New Website with Enhanced Features and Services at OTR

We wanted to announce our new website at otrstudios.com and especially our CD Quality Download section. Once again, Patrick is doing a terrific job with website improvements. We hope to continually release full album downloads at our site of projects recorded at OTR or by me.

Most of you know that we're still recording on 2" tape or using DSD digital and the quality of sound is wonderful. Each month we'll feature a reissue or new recording from our OTR artists and hope you enjoy the experience. These are NOT mp3's or lossless FLAC. There are real wav files at 44.1 16bit. You can burn a cd and hear the mixes as the artist and producer intended.

Most of you know my feelings about mp3.... they have a place (usually in the trash after I've listened to the demo). Our downloadable wav files will open in Itunes, Windows Media, etc. No player required.

Our first featured artists are Jenna Maminna and Jane Selkye. Of course, the Blue Coast Collection is there to checkout also (if you haven't already). Click on the album cover and you'll get to a page to audition all the songs. The reissued albums from Jenna and Jane are two of my favorites. OTR Classic recordings and shouldn't be overlooked. If you are an artist who would like a CD quality download page on your site, tied into your paypal account, called us for details at the studio. Our expanded studio services now include website building and management. If you're an artist who has previously recorded at OTR and would like your album featured in an upcoming month, please call us for more details!

Each album has a comment section for fan thoughts or band memories of the session. Would love to have you comment if you were at the sessions! Enjoy and let us know what you think!

Abi Roberts' "Beached"

We're putting the finishing touches on a project for Abi Roberts (www.abiroberts.com), a very talented singer/comedian who has been touted as the "British Bette Midler". Selections from the recording will be included in her upcoming comedic short film "Beached" (www.beachedthemovie.com) as well as a full lenth album to be released later in the year.

The Film, shot entirely on location in Las Vegas, will feature covers of several Bette Midler favorites including From a Distance, Wind Beneath My Wings and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. Her own songs, Turn Out the Lights and Gay Best Friend, are not to be missed!

Roberts' producer, musical director and keyboardist Eamonn Flynn, formerly of The Commitments, assembled a team of world class musicians for the recording including drummer Billy Johnson (Patti LaBelle, Maze, Santana), bassist Jamie Brewer (Michelle Shocked) and guitarist Todd Swenson. On backup vocals, we welcomed our friends, Larry Batiste, Jeannie Tracy and Claytoven Richardson along with many of the Big Bang Beat musicians. A surprise appearance from Dennis Crapass had the crew crying for mercy!

The music was recorded entirely to 2" analog tape by OTR's senior engineer (as well as owner and founder), Cookie Marenco. The level of performance combined with stellar sound will make this an audiophile favorite.

Miss Roberts' returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday for a round of stand-up comedy gigs. OTR will finish up the mastering in house, with Marenco overseeing the process. Patrick O'Connor will be using his graphic skill for the CD cover and digital downloads, all part of OTR's expanded services.

More to come!

Kim Baker Back at OTR

Kim Baker has returned to OTR to record tracks for an upcoming release. Once again teamed up with Cookie Marenco as engineer and producer, Kim uses her skills on the piano to lay down the basic tracks.

OTR Debuts New Website!

Hi Friends, a long time coming....
We've got a new streamlined website!
Check it out...
otrstudios.com

OTR Studios News.. Final Cut Pro, adat/da88 transfers to Wav files

Hi friends, lots going on at OTR!

Call Patrick directly, if you'd like to know more. 650 759 1357

Do you need to transfer DA88 or ADAT files to wav? Wondering what's on those tapes from 10 years ago? Give us a call.

Our analog tape machine is still the foundation of our recording though with all our digital gear, we're able to transfer tracks to 44.1/48k wav files for use on nuendo or protools. We can also transfer to high resolution files, like DSD and 96K, if you need. For archiving your valuable masters, you might want to consider a backup.

We've installed Final Cut Pro for some video editing capabilities. We've been doing educational videos for EQ magazine and artist video demos in our studio. Alex DeGrassi was in a little while ago playing a 39 string harp guitar for a video and audio session.

Hope to hear from you all soon!

