Welcome to 1979

Went to the studio for their TapeCamp which was an incredible learning experience. Every member of the staff was a total pro, and extremely generous with their knowledge and insight. Chris and Yoli set up a wonderful flow for the weekend & the vibe in the place is "instant comfort" for pretty much anyone who's gonna walk in. Bobbi, the mastering engineer was a wealth of knowledge, and I know that I learned a ton + built up some real comfort with equipment that I don't normally get a chance to work on. Also, the place sounds great & has a supremely solid gear-list. If I was ready to record a project in Nashville, they'd be my first/only call.

I have been in studios from LA to NY and of course Nashville, but this was my first time at Welcome to 1979….I can say without a doubt this ranks with the best of them and I will definitely be back. Unbelievable vibe and equipment, but just as important is the first class staff. From owner to assistants…everyone was amazing. Jeremy and Brandon helped us get amazing results and was so cool to have Chris pop in to chat a little as well. This studio is a reflection of his care and kindness. Thanks fellas!

Couldn’t have found a better place to spend a week recording an album. Incredible team of folks that are super kind, smart and creative. So many cool instruments. I can’t imagine a more relaxing place to create music, perfect for bands. There’s not a better vibe around! The mixing and mastering sounds amazing, and of course we’re stoked to get a mother vinyl made here too. Feel so grateful to have discovered this gem, highly recommend.

Very cool place! Chris is a super cool and friendly guy who gave us a full rundown on the studio and its origins! Love the vibe and style that makes it old school

People come to Nashville for all sorts of experiences. Many just wish to say that "they did it in Nashville. It's no different in the recording industry. There are "studios" that will send you back to Moline or Wichita or where ever your parts are that probably aren't that professional but can pull it off. There are also studios that charge about $4k a day that can pull anything off-and they'll supply a few well known industry names to record with you and really make you stand out. '79 is the studio for working musicians. All the necessary bells and whistles needed to capture the best version of your sound at top industry standards-from the M49 mics to the 2" reel to reel tape to everything in between they will deliver you a product that represents your sound. They do not waste time. The team is quick and efficient in setting up between songs and communicated well (before we even recorded) about our needs and were completely prepared when we walked in the door. This saves you thousands. It is also nice that mastering (for vinyl as well) is all in house if you want it. We recently recorded a bluesy/Americana/rockish album and will be returning to record a jazz lp.

Memphis & the Misfits

I recorded an LP here and had another LP mastered with pressing plates. Everyone at Welcome to 1979 are professionals who know what they are doing. Sound quality is amazing. Highly recommend you record your next project here.

Have had the pleasure of recording at Welcome to 1979 on multiple occasions and it is always an amazing time. The staff has been consistently exceptional, their gear collection is incredible and the overall vibe of the place is super inspiring to work in. Tracking live to tape there was a dream. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Welcome to 1979 is a singular vision for what a recording studio can be. I'm still in awe of the laid-back, nurturing vibe of this space. Chris told me, "relax, this is a place for making mistakes"... the last thing I expected to hear, and the thing I needed to hear most. And I wouldn't have believed it other than for the total professionalism of Chris and his crew. Welcome to 1979's retro jam is only partly about all that gorgeous analog gear... it turns out that it's also about a place that takes you back to making music for the sheer joy of it.

Welcome to 1979's Analogue Anywhere service is amazing! The quality and character of the tape transfers are incredible. The cost is very reasonable, and the turn around time is unexpectedly quick! I highly recommend Welcome to 1979 for all your tape transfer needs!

Great experience, as always w/ the team at 1979. Whether they're cutting lacquers/plating for vinyl, running mixes to tape or you're there tracking, everything is always super streamlined, organized and easy. Great place run and occupied by great people.

From start to finish my time at Welcome to 1979 was the BEST recording experience I've ever had! Chris was responsive and accommodating in scheduling the session and making sure we had everything we needed, so that we were able to maximize our time in the studio. The space itself is buzzing with vibe and atmosphere, spooky and playful. It was a privilege to have access to 1979's fabulous arsenal: vintage keys, amps, mics, bells, plate reverb... and of course tape! Our assistant engineer Ryan was super patient and competent, helping us to navigate the equipment and take advantage of what the studio had to offer. The experience, and the resulting tracks, are textured, authentic, full of character, and EXACTLY what I was looking for. In an often cold and sterile digital world and industry, Welcome to 1979 helped me and the band fall in love with the process all over again. Thanks!

