THE STUDIO ITSELF
Based in Leicester, Waterside Studios is a clean, creative and easy-going recording space built for artists who want to focus on making great music without pressure. Whether you’re a full band or a solo artist, the goal here is simple: create a relaxed environment where you can perform at your best and leave with a professional, powerful sound.
We offer recording, mixing, mastering and various other audio production services, working primarily with bands across rock, pop, punk and metal, as well as solo artists. Every project is approached individually, with a focus on capturing energy, clarity and authenticity.
The studio is fully equipped to handle everything from full band multitracking to detailed overdub sessions. Running on Cubase, the setup includes a full rack of outboard gear such as dbx 266XL compressors and a Behringer 1273 dual preamp, paired with a Presonus Studio 1824c interface and additional ADAT preamps offering a total of 16 inputs and 4 independent headphone mixes.
There’s also a wide selection of instruments and backline available. You’re welcome to use the in-house gear or bring your own—whatever best suits your sound. See the full gear list below.
Instruments:
- Epiphone SG Standard
- Crafter TCO35/N
- Harley Benton HB-35
- Harley Benton SC-450
- Harley Benton D-200CE-12NT
- Stagg S- Type
- Ibanez SGR-300 Bass
- Epiphone Bass
- Mandolin
- Ukelele
- Banjolele
- Kalimba
- Yamaha MIDI Keyboard
- Six-piece NATAL Arcadia Birch Drum Kit: 10″, 12″, 14″, 16″, 22″ – 14″ Snare
- 14″ Brass Snare
- ALESIS Nitro Max with additional tom and crash
Amps/Cabs:
- Blackstar HT Club 50 MK1
- Marshall v30 loaded 2×12 cab
- Peavey TKO 75 Bass Amp
Effects Pedals:
- BOSS DD-3 Digital Delay
- BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver
- Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
- TC Polytune
- BBE Benchpress Compressor
- Caline 10-band EQ
- TC 3rd Dimension Chorus
- MXR Phase 90
- Warm Audio Foxy Tone Box Fuzz
Plenty of others in the collection, these are just the best.
Plugins:
- UAD 1176 Collection
- UAD Pultec EQ Collection
- UAD dbx 160 Compressor
- UAD SSL G Bus Compressor
- UAD LA-2A
- UAD LA-3A
- SSL Channel Strip
- Soundtoys Collection
- UAD Pure Plate Reverb
- UAD Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb
- UAD LA-610 Channel Strip
- Trigger 2
- Amped CB-4 (Diezel VH4 Amp Sim)
- SSD 5.5
Loads more effects and instrument VST’s, we’ve got everything covered.
How sessions work
Sessions are carefully prepared in advance to make the most of your time. Before the session, we’ll have a pre-production chat by phone or text to map out the direction of your project and cover any important details. In most cases, the studio will be fully set up and ready to go when you arrive, so no time is wasted on setup. For bands, sessions typically start with drums and build from there, though every project is tailored to suit the artist.
To get the best results, preparation is key. Bands should come well-rehearsed to maximise productivity. Drummers are encouraged to bring spare sticks, breakables, a bass drum pedal and a spare snare head. The studio kit records brilliantly, but you’re more than welcome to bring your own—just keep in mind that setup time will eat into your session. Guitarists and Bassists should arrive with fresh strings on their instruments and at least one spare set. Lower string gauges tend to hold tune better for recordings (especially for low tunings) so I would advise at least 10-46 gauge strings on guitars.
Vocalists are advised to rest their voice beforehand and bring anything that helps them perform comfortably during longer sessions i.e. Vocalzones, Honey & Lemon. It should go without saying that your songs should be fully written to a point where you are happy performing them, we’ll work together to plan the arrangement for the project but it would be good for you to share your ideas in advance so we can steer in the right direction.
You should bring a USB Drive with at least 16GB of storage for us to copy multitracks onto at the end of the session. Mixes will be completed within 5 working days and will be shared via Google Drive. Mastering is also available, please navigate to the Bookings & Services page to view all services we provide. There can often be a lot of waiting around between takes while your bandmates are recording their parts, so feel free to bring anything to keep you busy, nothing noisy though!
Waterside Studios is all about making the recording process smooth, productive and enjoyable—so you can focus on what matters most: the music.
about the owner
“My life has always revolved around Music, whether that be going to gigs, learning instruments, performing, or working in the studio. I just love everything about it, especially recording and mixing. When artists come into the studio, I aim to create a relaxed and inspiring environment. Sessions are kept informal and pressure-free; creativity can’t be rushed. Setting unrealistic goals takes away from the process, and the best results come when artists feel comfortable, able to experiment, and express themselves freely.
While my personal taste leans towards guitar-based music, specifically stadium rock, I’m always open to working across genres. If it fits your vision, we’ll make it happen—whether that’s hard-hitting drums and ripping guitars, or something more stripped-back and emotional. From recording to full project development/production, I focus on capturing authentic performances while delivering professional, polished results. At the heart of Waterside Studios is a commitment to giving every artist the support and expertise needed to turn ideas into records they’re proud of.”
– Jamie McCallum