OTR
650 595 8475

Happy Holidays and Best for 2008

To all the artists, fans, gear manufacturers and staff, thanks for a great year! I especially would like to thank Patrick for all his work. Thank you to Tim and Josh for taking the challenge to the next step. Thanks to Ezra and Andrew for all your ideas and loyalty. Thank you to Nick and Nick for your enthusiasm.

We're looking forward to expanding next year and giving you continuing quality service.

Best in 2008!

Cookie Marenco
Owner and Believer that great music and great art deserves great sound!

Alex De Grassi, Paul Hanson, Steve Erquiaga at OTR this month!

We're thrilled to have Alex de Grassi back working at OTR finishing up his harp recording. It will be available next year.

Also in the studio was bassoonist, Paul Hanson and acoustic guitarist, Steve Erquiaga perform live duos in the studio. Paul is on his way to Japan for a two year stint in Tokyo for Cirque de Soleil and wanted to document this incredible duo before leaving.

Cookie Marenco engineered both sessions to 2" tape, dropping them to DSD digital for editing and mixing later. Patrick O'Connor was on board to work the digital equiment and the sessions were assisted with Tim Jones and Josh Cummings, both part of the New View Crew.

Bands As Brands Hitting Big

Hey friends, here we go.. we've stumbled on the future.. LOL
a couple of articles that might be of interest to you, especially those of you who had been in on reading my business plans of the last 5 years.
check out what these folks are doing with distribution to Whole Foods (it's wimpy content, but good lookin' displays in the stores)

then here's the latest terms for "records companies are trying to get a clue".. 360 contracts.. they want to act as managers and take a piece of everything. not a bad concept, but they're kinda late to the party....
ny times
economist

Brand association is hitting the music business.
Fifty cent owns part of 'Vitamin Water' that just sold to Coke for billions.

Art? Commerce? Bands as Brands?
you decide

Live from AES 2007 in New York

Go to www.livefromaes.com for updates....

GIT'N 'R DONE: This year's AES Convention has it all, and Jim Anderson, chair, Convention Committee (left) and Chris Plunkett, deputy director, Convention Management, are two of the lead pros who made it happen.1-2-3 Ready To Roll For decades, the annual AES Convention has been the center of the pro audio world, and this year's edition upholds that tradition by looking ahead into the future. The annual gathering always brings with it new technologies, thousands of visitors, exciting panels and workshops, and more. While it may sport a retro-sounding theme in "Where Audio Comes Alive"-and it'd be fitting since the classic Frampton Comes Alive was recorded in nearby Long Island-this year's convention is unquestionably about today and tomorrow.

AES Honors Its Own Today's Audio Engineering Society was built upon the achievements of the pioneers in our industry. The awards presentation, held during today's opening ceremonies, honors audio's top innovators and practitioners-an important highlight of each AES Convention. The success of tomorrow's audio professionals is possible thanks to these honorees' considerable accomplishments.


Post Production Tools Up Every year at the AES Convention post-production professionals have an opportunity to catch up with the latest and greatest in software and hardware audio tools. As a recent straw poll of several post houses around the country suggests, even if there are no plans for a facility expansion, post shops are always on the lookout for new gear that will allow the creative talent to hone their craft and get the job done just that little bit faster and better.


Reasons To Be Cheerful Today looks to be getting busy, so I'll move quickly to what I consider to be essential Convention highlights...


Chris'Picks The opening day of the 123rd AES Convention includes a wealth of fascinating and insightful events. Like New York itself, today's special events feature something for everyone.


