Grand Street Recording is a cozy home-away-from-home, a top-notch professional recording studio, and surely the best deal in the city. They have an amazing amount of gear and instruments immaculately organized and tucked away, and on these terms alone they blow away any comparably-priced and -sized studio in Brooklyn, especially in the mic selection (U47, U67, U87, a bunch of other condensors, ribbons, and colorful/crazy mics such as an actual telephone). There's also a ton of vintage keyboards, synths, guitars, amps, pedals, a beautiful Steinway, a Hammond organ, a vibraphone (actually, that's my vibraphone), and if anything, way too many drums. And having produced 6 or 7 big projects at GSR, I think the best thing about the studio is the way everything is laid out and accessible to encourage creative, on-the-fly producing. It's also worth mentioning that GSR gets really creative when it comes to live tracking, and they can offer more isolation than meets the eye. (For instance, the bathroom doubles as an amp closet.) But working with Ken (and Jake) is the real attraction. They always get the best sound and tinker til it's right for the song (though of course they let the artist/producer set the vibe and the pace). Ken's musicality is a huge asset, and I can't imagine there's a style of music he can't handle. He's also one of the best mixing engineers you'll ever come across, with an amazing eye for detail, aesthetic flexibility, efficiency, invaluable wisdom and perspective, and of course all the plug-ins you'd ever need. And don't overlook the fact that Ken is one of the world's most organized individuals (a super important quality for an engineer), and that is the culture of Grand Street. Your sessions will be immaculate, and all the solid habits of set-up, labeling and up-keep will save you essential time and energy down the line. read more

For 3 years I had the pleasure of recording the most essential work for my "Queen Victoria" album (will be released 3/17) at Grand Street Recording. This is one of the most accommodating and prepared studios I have ever worked in and Ken Rich is a wonderful engineer and unflappable, always one step ahead and organized. Feeling so comfortable and secure with Ken and GSR helped my project so much as I was working in unfamiliar territory with a brass band. There were many tracks, takes and overdubs and all the while, I wrestled with 36 page scores but we would always get it done! We also recorded live rhythm section with a great- for- rock sounding Steinway piano which was beautiful to play. Ken and his staff were keen to help explore and the available separation options, their mic arsenal and extensive outboard and plug-ins selection made exploring and creating a real pleasure! Recording vocals at GSR with Ken was smooth running, I recorded some solo tracks and a duet with Joe Jackson painlessly, which is a bloody miracle! Thank you Ken Rich and GSR- your excellence yet affordable Brooklyn rates made "Queen Victoria" go from a fanciful idea to a glorious reality! Joy Askew read more

ken rich's grand street recording is a second-to-none recording studio in new york city, which by extension makes it a second-to-none recording studio nationwide. ken's obvious, innate recording and listening talent combined with the love that he puts into every project amounts to a recording studio with limitless possibilities for musicians of every genre. it also doesn't hurt that ken's buddies, some of the world's most sought-after musicians, leave massive piles of amazing gear in storage there, and this quid-pro-quo is passed onto the client. bonus! i've done a handful of sessions at grand street as both a sideman and a leader, and every time, the result was the same: ken was the first one there and the last to leave. he had a positive attitude the whole time, we got the drums up and miked quickly, and he didn't spend half the session checking his email or texting people. in today's recording environment, that's freaking HUGE. please take your money and give it to ken so that he can make you sound really great. you won't regret it. read more

We have worked with Mr. Rich on two separate theatrical productions. Our first collaboration was on a play called "Unequalibrium". Over several sessions, Ken created an intricate design for the production with precise sound effects cues and more subtle, mood enhancing pads that played beneath scenes. In addition, he composed longer thematic pieces for the act breaks which tied the play together aurally. His creativity went beyond our expectations. Audiences were not able to talk about the production without talking about the score. After completing our next play, "The Common Air", we returned to Grand Street and Ken Rich, to even better results. After a 6 month run in Los Angeles, Ken's work garnered three nominations, and winning two awards for Best Sound Design from The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and the LA Ovation Awards. We will be back when we're done with out third. Thank you, Ken. Alex Lyras & Robert McCaskill read more

I can't recommend Grand Street Recording highly enough! I've recorded in a lot of studios over the past 20 years and Grand Street is by far my favorite place to work. The staff is full of top-notch engineers and producers. I've made multiple records and one-off tracks at Grand Street and on every occasion I've always been amazed by the amount of care and passion everyone puts into the projects. Ken Rich has created a beautiful and inspiring workspace for people to do everything from demos to fully produced records. I'm always impressed when I look at the records on the wall and see just how many of my favorite albums were recorded and produced at this incredible Brooklyn studio! read more

I love Ken Rich and his studio. He gets sounds very quickly and with no fuss at all--you just kind of turn around and the mikes are up and ready to go. And he has a great presence as an engineer--he doesn't say that much, but when he does, you totally trust him. The studio itself has a great, cozy vibe--it's very comfortable and easy to hang out in. And they have some really great gear (I'm really into the tweed deluxe and the 60s twin). Finally, most important of all, the things I've done there have come out sounding great. I can't recommend Grand Street enough. read more

