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Q Division Studios

Making great sounding records in comfort and style in Boston's best recording studio

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News

Ira Klein, Hazel Royer, Kevin Berry

These three fantastic musicians came in for a weekend session and recorded original pieces and some reimagined material from the folk songbook.


First Test Session in Studio A!

We finally got a band into Studio A to hear it and test it out. Eric Salt and Electric City are long time Q Friends, so we were super comfortable and happy to have them help us break in the room.

We think the room sounds really cool, and of course we found some bugs (well duh). I (Rafi) took some pictures of the guys while they were playing, and Chuck Hargreaves and I both moved mics and engineered. After over a year and a half of building and restoring the Neve it was nice to use the room as we designed it!

Check out the pictures... The sounds - well, that might take a minute to finish.


Q3.0 Winter 2023 Update

Hey friends! We put away the soldering irons and the construction equipment at the end of December, to show off where we're at right now, as 2022 came to a close. Check out the progress - we're still a few steps away from recording, but we're so close you can almost smell the new tape coming out of the boxes.


Spirited!

Before we moved out of our Highland Ave location, our last big session was a more-than-month-long-lockout hosting the cast and crew of Spirited - at the time referred to as Chili. It was super awesome and fun and tons and tons of work (we also set them up with rehearsal and pre pro spaces at their production headquarters in Braintree), and now we get to hear some of our efforts on the big screen this coming December.
Spirited — Official Teaser | Apple TV+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG8O0bj4isg




Q3.0 Fall Update

Hey folks - progress on the new studios is slow but steady!

The common areas - lounge, kitchen, bathrooms, driveway, and exteriors are all very close to being done. This means we can start setting up storage spaces, tech and machine rooms, and very soon, the lounge spaces and kitchen!

Keep reading below about some of the other work we've done.

Studio B's Lounge

Studio A's Lounge

Outside of Q

Studio A's control room has really come a long way - we've had the Neve in there for a while, and we're carefully setting up and trouble shooting the console. We are in the final stages of our epic restoration project - folks who are curious will able to read all about that in the near future.

New Phase meter when the original was missing!

3D Printing parts to improve and modify original Neve designs.

Healey working on the Neve
Michael Healey working on the Neve.

Wiring the new spaces is a massive project, but we've run most of the audio, speaker, and ethernet lines to the performance spaces and machine rooms. As finishes and treatments are completed and installed in the live room, we'll be able to finish up some of that work.

New tech room and Studio A's machine room.

We'd love to give you a solid date for our reopening, but we're sticking with - SOON!


Q 3.0 Spring Update

Hey friends!

Check it out - our new rooms have new floors - and this means the next stage of construction really and truly is underway! Lou Clark and Eric Pearce are onsite, building and installing room treatments, indicating that we’re finally more than half way there. We can see the beginning of the end of this long process! When will we be ready to open our doors? That’s a great question, and it’s been a moving target.  We’re following the “don’t book your record release until you’ve got the vinyl from the pressing plant” rule and not saying until we know we can do it- you’ll just have to keep reading our updates. 

We’ve also been very hard at work refurbishing our Neve, from recapping to re-screening faceplates and many many stops in between, our Neve 8068 will readier than ever to capture great performances in an our new spaces. We can’t wait to share our new rooms with you. 

Stay tuned!

Best from all of us at Q. 


We've Moved!

Cleaning up I found this work of art. I somewhat remember putting it there, but not who did it. Also, which way is up? Anyone claim it?

Oh, hey, that reminds me: July 31st was the last day of Q Division at the 363 Highland Ave Somerville address. We were there for 21 years.

WHAT? Yeah, a lot of you knew this, but for those that don't. We're moving. The building sold and you know the story- Davis Square, high tech, yadda yadda. Another tenant made the landlord an offer he couldn't refuse and in any case rents were getting too crazy.

The Good News- We're building an all new Q Division 3.0 in Cambridge, not too far away. and it's going to be our forever home. Because no way are we lugging this stuff around again.

The Bad News- It's going to be a while before we are up and running. In a perfect world we would have moved right into the new studio. But... I don't know if you've noticed this, but this world is NOT a perfect world. We'll post updates, but we haven't had much time for that because moving is a lot of work!

