Berklee’s new 16-story building under construction at 160 Massachusetts Avenue will feature a state-of-the-art audio complex, student housing, and a performance venue; but as the tower takes shape, it’s also doubling as a teaching tool for a popular music production and engineering class, providing a rare opportunity to see the nuts and bolts of studio design and construction in real time.

"It was great coming to Studio Trilogy to record the audio book version of my memoir," remarked Jon Ginoli.

Cynthia Daniels recently started her own label, MonkMusic Records, whose debut album, “YoungBlood,” is by an emerging East End rock band, InCircles. 

Read Jungle City Studio's article and view photos in the April issue of SOS

"I always dreamed of having my own  John Storyk Room.  Our move to Phoenix was the perfect opportunity to make that happen.  My conversations with John convinced me it was doable, both financially and physically."

WSDG is proud to say Cameron Girard completed the internship program at our NY office in 2012.  Find out what he is now doing for Capital University.

"The new Vault Mastering Studio meets every one of my specific requirements, and when you walk in, it’s got that WSDG wow factor." 

BERKLEE'S VALENCIA INTERNATIONAL CAMPUS IS EQUIPPED WITH HIGH-TECH RECORDING AND TEACHING STUDIO FACILITY

“That information is there, and it should be available if you ask for it,” Storyk said. “We tend to avoid products from manufacturers that won’t provide us with that information.”

It was decided to upgrade the retractable electro acoustical system - Acoustics expert WSDG was brought in to undertake the project.

Engineer Nelson Fiedler has gone to great heights to revamp Rio de Janeiro's famous sports venue.

Aretha Franklin packed the Westchester County Center on Wednesday night March 27th, thrilling an enthusiastic crowd with a cavalcade of her hits. With a big, powerhouse orchestra, and bathed in pink and purple lights, The Queen of Soul was in rare form and voice.

American University just completed a new recording studio designed by the Walters-Storyk Design Group, one of the premiere studio design firms in the country. The new 2200 square foot complex opened in January of 2011. In addition to this new complex, existing facilities that will continue to be utilized by the Audio Technology program consist of three performance spaces, and a shared multi-station classroom.

The project, which was carried out by WSDG's international team of acoustics experts, involved the installation of a new sound reinforcement system.

One of the world’s great performance centers - An international landmark, both architecturally and culturally, the complex attracts music fans from around the world to its picturesque lakeside setting.

Read John Storyk's interview on designing Ace The Hole Studio.

One of the world’s great performance centers - An international landmark, both architecturally and culturally, the complex attracts music fans from around the world to its picturesque lakeside setting.

The project was divided into three phases: firstly the identification of the requirements, system planning and preparation of specifications, secondly the on-site evaluation of a total of three loudspeaker system candidates, and lastly the execution phase of installation planning, supervision and commissioning.

An international landmark, both architecturally and culturally, the complex attracts music fans from around the world to its picturesque lakeside setting.

One of the world’s great performance centers - An international landmark, both architecturally and culturally, the complex attracts music fans from around the world to its picturesque lakeside setting.

Le Poisson Rouge - 21st Century Cabaret that would accurately present classical, indie rock, electronic, jazz, blues, World music, singer/songwriters, and avant garde for starters.

Conceived by Laura van Galen, a visionary Bay Area CEO, the new 150-seat super club has been designed to share live performances by talented indigenous and celebrated world-renowned artists with a local, national and eventually international audience on location and over the web at www.livestream.com/fenixlive.

Modern audio systems and their applications have their roots deep in scientific discoveries and cultural developments.  Here's how it all went down...

San Rafael, CA: Beyond the traditional amenities of fine dining, exotic libations, and live music, the Fenix introduces a template for a new form of creative and social interaction --- on site and online.

Skye will shoulder a host of responsibilities ranging from new client development and overall business management to hands-on project design and construction supervision.