Wieslaw Woszczyk Reflects On AES Presidency Outgoing Audio Engineering Society president Wieslaw Woszczyk reflected on the previous year for Pro Sound News.


eSession-Born Of Necessity Necessity may be the mother of invention, but raw inventiveness is not enough to ensure that a good idea is feasible in the marketplace. For eSession (Booth 462), a convergence of opportunity with inventiveness, supported by current technology, has put online music production collaboration into the category of "idea whose time has come."
LIVE FROM AES DAY 01 EDITIONFriday, October 05, 2007


Manufacturer News
Turbosound Joins AM&S Network
Producers, Engineers Embrace A-T Flagship Headphones
Pinewood Studios Group Revamps With Euphonix
HPG HiQnet System Architect In Control On Rascal Flatts Tour
Versatile New Processor In Lexicon Spotlight
Meyer Honored With Silver Medal Award
Al Kooper Visits MOTU Booth Today
Renkus-Heinz Showcases New VERSYS VL3 Line Array
Shure Funds Research For Hearing Loss Study
SSL Duality Consoles At Heart Of New Germano Facility
SSL Will 'Shed' New Light On Home Studios
Yamaha Adds TXn Series Amps To Flagship Line
Yamaha Is Official AES 5.1 System Provider


Products
Equator Audio Heats Up With Q Series Monitors
New Preamp Bolsters Focusrite Liquid Technology
Holophone Spotlights New Portable Surround Mic
JBL Launches VRX Series Powered Models
Neutrik Launches IP65 Rated OpticalCon System
Neve Genesys Console Makes U.S. Debut
Wafer Monitors Key Wide Ranging PMC Showcase
Sony Shows Next-Gen Digital Wireless System
TI Showcases 216kHZ Stereo ADCs
Waves Spotlights API Plug-Ins Collection


Main Features
1-2-3 Ready To Roll


Features
AES Honors Its Own
Post Production Tools Up
Reasons To Be Cheerful
Chris'Picks
Wieslaw Woszczyk Reflects On AES Presidency
eSession-Born Of Necessity

Great Concert in Santa Cruz Oct 13!

OTR would like to support our friend, Jay Saber, by announcing his event on our site.

Polly Wood, an incredible performer who recorded her first release with me at OTR, is on the bill.

We hope you attend. Should be a great time!
Cookie Marenco

PRESS RELEASE

For those of you in town, come hear a great concert at the Santa Cruz Veterans Hall with Workingman's Ed performing music of the Grateful Dead, Ragged Glory performing music of Neil Young and Polly Wood performing music of Polly Wood. Randy Merten will be producing a liquid light show and LaVie will be providing organic and yummy food. The show will be benefitting Solutions in Action, the Resource Center for Non-Violence and Veterans for Peace.

Doors- 7

Show- 8

Tickets- Streetlight Records

$10 Advance

$12 Door

--
Jay Saber
The Wheel Company
www.thewheelcompany.com

Been There, Done That... the Haps, Claps and Slaps

Hey there friends and fans of OTR...... from Cookie
It's been way too busy the last four months. We're taking an August breather to catch up on our database, make a few deals, plan out the next few months.

You can check out our specials at our new "button buys" on the special page. You get a discount for just PAYING on line..... and 5% if it's paid by august 31... 'nuff said...

HERE'S THE HAPS

Jean Claude Reynaud made his annual visit from France to help out co producing duties for Blue Coast Records. We are running a hidden page for discount pricing of the Blue Coast Collection. I won't ramble on about my label here, you can check out the blog at Blue Coast for that. Jean and I were working on mastering Art Lande on DSD for the second release. He also showed us how to wire up an ipod cable using the Goddess Labs silver cable designed by his father, Jean Marie Reynaud.

Last few months were spent producing and finishing up the Houston Jones project. It's an amazing combination of great songs, masterfully performed... and not OVER produced. It's just the band in all their glory with great take after great take... we finishing up mastering and hoping for September release.

Jeff Schmidt was in working with me on his solo bass project... i know, it sounds a little weird.. solo bass?
well, it's more like Michael Hedges on bass. Hard to describe, but really fun material. It's in my cd changer now on unlimited repeat! There's even a bit of BLU CUBE in there... crazy dude.

From Phoenix Videoediting Labs, comes Cathyann Stonehill, producing a recording with artist Kim Cladas. (I'll get links for you soon!) This project took Cathy over many years to produce and includes Kim on vocals (as well as songwriting), Bill Spooner, (from the legendary Tubes), Bonnie Hayes and a more talented sidefolk than you can imagine. Cathy brought the tracks to me for mixing from her pro tools files... She was a joy and pleasure to work with. Hope we get to do more! Due out in the fall.

