Magic Mic: Inside Starke Lake Studios

OCOEE — Every day at Starke Lake Studios has the potential for a new soundscape. When staff walked into the studio one recent morning and reviewed the day’s schedule, they prepared to start with polka, move on to an Irish band, mix some gangsta rap in the afternoon and close with gospel in the evening.

“We’ve never been a one-genre place,” studio manager Andrew Hautzenroeder said. “We’re all about the artist and whatever they need. … It ends up bringing us a lot of insanely varied stuff.”

Glen and Kelly Gettings, who built the studio in 1982, had previously worked in the entertainment industry for Walt Disney World. Some of the early projects at Starke Lake Studios were movie soundtracks, such as the soundtrack for “Pocahontas.”

Since then, many high-profile musicians have recorded at Starke Lake Studios, including the Pointer Sisters, M.C. Serch, Three Dog Night and a number of ensembles from Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Resort. Recently, vocalists from Telemundo’s “La Voz Kids” worked on a project there.

But anyone can record at Starke Lake Studios. The only requirements are a two-hour minimum time block and the ability to pay the hourly fees. No matter how many accolades an artist has to his or her name, he or she will be treated with the utmost service.

“We do our best for everyone,” Hautzenroeder said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a major pop star or just some kid in a garage. For us, it’s always, we’re going to do a really killer job and make it sound as good as we can.”

STAR TREATMENT

One of the most highly sought attributes of a recording engineer is that he or she is attentive to detail. It’s critical for producing a high-quality work of sound.

At Starke Lake Studios, the staff’s attention to detail reaches far beyond the soundboard.

There are coffee bars and mini fridges in every room. After the staff gets to know a client, when that client returns, his or her favorite beverage will be waiting in those fridges. If an artist wants something specific for lunch, the requested meal will appear in-house as quickly as possible.

“We treat everybody like you’re in a five-star hotel,” Hautzenroeder said. “You have a concierge when you’re here working with us — you don’t worry about anything. You’re here to do your music.”

Worship teams from a number of local churches have worked at Starke Lake Studios, including First Baptist Church of Orlando. Robert Elkins, pastor of worship and music at First Baptist, has been involved with several of these projects, including music for the annual Christmas pageant, a piano-focused album and some projects with a full orchestra.

“It’s always been a great place for us,” Elkins said. “It’s a great vibe, the scenery’s nice and the size is nice. … It’s got a very cozy feel to it, and they’ve just done a great job making you feel very comfortable.”

Elkins said the size of Studio A is a huge advantage when the church needs to record an entire orchestra or rhythm section at the same time.

Anthony Kearns, an Irish vocalist many regard as today’s best tenor in Europe, has worked at Starke Lake Studios. He left Hautzenroeder with some insight from the musician’s perspective.

“(Kearns) told me … there’s nothing worse than recording,” Hautzenroeder said. “On stage, you have the energy of the crowd; you have support. And in the studio, you’re under a microscope, and you’ve got an engineer who’s going, ‘That wasn’t good enough. Do it again.’ I can’t help that it’s uncomfortable, but I can help everything else about their experience, and that was always Glen’s philosophy.”

WHO’S WHO

Today, Glen and Kelly Gettings own Gettings Productions Inc., which manages live-show productions. Because they are primarily focused on the production company, it is up to Hautzenroeder and the rest of the staff at Starke Lake Studios to keep everything running smoothly.

Luis Fernandez, Jason Blackerby, Harry Gettings and Hautzenroeder are the studio’s sound engineers. They all have years of professional recording experience, as well as working with well-known artists and corporations. Lou Pisillo is an assistant engineer, and Kearra Judkins manages artist relations. Interns support the staff.

Each engineer has expertise in certain genres and complements one another’s strengths and weaknesses.

“We’re able to teach each other and guide each other through all those projects, always making sure that our clients get the right person,” Hautzenroeder said.

Contact Catherine Sinclair at [email protected].

ROOMS AND RATES

There are three recording studios at Starke Lake Studios. Each has distinct features and is priced by the hour.

Studio A:  A 2,000-square-foot room that can accommodate live recordings of big ensembles. It has hardwood floors, peki cypress walls and tall, foam-treated ceilings. It is accompanied by a spacious control room fitted with a conference table, lounge furniture and a technologically advanced console. Price per hour: $100 to $120.

Studio B: An 800-square-foot room that is ideal for recording one instrument at a time. Most country and acoustic musicians choose to use this room. Price per hour: $65.

Studio C: A simple but acoustically treated vocal booth, used for hip-hop, voice-overs, overdubs and other vocal productions. Price per hour: $55.