Which reminds me- There are SO many people who have been helping out doing so much this last month. I can't even begin to name you all, but the Q community (Qmunity?) showed up strong in a million ways. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

More soonish.

Jon Lupfer

p.s. - we're still booking sessions and working on music in and around Cambridge/Somerville/Boston - so drop us a line and let us know what you're up to and we'll be happy to help book some time with our engineers, producers, and musicians in the greater Boston area!

Posted to FB on July 31st. The Artist has been identified as Campbell Mclean


Our Big News

We have a rather big announcement; after roughly TWO decades at our Davis Square location, we're getting ready for another big move. That's right - we'll be closing the doors on our Highland Ave home this coming summer and opening them at our new digs at nearby Rindge Ave in Cambridge.

It seems like we just re-opened Studio B and reshuffled the office and bathrooms. At the time we signed a 5 year lease, and this summer it will be up... The pandemic throws a wrench - into everything, of course - and it also affected our relocation, but we're persevering and ironing out the details of our next location. We can't wait to share the new space with folks. We're leaving two great rooms, but we're taking incredible memories and some great music with us, looking forward to sharing our next adventure with you all.

In the meanwhile - we're still here and open for recording and mixing - drop us a line and get in touch!

FAQ

Q: Wait, what's that now?
A: Yup. We're moving!
Q: Didn't you just move?
A: Well, we did and we didn't. Studio B, the bathrooms, and our office space moved. 
Q: So why are you moving again?
A: We knew our time at 363 Highland Ave was limited; the new landlords have other plans for the space. 
Q: Where are you moving? 
A: We're moving about 3500' (as the crow flies) away! Our new location will be on nearby Rindge Ave in Cambridge. 
Q: When?
A: We're leaving our current location by July of 2021.
Q: Can I still book time at Q Division?
A: Yes, please! Although of course we have new protocols. Call us up to discuss. 
Q: When will the new studio open? 
A: Uhhh. We're working out the details, but it's hard to answer this question concretely! We'll keep both studios operating for as long as possible while building out the new space. And we'll share news of our progress as we go.
Q: What's going to be in the new studio? 
A: Lots of the same things you're used to seeing and using now, but in new spaces!
Q: Hey, that reminds me - I left my _____ there - what should I do about that?
A: Come pick it up! Seriously. we are cleaning out stuff. and if that stuff is tapes and you want us to transfer it for you, now's the time to ask.


Primary Sidebar

Recently at Q

  • Ira Klein, Hazel Royer, Kevin Berry

    Ira Klein, Hazel Royer, Kevin Berry

  • First Test Session in Studio A!

    First Test Session in Studio A!

  • Q3.0 Winter 2023 Update

    Q3.0 Winter 2023 Update

  • Spirited!

    Spirited!

  • Q3.0 Fall Update

    Q3.0 Fall Update

  • Q 3.0 Spring Update

    Q 3.0 Spring Update

  • We’ve Moved!

    We’ve Moved!

  • Bill Janovitz Virtual Happy Hour – Live from Studio A!

    Bill Janovitz Virtual Happy Hour – Live from Studio A!

  • Juliana Hatfield Performs Only Everything on Electric Guitar, Live from Studio A.

    Juliana Hatfield Performs Only Everything on Electric Guitar, Live from Studio A.

  • Mandorla Music at Home presents the Zahili Gonzalez Zamora Duo – taped Live in Studio A!

    Mandorla Music at Home presents the Zahili Gonzalez Zamora Duo – taped Live in Studio A!

  • Tyson Jackson Trio Livestream

    Tyson Jackson Trio Livestream

  • Juliana Hatfield Livestream 1/23/21

    Juliana Hatfield Livestream 1/23/21

  • Juliana Hatfield Live Stream!

    Juliana Hatfield Live Stream!

  • Our Big News

    Our Big News

  • Update 6.24

    Update 6.24

  • Update 5.18.20

    Update 5.18.20

  • Quaran-amping!

    Quaran-amping!

