The initial idea was to build a larger space on the property , though there were concerns about infringing on certain bylaws in the neighbourhood . “ So it was perfect timing , because my wife was encouraging me to find another space , and I ’ m really glad she did , because I probably wouldn ’ t have convinced myself I could push ahead and handle a larger commercial space . Right around the time we were having these discussions , I got the call from Jonathan and he asked if I wanted to move into Vogville .”
In fact , he entirely credits his wife for where he currently finds himself , both figuratively and literally . “ She ’ s the reason I ’ m here ,” he stresses . “ She ’ s had confidence in me since the beginning , even when I didn ’ t really have any confidence in myself .” She ’ s the one that convinced him he could make studio work his full-time job years ago , and she ’ s also the one who later convinced him he could do it at Vogville .
Worsley wasn ’ t a stranger to the space , having engineered sessions there in the past , but wanted to go in for a thorough look around with the perspective of a potential buyer . “ Immediately , it felt like somewhere I could be comfortable ,” he recalls . It didn ’ t take long for he and Fluevog to formalize the agreement .
Vogville , which is now Echoplant Studio B and less than 10 minutes by car from Studio A , was designed by the late John Vrtacic , who also devised the plans for major west coast music Meccas like Bryan Adams ’ Warehouse Studio and The Armoury Studios , built by Adams ’ longtime writing partner Jim Vallance and later the home base of the legendary Bruce Fairbairn . so long – days upon days ,” he says , audibly cringing , “ but in the end , we knew it was well worth the effort .”.”
DiPomponio has been assisting Worsley for nearly five years . While Echoplant ’ s owner takes a very hands-on approach to the majority of his projects , DiPomponio oversees set-ups and does a good amount of the in-the-box editing work . “ He ’ s absolutely amazing and I ’ m really lucky to have him with me at Studio B ,” Worsley says .
The wedge-shaped control room benefitted from the addition of a sizeable bass trap in the back corner to tighten up the sub-60 Hz frequencies . There were also a few baffles mounted to the ceiling to reduce some flutter echo on the left and right of the room .
As for Vogville ’ s arguable crown jewel , its coveted two-storey echo chamber , the only changes there were aesthetic . The 1919 Heintzman piano is still the centerpiece , though the massive stained glass composition that reportedly dates back to 1914 and had long been resting on top of the piano was given a permanent home on the wall above the instrument . Together , they ’ re an effective reminder to artists returning to the rebranded space that , while the engineer and gear may be different , this is nonetheless the same room that spawned a plethora of celebrated recordings .
One thing those returning clients might think is missing is a largeformat console , considering Vogville ’ s control room was anchored for over a decade by its 48-channel SSL 4040 E-G – one of the most soughtafter consoles on the planet by many accounts . But Worsley has worked
“ Part of the reason I ’ m able to do this full time is making smart decisions about where the money is spent . I know what I need to work , and anything else would really just mean I ’ d have to charge my clients more , and that ’ s just not a smart trade-off for me .”
Among its trademarks are the two-storey echo chamber and , in it , a 1919 Heintzman upright piano that can be heard on countless Canadian chart-toppers of the past few decades .
There were also a few renovations and upgrades undertaken before Worsley formally took over . Those include a newly built two-bedroom suite with a kitchen and shower on the second floor and work in the studio proper that would maintain the overall character that made Vogville such a beacon for musicians while slightly tailoring it to his preferences .
“ The main thing I focused on was the acoustic treatment in both the control room and live room ,” the engineer explains . He found the live room to be “ just a bit boxy ,” elaborating : “ I always felt like I had to baffle things off to get the sound I wanted in that room , so that was the first thing I tackled .”
The solution was to tweak the treatments in the room so that the corners could handle absorption while three of the walls were adorned with skyline diffusers . Those tightened up the lower midrange and also brightened up the room , enabling Worsley to track drums without having to use baffles . “ It ’ s a dry room ,” he says , “ but it sounds a lot tighter to me now .”
While a few absorption panels here and diffusers there might sound fairly minimal as far as renos go , what ’ s interesting is that Echoplant engineer Matt DiPomponio along with resident interns Shane Stephenson and Rory Sills took on the task of building the skyline diffusers themselves . “ They ’ re just so incredibly time intensive ,” Worsley says emphatically , not holding back the praise for his colleagues . “ It took
32 • PROFESSIONAL SOUND without a large-format mixing console since beginning his career , and the change of scenery wasn ’ t going to change a proven formula for success .
“ I ’ ve gotten a few comments and sneers about not having a large console in the space , and what I ’ ll say to that is that the majority of [ today ’ s engineers ] don ’ t use a large-format console to mix . They ’ re using the channel strips if they sound good and the master section . A lot of them have a huge console and it acts as one big volume control . Or a laptop holder .
“ Part of the reason I ’ m able to do this full time is making smart decisions about where the money is spent ,” Worsley says candidly , transitioning from the specific topic of the console to one of the guiding principles of his business model . “ I have the plug-ins that I want and the processing power that I need ; I know what I need to work , and anything else would really just mean I ’ d have to charge my clients more , and that ’ s just not a smart trade-off for me .”
That reveals another of his guiding principles : unending concern for his clients ’ best interests . While Echoplant is sure to attract new business based solely on its storied history and the reputation of its new owner , Worsley ’ s focus has always been on developing talent – on going behind just setting up a microphone and hitting record and putting his fingerprints on various facets of their art and careers .
The Echoplant brand has so far been built atop those types of acts , essentially making Worsley something of a curator for promising talent from the scene in which he ’ s engrained . “ I ’ ve just always made a point to