RECORDING VENUES WORTH KNOWING IN SCOTLAND

Choosing where to record is one of the biggest decisions in any project. These are four rooms worth knowing about, from a small stone church to a purpose-built orchestral studio.

Crichton Collegiate Church, Midlothian

Founded in 1449 and about half an hour from Edinburgh, Crichton is a small stone church with a serious reputation for sound. The church's own site says it has been used for recordings by a number of musicians and by the BBC, and the musician John Kenny has called it the most beautiful acoustic in Scotland for brass and voice.

It suits solo players and small ensembles best. There is no piano, so anything with keyboard means arranging one in and checking with the trustees first. The church is run by a charitable trust, so bookings go through them directly.

Caird Hall, Dundee

A Grade A listed concert hall in the centre of Dundee. The main hall at Caird Hall seats around 2,150 and has a big, open sound, which makes it a room for larger forces: choirs, orchestras, anything that needs space to speak.

There is no grand piano on site, so if the programme needs one, budget to hire one in. Next door, the smaller Marryat Hall has a good acoustic for chamber groups, but it can't be used for music while the main hall has an event on, so dates need planning around the building's programme.

RSNO Centre, Glasgow

Opened in 2015 next to the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, the RSNO Centre is a purpose-built home for recording in the middle of the city. The auditorium seats 600, the acoustics can be adjusted, and it was designed with Arup acousticians. It holds more than 70 musicians, and there is a control room and break-out recording spaces on site.

Because the building was made for recording, you spend less time working around it. It is also a short walk from Queen Street station, which helps for visiting players and crews. Bookings go through the RSNO's hire team.

Laidlaw Centre

Big and impressive, but it can also be set up modular, so it works for more than large groups. It is perfect for string quartets, or solo voice with piano. There is a piano on site. We recorded Beth Taylor here.

Govan Salvation Army, Glasgow

Another good option for voice and piano, and there is a piano on site. It is where we record our singer sessions. We have recorded strings here too, though the room is a tad dry.

The Billiard Room, Pearce Institute, Govan

Surprisingly reverberant. A good fit for smaller groups who want a bigger sound. There is no piano, so it suits ensembles that do not need one.

Assumption Studios, Maryhill

Assumption Studios is part of a former church in Maryhill, Glasgow, refurbished as a recording and filming studio. It is worth knowing about if you want the feel of a church room with a studio setup around it. It sits at the more expensive end, so ask for a quote early and compare it against the options above.

How to Choose

No room is the best room. Match the space to the music. Small and quiet for solo and chamber work, a big hall for choirs and orchestras, a purpose-built space when you want the most control and the least risk.

If you are not sure where to start, tell us what you are recording and we will suggest two or three rooms. It is usually the first conversation we have on a live concert recording or an album project.