Charleston Recording Archives - Truphonic Recording Studios

Dangermuffin saves the Universe!

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 18:47:42 +0000

Dangermuffin – “Songs for the Universe”, 2014 – Charleston, SC

Dangermuffin’s greatly anticipated new album, Songs for the Universe, releases 11/11/14. This is one to own, download and share.
Once again, Dan Lotti, Mike Sivilli and Steven Sandifer have created a dreamy, intoxicating and should record that is easy to love and dare I say approachable for even newbies to the Dangermuffin sound. Recorded at Truphonic and even mastered here by the legendary Vlado Meller, this album is the Truphonic “sound” at it’s best.
Follow the latest from Dangermuffin here: www.facebook.com/dangermuffin

Here are some tasty muffin to enjoy right now:

https://soundcloud.com/dangermuffin/outside-my-window

For more tastes:

https://soundcloud.com/dangermuffin

Better still, Join Dangermuffin, Saturday, Nov. 8th at The Pour House in Charleston, SC for official “Songs Of THe Universe” Album Release Party!

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The Royal Tinfoil – “Feed These Demons”

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 18:00:44 +0000

The Royal Tinfoil – Charleston, SC

The Royal Tinfoil’s “Feed The Demons” is a roller coaster ride through a gypsy camp meeting turned whisky soaked musical brawl. Simply stunning. Lilly and Mackie are like ghosts from some old forbidden Honkytonk that rocked the south back in the 20s ,who’ve come back to save us from our modern musical boredom. Buy this album while you can before it’s released in 2015 so you can prove to your children one day that you were actually there. The Low Country’s best kept secret is about to be known all over the music world.

Congratulations to TRTF and all of the Truphonic team…Elliott Elsey, MJ Fick, Ben Mossman, Larry Ford, Alex Brown, James Frolio…all the interns…and special thanks to the legendary Vlado Meller who mastered the record. Get a copy of this record…at a RTF Show of from the band. You’ll thank me later. BPF

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Vlado Meller has mastered records for a long list of legends

admin — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 14:20:06 +0000

(Article provided by and posted on Charleston City Paper)

Mastering engineer Vlado Meller has worked in the recording industry for over 40 years

Making a Masterpiece

By Kelly Rae Smith

When Vlado Meller was 21 years old, he turned up at CBS Studios intent on doing one thing with his life: mastering records. Rather than pursue the more popular careers of mixing or producing, Meller was resolute on becoming the record’s sound enhancer, and his perseverance paid off. The big boys took him in that day back in 1969. They trained him on the job, and before Meller knew it, he was cutting vinyls and working with one of the most impressive musical catalogs imaginable. His first big client — Pink Floyd. From then on he worked with everyone from Michael Jackson and Weezer to Metallica and Duran Duran.

“I’m not a genius or anything,” Meller says of his remarkable resume. “I just worked for the labels, and they fed me work. I had a huge clientele in every genre — classical, country, rock, Broadway, Christian music. I mean, whatever they had, I worked with them. So in the morning, they’d drop Streisand off to me, in the afternoon, Johnny Cash — next day, Aerosmith. So I was used to this catalog. I didn’t know any better — I thought this was normal. I was just constantly fed the top-line music. It was delivered to me on a silver plate. They sold millions of records, and it worked out very nicely.”

Meller hasn’t skipped a beat for the past four decades, despite leaving New York City back in March. After visiting the Lowcountry often while his daughter attended the University of South Carolina, one day he decided to trade the skyscrapers for steeples. A colleague of Meller’s had also told him about Truphonic Recording Studios in West Ashley.

“I thought, ‘Who has a studio in Charleston?’ I was very skeptical,” Meller says with a smile. “And he said, ‘No, no, you have to see it. It’s a little gem. It’s behind a liquor store. I said, ‘Behind a liquor store?’ I’m used to Fifth Avenue, you know. So I came over here, and I was pleasantly surprised.”

Now with a growing number of local clients like The Royal Tinfoil and Dangermuffin, Meller is comfortably settled in the new space here in the Holy City. Massive speakers reminiscent of jet engines swallow his studio whole, while gold record after gold record line the walls of the lobby — it’s like a museum in there. He points to a Paul McCartney record and recalls working with him while the Beatle’s kids were in a playpen. There’s a story with every artist: Wham, Oasis, Elton John. The list is seemingly infinite.

During the height of the record-selling business — back when a hit meant selling millions of records rather than the laughable six-digit numbers of today — Meller even went on vacations in exotic, far-flung places with successful clients, the names of which he keeps under wraps.

One of only eight professional mastering engineers in America, Meller has also picked up a couple of Grammys (via Shakira), though many more of his clients were Grammy winners. Meller says that his eligibility to get the award is only a relatively recent thing. Since mastering is the final step in the recording process, the role of the audio mastering engineer is an important one. And these guys are finally getting proper recognition. But in order for the engineers to get a Grammy, the clients have to win Album of the Year. Take Kanye West, for example. Meller mastered six of West’s hit albums, and the musician picked up a slew of Grammys, but never for Album of the Year. Instead of trophies, Meller has a stack of certificates — not that he’s complaining. He is more than content with what he’s accomplished.

“It’s a very interesting job,” Meller says. “It’s a very beautiful job, and I enjoy every minute of it. I’ve never had any regrets. Now in my later years, I hope I can also help teach the younger generation.”

