Velvet Elk Recording Studios
Lodged in the remote woods and ruins of what was once a bastion of newlywed escapism, Velvet Elk Studios has been tucked away, far outside the traffic and horns and electrical buzz of New York City, for almost 10 years now. Don DiLego built his studio as a way to record and create without the buzz and distraction, and managed to make a name for his place for just those reasons. Beautiful Small Machines invented their critical debut there, “Robots in Love,” as well as their follow up, “The DJ Stayed Home”. Jesse Malin, Hollis Brown, and Fantastic Cat have all moved in for the full album experience, and Don wrote the soundtrack to the feature film “Ranchero” there, while curious deer gnawed grass in the studio window. Velvet Elk is a fully equipped 24-track professional recording studio that can handle everything from full-band live tracking, to overdubbing and voice-over sessions (in-house or remote). The studio remains a great escape, both creatively and physically, to the many artists and friends in the Velvet Elk Records world, and we’re looking forward to a growing stew of artist stories and creations emanating from The Velvet Elk.
inquire here for Studio and Mixing information
Gear
Click here for the gear list.
Press
Velvet Elk feature in American Songwriter
Velvet Elk feature in Sonic Scoop
Velvet Elk feature in Americana UK
Artists
Daniel Palmer
Eleanor Dubinsky
The Velvet Elk Sessions
Live, intimate, in-studio performances filmed at Velvet Elk Studios from some of the artists who have ventured through here.
HOLLIS BROWN - “Oh Sweet Nothing”
Equipment
MICROPHONES
AKG-414 (2)
AKG c-1000 Condenser (2)
Audio Technica ATM-25
Audio Technica D6 Kick Drum Mic
Beyer M-160 (2)
Chandler EMI/Abbey Road Studios TG Condenser
Charter Oak SA538 Tube
Coles 4038 Ribbon
Ear Trumpet Labs Edwina Condenser
Neumann-u47 Tube (u47)
Oktava MK-012-01
Rode NT1-A
Sennheiser 421 (2)
Sennheiser e609 (2)
Shure SM-82 Unidirectional (2)
Shure SM-57 (5)
Shure SM-7b Dynamic (2)
Shure 55-SH Dynamic
PRE-AMPS
API 512c (8)
Apogee Mini-Me Preamp (2)
Art Dual MP
Avalon U-5
Chandler Limited Germanium (2)
Neve 1073 (2)
Summit Audio MPC-100
Vintech Audio Dual 72 (2)
COMPRESSORS
DBX 160xt Compressor
Empirical Labs Distressor (2)
Hairball Audio 1176 – Rev F
Smart Research C1
Summit Audio MPC-100
Summit TLA-100A
Urei 1176 LN Blue Stripe
Urei LA-3A Leveling Amp
AUDIO PROCESSORS/CONVERTERS
Apollo 16 Quad
Apogee 800 8-ch Digital Converter/Clock
Apogee Mini-Me Preamp/Converter
Dangerous D-Box
Switchcraft StudioPatch 9625 TT Bays (2)
OUTBOARD EFFECTS
Electro-Harmonix Q-TRon
Danolectro Reverb
Echoplex 4-ch Tape Delay
Pultec EQH-2 Equalizer
Roland Space Echo RE-201
Schroeder Reverb
Surf Box – Gtr Reverb Unit
AMPLIFIERS
1939 Oahu Teel
Ampeg Rocket Bass 115
Danelectro Nifty Fifty
Decca 15 Solidstate
Fender Vibrolux Reverb
Guild Thunder II Reverb
Magnatone Custom 260 (2)
RCA 400 Tube
Schroeder SA9-REC 20-watt Custom
Silvertone Solid State 150
Tech 21
Tech 21 SansAmp RBI Bass Preamp/DI
Victor/Realistic Anihilator!
HEADPHONE MONITORING
Behringer P-16 Personal Monitor Mixers (6)
SOFTWARE + PLUG-INS
Arturia Analog Lab
Garageband
Logic Pro X
Propellerheads Reason
Pro Tools 11 HD
SoundToys 5 – Full Suite
Slate Digital
Toontrack EZ Drummer
UAD Suite
Waves V9
GUITARS
1963 Gibson 345
1965 Fender Jazzmaster
1959 175
1937 D-18 Dobro
1950 Gibson “Consolette” Steel Guitar
1936 Gibson L-5 Sunburst Fullbody Semi-hollow
Blueridge BR-163 Acoustic
Epiphone Sheraton II w/ Bigsby
Epiphone 12-String
Epiphone 5-string banjo
Fender Precision Bass
Fender Bullet Bass
Fender Mandolin
Gibson J-45 Acoustic
Harmony 4 string Tenor Guitar
Martin 000-15 Mahogany Top Auditorium Acoustic
Madeira Full Body Acoustic (Guild)
Silvertone Semi-hollow Flat Wound Electric
PIANOS + KEYBOARDS
1898 F. Radle Cabinet Grand Piano
Arturia Keylab 61 Midi Controller
Casiotone (3)
Fender Rhodes Mark II
Glockenspiel
Hammond B3 Organ w/ Leslie Speaker
Mellotron M4000
MicroKorg
Nord Electro 2 – 61 keys
Pump Organ
Wurlitzer 200-A
SPEAKERS + POWER
Bryson Poweramp
Dynaudio MI5
Yamaha NS-10
CONTROL DESK + PLAYBACK
Apple 27” iMac 2.9ghz Intel Core i5 – 16GB RAM
Bryson Poweramp
Dynaudio MI5 Monitors
Yamaha NS-10 Monitors
EFFECTS PEDALS
Boss DM-3 Analog Delay
Boss GE-7 EQ
BOSS RV-5 Digital Reverb
Countryman DI (2)
DOD Super Chorus
DOD Juice Box
Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff II (Vintage)
Fulltone Fat Boost
Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer
Morley Wah-Pedal
MXR Comp Pedal
MXR Distortion III
MXR Limiter
Radio Pro DI (2)
Sans AMP Bass Driver DI
SansAmp Bass Driver II
Schroeder Blister Agent
Strymon Flint Reverb/Tremolo
Strymon El Capistan Tape Echo
DRUMS & PERCUSSION
Ludwig Drums
Slingerland Drums
Eleventy Tambourines
Matador Bongos
Shakers
Custom Noise Making