The new 150-seat supper club has been designed to share live performances by talented indigenous and celebrated world-renowned artists with a local, national and eventually international audience on location and over the web at www.livestream.com/fenixlive.

Beyond the traditional amenities of fine dining, exotic libations, and live music, the Fenix introduces a template for a new form of creative and social interaction — on site and online.  Conceived by Laura van Galen

Created by Laura van Galen, the Fenix bar, restaurant and live music venue provides guests with the opportunity to see live performances inside the club and online.

Cynthia Daniels will introduce a new label, MonkMusic Records, with the upcoming release of “YoungBlood, by the band InCircles.

Given the increased costs of fines and stepped-up noise-code enforcement as more people move into the urban core areas, the kind of expensive room-within-a-room, fully isolated space are now becoming more common in live-music clubs, such as the new Fenix club in San Rafael, CA

Beth Walters and John Storyk will travel to India later this month for a series of new-client meetings on up-coming projects. On March 25th John Storyk will present two lectures at Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai.

San Rafael, CA: Beyond the traditional amenities of fine dining, exotic libations, and live music, the Fenix introduces a template for a new form of creative and social interaction --- on site and online.

Sergio Molho named WSDG director of new business development

Berklee College of Music’s first international campus features state-of-the art recording technology and distance-learning capabilities.

The program is now accepting applications and will be launching in September 2013 at the college’s campus in Valencia, Spain. 

Mineirão Stadium continues to make headlines for it's acoustic program and complete audio and video program!

Forty-five years after its construction, Mineirão Stadium was ready for an upgrade to its audio and video components. On that front, WSDG designed the audio and video for the entire stadium, including all public areas.

The Berklee College of Music is renowned for training up-and-coming contemporary musicians and has completed the final element of its first international campus in Spain.

WSDG has announced that its team has completed work on Brazil’s Mineirão Stadium renovation, while remaining actively involved with a second major stadium renovation project in Belo Horizonte, and a third in Rio de Janeiro.

WSDG was retained to design the Acoustic Program and complete Audio and Video Systems for the entire stadium including all public areas, a total of 300.000 square meters (3,000,000 sq. ft).

Walters-Storyk Design Group has completed AV renovation work on the Mineirão Stadium in Brazil in preparation for next year's World Cup.

Vagabond Audio has been nominated for a 2013 Motion Picture Sound Editors’ (MPSE) Golden Reel Award for their work on PBS Frontline’s documentary The Interrupters, directed by Steve James for Kartemquin Films.

Read highlights on the following WSDG projects:  Westchester County Center, 54 Below, and Fenix Club

Read the article on the opening of Berklee in Valencia and the cutting edge technology.  Click here

It might not be very fair to ask for decades of art, science, and collected wisdom to be summed up in 800 words, but that was the challenge we set John Storyk - to suggest a set of ten monitoring commandments.

As soccer enthusiasm continues to sweep the globe, venerable stadiums are undergoing substantial upgrades to keep pace with 21st century fan expectations. Renato Cipriano, partner/GM, Walters-Storyk Design Group / Brazil,...

BELO HORIZONTE, BRAZIL: As soccer enthusiasm continues to sweep the globe, venerable stadiums are undergoing substantial upgrades to keep pace with 21st Century fan expectations.

“Coordinating three large-scale arena projects simultaneously is an Olympic-level challenge in its own right,” Cipriano said. “Fortunately WSDG’s global offices have extensive experience in multi-task collaboration. Our U.S. and European teammates assisted us in providing accurate technical, acoustic, aesthetic and technological recommendations for all three stadiums in a timely and cost-effective manner.”

The second largest sports arena in Brazil, the 62,160 seat Mineirão Stadium was originally built in 1965. When Belo Horizonte was named one of 12 cities to host the 2014 World Cup, the state government considered the event a landmark in the city’s development, one expected to generate benefits long after the World Cup is history.

