Mastering Studio Sweet Spot: The Ranch Mastering – Beacon, New York
Attended sessions happen all the time in mastering – destination sessions, however, are a relatively rare beast.
The Ranch Mastering is bucking that trend in Beacon, NY, an upstate hamlet with a deep American history and gentle beauty. Its 4.9 square miles are home to renowned people like Pete Seeger, adventurous places like the Dia: Beacon art museum, and the picturesque Hudson Highlands state park.
And music, of course, in all forms. Matthew Agoglia, owner and mastering engineer of The Ranch, draws off this replenishing energy to serve as a fitting final stop before his clients’ creations go public. His credits include Emmylou Harris, Gorillaz, James Taylor, and the artists he works with come by every chance they get – for what they see and for what they hear.
Scenery and sound go hand in hand at The Ranch Mastering in Beacon, NY.
Sweet Spot
Facility Name: The Ranch Mastering Studio
Website: http://www.theranchmastering.com
Location: Beacon, NY
Neighborhood Advantages:The studio location provides convenient access to the Metro North train station and downtown Beacon. Plenty of great places to eat, with more spots opening all the time. The train ride from Grand Central is a little over an hour and is one of the most beautiful rides you can take in NY. Beacon has a large artistic community so there is always something to see or do for inspiration. Take a stroll through the Dia:Beacon modern art museum for the ultimate ear-break.
Date of Birth: January, 2013
Facility Focus: Mastering
Mission Statement: Provide our clients with a high end mastering and listening experience.
Clients/Credits: The website has a more complete list, but here’s a sampling: Divine Fits, Spoon, Emmylou Harris, Gorillaz, James Taylor, Sleeper Agent, Tall Pines, Joywave, Papa Vs. Pretty, Marlon Roudette, Salim Nourallah.
Fran Manzella designed The Ranch around Matthew Agoglia’s ATC SCM 100 monitors.
Key Personnel: Matthew Agoglia, owner and mastering engineer. Chris Dell’Olio and Nicole Bonelli of Master Mind Artist Management handle booking and project management.
System Highlights:
ATC SCM 100 monitors
GML 9500 Eq
Sontec 250 Ex Eq
Z-Systems ZQ2 Eq
Forssell MADA2 conversion
Focusrite Red 3 compressor
Dangerous Music Master console and Monitor
Weiss DS1
Sequoia workstation
Distinguishing Characteristics: I really wanted The Ranch to be a fantastic-sounding place, so I had Fran Manzella design the room around the ATC monitors. The result is the best monitoring I have ever had.
The house and landscape around the studio are mid-century modern in architecture, which I find inspiring. We have a lot of glass and open space that allows the outside to come in, and the large private deck in the back is a great place to take a break. From there, you can see the ruins of the 1800’s Rosenethe Estate, which adds some mystery to the setting.
The building is on fire, you only have time to grab ONE thing to save, what is it? The ATCs are way too big to carry and gear is easily replaced anyways. I would really miss the room, but you can’t take that with you. I’d grab my hard drives.
The console includes GML and Sontec EQs, Focusrite compression, and the Dangerous Master Console and Monitor.
Rave Reviews: People love the sound of the room and the setting. My favorite comment was from one client who said it was the ideal ending to the recording process.
Most Memorable Session Ever: Sequencing Spoon’s Transference with Britt Daniel. The most fun I ever had editing and is a great example of how creative sequencing can enhance the album listening experience.
Session You’d Like to Forget: Haven’t had one of those yet.
Dream Session: One of my favorite things about mastering is being able to hear all of the instrumental and alternate mixes that are usually associated with large productions. I’ve always been a big Peter Gabriel fan, so, working on one of his records would be a dream come true, just from that perspective alone.
— Matthew Agoglia, owner and mastering engineer of The Ranch Mastering
The view into the sweet spot.
Close up on the mastering-grade signal path.
Perfect attendance.
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