Renowned Christian artist and Dove award winner, Steven Curtis Chapman, held his CD listening party, Beauty Will Rise, at Sound Kitchen Studios, Franklin, TN, this past weekend. Chapman's album was written about the loss of his youngest daughter, Mary Sue Chapman, who was tragically killed in a car accident on May 21, 2008. Chapman started recording the album last year while he was on the road with Michael W. Smith; recording it from the Rupp Arena locker room to a hotel lobby. For more info on Steven’s album or his charitable works, please check out his video blog here 

We recently held a "Microphone Pre-amp Shootout" with our class of interns in the Big Boy Studio. We had a singer repeat the same lines of a song for easy comparison. The signal flow was as follows...

A Neumann U-67 going to a "selected mic pre" going through a Purple Audio M76 compressor to Pro Tools.

Our Mic Pre list was as follows

API 212L

Avalon M-5

DBX 786

Martech MSS-10

Neve 1073

Summit Audio Dual Tube Pre

Take a moment to listen to the differences below.

Which vocal chain do you think sounds the best and why?

Are there any other vocal chains that you think sound amazing?

Please let us know what you think.

All of these outboard mic pres are available for rental when you book any studio at The Sound Kitchen.

Sound Kitchen Mic Pre Shootout

Nashville native TV, Movie Star, and Country Artist, Billy Ray Cyrus just finished recording his voiceovers here in the Big Boy at Sound Kitchen Studios yesterday for his new movie, Christmas in Canaan. (Canaan, Texas that is.) The movie is based off of a book he and Kenny Rogers Co-wrote in 2002, (For more info, check out the book here) and premiers December 12th at 7 pm CST on the Hallmark Channel.

In the movie, Cyrus plays a widowed father trying to raise three children in Canaan, Tex. during the Civil Rights Movement. We will keep you updated! In the meantime check out the cast list at IMDB.

If you're a fan of Saving Abel, don't miss the great article Billboard.com did on their new album release and tour. Check it out here!

So why do we at the Sound Kitchen care? Saving Abel has just recorded their new album (not yet out) in our studios and recently played a sold out benefit show in the Big Boy Studio at the Sound Kitchen. Check out the pictures from the night!javascript:void(0)

Very cool 7 minute video of Keith and band in the studio making the "Love Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing" record in 2006.

With the help of our new tech, Sean Shannon, Sound Kitchen has made some awesome upgrades around the facility. If you have any tech-related questions about any of our studios, feel free to contact Sean directly at sean@soundkitchen.com.

GAC, Katie Armiger and the Sound Kitchen Bring Major Prize to West Virginian

March 18, 2009 — Stephen Shumacher, a 56-year-old country music fan from Charleston, W.Va., has the chance of a lifetime next week when he heads to Nashville to write a love song with Katie Armiger.

Stephen was one of more than 50,000 fans who took part in GAC’s February contest, Kapturing A Love Song With Katie Armiger, and he’ll co-write his piece with Katie and Love And Theft, a new band that will also produce a final version of the song at the Legendary Sound Kitchen Studios in Franklin, TN.

"I have always wanted the opportunity to be a part of writing a song, so this is truly a dream come true for me," Stephen says. "I sincerely want to thank Katie and GAC for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As both a singer and songwriter, Katie has a combination that makes her a truly gifted talent whose music belies her age. I still can’t believe that I won and get to write with her."

Katie, Stephen and Love And Theft will all write and record their song at the Sound Kitchen Studios in Franklin, Tenn., where such artists as Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Lonestar and the Dixie Chicks have recorded their major albums. In the meantime, Katie has other moments worthy of celebration. She makes her network television debut Saturday on the "CBS Early Show." And her "Trail Of Lies" video is currently ranked No. 12 on GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown.