Back in December, 2007, when ARU partners/engineers Don Arbuckle and Mark Zeboski purchased the venerable recording studio from original owner Mike King, they didn’t have time to revamp the studio as they planned.
“One of our goals at the time was to upgrade the equipment and the look as well,” Arbuckle says. “We felt we were doing really good work, but our facility didn’t reflect that.”
In the past few months, those goals have been achieved. Equipment upgrades have been installed. The reception room and client lounge got face lifts with new furniture. Freshly painted walls are hung with an art exhibits that changes monthly and some carpeting was replaced.
“The bottom line is, we must use technology and ideas that allow us to work faster and better to remain competitive – and any job that goes to someone else is your competition,” Arbuckle says.
Audio Recording Unlimited, as it is rarely called, has five state-of-the-art studios over four floors in the south tower of the Wrigley Building.
The upgrades include ProTools 9HD, which runs in combination with Windows 5 in all five rooms, Nuendo 5 software and a new Euphonix MC Pro console, which replaces ARU’s proprietary Fairlight editing process.
Also new: A video projection system and was 55-inch LED monitors replace 10-year old 42-inch flat screen monitors in all five studios, delivering “a beautiful picture and flexibility.”
“We deal with a file and if we’re lucky, a Quicktime movie looks good,” Arbuckle comments. “We need a display technology that won’t exacerbate the problem of Quicktime. And when there’s a long arduous session, the clients can watch a ball game.”
All rooms are now Skype audio and video capable, allowing clients to view voice actors while they’re recording from anywhere in the country, even on their iPhones.
An important upgrade was the installation of the latest version of SoundMinder HD, the search software for music and sound effects. It connects all the studios and enables the engineers to instantaneously access and share 12 terabytes of music and effects.
“When our agency clients call and want a music search, we can go to the SoundMinder and forward them a link for them to make the search and send their hero selections back to us,” explains Arbuckle.
ARU added composer/sound designer Tom Haigh to its Tonic original music division, as of Jan. 1. He brings the staff number to 10. Haigh, who has a master’s degree in composition and production engineering, is originally from England and has lived in Chicago since 2007. indie film credits working on all aspects of film making from location sound engineer to Sound Designer and Master Remix engineer,
Haigh has worked on all aspects of filmmaking, from location sound engineer to sound designer and master remix engineer, says Arbuckle, “When we got lucky and tripped over him and couldn’t let him go.”
See aruchicago.com. —Ruth L Ratny
