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GRAMMY® Award-winning recording artist, composer and producer Ray Stevens (Left) and engineer Ben Surratt (Right), pictured with their new Digidesign Pro Tools HD3 system with a Digidesign 48-fader D-Control console from GC Pro

PR AGENCY CONTACT:
Robert Clyne
Clyne Media, Inc.
Tel: 615.662.1616
www.clynemedia.com
COMPANY PRESS CONTACT:
Rick Plushner
Guitar Center Professional
Tel: (818) 735-8800 x2238
www.gcpro.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RAY STEVENS POWERS HIS NEW NASHVILLE STUDIO WITH A PRO TOOLS HD3 AND D-CONTROL CONSOLE FROM GUITAR CENTER PROFESSIONAL

— GC Pro provided advice and service for recording platform, console, microphones and more, as Stevens moved his studio into a larger space on Nashville’s Music Row —

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA, April 27, 2009 — Ray Stevens, the GRAMMY® Award-winning recording artist, composer and producer, who blazed trails with a string of country and novelty hits, recently increased his recording operations at his longtime Nashville studio by purchasing the former Nightingale Studios next door on Nashville’s Music Row. With the acquisition came the decision to take the leap to an all-digital recording platform. The Nashville location of Guitar Center Professional (GC Pro), the outside sales division of Guitar Center that focuses on the needs of professional users, was on hand in Nashville to help Stevens and his engineer Ben Surratt put together the perfect system: a Digidesign Pro Tools HD3 system with a Digidesign 48-fader D-Control console, as well as microphones and mic-pre’s from Millennia, Martinsound, Tubetech, Vintech, API and Universal Audio, with plug-in processing from Waves, monitoring by Genelec and cabling by Mogami.

Stevens’ new studio consists of a control room, a live room and four isolation booths, ranging from bright and reverberant to muted. The acoustics, designed by noted studio designer Steven Durr, are exceptional: “It has very tall ceilings and hardwood floors everywhere, but it is not overly reflective,” said Surratt. Thus, no structural changes were needed, only equipment and aesthetics. With a brilliant new acoustical space ready, it was time to revamp the studio’s technology. “We still have a really nice place with an old Sphere console and some RADARs, but Ray had been hearing about Pro Tools from just about every producer buddy he had,” said Surratt. In consultation with GC Pro Account Manager Chad Evans, Stevens and Surratt put together a wish list for the new studio, and GC Pro fulfilled it.

Stevens loves the hands-on familiarity of the faders on the D-Control console, and today both he and Surratt – a longtime Pro Tools fan – work mostly in the box, enjoying that increased flexibility and ease of workflow. And both appreciate how well the new studio and technology fit with the experience and equipment they brought with them. Their new array of microphones and plug-in processing meshes well with Stevens’ classic Neumann microphones and mic pre’s, including the Universal Audio 610 and Martech MSS-10. They also appreciate the help they got from GC Pro in the process. “GC Pro has a large facility right in town,” noted Surratt. “So being able to work with them face to face was really handy. They have the products you need, when you need them. We would simply call our rep Chad Evans, and he would make it happen.”


Photo File: GCPro_Recording_RayStevens.JPG
Photo Caption: GRAMMY® Award-winning recording artist, composer and producer Ray Stevens (Left) and engineer Ben Surratt (Right), pictured with their new Digidesign Pro Tools HD3 system with a Digidesign 48-fader D-Control console from GC Pro

About Guitar Center Professional/Guitar Center
Guitar Center Professional is the outside sales division of Guitar Center that focuses on the needs of professional users. Its clientele includes recording studios, audio engineers, producers, recording and touring musicians, live sound venues, post production facilities and more. Emphasizing extraordinary individualized service via local account managers, GC Pro offers expert consultation and a comprehensive selection of the world’s finest equipment for music and audio professionals. More information on GC Pro can be found by visiting www.gcpro.com.

Guitar Center is the leading United States retailer of guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments, keyboards and pro-audio and recording equipment. Our retail store subsidiary presently operates more than 200 Guitar Center stores across the U.S. In addition, our Music & Arts division operates more than 100 stores specializing in band instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students. We are also the largest direct response retailer of musical instruments in the United States through our wholly owned subsidiary, Musician's Friend, Inc., and its catalog and Web site, www.musiciansfriend.com. More information on Guitar Center can be found by visiting the Company’s Web site at www.guitarcenter.com.

The Guitar Center logo is a registered trademark of Guitar Center, Inc. Other brand or product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Clyne, Clyne Media, Inc. at (615) 662-1616

 

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