Given the increased costs of fines and stepped-up noise-code enforcement as more people move into the urban core areas, the kind of expensive room-within-a-room, fully isolated space are now becoming more common in live-music clubs, such as the new Fenix club in San Rafael, CA

Berklee College of Music has completed the final element of its first international campus in Spain, a studio facility designed by Walters-Storyk Design Group.

  Sweatshop Studios located in Katonah, NY was completed October 2008 

28th Annual TEC Awards Nominees Outstanding Creative Achievement.  

John Storyk was a featured guested on the 5th annual "Code Bleu" Jimi Hendrix Birthday Broadcast.  John spoke about the design process of Jimi's Studio - Electric Lady and his experiences with Jimi.

Producer Robert Margouleff talks about his memories in the studio recording the classic album that turned 40 this week - and the frustrations that came later.

An entrepreneur with a wide range of music business interests, Irwin Kornfeld has sparked new awareness for the eighty-year-old Westchester County Center.   A major upgrade of the facility’s acoustics, coupled with a state of the art sound system, has landed the WCC and its new “Pepe Infiniti Concert Series” on the radar of booking agents and performing artists seeking viable venues for tri-state concert dates.   The series’ launch featured The Beach Boys in concert in mid-May, nearly fifty years after their first WCC gig. The Johnny Winter Band and Edgar Winter Group, Boston, Il Volo, Whoopie Goldberg, Aretha Franklin and others are booked through November.

 

BASEL, SWITZERLAND: Dirk Noy, Partner/General Manager, Walters-Storyk Design Group | Europe Office, has welcomed Christophe Anet to the international architectural/acoustical design firm as an Acoustician/Project Engineer. A multi-lingual, technically accomplished, decision-maker with extensive fieldwork and managerial credentials, Anet brings a diverse skill set to this new appointment.

Two days were filled with powerful presentations.  Renowned acoustician John Storyk, legendary music-technology journalist and clinician Craig Anderton, Grammy-nominated producers Brent Milligan and Pab DuPont and the list goes on.

NEW YORK:  Nearly twenty years after the debut of their multi-faceted MBK Entertainment dynasty, company founders Jeff Robinson along with partners Jeanine Mclean, Misha Hedman and Suzette Williams have moved to expansive new offices and, created OZ, a world-class recording studio. The thriving multimedia company has honed a ‘methodical’ approach to talent development, a technique highlighted by the spectacular career of multi-Grammy-winner Alicia Keys and newcomer, Elle Varner (RCA). 

NEW YORK: 54 BELOW, Broadway’s nightclub, is the new performance venue in the grand tradition of New York City nightlife.  A few blocks from the heart of Times Square and just below the legendary Studio 54, 54 BELOW is a classically designed state-of-the art nightclub in the theatre district that hosts audiences with warmth and style.

In an effort to maintain a timely and informative edge to the AES Broadcast Design Panel, moderator John Storyk has developed a new program for the 133rd Convention.  A panel of four leading studio contractors and installation experts will provide a real-world users survey of specific products and acoustic materials commonly (and rarely) incorporated in professional critical listening environments. 

NEW YORK: In a patent message of confidence in education and the inherent strengths of the world economy, the Berklee College of Music has embarked on a significant expansion program.  In Valencia, Spain, an entirely new campus opened in January, 2012. In Boston, the first ground-up building in Berklee’s 66-year history, 160 Massachusetts Avenue, a 16-story, $100 million structure, began construction in December 2011.

NEW YORK: John Storyk R.A., designer of over 3,000 audio/video production, performance, corporate and educational facilities, continues to maintain an active adjunct career as a teacher and lecturer. His current schedule includes a number of presentations on Acoustics and Recording Studio Design. These include a first appearance at Tufts University in Boston; lectures at the Berklee College of Music (Boston); the University of Colorado (Denver); Union College in Schenectady, NY; and a date at NYC’s SAE Institute of Technology.