Long time OTR guest, Gregory James has been working on his acoustic quartet record that has Jon Herrera (one of the editors of Bass Player magazine), Deszon Claiborne (drums) and Barry Shulman (szx and flute). I think this is the 5th recording I've made with Greg... always fun, always different and always great music. If you want a little history on Greg, check out his site on CDBaby. Not sure of the release date, but we'll keep you informed.

Jazz poet, Norman Woods, brought his tribute to Smiley Winters and Ed Kelley in for mastering and touch ups. Should be available soon. Norman mashed up elements of old recordings with his poetry to make an incredibly moving recording. This session was especially touching because I used to play with Smiley. He was an amazing drummer, but more than that, a beautiful human being. You'll be touched by his words as well. Thank you, Norman, for keeping Smiley and Ed alive for all of us. Check out Norman's previous recordings on Amazon.com.

THAT WAS THE HAPS AND CLAPS
NOW HERE'S THE SLAPS

SLAP me silly for not ordering enough Blue Coast Collection CDs. We sold out in 6 weeks. and SLAP Sony silly for closing their plant in the USA so that we have to have them manufactured in Austria. MULTIPLE SLAPS for the shipping dudes in Austria for sending 2000 units packaged so badly we had to reject the order.. the replacement shipment wasn't much better.

But CLAPS to Patrick O'Connor for trying to keep it straight and to all our interns who checked 2000 discs for errors.. Andrew, Tim and Eric. CLAPS to Gus Skinas for trying to keep high def audio alive with the SACD program and DSD. STANDING OVATION CLAPS to all those audiophiles who took a chance on an unknown label charging 3x more per disc on a seemingly dead format while the headlines read disaster for record labels. No downloads here... till they sound incredible, at least.

AND IN CLOSING
There is just TOOOO much going on... and i really have to get to a session. Sorry, I've taken so long to get back to all of you and my apologies for those I may have not mentioned here. I'll try to get back more often and keep you updated. And to my friends and family, you KNOW who you are.... where ever you are on the planet...

miss you all,
good health, good love and good fortune
peace to all,

many hugs and kisses

cookie

Vinyl Mastering Alert!

Hi Friends, we are pleased to announce that RTI is still in business and manufacturing vinyl records. At the plant is a mastering facility so you can go from cutting to press in the same day. AcousTech Mastering is also associated with acousticsounds.com the online store for purchasing vinyl, sa-cd, and other high quality audiophile discs.

Check them all out!

Digital Dude—Patrick O’Connor Joins OTR and Cojema Music

Digital Dude—Patrick O’Connor joins us full time with a background in computers, digital recording and extensive graphics.

Last year at this time, Patrick came to the studio as a musician in Mick Overman’s band, Mick and the Maniacs. He is an incredible songwriter and like most, had a ‘day’ job managing a graphics department at a promotion company. His instincts and willingness to help us with graphics became invaluable. Patrick also brings a well honed knowledge of PC’s to the table and has forged new ground with our digital systems. With his attention to detail and reliability we hope to be able to move much quicker accomplishing our goals.

Hot Swap Room-- BYOR (Bring Your Own Rig).

An affordable way to have access to a great piano, iso booths, and high quality gear.

We’ve converted one of our iso booths into a small control room that has easy and private in/out access. We provide a small console, basic mics, cables and speakers, you bring in your digital rig and talent. When you need an isolated space for drums or use of a great piano, this can be a cost effective way for you to work. We provide an assistant, you do the engineering or instruct our team how to work with you. Ideal for producers with long or short term projects. Additional gear available for rent.

Red Carpet is gone, Green Walls are in

Sorry gang, the red carpet had to go. In its place, we’ve replaced the carpet and painted the walls a lime green color which adds a whole new feel. Come see it for yourself.

Expanded Facilities

We've added about 3000 square feet in a location down the street for office, housing, storage.

As much as we wanted the location next door, it just wasn’t possible, so instead, we’ve invested in a property down the street with incredible potential. Currently we are interested in short term rental for out of town execs, bands needing a place to stay in town while recording, additional office space to rent, folks between housing needing a place to stay. You can visit directly at

www.peninsulaguesthouse.com or call us at the studio.

