123 Studios

123 Studios, is a beautiful recording and mixing space based in South London. Recordings at 123 have over three billion streams on Spotify.

Set up by Producer/Mixer Brett Shaw (Florence and the Machine, Foals), next to Peckham’s Bussey Building in one of London’s most exciting new creative developments.

Production, Recording, Mixing, Mastering all available

The idea behind 123 was to design a studio that had the same larger than life sound as some of the classic vintage Neve and API desks while recording, with the flexibility of the Ssl studios when mixing. Housing one of the UK’s best selections of microphones and outboard gear.

The live room’s wooden walls have a rich warm tonality. Easily changed from large and open to tight and focused. With high ceilings and an adjustable height ceiling cloud, interchangeable wall panels, and electronic “Drumbrella”.

The large selection of valve and solid-state preamps produce a harmonically rich, thick but clear tone (Vintage Neves, Red 47, Tree audio Branch, Coils, Capis- Preamps don’t get any better). Complimented by a range of vintage and modern microphones (Including Neumann U47s, U67s, M49, Telefunken 251 considered some of the very best ever produced)

Featuring incredibly accurate monitoring (what you hear translates exactly to the outside world ) purpose-built natural light control room (7M x 5.5M) that houses a vintage SSL E series console, 3m tape Machine ( these machines are like gold dust , only a handful are left and are responsible classic recordings such, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours to Issac Haye’s Hot buttered Soul. Bill Withers “Ain’t no Sunshine “. Bands like the Rolling Stones “Sticky Fingers / Exile on Main Street “ , Trex “Get it on “ the Beatles (The White album and Abbey Road) , Led Zeppelin 3 4 and Physical graffiti , Chic “La Freak”, Kate Bush “Weathering heights “, Bowie Ziggy Star dust , Micheal Jackson “Thriller “ .Bob Marley, Paul Simon ,Queen, some of the MoTown catalogue , The Who all recorded on them . This one was actually in Pete Townsends Eel Pie studio , now it’s at 123 ) , ATC scm50asl monitors and some of the finest high-end gear around. With a large live room, high ceilings, and booths makes 123 ideal for full band tracking.

Backline available at no extra cost. Fully analouge or digital recording.

**123 Studios South London recording studios live room**

Brett Shaw (Resident Producer, Mixer)

Brett spends his time helping others make music. Working with established and up and coming artists and bands, his past three major-label albums have reached No 2, No 2, and No 1 in the UK album charts respectively. His two most recent albums produced for independent artists have 32 million and 15 million streams, with the most recent reaching No1 in the Spanish physical album charts ( No 2 in the Itunes Chart) and was at No 3 in the world for vinyl sales for two weeks. In all his work has over three billion streams on Spotify.

Credits include four number 1 albums (2x U.S 2x U.K) and two number 2 albums (One U.K one U.S and U.K- One quadruple-platinum album, One platinum album, Four gold albums, one silver album ). One quadruple platinum no 1 Single which won the Grammy for best dance recording, two Mercury nominations three Ivor Novello awards.

Brett also very much enjoys working with independent/Unsigned artists. Producing and mixing for Spanish Independent act “Izal”, helped their album reach number 1 in the Spanish album charts (Physical) . His production for artists like Ewan J Philips has over fifteen million plays on Spotify. Mixing for Sal Dulu helped his debut album top five million streams, while four of his tracks have been number ones on the Hype machine charts .

“I bought each piece of gear in the studio one by one and learned it inside out over the years. I started out with a Mackie desk and two nice mics ( a Coles 4038, a 414 and a bunch of 57/58s ). I built my own preamps before I could afford to buy proper ones (12 of them) then one by one bought another piece of gear each time I could afford it. I would like to think 123 is now one of the better studios around.” Brett Shaw

More about the studios ,,

123 Studios features a spacious wooden live room, a large control room with fully soundproofed programming and writing rooms here in South East London.

The main studio makes use of a great selection of over 20 discrete class-A preamps and DI’s, with one of the finest microphone collections in the U.K . (Vintage Neumann U47 tube and FET 47, U67s, M249b (M49),ELAM 251E, U87, KM84’s, Bock 251 and Ifet, Flea U47, Coles 4038s, Rca 77d, AEA 44, AKG 414 and D12, M160, 241s, RE20s etc) All recorded to an HDX rig with Pro Tools Ultimate on a 12 core mac pro with LAVRY GOLD and 32 channels of Avid HD I/O converters or fully analogue on to 3m 79 24 track tape (on request- see analogue recording page).

The SSL E series “was considered the Rolls Royce of recording consoles in its day” (George Gilbert, former chief engineer at SSL). Vintage SSL desks are responsible for mixing more hits than any other console in history.