CANNES - MIPIM:   Clients ranging from NYC’s Jazz At Lincoln Center complex ( Rafael Viñoly) to Philippe Starck’s Faena Hotel in Buenos Aires have engaged the architectural/acoustic design expertise of the Walters-Storyk Design Group, as have such legendary stars as Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen and Richard Gere. This week WSDG partners Sergio Molho (Buenos Aires) and Dirk Noy (Basel, Switzerland) will introduce this unique firm to MIPIM attendees.

BASEL, SWITZERLAND:  Dirk Noy, Walters-Storyk Design Group partner and European GM, has announced the opening of new offices in Cologne, Germany and Barcelona, Spain.

ETZGEN, SWITZERLAND: Driving 30 minutes from Zurich, past rolling hills and ancient forests, a recording artist might not expect to find a world class recording and mixing facility. But, in the little village of Etzgen stands Synphonic Recording Studios, a three-room facility built within an abandoned corner shop.

LUZERN, SWITZERLAND:  From its opening performance by the Berlin Philharmonic in August 1998, the KKL Luzern Grand Concert Hall was recognized as one of the world’s great performance centers.  An international landmark, both architecturally and culturally, the complex attracts music fans from around the world to its picturesque lakeside setting.

A background in physics and a love of music fused to create a rewarding career for the general manager of acoustic consultancy WSDG’s European office in Basel

NEW YORK: The epitome of hip elegance and acoustical excellence, Jungle City Studios signify the dawn of the ‘Retro Future/Future Retro’ era. The $6 million + complex also recalibrates the benchmark for destination studio design. Crowning a new luxury office building at 520 West 27th St. in NYC’s chill High Line district, Jungle City morphed 4800 sq. feet of raw real estate into a showplace duplex with soaring ceilings, a 370 sq. ft. terrace, a 2400 sq. ft. rooftop deck, and river views.

During the past forty years, the Walters-Storyk Design Group has built over 3,000 professional recording studios and audio production environments domestically and internationally. In 2007, the firm joined forces with Miami-based integrator Maxicon to form a new division, WSDG-Miami. Company co-principal/director of marketing/new business development, Ilan Weinstein and Sergio Molho, WSDG partner/director of international relations, discuss how this special relationship came to be.

Diffusion Magazine entrevistó a John Storyk, Fundador de WSDG (Walters-Storyk Design Group) y Sergio Molho, Director de Proyectos para Latinoamérica, quienes nos visitaron en la ciudad de Bogotá para la 4ta Conferencia Latinoamericana de la AES. Asimismo Diffusion Magazine tuvo la oportunidad de compartir con John en San Francisco, California – USA en la Convención 129 de la AES.

Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG) es una empresa consultora internacional que provee servicios completos de diseño acústico y arquitectónico, especializado en diversos ambientes de alta complejidad audiovisual. Los arquitectos e ingenieros de WSDG proveen servicios de diseño, construcción y consultoría para instalaciones profesionales de audio y video, salas de presentación multimedial, home theaters, salas de espectáculos, estudios hogareños, aplicaciones de acústica industrial, desarrollo de productos, estudios móviles, estadios deportivos y muchos otros proyectos.

BELO HORIZONTE, BRASIL: How do you keep your pool house from reverberating like a gymnasium?  For the owners of a luxurious villa set amidst of one of Brasil’s most breathtaking landscapes, the views and the pastoral silence were priceless. A wide expanse of windows surrounding the infinite lap pool draw attention to the spectacular mountains and gardens framing this opulent weekend residence. Intrusive echoes of laughter and music were unacceptable.

In this exclusive video profile, Storyk discusses the new challenges and changes that he is faced with today while designing recording studios and multi-purpose spaces.

CHICAGO: Maintaining a commitment to provide professional audio training as a vital element in many of The 45 Arts Institutes educational institutions in North America, the Walters-Storyk Design Group recently completed a new teaching studio for The Illinois Institute Of Art - Chicago

The architects of the Inhotim Theater won the prize for 'Best in Architecture' by Arquitetura & Construção Magazine. Click Here to view the video (In Portuguese).

