456 Audio

456 is closed ❌ But not to worry! The fantastic Ed @pocketsounds_studio is upgrading and taking over the space. I’ll also still be around for sessions - I’m not stopping, just swerving. I’ll be recording in Glasgow, Edinburgh, elsewhere & remote/on-location; I’m also going to be leaning harder into mix work (my specialty) & dipping my toes into mastering. I’m gonna stop manning this page, go follow me at @niallsinclair Thanks to all who spent time here, it’s been a blast x ✌️

Hello, I have news — my studio @456_audio is closing end of August I’m going fully freelance, working in studios of all sizes/budgets and focusing more on production, mixing and larger scale projects (rekkids). More on that as plans finalise… The room will remain a working studio, just not operated by me (more on that to come). I’ll still be doing some work out of it I’m sure - I laid that floor myself and I bloody love the sound of it. So for returning clients, it’ll be much the same! Anyway, I have extremely limited availability from now through August, so this is your last chance to get in before it changes! After that, you’ll most likely find me in Glasgow and working all over the place. I’ve been recording in this weird basement in Granton for 10 years (!). Time to grow up xox 📸 @musicofdavidleon

Studio shenanigans @456_audio recording our latest single ‘Up To No Good’

Some lovely discs dropped off from returning regulars @weareswimschool + @black_cat_bone_band 🥏 Both made here @456_audio (maybe more to come 👀)

I’ve been rearranging my studio to be more flexible, to wit: all the EQs fully patchable. Why even have API 550s if they’re gonna live on the kick channels? Now they can be anywheeeeeere 🔥 APIs are fat, Neves are silky, DAVs are my secret crispy weapon 🤫 (The console has a big lonely 8xEQ shaped hole in it now though…) I’ve been reassessing and finding new ways of using this hybrid console/hardware/Tools setup with my mix workflow. More on that to come for the fellow nerds x

2024 was the first full year of running my own studio, and it’s honestly been one of toughest years of my life. However, I am supremely proud of the work I’ve done this year - my best yet and I’m only getting better. These are some of the standout full length LPs I’ve either recorded, mixed and/or produced this year. 16-year-old me wouldn’t believe this was possible or that I would be so happy with my work, but 2024 me is mainly just sad that he can’t share the unreleased stuff yet. (I think introverts are allowed brief moments of pride sometimes. Narcissist OUT ✌️) x

PRAISE TEAM S/T out today (!) - I spent a long time producing this record with Paul, all done before the new space; recorded in one room with two mics (what is now my control room) & the drums at @chamber_studio This is Paul’s “solo” record, with him playing everything and me on the boards. Initially a sendup of 70s psych-folk, we ended up with a sort of unsettlingly sweet noise folk collage that we somehow improvised into existence. I got to lean in to the 70s of it with hard panned mono drums, and the noise of it with unmitigated destruction. I think it’s Paul’s best record, but I may be biased. My favourite bit is when the final song collapses in on itself. - @orphanworks wrote and played everything and co-produced I @niallsinclair recorded, mixed, co-produced @katietavini @weird_jungle mastered Cover art “Self Portrait 1969” by Victoria Merness

been a good month here lots o noise on its way x

Had a couple of rescheduled sessions this month! 6/7, 20/21. Weekends are rare gets, jump in and make a rekkid. If you take a full weekend I’ll give you a wee discount too xox

Congrats to these three big releases this month! Very proud of all of these xox @weareswimschool Seeing It Now EP Recorded @456_audio Produced @iainberryman Engineered/assisted @niallsinclair Mastered @robinsutherland223 @urvanovic Let’s Not Be Here LP Recorded/mixed/produced/everything @456_audio @niallsinclair Mastered @katietavini @black_cat_bone_band Tales of the Amplified LP Recorded @456_audio @niallsinclair Mixed & mastered @owendylanmorris 🖤🖤🖤

Buckle up bitches, it’s emo time. I never think about the audience experience of anything I make, and frankly don’t really care, so it’s odd to process compliments when this thing we worked on and sat on for so long is finally real (and people actually seem to *get it*). I’m sure it’s not going to get any widespread acclaim, but the things people have said to me about the record and the shows were really quite moving. This record is the most I’ve put into any project, the most I’ve “produced”, and it’s near-perfect in terms of realising my vision. There are no mistakes or regrets (maybe 2 moments in the entire record that I would change). It’s a completely selfish production, so it’s all the more rewarding that even a few people can appreciate it. I’m very proud of this record and grateful for the trust and freedom given to me by my bandmates. We could have made this so much simpler, but where’s the fun in that? Tom trusted me to dissect and blow apart his best songwriting to date; mid-album epic ‘Built To Unravel’ being the most I’ve butchered someone else’s song (and probably my favourite thing I’ve ever done). Very grateful to our band for these shows, it’s been an absolute blast with Victor and Brianna returning from our last tour lineup, plus Jon coming in and effortlessly killing. Thanks as always to Toni @commongroundsrecords @wasted_state for putting the record out; to @katietavini @weird_jungle for the expert mastering; @sean.p.campbell & @mitchellfgillies for the gorgeous artwork; to my de facto mentor @graeme__young for allowing me time and resources; to our world-class string section of Robert Irvine, Sally Beamish & Greg Lawson; our live string section of Victor Nekludov, Brianna Berman & Jon Bews; to David Hill for putting up with my puppet-master drum production and then re-learning and interpreting it for live; to Seonaid for the wild OTT vocals; to Tom for the songs and trust. If you like the record, I like you. If you want to see more of me producing go see my studio @456_audio (or better yet, work with me). </word vomit> TY 🖤🌸🖤

Big mix on the board this week with a session from the lovely folks at @black_bay_studio xox . . . #apiconsole #mixing