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Tiny Telephone Recording
Category: Local Services Recording & Rehearsal Studios Recording & Rehearsal Studios [Edit]
1458A San Bruno AveSan Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Potrero Hill
(415) 334-1970
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
14 reviews for Tiny Telephone Recording
14 reviews in English
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Review from Mr E.
Pacifica, CA
4/10/2011
We're just now finishing up the very last phase of our recording here at Tiny Telephone Recording, sitting on the oh-so-comfortable couch in the control room, mixing our EP down to 1/2" tape, and it has been, without reservation, a fantastic experience from begining to end. The commitment to analog equipment and authentic sound is nothing short of amazing. In addition, the quality of the gear (especially the vintage keyboards and amps) is absolutely awesome. We're working with Ian Pellicci as our guiding spirit and engineer, and his ears and experience and gentle advice have been excellent; he's as much a part of our sound as each member of the band. We did all of our tracking to 2" tape, and the difference in sound quality versus ProTools is breathtaking. Honestly, everything from John Vanderslice popping his head in to say "Hi" and to ask if we need anything at all; to chillin out in the funky lounge with Marvin the Cat; to meeting the neighbors (Paul City Leather ROCKS!); to watching the kids at the skatepark over the fence... it's all a unique experience that we highly recommend to any band looking to record at the highest professional level for a reasonable price. It's a quintessential San Francisco sound, and you're amongst the best and brightest in the local scene and beyond. And of course, the sound is kick-ass. Best. Studio. Ever.
With Love, Erin Brazill and the Brazillionaires -
Review from Keane L.
5/24/2010 3 photos
My band, Festizio, just finished recording our new album at Tiny Telephone!
Having had known about John Vanderslice's much beloved studio and the incredible records they create, I honestly didn't think we had a shot of securing session time here. I describe Tiny as the French Laundry of recording studios - consistently desired and seemingly always booked. But I was feeling serendipitous one day and figured it never hurts to ask... The easiest way to open a locked door is to knock.
We worked with Scott McDowell, an amazing engineer with a knack for creating atmosphere in audio. The studio itself has a great vibe, probably owing much to JV's positive attitude and work ethic. The kitchen includes an array of organic teas, books on philosophy, a PlayStation and Alf cards. Parking is ample and the sound of children from the adjacent park offers a nice change of sound after you've been rocking out all day long.
In comparing this studio to the legendary Hyde Street Studios in the Tenderloin, where we recorded our first album, I have to say I greatly prefer the environment at Tiny Telephone... at the very least because I don't much care to navigate around coked out hookers that early in the AM.
Photos: http://bit.ly/arUyQ0
And, yes, I said Alf cards.Listed in: Festizio saved my life!
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Review from Ryan S.
San Francisco, CA
5/25/2010
3 great milestones in my musical journey:
1. Figuring out how to projectile fire my spit valve all over the snot-nose 1st chair violinist's back without her knowing.
2. Finding out all those marching band "instructors" that made me do pushups for mistakes still live with their moms today.
3. Recording at Tiny Telephone with Festizio.
Relaxed atmosphere helps you get your creative juices flowing. Clean bathroom lets you get your other juices flowing. Easy parking, easy location. No stepping on human poop wrapped in newspaper or used syringes on the way to this studio. John Vanderslice owns the place. A studio owned by a brilliant musician is obviously the way to go. You should see/hear for yourself. His gear and mic selection is heavenly...playing that vintage rhodes through a handmade compressor is mind blowing. Mind. Blowing.
They have everything you need for a warm, organic sounding record. Tracking on 2" tape really makes a difference. And no, your tape simulator plugin won't outdo it. To top it all off, JV is probably the nicest guy any of you will ever meet. He does everything in his power to cater to the musician(s) in the studio at the time. He always checked in constantly to make sure we had what we needed to have a good recording experience.
Recoding with Scott McDowell was equally amazing. Check him out: http://slowchildren.com/
The dude is a genius in protools. With his arsenal of mics, faders, switches, and awesome boxes, he was able to blend a bunch of parts together into one big pot of f$%# yeah. He also pointed us to some of the best burritos, falafel, and coffee in the city. 5 more stars for that. F$%# yeah. -
Review from James G.
