top of page
Backwater Channels Recording Studio - Music Production and Photography - Benfleet,Southend,Basildon,Rayleigh,Canvey, Essex

Backwaters Recording Studio

 

The Backwaters Channels Studio offers a range of recording and production services, catering for:

 

  • Band Recording

  • Solo Artists / Vocalists / MC's

  • Voice Overs 

  • FX and Sound Design for film and media

  • Music Production 

  • Audio Mixing

  • Audio Mastering

  • ReAmping

 

 

Whether you require a facility for recording your band or need a song mixed down; from applying a simple voiceover through to producing a whole track, we are happy to accommodate. 

 

Our recording studio is based just off of the A13 in Benfleet Essex and in close proximity to Leigh on Sea, Southend, Rayleigh, Basildon and Canvey. We are also in close proximity to Benfleet Train Station which is on the Fenchurch Street line and just 45 minutes away from central London.

​

Please get in touch for further details.

Recording & Mixing

£30 per hour

£100 4 hour session

£180 full 8 hour day 8 hours

 

We welcome every style of music and every level of production. 

 

Over the years we have had the pleasure of working with a great number of talented musicans and vocalists from a diverse range of musical styles including Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, Reggae, Soul, R&B, Rock and Roll, Folk, Blues, Jazz, Funk, Electronica, Dance and many, many more.

​

For vocalists that do not typically work with musicians to provide their music, we can provide you will professionally recorded backing tracks to sing along to. Choose from our extensive catalogue of songs that covers a diverse range of artists and genres. 

 

Please get in touch where will be more than happy to discuss your project with you.

Music Production

Priced per project - please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

We offer a bespoke music production services for recording artists, film, and media,

Please feel free to contact us to discuss your project.

Mastering

£20 per song

Mastering service available for individual songs, EP's, albums.

 

Frequently Asked Questions
 
Recording Session Tips

Recording Studio Gear List

​

Microphones Available

Large Diaphragm Condensers Microphones:

  • Sony C38b (Vintage circa 1970): Large Diaphragm Condenser. Cardioid/Omni.

  • Audio Technica AT4040: Large Diaphragm Condenser, Cardioid.

  • RODE 'Classic' (Original mk1) Large Diaphragm, Tube Condenser. Cardioid/Omni/Fig8 (9 available pick-up patterns)

  • RODE NT2 Large Diaphragm, Cardioid/Omni.

  • sE Electronics sE2200a Large Diaphragm Condenser, Cardioid.

 

Small Diaphragm Condensers Microphones

  • Oktava MK-012 Small Diaphragm Condenser, Cardioid/Omni (X2)

  • Calrec CB20C (Vintage circa 1960's) Small Diaphragm Condenser with CC50 Cardioid capsules (X2) *

  • AKG C451EB (Vintage circa 1970) Small Diaphragm Condenser, Cardioid x2 *

  • AKG C460B (Vintage circa 1970) Small Diaphragm Condenser, Cardioid x2 *

  • Sennheiser  MKH406 P48 (Vintage circa 1970) Small Diaphragm Condenser, Cardioid x2 * 

  • Shure BG 4.1 Small Diaphragm Condenser, Cardioid (X2)

  • Shure SM85 (Vintage circa 1970)  Small Diaphragm Condenser, Cardioid (X2)

  • Shure SM82 (Vintage circa 1970) Small Diaphragm Condenser, Cardioid *

​

Small Diaphragm Dynamic Microphones:

  • Audix i5 Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid

  • Shure Unidyne 545D (Vintage circa 1970) Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid

  • Shure SM57 (X7) Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid.

  • Shure SM57 Beta Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Super-Cardioid 

  • Shure SM58 (X4) Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid.

  • Shure SM58 Beta Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Super-Cardioid

  • Shure 33-1070D (X2) Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Omni-directional

  • Electro Voice N/D 257 Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid.

  • Electro Voice DS35 (Vintage circa 1970) Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid (X2) *

  • Audio Technica ATM25 Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Hypercardioid. 

  • Sennheiser e604 (X3) Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid.

  • Sennheiser MD21U Small Diaphragm Omini-Directional, Dynamic *

  • AKG D224E (Vintage circa 1970)  Small Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid (X2) *

  • Beyerdynamic M640N

​

Large Diaphragm Dynamic Microphones:

  • Audix D4 Dynamic, Hyper-Cardioid

  • Audio D6 Dynamic, Cardioid

  • AKG D12 Vintage Large Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardiod. 

  • AKG D112 Large Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid.

  • Sennheiser e602 Large Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid.

  • Shure Beta 52A Large Diaphragm Dynamic, Super-Cardioid.

  • Shure SM7B: Large Diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioiod

  • Peavey PVM 520TN: Large diaphragm Dynamic, Cardioid.