I have been involved in tape restoration and transfers for several decades and also worked directly with George LaForgia with Ampex back in the 1990's developing baking techniques. I have not found any one better at transferring magnetic tapes than Welcome to 1979. The transfers sound great and better that all the transfers I have done in the past. Yoli and crew are fabulous, friendly and truly professional.

I've been using their Analog Anywhere service to transfer my digital stereo mixes to tape. Great service! Very easy process to use and it's very easy to communicate with the Welcome To 1979 staff!

Just finished their tape camp this past weekend, as well as their tape alignment day.
First, Chris is great. He is humble, unassuming, and very nice and hospitable. He, as well as some of us in the class, made a point to mention throughout the camp that there was something in his teaching and how the information and demonstration of practice was provided that was very approachable and without any pretense. I think this was perfectly appropriate given the mantra to he and his wife’s space is approachable, unpretentious, and above all, comfortable. Walking around and sitting down in the studio, you feel like you’re in your living room, which makes what can be at times a nerve-racking creative process very pleasant.
Lastly, the tape camp was great. I learned a lot about how analog tape machines work. I am recording an EP this June using tape and I wanted to learn what I could ahead of my session. On the third and last day we calibrated one of Chris’s 1/4” Mara machines (his machines are also eye-candy). There can be a lot of gate-keeping and snobby people when it comes to learning various technology. Chris completely destroyed that. I love what Welcome to 1979 is doing. To Yoli and Chris and their staff, the band that gave their time to lay down some tracks for us, thank you. You have made a daunting/intimidating task approachable and seamless. Chris’s approach is to make things simple and he has. Thank you guys!!

P.S.
~I love my new coffee mug! 😊

Great facility and great people and very reasonably priced for the quality that they provide. Recording direct to tape and then going to ProTools is far superior sounding versus just recording directly to ProTools to my ear. I really think they are providing an invaluable service, not to mention the other services they provide which are also stellar.

After spending a weekend at 1979, I’m ready to move in and work year round. The team is absolutely the most attentive, helpful, and professional I’ve ever been around. The place has a wonderfully laid back vibe and a it’s a spot where you can be as creative as you like. Def will be back. Oh wait! Just booked again! Couldn’t help it…

Where to begin?! I was just absolutely blown away by everything. Chris was super responsive and informative when getting back with you. Ryan my engineer was fantastic. His love for music and knowledge as well really made my time in the studio smooth and relaxed. The atmosphere brings you back to a time where everything was simple and easy and your experience becomes just that! My song was brought to life in this studio. I will forever be grateful. Cheers!

I recently had to transfer an old 1" 8-track tape. Chris and his team did a fabulous job, and the service was very friendly and professional. I highly recommend them, and if you're in Nashville ask them to show you the place. It's a dream.

What an awesome experience to travel back-in-time, not just to "1979" but also to my own past of working in a fully analog recording studio in the 90's that was built in the 70's using the same MCI JH24 track recorder and a similar MCI console that we had! Chris and crew have put together a wonderful program that touches on all aspects of the analog process from mic choices and placement, recording multi-track to tape, mastering, lathe production, electroplating, and creation of stampers for vinyl record pressing. They are the real deal steeped in not only old school analog recording but they are very modern utilizing ProTools as well as a slew of outboard equipment, awesome microphone selections and some great vintage keyboards and amps to boot! Part of the program was a "Lathe Night" that discussed the mastering process and making of records. The Monday portion, which I attended as well, was all about tape machine calibration and alignment that dispelled many myths, and although I can't say simplified as I'm still trying to wrap my head around the "why" of it, Chris did a great job showing us the process of "how". I hope they do a 2.0 version o Tape Camp someday that takes the process even further and I'll be back.
Oh, and the most unexpected thing, my fellow participants were some amazing people with great perspectives and stories of experience. I learned as much from them as I did from the workshop! They were from every walk of life - younger, older, experienced and novice. Most of us were musicians of some sort and I was intrigued to find out how each of us had a different angle on how we were intending to utilize what we were learning there! AND getting to interact with the band we recorded on the 2nd day was also a great part of the experience. If you are interested in ANY aspect of recording, not just analog, this would be a great experience for you to attend and learn.

Professional staff and amazing facility. Best studio experience to date! So much talent and nostalgia in one place.