This studio rules! Ken is an awesome dude who knows his stuff inside and out and contributes some really killer ideas when necessary. They have some of the coolest gear you can imagine. Last time I got a gorgeous guitar tone out of an old 50's tweed fender deluxe. The viibe of the studio is really comfortable and very conducive to creativity. The engineers are very efficient, knowledgeable, incredibly skilled, and very cool to hang with. Equipment is excellent. I was incredibly happy with the session and the sounds that came out of it. read more

Grand Street Recording is one of the most creative and efficient studios in NYC. Between the incredible ears of Ken Rich and the lightening fast engineering skills of him and his staff, this studio is the real deal! In addition to their top notch engineering and producing skills, the guys at Grand Street always know how to capture the sounds you're looking for, and have a melange of equipment to do so. Whether you're looking to undertake a full length album, or just knock out some tracks: Grand Street Recording is the place you want to go. read more

I have never been so comfortable and pleased with a studio than when i recorded at Grand Street. As a drummer, they had everything i could have wanted (60s kit & cymbal options as well as a custom headphone mix) and the sound that was produced right out of the gate was insane! The room was cozy, the sound was incredible, and the people were a pleasure to work with. Grand Street Recording was the perfect fit for what my band and I were doing, and i would strongly recommend it to anyone looking for top notch professional recording! read more

I've done a bunch of recording at heavy, expensive studios--Quad, Sear Sound--but you won't get anything near the quality and attention to detail that you'll get at Grand Street. We've been working with Ken steady over the past couple months and it's the best recording experience I've ever had, no joke. They've got great gear and an excellent space, but that's kind of a given. What sets GSR apart is killer sounds, expertise, and a musician's ear for what is going to make each track pop. Can't go wrong here, I'm telling you-- read more

This place is no joke! Grand Street Recording is the perfect all around recording environment. Ken's live room is fantastic for drums and big enough to record a large live band. Not only that, but he knows his rooms, gear and instruments so well that you can't finish a cup of coffee before he says "We're rolling." It was a real treat for me to find that New York's top drummers store their vintage Ludwigs, Gretches Rodgers and bags of old amazing cymbals in the space, all for my use! Who else can say that?! read more

These guys really know what they're doing. They feature a formidable collection of vintage gear and the tools and expertise to take your project to the next level. When I'm in NYC Grand Street Recording is my first choice in studios. Over the years everything I've recorded there has far surpassed my expectations. Ken and Jake are two of the best recording mixing and mastering engineers in the business. It's obvious they are passionate about their craft. Andrew Bailie Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles read more

Grand Street Recording is hands down one of the best places to record in New York City. I have worked with Ken Rich on several projects over the past few years and Grand Street is the first place I think of when I have any recording needs. Ken is also a skilled producer and instrumentalist and has the knowledge and vision to bring any project into reality. Both Ken and Jake (the second engineer) have great ears and I always feel like my projects are in great hands. Totally Recommend!! read more

Grandstreet was the only studio to score our most recent project. A complicated, multilayered mix of foley and sound design, ambient pads, orchestra composition and Voice over/ADR. The studio and staff are impeccably organized, interminably patient, and they brew a mean cup of joe. But the highlights of working there are most definitely the high level of creativity and rapidity of problem solving. We'll be back with the next play/film without a doubt... read more

Can't say enough good things about this studio-Had a block of four days working on an album of original music where we recorded in live takes with acoustic instruments. Jake, our engineer, was a master at keeping things running smoothly with the help of his equally great studio assistant -gintus. The studio has great feeling with amazing gear. So happy with the sounds we made and couldn't have asked for a better session!! Thanks all read more

I've been working remotely with Ken Rich at Grand Street Recording. And, I could not be happier with the results. The quality of the mix is superb. Ken is insightful and attentive to artistic intent, and he presents the work at its best. Communicating with Ken remotely is a breeze. He's one step ahead. It is apparent when working with him that he is a seasoned pro. -leah chandra read more

It was such a privilege to record with Ken at Grand Street. He is the BEST. He is an amazing musician himself, so he knows exactly what's what. He also knows how to GET IT DONE. You are in the hands of a true professional. He made my project sound better than I ever dreamed it could. And he is a fun and great person too. So, there. You can't do better. read more

I've done many recording sessions with Ken Rich. We've cut straight-up rock 'n' roll tracks, but also taken plenty of musical risks along the way--everything from horn sections and honky-tonk piano to drum machines and synth bass. No matter the style or instrumentation, the end result always ends up sounding far better than I ever expected. read more

Ken has recorded or mixed many of my projects over the years... but Grand Street has that magic, not to mention that mic collection. In short, Grand Street feels like you're alone at home recording but you never have to check your levels and what comes out don't sound nothing like home. Cheers to Ken. Darren Gaines & The Key Party read more