The Soundscape Recording Studio Turns 20 Years Old!
When I opened the studio back in 2005 I never imagined we would do much more than make a few records and then I would move on and find another job (lol). Fortunately, thanks to the ongoing support of our music community, that clearly was not the case.
Here we are 20 years later. What have we accomplished? Well, honestly way more than you’re going to want to read about and frankly much more than I want to write. I’ll keep it brief…
We’ve never stopped adding gear and we’ve never stopped improving the acoustics. Keep in mind from day one our budget for growth was less than a shoestring. Aside from working with both national and local artists, we’ve created a home for many musicians, audio engineers and of course many students.
From 2005 -2025 we hosted two annual Christmas parties and six annual Halloween parties. If you were one of the lucky ones to attend any of those events, you truly were part of something special.
Early on I launched Detroit Demo, a monthly songwriters society for community musicians. This name was really taken from a reality TV show that I worked so hard on to get signed to a network, which never came to fruition. We had three different production companies give us a shot, can’t ask for much more than that. Regardless, Detroit Demo lasted about two years. We had a lot of fun, brought many musicians together and really tried to do our part for the growth of the Detroit music scene.
In 2008 I officially added the State Licensed Recording & Mixing Arts class to the studios array of services. It wasn’t easy, lots of red tape and politics. Anyhow, it has been beyond rewarding. I published three textbooks because of this journey. This of course is a never-ending part of The Soundscape, as we continue to grow, so do our programs.
In the early days, my band Zug Izland spent many nights tracking and rehearsing at The Soundscape.
Did I mention the Take The Stage Reality TV show that was partially shot here at The Soundscape with Rodney Darkchild Jerkins and myself at the helm? That was quite an amazing opportunity.
So, we made a dent, is that all? Nope. Like I’ve always said, it’s a work in progress. I’m optimistic about the future. I’m no longer on my own, I have an amazing team of like-minded, talented people who fortunately also call this place home. Together we will continue to provide a comfortable, creative atmosphere for our friends, clients and students alike. Thanks again for supporting The Soundscape. Happy 20th!
—
Tim Smith, Chief Engineer
