Music Services
- Arranging/ Variety of suitable credited composer/arrangers
- Audition Demos – For student rates join the yhzSOUNDCOOP
- Composition/ Various credited composers- variety of styles
- Editing (ProTools HD)
- Equipment Services (Rentals & Repairs)
- Mastering (Analogue & Digital)
- Mixing (Analogue & Digital)
- Musicians – Incredible Local Professional Resource
- Recording (Solo Artists to Orchestra / In Studio or On Location)
- Room Calibration/Tuning – Acoustic Consultation & Design (Listening Room Design)
- Transfers – Unarchiving/Archiving
- Vocals, Groups & Choirs
LISTEN TO CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL’S RECORDING ENGINEER DEMO SIDE I
Recent History
I’ve relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia. The studio remains open on a limited basis in Halifax as a Sound Co-Op – the yhzSOUNDCOOP – presently membership is limited – mixing and mastering engineer Galen Conroy is at the helm. Understand I’m quite willing to return for any major projects – working freelance in Vancouver I’m based in Kitsilano. Find me on Facebook and message if in need or email studio_geek@hotmail.com. Bless.
Look forward to the latest full length record from the great Rose Vaughn – feeling very fortunate to have mixed these works from such a great artist, produced by Cathy Porter and Rose.
Later in 2015 I took pride in playing bass on a short tour with The Myles Goodwyn Band. The new six piece band currently backs up the multi-platinum artist & hit songwriter who still tours with April Wine. Expect more from MGB in 2018.
Some expected downtime after finishing this Almon Street studio in June 2013 was not downtime at all where time was filled with some exciting music projects and a 40 minute Film Festival piece; A whirlwind visit from Psychobilly locals The Blackrats, resulted in their latest album, Shake Your Brain, mixed by Rene D la Muerte (of the Brains). Unum Ave Maria, what would become the Theme Music for the TV Series Forgive Me. A Tango collaboration featuring Cuban keyboard-wizard Silvio Pupo Montaro and myself. Happy Day, a single from Reggae Master Andru Branch, recorded by John Parker and mixed by Andru and myself. Intombi Zomqangala performing Bhowesa Nkazana (You Go Girl) – A highly energetic all female drum & voice dance musical from Zimbabwe – 30 Minutes of Wow. As well I Can’t Find The Words an African Reggae Single by the incomparable Thandy Dilhanna and a pop single, I Like What You Say featuring Zimbabwe star Sandra Ndebele. I edited, sound designed and mixed a festival piece – Awaiting Atwood, by Beth Mairs – cameo by Margret Atwood herself.
Taking on two back-to-back dramatic television series through 2014 and 2015 (Thom Fitzgerald’s Forgive Me and Sex & Violence – Season’s 1 &2) I had my hands full. I also logged 12 weeks on set – location sound for Forgive Me Season 1, and Sex and Violence Season 2. I was happy to see both series license a number of local artist’s music.
As well during this time I managed to visited 3 Mi’kmaq resevations in the Maritimes, contributing location sound to an important Art & Health oriented Documentary by Filmmaker Amy Sark featuring celebrated artist Alan Syliboy..
