Studio

 

Located in rural Greencastle, PA, Basement Music is a full-service, computer-based recording studio offering a secluded, get-away-from-it-all place for clients to record acoustic music without the distractions of kids, traffic, or anything else that might be preventing you from realizing your desire to release your own CD. Neal Walters is the engineer in the studio, does the graphics design, and Coleen Walters does the cooking, keeps the books, advises on graphics design, and makes sure you have the pillow of your choice. We also help out with guitar, banjo, dulcimer, autoharp, concertina, mandolin, or bass accompaniment if you need us. Coleen is also quite adept at dealing with Harry Fox and other copyright issues.

We operate much like a bed and breakfast with a studio attached. You pay for the studio time and your meals and sleeping accommodation are provided free of charge. We’ve done nearly 100 CDs since we opened the studio in 2000. You can hear some of the results on our Basement Sampler CD (available on our products page). Some endorsements from our past clients are listed below as well.

We’ve been involved in the dulcimer and autoharp communities for nearly 40 years and many of our clients have come from within that community, but we’ve also recorded string band, gospel, jazz, and other types of music with an acoustic focus. Our list of satisfied clients is steadily growing.

We use Cubase and Wavelab as our primary recording tools. Graphics design is done using Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Acrobat, and other software as appropriate. We have some excellent instrument and vocal mics and experience with many software plug-ins that help to make the music all you want it to be.

Call us or E-Mail us for an information packet with more details about what you can expect if you choose Basement Music for your next project. Here is a sampling of cover art and client comments from albums we have worked on to date.

 “The Basement Music studio ‘package’ includes old source material galore in the basement. One flight up was my sunny bedroom and the cozy kitchen where Coleen cooked us really tasty and healthy meals. A half mile walk down the road, I discovered an orchard with wonderfully old and knarly pear trees. I’m not sure I’ll be able to record anywhere else again.” June Maugery

“Neal and Coleen Walters … graciously opened their home to me for the recording of this project and navigated me through this adventure. I appreciate your expertise, insight, patience and good taste. It has been my privilege to work with you.” Karla Armstrong

“Highest honors awarded to Neal Walters, Chief Project Audio Engineer, whose commitment to excellence is interwoven in all aspects of this CD’s production: recording, mixing and mastering, and graphics. Special commendation awarded to Coleen Walters who ‘fueled my body and fed my soul’, each and every recording session. Her extraordinary fabric collection yielded the beautiful Indonesian Batik yardage that became the anchor for this CD’s backdrop.” Eileen Kozloff

“A special piece of gratitude to Neal and Coleen Walters who, besides giving us wonderful advice, held our hands (not while we were playing) and fed us, perhaps too well.” Gerry and Jerry Stewart

“Special thanks to Coleen Walters for her wonderful cooking and hositality and Neal Walters for his technical assistance and guidance.” Home Comfort

“Warmest of thanks to Neal and Coleen for their guidance, good meals and graciousness.” Gene and Carol Lynn Langley

“Our thanks to Neal and Coleen for their patience, skill, great advice, wonderful food, and friendship.” Cindy Harris & Rebecca Heath

“To call Coleen and Neal Walters backup musicians would be a gross understatement. With Coleen on bass and Neal on guitar, steel guitar, autoharp, mandolin, concertina, fiddle and dulcimer, their unique sound and suggestions for arrangements are the backbone of this recording. And, Neal’s expertise at recording and the mixing board put the finishing touches on what has been a dream of mine for years. Thank you, Coleen and Neal.” Ivan Stiles

“Thanks to Neal and Coleen Walters for tireless hours of recording, editing, cooking, and creating an awesome environment for recording!” Deborah Justice and Rachel Sprinkle

“A special note of praise goes to Neal Walters whose combined contribution of musical talent and expertise has provided the backbone to making this project a reality.” Ginny Mannina

“Thanks to Coleen and Neal Walters at Basement Studios for engineering, production, patience and, equally important, catering.” Dick Ward

“Special thanks to Neal and Coleen Walters, whose home we invaded to make this recording. It’s no small thing to feed two growing boys three meals a day! Thank you for opening your home to us, as well as your hearts, for your seemingly infinite patience, and for making us look and sound as good as possible. Special thanks to Coleen for providing a bass accompaniment”. Karla Armstrong

“It’s been a long time coming and never could have been accomplished without the incredible help of Neal and Coleen Walters.” Kathy Wieland

“My appreciation for the various forms of folk music really opened up though upon entering Neal’s basement and seeing the “library”. Holy C**p!!! He really opened my eyes and I’ve never looked back.” Dave Caouette

“Thanks so much for a great first experience solo. I am continuing to think about the two days, the prep, the idea, and will probably write a memoir about the whole process. Maybe that will go to Carrie and Mark too. Not only was the recording a rich experience but the accomodations and meals, the setting, the friendship, are all part of the memory too.” Robin Gaiser

“The things I miss:

• your warm hospitality that made me feel like I was at home
• the fun and laughter and good stories
• the delicious meals eaten outside
• the wonderful view and the folly
• the fireflies
• the birds, weasel, cats, cows, etc.
• the sounds of the kids playing
• the sound of the wind chime
• your cozy house

The recording experience was great! I’m already looking forward to the next time we’ll record a CD, it was comfortable, no rush, no guilt . . . Neal, thank you again for being so patient with us! We are SOOO thrilled with the CD, the sound, the graphics, everything is beyond our expectations!” Liab’ und Schneid