Studio tour
Cosma Music Studio
Tell us about the space
COSMA is a self-built cosy space for music-making and
learning, located in Bangalore. The focus is more on creativity
and to provide an easy atmosphere for artists who want to build
their songs/ideas further or start from scratch. I assist and
work with all kinds of independent and emerging artists and
provide Production, Mixing and Mastering services. The idea
is to help make the process as fun and stress-free as possible
and give them a fantastic sound. I also design courses and teach
Music Production, Sound Design and Mixing on a one-on-one
basis.
Take us through the process of setting it up
First, I made sure the room can be acoustically treated well.
Then I moved in with my gear at that time (2015), upgraded my
computer, cables and the studio monitors, because the room,
and the speakers are the most important things to get right.
I tried all options in terms of speaker placement and found
the sweetspot of the room. Then with the help of a friend/
carpenter, got all the acoustic panels made, carpeted the floor
and sealed the door and windows. Setting up post that was a
breeze as I don’t record drums in this space, and I don't run a
lot of hardware units.
What are some of the studio essentials you would recommend?
If you’re starting out, I’d recommend finding the best possible
space/room/apartment in terms of dimensions and your
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requirements, before you start setting up. Everything depends
on what kind of a studio you want to build. I do not have a 'live
room’ at my space so I can talk about essentials in a control
room. If you have a flexible budget and have the possibility to
build/alter the architecture of your space, great - you could
hire a professional to build a sweet sounding soundproofed
room. If you don't fall in that category, get help from friends
who have a good idea about acoustics and room treatment or
just put in the time, learn it yourself and experiment, there
are great resources online, make the best out of the room/
bedroom/living room you have at the moment.
Invest on the most important things - Room Treatment,
Speakers, Audio Interface and cables. A powerful computer,
ergonomically designed chair and desk, trackpad/trackball
will add a lot of comfort and reduce fatigue by a great extent.
Good furniture, air conditioner and an air purifier will make a
difference.
What equipment do you use?
I run Ableton Live as my DAW, use NI Maschine for a few
specefic things, run my microphones and instruments
through Universal Audio Apollo Twin audio interface. My
main speakers are Dynaudio BM6 MkIII. I own quite a lot of
audio plugins, but mostly find myself using stock Ableton
plugins and the things that Fabfilter, and Soundtoys make.
I use Sonarworks to calibrate my speakers with respect to
the room, it makes my room sound way better. I mix in-the-