Pandemic aftermath in Recording Studio
Legendary and emerging artists have passed through the doors of my Audio House Recording and Rehearsal Studio BonaFideStudio since we opened our doors on the 1st of May 1999 in Curtain Road in Shoreditch.
In 2012 we relocated to the heart of culturally vibrant Muswell Hill in North London continuing to harmonise a range of music production skills including recording, composing, mixing and mastering. BonaFideStudio has worked on thousands of projects, from fledgling teenage bands to Platinum-selling international artists and film soundtracks. We just celebrated our 23rd birthday and we are proud to announce we are still in perfect pitch!
It is no secret that COVID-19 flipped the music industry upside down.
As the pandemic and forced closures of music venues and halted artists’ ability to do what they love, the whole audio industry behind those sites was just as affected, if not more.
Before an artist reaches these venues to play tracks off their new album, fans need to consume the music which needs to also have been released, which of course needs to first be recorded.
We had fully booked year 2020, but we were forced to return artists’ deposits and halt further plans.
The essential work the studio was able to complete during the pandemic included the thorough cleaning of equipment between touches, compulsory face masks for those not singing, and of course the social distancing. That all added to the costs of running the place but made us even more determent to find a way to paddle through.
We consider myself pretty lucky because our studio is established with lots of loyal customers, so we did get the radio, film, television, audiobooks, voice recognition software work … but it was a very tough two years for sure.
Despite the hiccups caused within the recording industry, music was and still is being released even during the lockdown. We’ve spent many hours sitting alone in the studio facetiming our clients.
The aesthetic and practical setup of our studios also provide opportunities for filming (videos, films, photoshoots) and that helped with the revenue, but it was an immense financial burden keeping the studio afloat. We were paying all our bills in full including hefty studio rent, service charges, and utilities without any break or discount.
To move forward we need a healthy music environment. We need to be able to have artists making money and being able to have it trickle down to the people who help make the music behind the scenes. So that was getting harder and harder even before the pandemic, and this is just one more burden — or a lot more burdens rolled up into one for studios.
To maximise our income, We have diversified my offerings beyond the music production world, offering rehearsal, equipment hire, voice-over, podcasting, writing spaces, post-production, mastering and education.
Despite the boom of home studios during the pandemic, BonaFideStudio – or any professional studio still holds a special allure for professionals. It’s a creative space wherein you can fully invest in the music production process, without distraction, it’s a technological playground that presents a gamut of options. Working at a recording studio also provides that most vital ingredient – human collaboration. This can ultimately shape and sculpt music to a much superior degree than anything you could do alone at home.
We are very proud of what we’re doing here and very proud of the music that’s coming out of here. We are able to work with new musicians who are just starting out and would like some help or advice, established artists who need a helping hand in attaining that elusive record contract, and signed acts who are looking for quality and clarity in their recordings.
Time, as they say, has a habit of flying by, and those 23 years proved no different. Since its initial start, the studio has evolved significantly, moving with time and the advancement of technology.
We would like to offer a heartfelt thank you to each and every artist who has contributed to our studio’s continued success.
We are thankful that we have been around for so long even though the industry has taken a dive at times. Through it all, we have been able to find creative innovative ways to keep the studio relevant and produce quality music on a consistent basis. BonaFideStudio wouldn’t be what it is today — London’ trusted recording and rehearsal studio — if it weren’t for our valued clients. As we turned 23, please know that we are deeply grateful for all you do.
Here’s to a new 23 years full of love, respect and understanding.
BonaFideStudio will continue to offer exceptional value recording and rehearsal studio services to up-and-coming and established artists, along with expanded community outreach to young people’s music projects and charities.
We are here to stay!
BonaFideStudio
020 88839641
020 84445054
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www.bonafidestudio.co.uk
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