Local man opens recording studio in North Branch

By Barbara Brown
Tim Andrews always has had a love of music and now he gets to encourage the dreams of local musicians who want to aspire to musical greatness.
Andrews, 29, who lives in North Branch, has opened a production studio on his property.
The intimate, high tech setting allows Andrews to really get to know his clients and have a feeling for the emotion, atmosphere and character of the sound they are trying to capture on their recordings.
ìI play a little of the psychiatrist and the acting coach, too,î Andrews said.
He said he often has had to stop recording bands at different points when their actions are interfering with the music.
For example, an artist may try several different approaches to his or her lyrics like anger, sorrow, joy and humor.
Andrews said he will offer suggestions to the artists based upon how the music sounds in his booth.
Those coaching tips also help when the bands perform on stage by reminding them that what they think they hear, the audience may not always hear the same.
Andrews uses a 16-track recording system for most recordings, but he has a program that allows up to 300 digital tracks to be laid that allows him to personalize sound according to what the band wants.
Listeners wonít find boilerplate sound coming out of the one-room studio. Andrews wants to highlight artists that donít have a cookie-cutter image and can challenge the archtype of mainstream popular music.
A prized feature in the studio is vintage recording equipment that can add a depth to the sound that ultra-clean and clear digital often cannot capture.
ìWhereas digital can offer very sterile music, it also can make crisp volumes for a lead guitar presence for example,î Andrews said.
ìThe vintage sound keeps it a little more close to sounding like live music,î he said.
Before the band gets to lay down a single track, Andrews holds a ì40-pointî interview of sorts.
He makes sure he understands fully what the bandís goals are, how much input they want him to have and at what kinds of sounds they are aiming.
Andrews holds an American Institute of Radio degree and has been working on several projects for the past couple years including his record labels, Bipolar Transmissions and Thrust Records, and his Web-based marketing project www.bimanic.com.
The advancement of his recording career, in the studio known for its comforting blue light, began as a way for him to pay for his own recordings and music needs.
Andrews soon found out just how expensive practice time and recording sessions in Twin Cities studios is and decided to offer a lower-priced, but high tech and high quality, option for start-up bands and solo artists.
And the artists Andrews records range in his small studio as much as they range at a large record company.
He records Monday Dead, a Forest Lake-based heavy alternative band whose CD is available at County Pawn and an up-and-coming Rush City artist named Brie who has a Jewel-esque sound and even native Vietnamese artists from the area.
ìEven with all this digital equipment, with this high-tech aspect of it, I just want the music to be honest.î
He previously has hosted shows and dance parties at the Forest Lake Veterans of Foreign Wars post.
One of the focal points for Andrews recording and promotions is drug free, alcohol free parties. When he DJs, Andrews said, he wants everyone to feel welcome and comfortable.
ìItís about the music and having fun and dancing without having to use drugs or alcohol,î he said.
Andrews will be at the St. John's Marketplace event Nov. 15 in Stacy at the St. John's Lutheran Church from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. where he will be available to talk to interested music artists and will have Monday Dead and Brie CDs for sale.
For information, call the studio at (651) 295-7764.

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