Dave Fortman has produced Grammy-winning and multi-platinum selling albums. His resume includes production for Evanescence, Mudvayne, Simple Plan,12 Stones, Soilent Green, Eyehategod, Bif Naked, Otep, Superjoint Ritual, and more. His latest production: the new, world-class recording facility, Balance Studio in Mandeville, LA.
Balance Studio was designed by world-renowned studio guru John Storyk of Walters-Storyk Design Group in New York. The control room is centered around a Solid State Logic (SSL) SL40000 G Series Recording Console and Digidesign Pro Tools hard drive with 48 ins and outs. The studio also boasts a custom 8-channel sidecar fashioned from a Harrison recording console. The live room at Balance offers a spectacular setting that is perfect for all aspects of tracking and overdubbing. Measuring approximately 28 feet by 28 feet with an 18 to16 foot pitched ceiling, the main room can play host to drum sets, horn sections, and strings ensembles, as well as vocalists. The live room has no parallel walls or corners, which is considered a perfect studio environment. There are two isolation booths off of the control room. For vocalists, Balance recommends our Lawson L47MP tube microphone in combination with either our Neve 31102s (we have 10) Harrison or Telefunken V72 microphone preamps. Balances outboard rack also features Empirical Labs EL8 Distressors (4), Universal Audio 1176(2), a Urei LA 3-A Stereo Compressor, a Lexicon 480L and a host of other top of the line and vintage gear. For the final mix, there is an Alesis Masterlink with an Apogee Rosetta AD Stereo 24-bit A/D converter as the digital front end. The finishing touch to the studio is our Aviom A-16D Headphone system that allows individual mixes for every performer. The Aviom sytem is considered to be the finest on the market today.
There is also no shortage of great food and excellent accommodations in the area.
OUR TEAM:
Gene Joanen – Owner/Artist Development
Dave Fortman – Owner/Producer
IN HOUSE STAFF:
Ovis – Producer/ Engineer/ Research and Development
As a producer and engineer, Ovis brings 20 years of professional studio experience to the table. After receiving a Bachelor of Music degree from Loyola University in New Orleans, Ovis threw himself into the Los Angeles studio scene. Starting as a second engineer working for the infamous George Tobin (Tiffany, New Edition, Natalie Cole), Ovis eventually landed a music publishing deal with Famous Music, and then a recording deal with Restless Records (Ween, The Replacements, They Might Be Giants). Ovis debut CD, Schadenfreude, featured his Top 40 hit, Regular Thang (1994). Ovis went on to produce tracks for Tiffany with whom he had started his career as a second engineer. Since returning home to New Orleans, Ovis has produced and engineered for local artists Suplecs, Rock City Morgue, Invisible Cowboy, Christian Serpas, and GhostTown just to name a few. Ovis has recently wrapped up the production of Calling All Children To The Mardi Gras!, a childrens CD with Shad Weathersby and childrens author Mike Artell. Throughout his career, Ovis has also worked with B-52s, Don Was (Was, Not Was), Mike Clink (Guns and Roses), Roy Orbison, Gregg Alexander (New Radicals), Ice T, Green Jello, Geza X, Gilby Clarke, Stan Ross (Goldstar Studio), Stephen Bray (Madonna), Chip and Pepper, Cameron Meshell and many more. Ovis weapon of choice is Pro Tools HD, 96k/ 24 bit.
Drew Vonderhaar – House Engineer for The New Studio (Studio A)
Working as an engineer for the past 9 years, Drew has become an expert in sonically achieving the sound a band is looking for. Whether it is clean, dirty, jazz, or pop, he has learned when to be transparent and when to imprint his own sonic touches. If left to his own devices, Drews productions sound professionally raw with big bottom, blown out drums, and a warm round sound, always trying to create a unique sonic landscape. Drew is a perfect fit from singer/songwriters to indie rock, always putting the music first before the sounds. Drew has worked in the studio with Art Neville, Korn, Sheryl Crow, Charlie Sexton, Dr. John, New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars, Morning 40 Federation, Terence Blanchard, John Mooney, Harry Shearer, Mudvayne, Harry Connick, Rebirth Brass Band, Trent Reznor, Lenny Kravitz, Eric Lindell, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, World Leader Pretend, and many more.
Jeremy Parker – Producer/check him out
BE SURE TO ASK US ABOUT THE LOUISIANA TAX RECORDING INCENTIVES!
MULTIMEDIA SERVICES
As a benefit to artists who record at Balance, we have direct access to the talents of the staff of T.A.I. Media (www.taimultimedia.com) a multimedia company owned by Gene Joanen. T.A.I. Media offers a one-stop shop media house that delivers high impact designs to bands who are in search of a creative edge to get their unique message out. From t-shirts to CDs, posters and web graphics, to logos, illustrations, photography, and video production, T.A.I. Media offers a variety of design capabilities that we use to infiltrate the market.
THE ONE STOP FOR WHAT YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS!!!
Advertisements commercials, HD available brochures, pamphlets business cards – letterhead web graphics, development web broadcasting audio recording
Competitive pricing on all services!!!
T.A.I. MEDIAs in-house design team:
Kris Leichtenberg Video Production
kris@taimedia.net
Rick Franzo – Graphic Design /Web Development /Audio /Video
rick@taimedia.net
Ryan Thornburg – Photography and Video Editing
ryan@taimedia.net
Dantrell Bolling – Web Design/Development and Graphic Design
trell@taimedia.net
Jarrett Neville – Graphic Design and Print Production
jarrett@taimedia.net
Roy Tripp – IT