“Music is the soundtrack of our lives. Songs are the stories of our experiences. Capturing and presenting these stories, whatever genre they may be told in, is my passionate responsibility and service to the artists who tell them.” – Daniel Blake
“The aura and overall vibe of The Schoolhouse Recording Studio upon entering ignites the creative juices. It’s cozy and warm with a strong sense of history. The space is very open with many configuration possibilities for sessions. Once you speak your first word you can hear the sonic qualities of the room as well. Daniel Blake, the Audio Engineer, always greets you with a smile while doing the initial prep work before tracking begins. He’s always on point!” -Chris Belin (Freelance Drums & Percussion. Appeared on multiple albums recorded at The Schoolhouse.)
1. What is the history behind the Schoolhouse?
The Schoolhouse was, no surprise, a one-room schoolhouse which was built around 1889. It later had an additional room built around 1912 which is the side the studio is located on. The schoolhouse called Weaver’s Old Stand ceased operations in the 50s and would later re-open as a community planning center. Its use changed again in the 90s when it became a community recreation center with a chaperoned program for local children to play outdoor sports and boardgames. I was one of those kids. So, my history with the building goes back to my childhood. I was enchanted by it then and still am!
2. Tell our readers about yourself; where did your love of recording music come from? I noticed you play multiple instruments. What are those instruments? Why did you choose those certain ones?
I fell in love with music young thanks to my dad’s collection of cassette tapes. He would often play music around the house and was always singing along to it. He showed me the joy of music. My parents started me in piano lessons quite young as well, which I am really thankful for because that shaped me. Though I hated it at the time and eventually quit, that foundation was there for me to build on when I rediscovered playing music in my teenage years. When I was in middle school, I wanted to play guitar, so my parents got me a Wal-Mart starter guitar that Christmas. Shortly after, I joined my local church band and, along with rekindling my keyboard playing, learned drums and bass from my bandmates there. I ended up leading that band as a primary singer for a few years. That experience was so critical in further shaping me, both musically and in leadership skills. The love for recording was born the first time I went to a local studio to record guitar for the band I was in with my girlfriend at the time. I quickly became enamored by everything about that experience! The engineer who ran those sessions is a friend who I still work with!
3. Are there any historical artifacts that you kept from the schoolhouse (chalkboard) and use to this day? If so, why?
Certainly! All the original chalkboards are here as sort of a living artwork composed of the signatures and doodles of the artists who’ve worked here over the years. All the construction of the building (doors, walls, trim, etc.) are original too. I only changed out the bottom windows since there weren’t enough left to go around from years of vandalism the building underwent.
4. What kind of services besides recording do you offer? What is your equipment of choice?
The studio here has become full-service over the years, offering mixing and mastering in addition to recording. I’m a computer-lover so my workflow is fully digital. I have a few instruments and quality microphones to get the job done, but the heart of the studio is the computer with my favorite digital-audio-workstation called ‘Reaper.’
5. What makes your business unique? Or what sets your apart from others?
I suppose being in an old building is quite unique! The old, simple architecture here is always a conversation starter with new visitors. And the nice, high ceilings are an added bonus in the field of recording. The room sounds quite lovely and welcoming. Another unique feature is that my wife, Krystal rounds out the creative experience here. She does for photography and videography for many of the artists I work with. And to top it all off, she operates a coffee shop in the corner of the studio!
6. You added a coffee shop to the studio! Is the coffee shop open to the public? If so, what are the hours of operation? What kind of services are offered? Is there any schoolhouse history represented in that part of the building?
We sure did! We made a little corner shop out of an old Juliana Theory road case. We painted the face of it with chalkboard paint to match the theme of the studio. Currently the coffee shop is only available to artists coming to work here. Although we’d like to offer our coffee services to the public, it’s just not our focus right now. My wife has this to say, “Being a coffee lover myself, I just wanted to offer musicians and people we’re working with the opportunity to grab a good coffee for a great price, without having to go anywhere to get it.”
For more information on Daniel and Krystal please check out the following Social Media Links:
My Website: danielblakeproduction.com
Krystal’s Website: krystalritenourmedia.com
Coffee Shop at The Schoolhouse Recording Studio
Coffee Shop at The Schoolhouse Recording Studio
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