Barnhouse Sound Productions/Recording Studios
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06/24/2026
🎙Do you know what this is? It's a Tascam 244 Portastudio, the 4-track cassette recorder that kicked off the home recording revolution.
🎙Released in 1982, the 244 gave musicians a full recording system in one unit: 4-track cassette recorder, built-in mixer, sweep EQ, and DBX noise reduction. No studio booking required. It's the machine that made multitrack recording accessible to independent artists for the first time, and it changed everything that came after.
🎙Mac DeMarco recorded his debut mini-LP, Rock and Roll Night Club, on one of these, leaning hard into the pitch control and track-bouncing to get that signature warped, lo-fi sound. Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska was recorded on its predecessor, the TEAC 144. Tom Waits, Lou Reed, Four Tet, Wu-Tang Clan… the list of artists who came up on Portastudios is long.
🎙Ours is part of the in-house gear collection at Barnhouse, and you can use it in your sessions. Whether you want to run a track through it for that warm, saturated cassette texture or just bounce an idea down to tape for fun, it's here and ready to go.
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🎙Funk, ska, and reggae collective is currently in the studio working on their new album.
🎙If you’ve been to Victoria SkaFest, you’ve definitely seen them. They play the festival every year and have taken the stage as headliners.
🎙We’re tracking the new record right here at The Barnhouse, with Justin LaPointe handling production, mixing, and mastering duties from start to finish.
🎙Check out the crew in action and hear a sneak peek!
🎙How to mic an acoustic guitar for studio‑quality tone.
🎙Start with the right mic for the job. Condenser mics (like AKG 451s) are bright and detailed and great when you need the guitar to cut through a mix. Ribbon mics (like the Avantone CR‑14) are warmer and more natural, perfect if your guitar is on the brighter side. Dynamics (like a Shure SM57) have a punchy midrange and less detail, but can add character and vibe in the right context.
🎙Placement matters as much as the mic. A great starting point is aiming the mic at the 12th fret, 6–12 inches away, where the neck meets the body. it balances warmth and clarity. Avoid pointing straight at the sound hole, which usually gives you a muddy, boomy tone. If you want depth and width, try a stereo setup (like a pair of condensers in XY or a spaced pair) for a wider, more natural image.
🎙Don’t forget about the room. A small, reflective room (like a bathroom) will sound bright and lively, while a carpeted bedroom will be drier and more controlled. Reverb is much harder to take out than to add later, so pay attention to how much room you’re printing on the way in.
🎙Most importantly, experiment and trust your ears. Move the mic a few inches, change the angle, try a different room, or swap mics. Even something simple like an SM57 can work beautifully if you put it in the right spot. If it sounds good in the room and in your headphones, you’re doing it right.
🎙Learn more on the Studio Tips page on our website!
05/04/2026
🎙The Sears Silvertone 1484 “Twin Twelve” is a fun amp to plug into.
🎙Originally sold through the Sears catalogue in the ’60s as an affordable tube amp for working musicians and garage bands, it’s become a cult classic for its raw, gritty breakup and ragged tone.
🎙Compared to cleaner, more hi‑fi vintage amps, the Twin Twelve leans into a dirtier, mid‑rich tone that’s perfect for garage rock, indie, and anything that needs a bit more attitude.
🎙It’s also really touch‑sensitive: roll your guitar back for cleaner rhythm parts, then turn up for a thick, saturated crunch that feels alive under your fingers.
🎙If you want to hear what this thing can do, you can plug into it on your next session at the barn.
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