GRAND VICTOR SOUND
Nashville, TN
grandvictorsound.com
Sharon Corbitt-House - Sr. VP Studio Operations
The historic Grand Victor Sound is one of the largest recording studios In Nashville. Located on Music Row, it was formerly known as RCA Victor Nashville Sound Studios. Today, songwriter and recording artist Ben Folds owns it. The studio’s client list reads like a Who’s Who of music talent: Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Tony Bennett, George Strait, The Beach Boys, The Monkees, George Jones, Brian Setzer, Jewel and Willie Nelson are just a few artists who recorded there.
Sharon Corbitt-House has been a part of the Nashville music community for 30 years, and has worked in various capacities in the industry. She started managing Grand Victor in 2009, where she facilitates recording sessions as well as video shoots and special events. Working in all genres, Corbitt-House has been involved with recordings that have sold over100 million worldwide.
How is Grand Victor Sound different?
This studio has a lot of history. It is unique acoustically and is designed for live recordings. I like to call it our “Big Beautiful Bubble.”
What makes a session run smoothly?
Knowing how to run a recording session is critical. We like to talk with our clients before they book time, so we can give them our input and put together a plan. We’ll help them any way we can. Whoever is running the session needs to make sure all the players are on point, or time will be wasted with multiple takes.
Should acts hire a producer?
If everyone is on the same page, it can be more efficient. It’s always good to have fresh ears with an objective opinion. As long as the act and producer can work as a team, it can benefit the process.
How long should a recording session last?
The average session can last for 10 to 12 hours. Some union sessions have rules that limit tracking time. In either case, you need to take breaks every few hours if you want to do your best work. People get tired and ears need to be refreshed.
Do you have any advice about mixing?
Mixing is very different from tracking. If you don’t have good tracks for a foundation, the mix will not make them better. With mixing you should take more breaks because ears get tired, and that will affect the mix. You should never rush the process, or try to fix problems that should have been addressed while recording
Have recording budgets changed?
They’re about the same. We hit rock bottom several years ago. In fact, if they went any lower we couldn’t operate. Today, acts have a lot of options when it comes to a budget. I’ve seen acts that used crowd funding or investors and others that just saved their money.
Do only superstars record at your studio?
I like to say we’re an equal opportunity provider. Although we’ve had many superstars record here, we’re comparable to other large tracking studios. And we love to introduce new acts to our facilities. We have a great collection of new and vintage instruments that artists could use, thanks to Ben Folds. And once an act records here they’ll know what it’s like to work in a professional environment.
What changes have you seen over the years?
Well, the music business has definitely changed. The focus is different and studios have had to adapt. Artists also need to know what their goal is nowadays––what they want to do with their recording. Sales are not a driving income source any more. But, placements and live shows could make up the difference. Actually, it’s exciting because there are so many new business models now.
