With the advent of digital recording, many aspects of record-making have changed over the last twenty years.  What used to require hundreds of thousands of dollars of tape machines, recording consoles and outboard gear can now be done with an interface the size of a textbook plugged into a laptop.  While most people agree that the expensive analog equipment sounds better, no one disputes that the possibilities afforded by digital recording have had a massive impact on how songs are written, tracked, mixed and mastered.  

And yet, while some of these methods of capturing a performance have changed, the fundamentals of making a great record really haven't. A good song performed by good musicians, and an engineer who knows how to capture the essence and emotion of a moment.  That's what matters. No amount of expensive vintage microphones, sweet sounding rack equipment, high end computers and pristine converters are going to make a lick of difference if the song isn't ready, the artist isn't happy, or the engineer isn't prepared.

At the Koop, we understand that a successful session relies on these fundamentals.  Sure, we have plenty of boutique, high end gear that will add richness and character to a performance, but we also understand that all of it is the icing on the cake.  Is the song finished? Is the moment right? Are the musicians comfortable and confident that their unique sound and vibe is being captured?  These are the questions that matter, and are what we ask ourselves every time we press record.