KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
You wouldn't hire a carpenter to perform surgery, so why would you hire someone who isn't a professional musician, writer and producer to record your music?  I've been an arranger & composer since 1972 and have been a producer / director & sound technician since 1985.  I opened Cougar Mountain Studios early in 2000 and have recorded several hundred projects in this studio including several types of rock, jazz, classical, fusion, country, blues, many of them with multiple vocal tracks, some totally instrumental.  I've recorded a wide variety of acoustic & electronic instruments from guitars to woodwinds, keyboards to percussion.  I've been the producer on the vast majority of the projects that I've recorded and have been a professional drum set player / percussionist and instructor for much of the last twenty years.

THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
The centerpiece of our studio is Mackie's D8B, one of the most powerful, accurate and efficient consoles available with nearly endless input configurations, full automation and the ability to switch the fader groups from Input to Monitor to Masters to Effects all at the touch of a button even while recording.  We then couple the power of the D8B with Mackie's HDR 2496 hard disc recorder, perhaps the only machine capable of capturing the warmth & depth of analog while still offering the accuracy & flexibility of digital.  Perhaps the very best feature of both the D8 & HDR is their ability to be updated keeping them both on the cutting edge of audio technology.  Combine these units with world class AKG & Neumann microphones, a PreSonus digital pre-amp, perfectly balanced acoustics and you have the setting to create an amazing, world class professional recording!

ENVIRONMENT
Be sure the facility you plan to use is the right one for YOUR project.  No matter how good you think it is or how many superstars have recorded there, make sure it's a place where you feel very comfortable. Cougar Mountain Studios is only 3 miles off I - 90, about 20 minutes from downtown Seattle, depending upon our wonderful traffic of course.  We're situated on 1.25 acres in the middle of huge old growth forest with a very cool view of Mt. Rainier.  If you'd like working in a premier facility with top of the line equipment in a beautiful setting, this could be the perfect studio for you.

M - O - N - E - Y
Do you really want to spend $200 an hour for the A room of some studios?  Are you willing to trust your material to someone that only charges $20 per hour?  Establish a sensible budget for your project and remember that recording is only one part of the process, also mixing & effects, mastering & final transfer to CD.  Keep tabs on your budget and have some money in reserve just in case you need it.  Any truly professional studio will give you their rates & fees in writing so be sure you have a copy.  Now imagine what you can create in our studio for ONLY $50 per hour!

ONE LAST THOUGHT
I've had the good fortune to work with some very talented musicians, but I've also talked with folks that are not really sure they even CAN record their music professionally.  That's usually because they've never recorded in a professional studio before and they don't think of themselves or their material as being good enough.  It would be nice to get rich with your music, give up your day job, ride around in Leer jets and limousines.  But even if that doesn't happen, for a lot less money than you might think you can enjoy what might be your very BEST performance any time you like.  Even if you've never even been in a professional studio but you really enjoy playing your music, call us and let's discuss your project.

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