​

Ribbon Microphones:

  • sE R1 Ribbon Microphones, Bi-Directional (X2)

  • RB-100 Ribbon Microphones, Bi-Directional (X2)

  • Coles 4115 Ribbon Microphone * 

 

Misc Microphones:

  • Shure 520D Vintage 'Green Bullet'  Controlled Reluctance Transducer, Omni-directional

  • Realistic PZM Boundary Mic (X2)

  • Sub-Kick

​

Preamps & DI Boxes etc

FMR RNP 8380 Stereo Preamp

DAV BG1U Decca Heritage Dual Channel Mic-Pre/DI

Golden Age Project PRE-73 (x2)

ART MPA Dual Channel Tube Preamp  (Upgraded with vintage NOS RCA tubes)

Joemeek VC6Q Preamp / Optical compresser / EQ

Electo Harmonix 12AY7

Radial J48 DI Box x2

Radial JS2 Mic Splitter

Radial Pro RMP reamping box 

EMO systems Microphone Splitter

​

Sequencing & Recording

Apple Mac Pro (2x 3.2GHz Quad-core processors, 18Gb Ram) running Logic Pro X

Various Plug-ins & VST instruments including Native Instrument Komplete Ultimate, Waves, Lexicon, & Sound Toys

M-Audio Profire 2626 24bit/192kHz Audio/MIDI interface (x2): 16 ins/16 outs total

Behringer ADA8000 8 channel AD/DA converter

Apple Macbook Pro (2.9GHz Dual-core processor, 8GB Ram)

RME Babyface Interface (used for location recording with MacBook Pro)

Studio Logic SL990 Pro 88-note full-size weighted, hammer-action controller keyboard

Tascam 38, (8 track analog Reel to Reel mulitrack tape recorder)

Tascam 22-2 (2 track analog Reel to Reel  stereo recorder)

Akai 4000DS (Reel to Reel analog tape recorder)

Pioneer RT-707 (Reel to Reel stereo recorder)

​

Mixing & Monitoring

Allen & Heath System 8 1616 Analogue Mixing Desk

Mackie Onyx 1620 16 channel Mixing Desk with Firewire

Adam A7X active monitor speakers

Adam Sub 7 

Yamaha NS10M Studio passive  monitor speakers / Yamaha P1600 Power Amp

Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro Headphones x5

EX-29 Extreme Isolation Headphones

Behringer HA4700 12 Channel  Headphone Amp 

Vestax PMC-05 Pro III DJ mixer

 

Instruments & Amplification

Vintage 70's Rhodes Mark II Stage Piano 73

Vintage Korg CX3 (circa '79) - Hammond B3 clone

Philips Philicorda GM752 Organ (circa '67)

Hohner Planet T (circa '77)

Sharma 981 Rotary Speaker

Neo Ventilator II rotary speaker cabinet simulator

Vintage Petrof upright piano

Theremin

Various acoustic, electric and bass guitars

​

Yamaha Oak Custom drum kit (7 ply kick, 6 ply toms):

  • 22" Kick Drum,

  • 12" Tom

  • 13" Tom

  • 16" Floor Tom

​

Vintage Ludwig drum kit 1968 (3 ply shells): 

  • 24" Kick Drum 

  • 13" Tom

  • 16" Floor Tom

​

Gretsch Catalina Club drum kit  (6 ply shells): 

  • 18" Kick Drum 

  • 12" Tom

  • 14" Floor Tom

​

Various Snare drums including:

  • Ludwig Acrolite

  • Premier 2000

  • Pearl SensiTone

​

Various cymbals including:

  • 14" Zildjian New Beat Hi-Hats (vintage 70's)

  • 14" Zildjian K Hi-Hats (vintage 70's)

  • 14" Paiste Dixie Hi Hats (Vintage circa 1960)

​

  • 20" Zildjian A Ride (vintage 70's)

  • 22" Zildjian A Custom Ride

​

  • 16" Zildjian A Crash (vintage 70's)

  • 18" Zildjian A Crash (vintage 70's) 

  • 16" Zildjian A Medium Thin Crash

  • 18" Zildjian A Medium Thin Crash

  • 16" Zildjian A Custom Crash

  • 18" Paiste Dixie Crash (circa 1960)

​

Guitar Amps

Hohner Orgaphon 18MH Valve amp (circa '65)

Fender 'Champ' Valve Guitar Amp (circa '78)

Fender MusicMaster Bass (circa '74)

Fender Deluxe Reverb Valve Guitar Amp (circa '78)

Music Man 212 HD 130 Valve Guitar Amp  (circa '76)

Vox AC15 Valve Guitar Amp

Roland Jazz chorus-85

Mesa Boogie Mark III Valve Guitar Amp

Marshall JCM 800 Valve Guitar Amp

Ampeg B-50R Bass Amplifier

Orange Tiny Terror Valve Guitar Amp

BlackStar HT5 Valve Guitar Amp

Vox Pathfinder 15

Epiphone Valve Junior

Sharma 981 Rotary Speaker

​​

Synths & Keyboards

Arturia Minibrute Analog Synth

Roland Juno 60 Analog Poly Synth

Roland RS-09 Organ/String Analog Poly Synth

Roland MC-202 Analog Mono Synth

Jen SX1000 Analog Mono Synth

Studio Logic SL990 Pro 88-note full-size weighted, hammer-action controller keyboard

