RICHFIELD - Dan Walter and Zane Walters know what it's like to dream of having their music recorded on a quality-sounding track.
And they have been in young musicians' shoes when they see the price tag for audio production.
Walter and Walters, no relation, opened a new recording studio in Richfield to offer local musicians like themselves the opportunity to record their music at a reasonable rate.
Article Photos
Sentinel photo by MICAIAH WISE BILGER
Dan Walter, left, and Zane Walters stand in their newly opened Ridge Line Recording Studio in Richfield. The best friends and musicians opened the new business in January.
"There's something about hearing your music on hard disk and playing it for your friends," Zane Walters said.
In January, the best friends opened Ridge Line Recording Studio out of their decades-long passion for music.
As teenagers, the two played together in a high school garage band. Eventually, they wanted to record some of the music they had written; but they found out that the cost of recording was steep, especially for a teenager's budget, they said.
Zane Walters said in college, he began to expand his music skills into recording and production. As a hobby, he studied audio recording software and production techniques.
"I learned to listen with a producer's ear," Walters said.
Dan Walter, a U.S. Air Force veteran, said he continued to play music through his years in the service. He
also began to collect recording equipment.
When he moved back to his native Richfield, he converted his garage into a personal music studio. With Walters' help, they turned it into a recording studio business.
Ridge Line is equipped for vocal recordings, instrumental recordings, full band recordings, business commercial recordings, voice over instrument tracks and more.
"If it's audio, we can record it," Walter said.
But musicians won't see the typical huge black soundboards covered in buttons and lights at Ridge Line. Their recording settings are set digitally with a computer recording program.
Walters said they aren't like some recording studios that push a button and record with a pre-set setting. They take the time to listen and adjust the sound settings to fit every musician and group who come to record, Walters said.
The studio does have a vocal recording booth, box speakers, instruments and other audio equipment.
The basic recording rate at Ridge Line is $40 per hour, but that amount is negotiable, the friends said.
"We want to be competitive but budget friendly," Walter said.
They said their desire is to give local - especially young - musicians the opportunity to record without traveling too far or emptying their wallets.
Walter and Walters also offer DJ services for weddings, parties and other celebrations.
The studio is open by appointment only. Ridge Line is located at 37956 state Route 35 N., Richfield. For more information, visit www.ridgelinerecording.com, email info@ridgelinerecording.com or call 884-8763.