In 2009, when veteran sound mixer/designer/composer Damon Trotta joined the Northern Lights editorial/graphics/production team, the boutique’s goal was to substantially step up their audio services with a high-end mixing suite. For Trotta the ‘dream studio’ he envisioned was a Walters-Storyk Design Group room.

The audio production industry is constantly evolving with new technologies being created everyday and more job opportunities becoming available, many that reach far beyond traditional music recording. The Art Institutes schools have responded to this demand with the launch of new Walters-Storyk designed audio studios at some of its schools.

Restaurant T is an upscale gourmet restaurant, located in the Pacheco Golf Club, a gated community & country club in Nordelta, north of Buenos Aires. In addition to delicious food the elegant dining room offers two distinctive special attractions, special lighting capable of changing the entire atmosphere almost instantly and, a carefully tuned acoustic environment which comfortably enables diners to hear each other speak.

 

Date:                              Thursday, June 17th, 2010
Location:                        Basel, Switzerland
Workshop Language:    GERMAN
Cost:                              CHF 50.00 (including VAT, including lunch)

Since 1969, the Walters-Storyk Design Group has created over 3000 recording studios and professional audio production environments for clients, ranging from Jimi Hendrix, Alicia Keys, Green Day and Bruce Springsteen to international corporations, broadcasters, such as MTV (Argentina,) and PBS; Jazz At Lincoln Center and other performance venues; and studios for such Latin stars as Fito Paez (Argentina), Ivette Sangalo (Brazil) and Daddy Yankee. By joining forces with Maxicom, a 10-year-old Miami-based Audio/Video design and installation company, WSDG Miami establishes a unique ability to provide world-class audio video integration and architectural acoustic services to a diverse clientele.

NBC’S hit reality show Celebrity Apprentice paid an extended visit to the busy WSDG-designed audioEngine post-production complex recently.  Celebs ranging  from TV personality Sharon Osbourne, and 80s icon Cindi Lauper to rock star Brett Michaels worked with star audio engineers Rob DiFondi and Hillary Martel to conceive, cast, record and mix a package of actual :30 radio spots.  The entire process will be featured at 9PM on the May 2^nd episode of the popular NBC Network show.

BANGOR, MAINE:  Since 1898 when it was founded, the Husson University curriculum has evolved to encompass Business, Education, Health, Pharmacy, Science and the Humanities. Throughout its history this bucolic campus has provided students with virtually every requirement for a well-rounded educational experience.  Every requirement, but one.

NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development has announced a ground-breaking new addition: The James L. Dolan Recording/Teaching complex at the Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions is one of the most technically advanced audio teaching facilities in the United States.

HOLLYWOOD: Singer/songwriter/musician/photographer Matt Buguy has integrated all these art forms throughout his career. Determined to accelerate the productivity of his Casablanca Multimedia Studios,

New York: Walters-Storyk Design Group co-principal John Storyk will deliver a presentation from 1PM to 2:30PM at the Worship Facilities Conference & Expo (WFX) in Charlotte, NC, Oct. 29. Designed for facility planners, Mr. Storyk’s presentation will include an assessment of current trends in affordable, acoustic control of church environments.

BUENOS AIRES: Sergio Molho, founding partner of the Walters-Storyk Design Group Latin American office, reports construction has now been completed at the new MTV production facility the group designed in Buenos Aires. The new complex includes 10 post production rooms for video, a 5.1 audio post suite, two television studios, a master control room, a CMR and a main server room.

WSDG has been awarded the acoustic consultants contract for a major new building for the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia. One of the largest universities in the country, it caters to over 22.000 students and 3.500 professors in its 174.900 sq mts campus.

Sergio Molho, Director of International Relations for WSDG, participated in the Stress Free Digital Television Conference 2009, held in Bogota. In a presentation intended to instruct participants on acoustic design for postproduction rooms for 5.1 audio surround for HDTV and Film Mixing, the lecture was a success with attendees from Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, USA, Mexico and Mozambique. 

