Sepra Music Studio

Louie and I put up a music studio in Roxas City Capiz round about year 2007.  We've consolidated all our instruments, amps and other equipments. Found a not-so-ideal place to rent, but managed to convert it into a music studio and this was at Celino Bldg. just outside our house in Luna Novicio St. Roxas City. Whilst we were processing the necessary documents, permits, etc. which Tito Vic (Louie's uncle) helped us a lot, I've closed the deal with the building owner Mr. Angel Celino and agreed and signed the contract.  We then started building the studio.  Although Louie is in New York working as a Dialysis Nurse, the support Im getting from him is not only limited to financial assistance but as a true friend and a business partner.  We've shared the initial monetary investment 50/50; however, he's already invested on the instruments which he managed to collect since high school and college days like the Powerbeat drumkit, Lyon by Washburn electric guitar, Fender Precision electric bass guitar and the most loved Hohner semi-hollow jazz guitar and a bongos (can't remember the brand).  He also added by sending imported stocks like Vic Firth drumsticks, Ernie Ball electric guitar string set (hybrid slinky, super slinky and regular slinky), Fender Squier 10-watt electric guitar practise amp, two Shure PG-48 microphones, Fender Squier custom telecaster with double humbucker pickups,  Gemini iKey portable USB recording device.  The foot pedal effects and gadgets we had were: Boss Super Overdrive, Fab echo, Fab distortion, Fab chorus, Digitech RP300, Dan Electro Wasabi Overdrive.  I hope I did not miss a thing. Oh nearly missed this one.  Piccolo snare drums (don't know the brand) again it came from the USA brought home by Louie and was only used during recording because it's too loud during rehearsals.

I bought Zildjian set of cymbals (don't know the series) from Gaisano Roxas Avenue during one of their midnight sale with stands and kick pedal, Konzert powered amp and mixer 300 watts, pair of 12" speakers - I forgot the brand, Konzert 500 Watt Hi-Fi Amp paired to Louie's old Yamaha 12" quadrosonic speakers, Tapco mix 100, no brand 10-watt practise guitar amp, no brand Cajon percussion drum then a second hand electric guitar, which was functioning. Also my mum bought a cheap keyboards and the brand is Miles.  It was just a design to fill in the room.  I also bought a classical guitar and guitar stands and mic stands.

Cleaning and rearranging of the studio was done by myself and Tolendoy, yaya Bor's nephew.  Bless his soul. Tolendoy, you will always be with us in our hearts.  My sister Rhea made the tarpaulin as the studio banner.  We stick empty fruit crate on the wall of the studio which was given to us by our good Auntie Mildred, alongside with the puzzle floor mat that I bought and kept when I stayed in Iloilo.  No painting was done or proper soundproofing, it was almost as it is.  The entire studio got two floors or shall I say got a mezzanine which was our main rehearsal studio and later on became a semi-recording studio.  The ground floor was the reception area/waiting lounge.  Our good friend, Nong Edy, who's very good in carpentry helped us to put up a division downstairs for a smaller unplugged studio where my Cajon percussion, my classical guitar and Louie's bongos were stored.  We put some throw pillows and carpet and designed that room nicely that some of the band members tend to stay there not only to jam but have some pictorial for the band.  Even my sister loves to take photos there with our nephew Marco and niece Mika.  Such a memorable place.

Later, Louie arrived just in time to open the studio.  Also we find that the studio was warm because it was really closed tight for the sound and decided to install air-conditioning for the studio.  In short after all the hustle, the studio was ready.  We had clients/bands from almost every schools in Roxas City. First group of bands were from Hercor College because they were having battle of the bands, then students from St. Anthony's College again because of school events such as founder's day or battle of the bands, Filamer Christian University also held a battle of the bands and also Bombo Radio did a battle of the band. High Students of St. Mary's Academy of Capiz such a fun group of youngsters in which my cousins buildup their band.  Then came the biggest battle of the bands in Roxas City, Capiz where Sepra Music Studio was one of the sponsors and its called Bubuanay sa Roxas City, Capiz battle of the bands. Three of my cousins joined that competition.  Two were in the same band called Rumpus Joint and then the other one, was the drummer but I forgot the name of their band.  That was a very nice experience not only for my cousins but for myself as well.  They became our loyal customers in Sepra Music Studio.  We also held special occasion jamming outside the studio.  We had the opening of the studio jamming, Sinadya jamming, Valentines jamming with games and all, my original band Frozbyte jamming, birthday party jamming from our loyal jammers where they buy pizza and celebrate in our studio or a welcome-home party from our jammers friend abroad like Max who lives in the US jammed with us in the studio as well as Marcus who also live and work in the US jammed with us.  Not to mention Louie is from New York.... jamming with us.  It was such a productive studio in terms of friends and family but on the business side or income side, I would say not much because it was almost, if not enough, to pay the rent.

Also I was doing drum lessons, guitar lessons as well as backing track recording and then retailing of musical instruments from VJS of Iloilo where I met Sir Mon Espinosa, Melvin and Ghera and gave me a good wholesale deal.  I sold a couple of electric bass guitar, about 5 electric guitars, 3 effects pedal, plectrums, straps, capo, guitar string set, drum sticks, etc.

Then finally the dream of putting up a recording happened although it was just a raw recording where the band is playing live and we record their music.  With that, we formed a band called Kazyns, consist of Neal on drums, Dino on lead, Derrick on bass and keyboards, Denise on vocals and I was the rhythm guitar.  We were the first to try the improvised recording.  I had an improvised microphones for drums and lead guitar.  The rest were directly plugged in on our mixer.  I cant explain fully how it was but just imagine this one.  Two mics for drums just for the bass drum and snare drums.  One mic on the lead guitar amp.  Bass guitar plugged directly to the 300-watt Konzert powered amp/mixer as well as the two mics for the drums then line in to Tapco mix where the vocals and the lead guitar was plugged in and line out to iKey USB recording device where a 2 gig flashdrive was plugged in.  Then the Konzert 500-watt Hi-Fi amp was the monitor amp not for myself as the sound engineer but for everyone in the studio because we don't have a proper mixing booth.  The recorded music was captured via iKey and stored in the flashdrive then edited if necessary on my desktop computer which I used for my medical transcription freelance business.

Our first and last client who recorded in the studio joined the regional Red Horse Musiklaban and recorded their 3 demo songs, and they call themselves as "Mansanas ni Eva".  I was their sound engineer although I am not a qualified sound engineer or even studied about recording, mixing, etc. but I managed to do it by ear.   I was doing it like a blind man. The studio itself is not intended for recording because we don't have a proper recording booth or mixer as well as the necessary computer and software.  Just a simple desktop, a simple mixer but I managed to do it.  Here's a sample video for you guys.



And here's another raw video of the group with their music.



Here are our sample recording:




Guys, we encourage you to post comments especially to those who became part of the studio and post your experience with our Music Studio. We all remember you guys, it's just that we can't post all your names, band names, etc. but you can do so by commenting and posting your band's names, your music, etc. Thanks again for the experience!