Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Beckley.
Sam, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In the late 90s, I won the grand prize for the whole country in a contest from Guitar Center. They flew me to the rock and roll hall of fame and then to West Palm Beach, FL to meet the band YES. I was given a Bass Guitar and Amp rig by Chris Squire from the band. That is kinda how the business story starts.
I was 17 at the time and didn’t have any money for recording equipment. Equipment was also very expensive back then. I sold the Bass rig and bought an 8 channel sound card for a computer. Computers were just starting to become fast enough for basic recording. My father into building computers as a hobby so he built me a computer to use in the studio I was building in his basement. Without my parent’s support, this never would have happened. They never told me to screw music and become a lawyer or anything.
So, I had a computer for recording a small number of tracks and destroyed my parent’s basement one day when they were not home trying to build a studio. This is where I started recording my first bands.
Shortly after, I was a student at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove and my drum instructor had a small studio in downtown Aurora. He was only paying $100 a month for the spot and asked me if I wanted to take over his lease. The day I turned 18, I did so. It was literally a square room with cement floors but it put me in a prime location in downtown aurora and I just kept reinvesting any money I made back into better equipment and making the room look better.
In 2000, I closed the studio for a year and went to “The Conservatory Of Recording Arts and Sciences” in Arizona to study audio engineering. I had already been working full time as an engineer but realized I had alot to learn. After graduating, I went back to Aurora and continued where I left off. This time, building a much larger facility in the same building but adjacent to where I was before.
Over the years, I realized the industry was always changing and a huge part if surviving in this business is to change with it. We built two more rooms and now employee multiple engineers, do birthday parties for kids, rehearsals for bands, and have a freelance program that allows anyone to rent our rooms with no engineer to record themselves or other people.
I have taught the recording program at Aurora University and been involved in the program at Waubonsse College. I recently have been hired on as an instructor at The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences also. The studio continues to run and I pick select projects to work on in between my teaching schedule.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not smooth at all. Tons of learning curves. Changing with the times. The industry and sound formats change. A huge part is keeping up with computers and equipment change, learning software, and having to constantly study the industry. It is a very expensive business to keep open so very often your working long hours just to keep the doors open. That is why so many people have studio’s in their own house now. I went thru a bankruptcy and had to learn how to manage money both from a personal and business aspect. Lately, I’m letting the studio support itself now. I’m able to reach out and build a new brand based around my own name around my teaching schedule. Mixing and mastering for clients and choosing select people to work with. While still being there to help manage and do the book work.
Please tell us about Gremlen Recording Studios.
We have grown to a multiroom facility with around 50 freelance engineers using our space. We also have 3 engineers on staff and a studio manager who also runs birthday parties for children. We have clients that travel from all over the Chicagoland area. Very often, as much as 1.5 hours or more each way.
To be able to stay open and grow for over 20 years is one of my most proud attributes. We keep prices low to compete with the home studios but you get quality and experience for that price. Because of the huge amount of freelancers we have using our rooms and two decades of repeat clients we are able to do this.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Backpacking/canoeing into the Canadian wilderness on a fishing trip with my father.
Pricing:
- Rent studios B and C for only $10/hr with No Engineer
- Rent our rooms with an engineer for $25-$35/hr
- Our senior mix engineers with decades of experience can mix your songs for around $50/hr sometimes as low as $30 per song
- Kids Karaoke Birthday parties for $15/kid. Every kid gets a CD! (we do adult parties too! BYOB)
Contact Info:
- Address: 130 w. Downer Pl. Aurora, IL 60506
- Website: www.gremlenstudios.com
- Phone: 331-684-7469
- Email: gremlenstudios@gmail.com
- Instagram: gremlenstudios
- Facebook: gremlenrecordingstudio
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