Analog to Digital Restoration

A tried and true way to record to analog or restore your analog tapes to wave files.

Our first restoration project was using tapes from The Tubes performances from the mid 70’s. Ah, yes, that was a good year for tape. Kim Foscato, engineer for the Tubes, was there for the session as was Patrick O’Connor (OTR DigDude) and Felipe Neira (assistant for Kim and OTR). We made wav files on the MX2424 which proved to be reliable and sonically superior to other methods available. We downloaded to PC and transferred to DVD’s. From there, the wav files were transferred at producer, Al Cooper’s, studios to Nuendo Without a hitch.

Several bands have chosen to record basics to analog and take home the basic tracks. We now have incorporated a nearly seamless interface with the Otari MTR 90 and MX2424 system. We love recording to analog. This system offers flexibility to transfer to digital wave files easily.

Cookie Marenco writes for EQ

3 articles last year, from speakers to recording vocals to how to use delays and reverbs in a mix.

If you’d like to read the articles in full details, please go to

www.cookiemarenco.com where you can find all the articles written and interviews for other articles. Plans for next year are to write more articles and prep for a book.

Blue Coast Records SACD coming soon! – The Blue Coast Collection SACD is already in production. We were prompted by incredible reviews and sales in France to set a US release date for spring 2007. Currently, we have plans for an independent release in the US and more recordings to follow, including an incredible solo piano recording of Art Lande’s in preparation for release.

Silver Cable continues to beat the rest hands down.

Our new product division debuted the first beta cable products.

Tentatively called Goddess Labs, Cojema Music Group has launched a new product division specializing in high quality cable. We have experienced tremendous differences when compared to Monster and Mogami especially where high highs and low lows are concerned. Bass players are especially anxious to have the cable. Replacing your cable with our Silver Cable in your speaker chain will amaze you. If you are looking for full frequency response and definition in your chain, you’ll need to own one or two.

For the next year, we will offer the cable at a beta test price. It’s not cheap, but it is a value and will clean up your home recording chain. Money back guarantee.

Optimizing Your Mixes, Mastering Services Increased at OTR

WANT TO IMPROVE THE SOUND OF YOUR MIXES? NEED AUDIO MASTERING FOR YOU CD OR DOWNLOADS?

OTR STUDIOS NOW OFFERS COMPLETE MASTERING. 650 595 8475

Do you want your music to sound as BIG and CLEAR as possible? Let us add a touch of analog to your digital mixes and return some of the life back to your music. With over 15 years experience mastering and editing all formats, we have developed a propietary system using the finest analog and digital audio tools. We work with 2 tracks mixes from 1/2" tape, DAT, all PCM digital wav forms and DSD (one bit recording).

Other services include
* Transfer 2" and 1/2" tapes to the digital format of your choice
* Onsite 'baking' of your tapes to restore their original glissen as well as preventing breakage
* Consultation and evaluation to optimise your mixes BEFORE you proceed
* Archiving precious masters and reviving priceless tape and vinyl
* Prepping your mixes for all internet audio formats and podcasts
* Embedding the text for your CD
* Creating a website you can manage at home with your choice of paid downloads, audio/video streaming, calendar of events, news, mailing list, blogs and more.

OTR Studios has been a Bay Area institution specializing in high quality recording for more than 20 years. Though we were one of the first studios to offer digital recording in the early 80's, we continue to stand behind the use of analog tape for it's high quality and longevity. OTR founder, Cookie Marenco, was an early pioneer of internet audio in the mid 90's. She lead the team that recorded live and uploaded to the internet, the first cd quality paid download during a time when broadband was only a dream.

Now that internet audio is a must for those in the industry and home recording is easy to obtain, isn't it time you distinguish your art with the highest quality representation?

Basic Full Package Mastering Flat Fee for 60 minute CD, $1500. Adjustments for added items or smaller projects can be made.
Please call OTR Studios at 650 595 8475 or send inquiries to info@otrstudios.com

www.otrstudios.com
www.cookiemarenco.com