Voted Best Rehearsal Space by
The Village Voice

Best Rehearsal Space - Smash Studios
(link to article)

We'd practiced at every grim band-hole in town—the druggy Ludlow Street basements with mics set to "electrocute," the big-name joints with broken drumheads and elevators that can't be bothered to operate, the pustulant skate-rat hangouts with dysfunctional PAs at extortionate rates. Then we discovered the karmarific Chelsea spot Smash Studios. They've got decent prices (and a three-hours-for-the-price-of-two special most of the week); more important, they've got clean, spacious rooms, equipment that usually even works, polite staff, and a friendly parrot in the lobby. Sometimes there's even a high-tech keyboard in our room. And they sell Smokey cigarette-pack amps, if you feel like playing on the street afterward. - Douglas Wolk

Is a band still a garge band if it rehearses at Smash Studios? With 13 recording/rehearsal studios availble for rent, loaded with amps, and ready to rock, SMash is the city's best-and largest-music production facility. Within the walls of this 10,000 sq. ft. space musicians can wail on their guitars without getting an earful from the neighbors, or even take the next stop to stardom with the recording of their first CD (the studio uses state-of-the-art equipment and has engineers on hand). Smash is constantly running promotions on the use of the it's facilities, so give them a call if your band is looking to become the next Rolling Stones. Remeber, practice makes perfect.

Voted Best of the East (Recording Studios) by Mix Magazine (www.mixonline.com - link to article )

Sennheiser and Neumann Mics Used for NBC’s “StarTomorrow” Auditions

Clay Sheff, owner of Smash Studios in New York City

In mid-July, Manhattan's Smash Studios hosted an open call and auditions for bands and solo artists hoping to appear on NBC's new StarTomorrow interactive talent competition. The facility turned over one of its large showcase rooms to the production, miking up the steady succession of aspiring stars with the studio's own collection of Sennheiser evolution Series microphones, as well as three Neumann KMS 105 wired vocal mics that were brought in especially for the event.

"The Neumann KMS 105s were used as a live mic to the P.A., but at the same time we were sending a split signal to a Pro Tools rig. That was then sent to the cameras," explains Smash Studios’ owner, Clay Sheff (pictured). "We ended up using a couple of Sennheiser evolution e935 vocal mics, also." Sheff says that in addition to using a large-diaphragm Neumann U 87 to capture room ambience, "We miked nearly everything with Sennheiser mics, including e609s on all the guitar amps."

The Smash Studios recording/rehearsal complex hosted the New York auditions for nearly a week, according to Sheff. "They were here for five days. They did an open call, with people waiting on the street, which they also filmed. The showcase room was made up as a set and they used many of our other rooms for interviews with the bands before and after they performed."

Sheff's 10,000 square-foot facility is located in Midtown West and comprises more than a dozen showcase and rehearsal rooms, plus an extensive Pro Tools HD-equipped recording facility.

For more information, visit:
Sennheiserusa.com,
Neumannusa.com,
Smashny.com
www.nbc.com

Additional Published Articles:
The New York Times, Pro Sound News and other Trade Publications

Featured in Live Sound Magazine January 2003

Noted Clients include:

Avenged Sevenfold, Aventura, The B52's, David Bowie, Bobby Brown, Camp Freddy, Vanessa Carlton, Chamillionare, Sean "Diddy" Combs, The Cult, Ani Defranco, Donovan, Faith Evans, Fat Joe, Gina Gershon, Incubus, Ja Rule, Jane's Addiction, Jay Z, Sean Kingston, Kool Keith, John Legend, Lauryn Hill, Lenny Kravits, Mario (Let Me Love You), Method Man, MTV, Dave Navarro, Rick Ocasek, Lou Reed, The Roots, Salt N Pepa, Snoop Dogg, TV/TV, Shiny Toy Guns, Space Hogs, Billy Squier, Third Eye Blind, Turbo ACs, Darryl McDaniels of RUNDMC, Kanye West, Rob Zombie

Smash Studios is featured On The New Season Of MTV's "Making The Band 3" with Sean Combs

Click Here For Link To MTV Making The Band Site

Smash Studios is featured in MTV interview with Bobby Brown. Click here for link to interview.