Meller instructs mastering workshops at the studio now. He’s led two so far, with one three-day class planned for December. Next year, he plans to expand to a five-day workshop where students can learn tracking, mixing, production, editing, and mastering. Today, he can comprehensively pass on his extraordinary knowledge while continuing to do what he loves, and that helps make the move down South another triumph for Meller.

“I’ve made my transition, and this is my life now,” Meller says. “I never worked in any other industry. I never did anything else except mastering. Many are mixers for a few years and they move on to producers, and some master for a year or two, then go back to mixing. I stick with what I do, and I’m very happy that I stuck with it.”

Vlado Meller Mastering is located in Truphonic Recording Studios, West Ashley and can be reached at vladomastering.com.

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Cutting up with Eddie Bush

admin — Sun, 03 Aug 2014 15:06:44 +0000

L-R Eddie Bush, Dave Mathews and Elliott Elsey

This week, Charleston’s own Eddie Bush brought his long time producer/engineer Dave Mathews from Nashville to record at Truphonic. They not only worked on some of Eddies new tracks they recorded some of Eddie’s top guitar students in a live, real world recording boot camp. Every one had a a blast working with these real music pros!

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The Royal Tinfoil at Truphonic

admin — Sat, 19 Jul 2014 15:02:28 +0000

The Royal Tinfoil’s Lilly Slay and Mackie Bowles during one of many recording sessions at Truphonic Recording in Charleston,SC.

The Royall Tinfoil completes tracking, mixing and mastering their new, much anticipated album for September release. Words can hardly describe the size and scope of their new work. For many, let’s just say it’s simply going to be mind blowing, exactly what we have come to expect from Charleston’s most courageous and outrageous music artists. The Royal Tinfoil even had legendary mastering engineer Vlado Meller put the final touches on this amazing record. Stay tuned…this is just the beginning folks and it’s going to be a wild, wild ride!

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Fitz and the Tantrums perform at Truphonic

admin — Thu, 15 May 2014 20:43:54 +0000

(L-R) Ben Mossman, Bruce Freshley, Elliott Elsey, Noelle Scaggs, Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, Joseph Karns , Larry Ford, Tynisha Brown (sitting)Alex Brown, James Frolio

Fitz and The Tantrums, maybe the hottest group in the country right now, performed an acoustic set at Truphonic Recording for 10 lucky fans, curtesy of Charleston’s best radio station, 105.5 The Bridge. Here with the crew from Truphonic (L-R) Ben Mossman, Bruce Freshley, Elliott Elsey, Noelle Scaggs, Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, Joseph Karns, Larry Ford, Tynisha Brown (sitting)Alex Brown, James Frolio.

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Tim LeVan Miller Releases New Album “Boredom Longs for Fear”

admin — Wed, 14 May 2014 20:37:02 +0000

Tim LeVan Miller with Truphonic Recording Studio Manager – Elliott Elsey

Singer, Songwriter Tim LeVan Miller released his new album “Boredom Longs For Fear” this week. Recorded, mixed by Majeed Fick here at Truphonic Recording. Tim and Majeed shared the producing of the album, while Elliott Elsey assisted with engineering. Tim’s talents are all over this effort with not only his clean, crisp lead vocal, but also Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Rhodes & Bass. Tim was joined by Whitt Algar or organ and piano, Danny Jacobs on guitar, Brandon Brooks on drums and Young-Mi Feldsott with vocals. This is a rich, interesting and engaging rock album with heart and passion in every track. Picture: Truphonic engineer and studio manager Elliott Elsey with Tim LaVan Miller in Truphonic Studio A.

Tim LeVan Miller – Boredom Longs for Fear – recorded at Truphonic Recording Studios, Charleston, SC

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Music legend Daryl Hall records at Truphonic

admin — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 18:02:02 +0000

Daryl Hall with Truphonic’s Elliott Elsey

Truphonic Studio A became “Daryl’s House” for a week in March as Rock/R&B legend Daryl Hall brought his band to Truphonic working on theme music for an upcoming TV show. He and John Oates still tear it up regularly as Hall & Oates and are 2014 inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ( It’s about time!). ” A Mountain of a man…sooo talented” said our chief engineer Elliott Elsey ” I’m a huge fan of Daryl ….it was like an episode of “Live at Daryls House” with out the cameras…only for real. What a blast!” We don’t kiss and tell but let’s just say Daryl has an exciting new TV project in the works…stay tuned!

Daryl Hall in Truphonic Studio A. (LtoR) guitarist Shane Theriot, Elliot Elsey, Daryl Hall, guitar tech Joe Interlande

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Dangermuffin Dives in the Deep End…

admin — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 20:05:03 +0000

Dangermuffin at Truphonic Recording Studios in Charleston, SC

Dangermuffin is back in Truphonic’s Studio A working with MaJeed Fick on their newest album. After the breakout success of 2012’s Olly Oxen Free and almost two years of touring, the threesome has a ton of new original songs aching to be heard. Dangermuffin’s Dan Lotti, Mikie Sivili and Steven Sandifer are diving into the deep end with their most challenging and thought provoking works to date. As much as the Dangermuffin sound is infectious and original…it still feels like comfort food to all of us who have come to love these guys. We’re jumping in the pool with them!

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