  • Q Division & Covid19

    Q Division & Covid19

  • Spring 2020 Update

    Spring 2020 Update

  • Patty Larkin – Bird in a Cage

    Patty Larkin – Bird in a Cage

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qdivisionstudios

Here's our big news... Studio A is ready! At long Here's our big news... Studio A is ready!
At long last, we’re looking forward to introducing you to our new 2800 square feet of our main recording room.
Q’s Neve 8068 is spic and span - inside and out (more of the restoration story soon), and we have a big - currently lonely- live room that’s waiting to be filled with you. The performance studio includes a large high-ceiling central space, a sizable live isolation room (we’re calling it The Drum Room), and a very dead room we’re calling The Piano Room. We’ve prioritized sight lines between all these rooms and also into the control room. There are two additional small isolation booths for amps, and an area we’re calling “The Inspiration Wall” which we find visually and acoustically… um… inspiring.
So give us a call - after almost two years of working on this space - we’re looking forward to hearing you in it!
FAQ’s:
When?
We’re now booking sessions starting from April 15th and beyond.
Where?
171 Rindge Ave. It's behind 169 Rindge and across from the Reservoir Church.
Parking?
You can reach us easily from three MBTA stops - Porter Square, Davis Square, and Alewife. We have limited parking in our driveway for artists, and there’s a bit of guest/non-permit parking in the neighborhood. More details on our website.
How Much?
We’ve built a brand new facility and put an incredible amount of effort into restoring the Neve, and well - the world’s come a long way since 1986 - so our rates have gone up. BUT - while we’re still building Studio B, we’re offering an introductory rate. Check in with Ed or any of us via email or phone for all the details.
Hey friends! Big announcement coming Wednesday! Hey friends! Big announcement coming Wednesday!
Did you guys know that @willdaileyofficial has bee Did you guys know that @willdaileyofficial has been LIVE STREAMING his actual recording sessions from studio A? He’s live right now and it’s super cool… link in our bio.
So some of the old artwork just won’t make it to So some of the old artwork just won’t make it to a wall in the new studio, no reason it can’t live forever here, right? This is an excellent First Aid For Choking poster from the New York Health department that hung in the B dining room area for a while. It’s worth zooming in for the user mods.
We’re deep into both the testing phase and the e We’re deep into both the testing phase and the end of construction phase… things are sounding and looking good, if we say so ourselves. There’s a band in there today helping us figure some stuff out!
Had a nice visit from Adam and Jen of @stompboxson Had a nice visit from Adam and Jen of @stompboxsonic today. They gifted us this neat book on the history of Roland - a company at once both adventurous and innovative - and completely essential to music as we know it. Which reminds me that small companies like Stompbox Sonic occupy a unique and essential space for us tone seekers!
Check out the first ever recording session in Stud Check out the first ever recording session in Studio A - with @ericsaltmusic's band Electric City. We got to hear the rooms and find a few faults. With @valauskased on bass, @mikeorammusic on guitar, and Denis Saulnier on drums and grins. @chuck.hargreaves and I (@mr.distorter) moved mics and faders, and I took a few pictures. We're going to keep trouble shooting - and there's more to build, but we can see the finish line.
We put away the soldering irons and hid the constr We put away the soldering irons and hid the construction equipment for a few hours. This is what Q 3.0 is looking like right now. Here's to next year - we very much are looking forward to hearing folks making music together in these spaces (and helping you sound your very best!).
Shout out to all the fine folks who've made this come together @recordingstudiodesigner, @soundwallconstruction, @chuck.hargreaves, @communalwaves, @colindrumskinda, @henrysoults, @themeganchase, @terrance_reeves, @valauskased, @jbmoney33, @mr.distorter, and folks who can't be tagged - Andrew Lypps and Matt Tahaney. Be safe out there folks!
Slow and steady - but progress. Control room views Slow and steady - but progress. Control room views and almost fully loaded racks, lounge and mezzanine views, and a view into the live room and of @chuck.hargreaves tuning the house kit’s floor tom. We’re getting close friends - can’t wait to hear you in here!
This is the state of things in Studio A’s contro This is the state of things in Studio A’s control room. We have racks and are slowly moving the gear back into them - which is pretty damn exciting!
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