Studio provides outlet for bands
Adam Galles' passion for music, recording and technology has grown a bit since his days with a portable cassette recorder.
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Now the 28-year-old from the Brainerd lakes area operates his own commercial recording studio business. Most of the work has been self taught as Galles picked up the craft, working with studio musicians and access to other recording ventures.
Adam Galles (left), owner of Skogie's Bridgeway Recording Studios business on South Seventh Street in downtown Brainerd above Bridge of Harmony, recently spoke to a Central Lakes College introduction to music industry class. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
Galles opened his business about three years ago and renovated the studio space last summer. He often works with newer bands that have been together less than a year. They don't have a lot of money but they do have ambition to reach larger audiences and get work by putting their music down on a demo CDs. One of the benefits of the job is being part of new talent as it emerges, Galles said.
Involved in the recording business since the late 1990s, Galles works with area rock bands and regional musicians in the commercial recording studio in second-floor space he leases from Bridge of Harmony in downtown Brainerd. The studio is upstairs and down the hall, past a string of small rooms where, on a recent afternoon, tutors were busy with music lessons.
Students from the Central Lakes College Music Industry Class toured the commercial recording studio in downtown Brainerd. Brainerd Dispatch/Steve Kohls
For Galles, the work is more about a passion for the music and the technology behind recording the sound than making money. For a "day job," Galles restores pontoons and repairs watercraft. He also plays guitar, keyboards, base drum and sings. A self-described "audio geek," Galles said his interest in being a recording engineer has been there since he was young - influenced in part by his father's work as a radio disc jockey and encouraged by other family and friends. Recording studios fascinated him.
In the studio, musicians are able to set up their instruments and Galles handles the rest with a complex looking set of controls on the other side of the glass. Eight to 12 microphones are recording at one time.
"I track, I mix, I master - everything in between," Galles said. The musicians leave with a finished copy, whether it's a five-song demo CD or eight to 12 songs or more. Galles said much of his time is spent making sure the drum tracks are good and solid. His goal is to create a consistent, clean and clear sound.
Galles was an audio recording class student of Steve Anderson, instrumental music instructor at Central Lakes College. Anderson recently took his introduction to music industry class to tour the studio.
"He took what he learned and has taken it several levels up from there," Anderson said. "I'm very impressed at the set-up he has installed. It's well equipped and he knows how to run it. He's quite a good recording engineer and a good musician."
Anderson said a recording engineer has to have a good ear and understand the recording process and computer software and how it all goes together to capture sound.
With the help from people who donated equipment and time, Galles was able to set up his studio on a budget, keeping his own costs down. He said that means he's able to pass the savings on to musicians. With a charge of $25 an hour, musicians are able to leave the studio with a finished CD for $250 or $350 depending on how many songs they want to record. Galles said it works best when the band is well-rested and well-rehearsed.
Being above Bridge of Harmony helps as musicians, who break a string or snap a drum stick, are able to get what they need at the store. And he has a second site in Breezy Point about five times the size of the downtown Brainerd studio, which is able to accommodate larger bands. Galles spends part of his time working with new bands to help them learn how to play together and listen to each other.
Galles reported bands he's worked with at the studio include Nine Lives from Cass Lake, along with other bands such as Soulshine, The Imaginary Friends, the Gary Carson Effect, to name a few. He's also donated time and resources to area churches for charity recordings. An influence in his career came from his uncle, Allen Galles, who was a drummer for the band called The Kats in the 1970s. His uncle toured with headliners and provided plenty of stories.
"That's definitely played a role in me being here, too," he said. "From Day One it's been nothing but a learning experience."
Now Galles is content to watch the business grow here, noting there is a lot of talent in the lakes area. Anderson said the downtown Brainerd studio space has a long-standing reputation in the area with the set of rooms isolated from the building's walls, ceilings and floors to eliminate ambient sounds.
"He knows his stuff and he's very conscientious and creative young man," Anderson said of Galles. "I'm quite impressed with what I saw there. He's got definite ideas of what he wants and he's got the knowledge to make it happen.
"He's got the creativity and the vision to see what's possible, as well as what is - and that is where the new breakthroughs come from."
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.