Next 'Superbass 4.4' Analog Bass Synthersizer

Emu Proteus 2000 Synth Module with MoPhat expansion card

Roland JV2080 containing the following expansion cards:

​​

  • Orchestral  

  • Keyboards of the 60s & 70s

  • Vintage Synths

  • Techno

  • Bass & Drums

  • Session

  • Dance

​

Yamaha TX81Z FM Synth Module

Yamaha FB-01 FM Synth Module

Yamaha QY22 Music Sequencer

 

Samplers & Drum Machines

Boss DR-55 Analog drum Machine

Roland R-70 Drum Machine  

Roland R8 mkII Drum Machine 

E-mu SP12 Sampling Drum Machine (12 bit, Mono)

Akai S950 Sampler (12 bit, Mono)

Akai S612 Sampler (12 bit Mono)

Akai S1100 Sampler (16 bit, Stereo)

Akai MPC2000XL Sampling Drum Machine (16 bit, Stereo)

Ensoniq ASR10 Samplng Keyboard Workstation.

Casio RZ-1 Sampling Drum Machine (8 bit, Mono)

 

Compressors & Dynamic Processing

FMR RNC 1773 Compressor (Stereo)

DBX 163X Compressor/Limiter (Mono)

DBX 160X compressor/Limiter (Mono)

DBX 166 Stereo Compressor/ Peak Limiter / Gate (Stereo)

DBX 128 Stereo Dynamic Range Enhancer (Stereo)

Drawmer LX20 Stereo Compressor/Expander/Gate (Stereo)

ART VLA II Valve Driven Opto Compressor (Stereo)

 

Outboard Effects & Processors

Tech 21 SansAmp PSA 1.1  

Lexicon MPX1 Multi FX Unit

Lexicon PCM60 Reverb

Lexicon Vortex Audio Morphing Processor 

Ensoniq DP/4+ Parallel Effects Processor

Yamaha SPX90 II

Alesis Midiverb II Multi FX Unit

Alesis Quadraverb Plus Multi FX Unit

Bel BD-80s Stereo Digital Delay/Sampler

Ken Multi DE 1200 Digital Delay

Evan EchoPet EP100 Analog Delay / Echo Unit

Dynacord DRP 16 Digital Reverb

Zoom 1201 Multi FX Unit

Korg Kaoss Pad Dynamic Effects/ Controller

Aphex 104 Aural Exciter

 

Tape Delays & Spring Reverbs etc

Roland Space Echo RE-150 Tape Delay/Echo 1979

Watkins Copicat Mk II Tape Delay/Echo (valve) circa 1963

Watkins Copicat MK IV Tape Delay/Echo (solid state) circa 1970

Sound Workshop 242C Stereo Spring Reverb

Vesta Kaza RV-3 Spring Reverb

Van Amps Sole Mate Spring Reverb

JHS SL5300 Spring Reverb 

Pioneer SR-101 Valve Driven Spring Reverb  (1960's)

Pioneer SR-202W Solid state Spring Reverb (1970's)

Sansui RA-700 Solid State Spring Reverb (1970's)

 

Guitar FX pedals etc

Various Guitar Effect Pedals Including:

  • Sansamp Para Driver

  • Maxon OD808

  • Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer

  • Tokai TMD-1 Metal Driver

  • Boss OD-3 Overdrive

  • Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive

  • Boss OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion

  • Boss DS-1 Distortion

  • Boss ODB-3 Bass Overdrive

  • Stone Deaf  PDF2  EQ-Filtering Overdrive

  • Marshall BB2 Bluesbreaker II

  • Pro Co Rat

  • Electro Harmonix Big Muff

  • Electro Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff

  • MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

  • Boss DD-2 Digital Delay

  • Boss DD-5 Digital Delay

  • Electro Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai

  • Boss RE-20 Space Echo Delay/Reverb

  • Electro Harmonix Holy Grail Nano Reverb

  • T.C electronic Hall Of Fame Reverb

  • Van Amps Sole Mate Spring Reverb Pedal

  • Boss PN-2 Tremolo/Pan

  • Boss TR-2 Tremelo

  • Boss AW-3 Auto Wah

  • Jim Dunlop Cry Baby Wah Wah

  • Digitech Whammy

  • Electro Harmonix POG Micro

  • Neo Ventilator II rotary speaker cabinet simulator

  • Ernie Ball VP Jr. Volume Pedal

  • Electro Harmonix Dual Expression Pedal

  • Boss CE-3 Chorus

  • Electro Harmonix Small Clone Chorus

  • Electro Harmonix Small Stone Phaser 

  • Boss PH-2 Super Phaser

  • Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter 

  • DOD FX25B Envelope Filter

  • Boss GE-7 Equalizer

  • MXR Bass Preamp

  • Yamaha NE-1 Parametric Equalizer

  • Korg Tone Works G5 Synth Bass Processor

  • Line 6 POD 2.0 Multi FX & Amp Simulation

 

Boss LS-2 Line Selector

Fender ABY Pedal

 

Misc:

Technics SL-1200 Mk2 Turntable

Korg DT1000 Chromatic Tuner

 

bottom of page