With highly accurate monitoring and lots of classic outboard gear including ATC 50 SCM50a, Unfairchild, UREI 1176,1178, La2a, API 2500, Distressor and DBX 160x, Chandler TG1, Curve Bender, Pultec eqp1s3 x2, Pultec EQP 1A x2, Neve 33102s (1084s) Neve 1272s, Red 47, API 550/560, Chandler Little Devil, Harrison, Coil audio, Tree Audio, Capi Pres, Clariphonic and Tonelux EQs, 123 makes for a great mixing environment. Its a modern studio set up that is designed to be simple to use for other engineers.

The mix room was built with the premise of asking acoustician Nick Whitaker (Abbey Road, Olympic studios, The Red room, The Albert hall) what is exactly the perfect size and shape room to get the best/most accurate monitoring possible.

The live room acoustics are easily changed by an adjustable ceiling drop and Drumbrella that changes the length of the natural room reverb, going from a large open sound to a tight punchy one in just a few seconds.

The studio specialises in live band tracking with three additional booths with great sightlines, suitable for various sources of acoustic/vocal or amped instruments.

“The studio’s great. It has a great atmosphere to it. It’s very laid back and it’s very light which was a pleasure to work in. Somewhere that felt light and warm.” Yannis/Foals

BRETT SHAW

Artists working at 123 studios – Gorillas, Foals, Florence and the Machine, Muru Masa, Liane La Havas, Oh Wonder, Honne, Cosha, Shy Girl, Kindness, Robyn, Still corners, Magic Gang, Swim Deep, Hawk House, Alex Burey, Cosima, Christina and the Queens, Daughter, Clean Bandit feat Jess Glynne, M.I.A , Eliza Doolittle, Keaton Henson, Rita Ora, Say Lou Lou, The Kooks, Labrinth, Julio Bashmore, Noisettes , Jamie T, Dry the river, Jack Bruce (Cream) , M.I.A, ,Babydaddy (Scissor Sisters), Aquilo, Saint Raymond, Gabriel Bruce, Roisin Murphy, Marcus Foster, Kyla La Grange, Iggy Azalia , Ghostpoet, Skepta and Ed Sheeran

Always judge a studio on the music coming out of it .

123 Studios New Live room layout

https://www.facebook.com/123Studios

https://www.instagram.com/brett_shaw_123_mixtape_studios/

Some tracks recorded at 123

https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/1W5eeWeY5XOfQWV7nzgOue

“With this new studio, I asked acoustician Nick Whitiker- What is the best room shape and size for monitoring? His response is what we created. A 42sqm control room connected to a beautiful live room with high ceilings and great acoustics. “Brett Shaw, Producer and Studio Owner at 123 Studios.

We have three long-term let rooms here at the studio, though all are currently full. Get in contact for details.

CONTACT

It’s best to get in touch via email, as the phone is hard to answer mid session.

123studios@outlook.com

Hear the sound of the studio below,, (Brett Shaw has worked on all tracks below in some form at 123)

Cosha “Lapdance from Asia” Co production with Muru Masa and Cosha

Cosha · Cosha, Shygirl – Lapdance from Asia

Foals “In Degrees” Brett Shaw Co-Production with Foals and Engineering

Florence and the Machine “South London Forever” Brett Shaw Co produce, Co write, Engineer Foals “Like Lighting ” Brett Shaw Co Produce /Engineer

Lady Gaga “Hey Girl” . Brett Shaw 123 (Engineering)

Foals “Exits” Brett Shaw Co-Production and Engineering

Robyn “Send to Robyn immediately ” Brett Shaw Engineer

Florence and the Machine “Hunger” – Brett Shaw -Engineer

Cosha “Berlin Air” Brett Shaw Co production with Muru Masa and Cosha ( I also got to play drums on this one )

Cosha · Berlin Air

123 Unsigned

Ewan J Thomas “Faithless” – Brett Shaw, Prod, Eng, Mix, Master . Ewan is an unsigned artist. Tracks Ewan and Brett have done together on Spotify has over ten million plays. (Which earn about £50000+ from Spotify)

Sal Dulu “Dulouz Dream” Brett has mixed and mastered several tracks For Sal Dulu which now have two and a half million streams on Spotify .

Rina Mushonga “Atalanta” . Rina’s album with Brett was given an 8/10 review on pitchfork and was several album of the year listings including The line of Best fit and independent album of the year so far lists

Brett Shaw Production, Mix , Master

George Taylor – “Give it up” has over six million plays on Spotify and is an unsigned artist ( about £30000 from one track) (Brett Shaw Production, Engineering, Mix, Master)