Studio

The MPS studio is a living monument. The first-class sound of the rooms and recording technology have earned this historic venue a legendary reputation worldwide, not only in the field of jazz, but also classical, world music and avant-garde.

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Like the stars

Many international musicians* have made top-class recordings in this studio: Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Joachim Kühn, Lee Konitz, Friedrich Gulda, George Duke, Singers Unlimited, Dave Pike Set, Hans Koller, Cecil Taylor, Albert Mangelsdorff, Mark Murphy, Volker Kriegel, Jean Luc-Ponty, Baden Powell, John Taylor, Wolfgang Dauner, Charly Antolini and many others.

Most Perfect sound

With a lot of space in the recording room for studio productions and a separate drum room, the MPS studio has enough space for professional sound recordings. The large control room still houses the analog studio equipment as well as the possibility of digital recording. A lounge area and a tea kitchen/bar round off the studio’s facilities and offer an exceptional, welcoming atmosphere in this special historical location.

Bösendorfer Grand Imperial

For exclusive piano recordings, the legendary Bösendorfer Grand Imperial concert grand piano has been available since 1977, producing a great expressionistic sound. Chosen personally by Friedrich Gulda, it was not at all easy to get the instrument, which weighed over half a ton, into the studio; parts of the staircase had to be dismantled for it. The Grand Imperial has 5 additional keys and quite a deep sound spectrum. Whoever was allowed to play or hear this grand piano will not forget it. Monty Alexander or Cecil Taylor were also among those chosen.

From analog to digital

Currently, analog recording on 2-track tape “direct-to-tape” is offered in addition to digital recording. In this regard, we work with a selection of sound engineers who perform their craft with love and passion, analog and digital.

A large selection of new as well as historical microphones (Neumann and others) leave nothing to be desired.

In the foreseeable future, analog recordings with the 24-track Ampex, as well as 4-track Telefunken will be available again.

The analog mixing console is an in-house production of SABA and with its Sitral cassette technology designed for 24 tracks. Only 2 of these were built. One mixer went to Baden-Baden to Südwestfunk, the other crowns the control room of the MPS studio.

RESTAURATION

Our technical team is coordinated by a graduate engineer from Kreuzlingen. Together with the municipal office for the preservation of historical monuments in Villingen-Schwenningen, as well as the state authorities in Freiburg and Stuttgart, we are developing a concept for an authentic restoration and general overhaul of our analog equipment. In addition, cooperation with universities is planned.