which included President Obama coming in to record a voiceover). Studio A’s capacity of up to 70 musicians has made it the go-to for international music publishers as well as feeding live shows broadcasting from downtown Washington D.C. venues with live remote orchestras in the studio. In addition to exceptional acoustics, Omega offers a massive, ever expanding mic collection, a wide selection of analog and digital equipment, vintage keyboards and other instruments.
State-of-the-Art Rooms: Owner Edward Peterson is happy to announce that Studio B—the room designed for live recording of moderate-sized instrumental or vocal groups and overdub tracking—has a brand new 72 channel SSL 9000 console. “Even with digital recordings, the first stage is analog, and we’ve got to take the sound out of the air and turn it into an electronic signal,” he says. “The better the analog stage is, the more beautiful your recording. This console offers a truly great, clean and smooth analog sound.” Studio A, featuring a Neve VR-60 60x48 with Flying Faders Automation and Total Recall, is designed for live instrumental and vocal production. At 50’ x 40’ with 20’ ceilings, it hosts ensembles of all sizes and styles—jazz trios, 65-piece orchestras and heavy metal bands. It also has iso rooms and a large control room. Studio C serves as a 24-track (analog or digital) room and as a vocal narration/radio and advertising production studio. Studio D, with its Avid/Digidesign Icon console, is dedicated to digital mastering, editing, mixing and audio for film and TV.
Engineering School: Founded in 1977, The Omega Studios’ School of Applied Recording Arts and Sciences is a top engineering school with a comprehensive music business program that draws students from all over the world. It is dedicated to training recording engineers and providing technical education for people aspiring to work in the recording and TV/film industries. Omega’s 20,000-square-foot studio/school complex’s extensive array of multi-tracks, synthesis, MIDI and acoustic recording equipment is integrated into the school curriculum. The Omega programs provide experience on industry-standard “heavy hardware” found in the largest and most influential studios in the world. Peterson says, “While the basic subject matter, training and career objectives are the same, our programs are constantly evolving to keep up with the changes in technology. One of our great selling points is that nearly 75 percent of the instruction is hands-on, creating studio recordings on three of the finest consoles ever made. With five or six students in each class, our instructors can offer great amounts of individual attention. Those who graduate come out well prepared to be successful recording engineers in the real world.”
Contact Omega Studios, 301-230-9100