San Francisco, CA
9/15/2010
I was recently in Tiny Telephone (TT) for two days with my band and will be going back soon for an additional three. The previous reviews have pretty much nailed it, from the top-notch equipment (go to the website to check it out - continually updated!) to the awesome people to the mega awesome vibe. So instead of reiterating just how rad TT is, I'll add some of my own thoughts and observations.
My Thoughts and Observations about Tiny Telephone or, How I Stumbled Upon a Little Slice of Heaven Without Realizing It
by James G.
* Proprietor, musician and world-renown horticulturist John Vanderslice runs Tiny Telephone with a clean efficiency envied by German auto-makers. He personally responds to emails which makes sense because he is about the most down to earth person I've had the pleasure of meeting.
* TT smells really nice because of the cedar panels that were recently installed. At the very least your clothes will remain only as moth-eaten as they were when you walked in.
* Engineers: My band and I were fortunate enough to work with the inimitable Jay Pellicci. Jay is awesome in so many ways I couldn't possibly fit it all into one Yelp review. Suffice it to say, Jay is a consummate professional and an absolute pleasure to work with.
* Marvin... Cutest.Cat.Evah.
* There are several guest books that have been signed by bands that have been through TT. They will provide hours of comedic relief for the rest of your band while you wait for your drummer to return from his trip to get a pack of cigarrettes that for some reason took three hours... sans cigarrettes. One of the entries was so funny it made my bass player cry happy tears.
* Scheduling is a breeze, but it seems TT books out a couple months in advance. To be honest, I'm surprised they aren't booked out further. If you're on the fence, just send JV an email. You won't regret it.
I could go on for a really long time but you and your band should buy some tape and use it to make a sweet sounding record at Tiny Telephone. My time there was amazing and I cannot wait to go back! -
Review from gerald p.
Bloomington, IN
5/26/2010
Nothing short of amazing. John Vanderslice and Scott McDowell are clearly passionate about music, and in particular, about getting the right sound for you. Their skill level is extremely robust - like watching Iron Chefs at work, but the secret ingredient is rock.
Their work ethic is amazing. For such talented musicians and engineers, they are so incredibly relaxed and easy to work with that I almost forgot we had a tight schedule to follow. I felt right at home from the very beginning. Maybe that's just because I'm the bassist. Or, maybe because they go out of their way to make us feel completely relaxed. Every inch of the studio is devoted to musicianship, right down to the blue walls, the ceiling stuffed with denim, the Yamaha, and Marvin. Everything is conducive to rock.
I feel lucky to have been here. I feel I had a life-enhancing experience here. Also, i managed to end every paragraph with rock. -
Review from Bhi B.
San Francisco, CA
12/26/2010
I recorded several days at Tiny with Jay Pellicci. I had a really great experience there and came out with the best tracks I've ever made. Its an inviting, comfortable studio and they own a ton of top-notch gear.
But a studio is only as good as its engineer. And the gear only as good as who's using it. I felt supremely confident and comfortable in Jay's hands. I could just focus on my performance. In my opinion, the engineers are Tiny Telephone's strongest suit. And JV has gathered a great group of quality engineers you can work with. I chose Jay and couldn't have been happier. Jay, along with his brother, Ian, are top-shelf engineers. Marvin was also a pleasure to work with.
Bottom line, recording at Tiny Telephone was the most comfortable, productive session I've had to date. And they are soon going to open a second room next door, which I cant wait to try out next time. -
Review from Deborah S.
San Francisco, CA
8/9/2010
I recorded at Tiny Telephone as a member of Conspiracy of Venus, SF's 40-woman strong alt-choir. There were about 20 or 25 of us present at the recording session, I believe, which took place on a week night. Making a recording with that many people would be challenging in any space and with the best engineers, but our experience at Tiny Telephone made the whole process feel rather effortless.
The space itself is warm and welcoming; I think our whole group felt at home instantly. The engineer who worked with us (I feel horrible for having forgotten his name) was wonderful. He immediately grasped the sound and the feel we were going for. He also clearly took into account that we had a limited amount of time that we were paying for in which to do these recordings, and helped us figure out how to make the most of the time we had. We did not feel rushed, however; the whole session went by in a very relaxed atmosphere. We didn't feel rushed at all. The recording conditions were excellent. During breaks, there were comfortable couches for us to sit on, and hot tea and cold water were provided.
