WESTLAKE RECORDING STUDIOS
West Hollywood, CA
http://westlakestudios.com
Steve Burdick, President/Studio Owner
This studio was founded as Westlake Audio in the early ‘70s and is credited as “one of the first big commercial efforts to produce acoustically standardized rooms.” In fact, the design became so popular that “Westlake-style” rooms spread to other studios around the world. A number of well-known artists have recorded at Westlake, including: Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Shakira, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Dave Matthews, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Nine Inch Nails and Justin Bieber, as well as countless films, television shows and commercials.
How Do You Ensure a Great Studio Experience?
I like to get to know our clients. So, I speak with them on a regular basis. I want to know about their projects and what they might need. If they’re new to the studio, I’ll offer some guidance and help them through the process. Sometimes independent acts need a little help and I’ll suggest that they start with a written plan, sort of like a business plan. That way, when they’re here they’ll be ready to record and will be able to make the most of their studio time.
Do Only Superstars Record at Westlake?
Great artists record here all the time, and not all of them are superstars. We have a different rate structure for indie and DIY acts so they can record here too. We’ll work with anybody who’s serious about recording in a world-class studio.
Do Artists Need to Work With a Producer?
Not necessarily, but it helps. It depends on how experienced they are with the recording process at a professional studio. Some artists do fine and others might struggle. If a client is having problems getting what they want, our engineers often step up and help them out. We have experienced engineers available who can run a session on their own. We want everyone to have a good experience here, so we do whatever we can to make sure that happens.
What Would Get Someone Banned from the Studio?
Bad behavior––anything that’s threatening or violent––will not be tolerated. This is a professional facility and we expect clients to act like professionals. Generally, our clients are respectful to our staff and each other, so it’s usually not a problem.
Do You Have an Internship Program?
We have a comprehensive internship program at Westlake. We get interns from several different schools. They learn studio etiquette and how a professional recording studio operates. Once they learn the basics, we give them more responsibilities. They’ll start off as a runner and work their way up to second engineer. Eventually, they might even become one of our staff engineers.