NEW YORK: In keeping with AES Convention tradition, the Walters-Storyk Design Group will be deeply involved in the 127^th AES Convention set for Oct. 9-12 at NY’s Javits Center.   Beyond spending quality time meeting with clients and heads of the company’s global offices at the WSDG Booth #628, team members will participate in a number of AES events.

NEW YORK: Food Network has been creating tastefully prepared, highly entertaining programming since 1993.  Originally owned by Providence Journal, and then A.H. Belo Corp, the innovative network was acquired by The E.W. Scripps Company (now Scripps Networks Interactive) in 1997.

A cappella, one of the most idiosyncratic of all performing techniques,   presents the ultimate challenge in precision vocalizing. Recording performances which rely exclusively on the human voice for instrumentation as well as lyrics and melody is a unique art. VOCOMOTION Studio owner Freddie Feldman is a master of the genre. 

BANGOR, Maine — In his 30-odd years of doing theater in Maine, Ken Stack has worked in opera houses, Grange halls, old movie theaters and churches. The owner of Acadia Repertory Theatre in Somesville and former artistic director of Penobscot Theatre Company in Bangor knows how to make do with what’s available or what can be begged or borrowed from others.

Todd Barrett, a skilled designer, project coordinator and architect with extensive large-scale, multi-purpose building credits has joined the Walters-Storyk Design Group as a Project Manager.  Barrett brings nine years of on-the-ground experience with Atlanta-based Randall-Paulson Architects, Inc. to his new post.

ORANGEBURG, NY: Carl Rowatti, owner of Trutone Mastering Labs Inc., veteran mastering engineer, and master in the art of lacquer-cutting for vinyl records, has opened a new studio in his suburban 4400 sq. ft. Orangeburg, NY home. Created by Walters-Storyk Design Group architect/acoustician John Storyk, the facility features the same technology which earned Carl, Adrianna (his wife and partner) and Trutone Mastering Labs midtown studios, recognition as one of NY’s most prestigious mastering complexes.

John Storyk, founding partner of WSDG, will be teaching courses in acoustics at both Berklee College of Music and Stevens Institute of Technology this fall. Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, MA, is one of the country's top music and production colleges and Stevens Intitute of Technology is a leading engineering college located in Hoboken, NJ.  For more information, please visit our events and lectures page.

RYE, NEW YORK:  The growing movement towards high-end residential studios welcomes another convert this month with the opening of producer / engineer Yaron Fuchs’ new home studio.  Fuchs who has worked with many Grammy®-winning artists ranging from Herbie Hancock, Ben Harper, Bryan McKnight, Smashing Pumpkins and Tim McGraw to Moby, had co-owned NYC’s EastSide Sound in 1990’s, and later co-owned NuMedia NY Studios. 

WSDG is proud to announce that four of its studios have been submitted to the TEC nominating committee in consideration of its 24th Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, for the category of recording studio design. The projects are as follows: Audio Engine, Art Institute (Washington), Sweatshop Studios and Balance Studios.

NEW YORK: Dolby is recognized for maintaining one of the industry’s most stringent acoustical installation testing programs.  The approval process requires Dolby staff technicians to complete a comprehensive sequence of tests designed to measure demanding listening/performance capabilities.  These include: Left/Center and Right front channel response curves; Sub Woofer LFC calibration, Left/Right surround array response curves and final comparative LCR/Ls/R response.

NEW YORK:  On Monday evening, March 9, from 6:00 to 8:00PM, the AES New York Section will host a behind-the-scenes tour of Le Poisson Rouge, a 21st Century multimedia art cabaret at 158 Bleecker St.  Dedicated to the fusion of popular and art cultures in music, film, theater, dance and fine art, LPR has received extensive press coverage in the NY Times and other leading publications.