By the end, we'd made three beautiful recordings. The engineer's choice to mic us very simply, and let the natural acoustics of studio do the rest, resulted in a very natural sound and helped preserve some of the sense of spontaneity of a live performance.
I've never left any recording session feeling so happy. I would return any day to record at Tiny Telephone - they've really gotten the whole thing right - technical proficiency matched with genuine friendliness and a love of music.
I have left many recording sessions feeling -
Review from Tyler M.
Brooklyn, NY
8/15/2009
I really couldn't say more nice things about Tiny Telephone. The short story -- Tiny Telephone is a well-curated haven for musicians who want a studio devoted to producing great-sounding records that won't break a band's pocketbook.
My band, Tempo No Tempo, recorded our album in five days with Jay Pellicci, and everything about the studio lends itself to a relaxed creative environment and amazing analog goodness. The amps are unique, and are all maintained meticulously by Skip Simmons; I've been chasing down a vintage Supro since we made our album!!
The amp and microphone selection is top-notch, and there are all kinds of keyboard and pedal goodies alongside a fully loaded control room. This is the opposite of the "big studio" leather couch-and-Pro Tools sterile environment; the studio feels lived-in, and it was immediately comfortable for me and my band to get to work making a record. We were thrilled the entire time we were there.
I also give bonus points for stocking Ritual coffee in the lounge. -
Review from dave p.
San Francisco, CA
9/18/2010 1 photo
There's no placebo here, no double blind; this is what happens when authentic meets polished. A little like watching that movie 'Eternal Sunshine......' when you've already seen it once - like laying on the ice and feeling like you've never been more alive. The band settled in really quick, mostly because Jay and Ian give as much as they get, they let the sound worry around that warm wooden room, and it ferments and carbonizes so potential and possibility eek out in a shotgun spread, listing and promoting mutual strife. This is what makes a great recording, an honest sonic diary that pitches sugar and might in equal proportions; I saw the geek love when the new microphones arrived via Fed Ex. I spoke with Bill from TapeTape, Marvin basking on my car, the freeways exploding with bombast meters away. Sure I was impressed by the vintage blah blah and the rack of post-production values, but what I was really excited about was that I unselfconsciously played my ass off and it didn't take me more than a minute to figure out these guys have no interest in telling me what they thought I should do, they wanted me to do exactly what I felt like doing.
This is a rare and beautiful thing. Thanks to Tiny Telephone Recording, I love music and they love recording me loving music and for these grizzled old ears there aint nothing better than that. -
Review from little c.
San Francisco, CA
4/13/2010
I'm a fan of this place and one of the resident engineers Jay Pellicci. They are very good about having things running well. it's organized, and they continually update and improve things. Scheduling is solid, (you know they won't forget about it or something lame like that).
john v. the owner is a musician himself and really cares about people, doing a good job and making sure you're happy. The atmosphere is relaxed which is what you need for doing good work. They go for a warm, analog sound so if you like slick it may not be for you.
Jay is really great and patient and mellow, he doesn't bring an ounce of drama. You can do as many takes as you want and he never rolls his eyes or sighs.
Coffee, magazines, tea, and DVD's and....yeah, it's clean!!!!
Another thing to mention is that as a woman musician it can be frustrating being talked down to etc., there is none of that here, which is very much appreciated. -
Review from Scott M.
San Francisco, CA
4/10/2009
Tiny is definitely one of my favorite studios to work at anywhere. John is constantly listening to people's feedback on how to improve the place, and it seems every time I show up he has some great upgrades to get me excited about.
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Review from Eric P.
San Francisco, CA
4/12/2009
Splendid place; I've used it for mixing songs. I looked into a number of studios here in San Francisco and chose TT based on its reputation and surprisingly affordable rate (particularly given its excellent reputation). I was not disappointed in the least! It's a friendly place with skilled engineers who know how to put a mix together and make it sound fantastic. Killer old Lexicon reverb in there, too! I will definitely go back!
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Review from jay p.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2009
this is my favorite place to work ever. seriously. it's comfortable, affordable, has great equipment, and... everything works!
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Review from Ian P.
San Francisco, CA
4/17/2009
Tiny Telephone is set up for the bands and engineers to be their most creative with the equipment to match. I always have fun when I'm there. The price is right and, well... it's just a great place to be. Like Justin P said in his review: it's a sure thing.