Partial Credits Include
Albums/CDs (Recording Engineer and/or Mixer)
Gardener of the Moon Rose Vaughn & Cathy Porter
Bhowesa Nkazana (You Go Girl) Bhowesa Nkazana (Zimbabwe) Intombi Zomqangala/
The Only Constant*, Step Into The Light Andru Branch & HalfwayTree (Jamaica*/Canada)/
Shake Your Brain The Blackrats Splatterhouse Wreckords/
King of Monsters The Blackrats Splatterhouse Wreckords/
Happy Day (Single) Andru Branch & Halfway Tree Constant Spring Music/
Soul Starring Keshia Chante Musical TV Series Halifax Film/Vision Television/
The Gospel According to the Blues (OST) Starring Jackie Richardson TV Musical/
On The Line David Myles MapleMusic/ (select bed tracks from)
Rhapsody By Request, Rhapsody In Red The Rhapsody Quintet WaltMusic/
Weight of the World The Jimmy Swift Band BelowMeMusic/
You Ain’t Gettin’ My Country The Divorcees Haysale Records/
From Here to There Russell Brannon/
Beautiful Life Bruce Guthro Rec Art Music Denmark/
Couldn’t Have Said It Better Meatloaf (Producer Peter Mokran) Capitol Music EMI/
Awakening Roger Whittaker BMG/
Living On The Edge The Irish Descendants Warner Music Canada/
Uprooted (Assist. to George Massenburg) The Rankins EMI Music Canada/
The Question (Nick Griffiths Producer) The Barra MacNeils Polygram Canada/
From The Archives Dave MacIsaac featuring Mary-Jessy MacDonald Celtic America Lic/
POGEY (S.T.) POGEY Nuduibranch Records/
Music of 1000 Nights, Joyful Sounds Rita MacNeil EMI Music Canada/
Orpheus Paul Tobey Trio Justin Time/
Seven (1996 – Awesome listen!) The Chris Tarry Group Justin Time/
Outside Looking In Album & Video Kathy Phippard SONY, Tidemark/
45`N 63`W East Coast’s Best R&B Hip-Hop EMI Music Canada/
Touch of Class, Unpredictable, Union Dues Classified Half Life Records/EMI Canada
Halifax Motion Picture Sound Studio / Featured Instruments
African / Blues / Celtic / Choirs / Classical / Country / Dance / Dixie / Electronic / Folk / Gospel / House / Hip-Hop / Jazz / Latin /Organ Works / Marimba / Metal / Piano / Pop / Prog / Pipe / Punk / Rap / Roots / Rock / Reggae / R&B / Xylophone / Zim – I’ve been there.
Recent History continued
The 2315 Hunter Street Solar Audio studio commissioned by Guitarist Russell Brannon, and designed by Claude Fortier (Dr Acoustic Sciences) opened above a busy Halifax music store in 1978, Musicstop. Since then, Solar has been an icon of professional music production on the East coast of Canada. A home for this engineer /producer since 1995. Solar spawned great sound engineers including Donny Chapman, CBC engineer Pat Martin, and Harold Tsistinas.
In its later years as Common Ground, the studio continued to be a hot-spot for local and international musicians. Common Ground hosted The Plutonium Playhouse Theatre where more than 70 jobs were created in its first season of three successful seasons servings as a venue for the Atlantic Fringe Festival. Internet broadcasts of amazing performances in this amazing space tell just part of the history. Getting out of the studio I produced a professional Celtic music variety show for charity, Nova Scotia Here & Now.
Sadly, that space no longer functions as a studio, however I personally feel the music lives on there in spirit above the latest music store, though some of it may certainly have followed me here to Almon Street. Closing the doors of Common Ground Studios (2005-2013) I relocated the former Solar Audio inventory and acoustic treatments, and customizing a studio previously built for noted educator and respected Halifax sound engineer, Terry Pullium, by killer Guitarist and carpenter Troy Wilson at the Almon Commercial Centre, I have continued to be immersed in sound making more than ever.
“And some of you might remember AVACOST (1993) – I miss The Flamingo Lounge!”
History
I started my formal music career at age 12 with the Cello, instructed by noted educator and Cellist Adam Mueller. While I studied microbiology at Dalhousie, minoring in music, I played bass in the progressive rock band, Avacost from 1989 to 1995 – how I found my way into recording studios and opening for acts like April Wine. My first House Engineer position was at Son Montreal Sound, well known for solid Blues, Folk, Pop, Jazz, and Zydeco Recordings. Son Montreal Sound launched many successful engineers including Gavin Fernandes, James Carrier & Rob Heaney – my original mentors.
halifax motion picture sound & music 