A LAKE District producer has launched his own studio, providing a facility for his musician friends and for the locals to enjoy.

The aptly-named Heavy Rain Sound Studio in Windermere is the recording headquarters for Andris Kiss - a musician himself, but one who never really found his place in a band.

A desire to work with all styles and genres of music led to the creation of the studio, which opened its doors properly in the spring, with plans for it to also double as a Lakes get-away in the future.

He says: "I decided I want to work for myself and I want to do something where I can give something or do something good for the people.

"I met lots of musicians who had no recordings, and some of them said that they are not able to move out from this area as they haven't got any good quality recording. It also costs a lot to go to a big city for a recording. They said they feel like they are "stuck here" and can only play for small pubs, which they are happy with, but they would like to go to bigger venues.

"So I decided to go for it. I think this is just the right time for me to start everything for both personal reasons and for the musicians around."
Adrian Ventura at Heavy Rain Sound Studio

A guitarist since the age of 10, Andris has played in a number of bands, covering almost every style in the process. However, his desire to try his hand at every genre meant that he found it tough to dedicate his time to one project.

"I believe being a musician myself and also being able to play other instruments are both very important as a music producer," says Andris.

"I am able to understand your songs - how they’re built up, what’s your message, what technique you’re using - and each of the roles of the players from the first second we start working together.

"I never really fit in a band as a guitarist as I couldn’t stick only to one genre. Usually bands choose one style and the members strictly stick to it. This situation always felt like an equation you can never solve - how can I enjoy myself as a musician who loves to play in different styles?

"This time two years ago, I asked myself, "what would you like to do in five or 10 years' time?"

"I had several answers but there were two common ones: music, and I wanted to do something for the people.

"Suddenly the equation got solved."

DIY recording served its purpose in his old band life, but with each member adding their own layers and tracks, the quality suffered.

With the need to record a demo, a trip to his friend's home studio sparked Andris' interest in producing, and he has taken a number of lessons and courses to reach the point where he feels comfortable operating his own studio.

He says: "When I think of an engineer I picture someone with advanced degrees, a firm grasp of graduate level math, and a white lab coat. I’m not smart enough to have the word “engineer” anywhere near my name - I’ve learnt everything the old way.

"It’s really easy at the beginning. You just need a laptop and a sound card. You plug your guitar in, push a button, and job done.

"Later other band members wanted to add their section to the recording so we could listen to our songs. Of course that did not sound good at all.

"So we went to a friend to record our music. By that time this friend was at the stage where I am now, but with less and worse gear that I have right now. We recorded everything in his living room except for the drums. But in the end the recording sounded amazing for less price you’d pay in big "pro" studios.

"I think I first fell in love with the industry by that time. Some years later when my this friend of mine became successful I started taking lessons from him.

"Every time I had questions, I also took courses so I could get my answers and progress. By then I was never really thinking about making a studio - I did everything for fun and enjoyment.

"I’d call myself an audio enthusiast. I’m simply a music lover. Running a studio is like playing an instrument - the progress of getting better will never stop."


Studio set-up While it is still effectively a home studio, Andris is keen to stress that it is a very different set-up to what most people would expect from one.

"My studio right now consists of one control room. I set up the control room in my flat as a home studio. When I contacted some bands, some of them said no to me as I am a home studio - some people misunderstand what a home studio is. There is a huge difference between a hobby studio set up in your home and a home studio with professional equipment. You can easily build up a hobby studio in your home with a laptop and a sound card.

"My studio is set up with industry standard equipment and I have years of experience. Later I’ll have to move out to a bigger studio with more rooms, and I’d also like to be able to give people accommodation so everyone could record their music during the day, than enjoy the Lake District in the afternoon.

"

I wanted a name for my studio that expresses the sound quality and something that’s a little bit “Lakeland-ish” as I believe this is one of the most beautiful places in the world I have ever lived."

Established Lakes musician Adrian Ventura and Kendal rock band Solomon have already made use of the facilities, and there are many more projects in the pipeline.

  • To find out more about the studio, visit www.facebook.com/heavyrainsoundstudio