Why I Built This Studio
I've worked my whole life in software to pay the rent, but it didn’t feed my soul. This does.
I've spent my life chasing the magic of live performance. There's nothing like walking on stage with a guitar, knees shaking, mind racing - terrified, but telling yourself, "I'm going to do this." And then you do. You step into the great wide open and share part of your soul with a room full of strangers.
Every chord, every lyric echoes out and, if it's honest, sends a chill down someone's spine. It's a conversation with the audience without speaking - a co-creation. When they feel it, you feel it back, and the performance lifts. When they don't, you adjust, you reach. It's alive.
But something gets lost when we cut records. Studio production has a way of flattening everything down - clinical, over-polished, run through algorithms built to chase the hit until every track starts to sound the same.
A live band doesn't have that problem. You see humans doing what they do best: creating art in real time. The sweat, the imperfections, the risk - it's real, it's visceral, it's honest. That's what I want Right Take Studio to capture.
"Think less big cathedral, more Cavern Club in Liverpool — that tight, dark, brick-walled sound the Beatles cut their teeth on"
There are many studios in the Boston area, what makes this one special is that each piece of hardware was chosen specifically to get the best live performance from our artists. From the pre-amps and EQ choices, to the types of fixtures and cameras. You play your heart out, we make sure it is streamed globally for the world to see with the highest fidelity.
Another reason I started this studio: bands starting out today have a hard time finding places to play. Live shows are expensive to put on, and most venues want references from past gigs - which makes it tough to get that first shot. And when a band does land a gig, it might be background music at a store opening or a brewery where nobody's really listening.
With Right Take Studio, I wanted to give artists a way to get that live performance rush while streaming it out to the world. The audience doesn't have to come to you anymore - you can go to them. With our streaming setup, the control room can pass along real-time messages from viewers: "Cindy from Wisconsin wants to know the story behind that lyric in your new single." Or, "Tom from Delaware says he's never heard of you - introduce yourselves!" And the band gets to riff on it live: "Hey Tom, nice to meet you. This one's for you."
I hope Right Take Studio can open doors for solo musicians and bands everywhere - a place to play live, stream it out and find a bigger audience in the process.
Lastly, I want to give back to the community. I got where I am today because of the kindness of others. When I first came to America, I had nothing. After the dot-com crash, I was even homeless for a short time — sleeping on benches and in a 1974 Ford van that had rust holes everywhere. When it rained I woke in puddles of water. It was the kindness of strangers sometimes that allowed me to eat, drink, and wake up in a warm bed.
And now I want to give back. If you're a musician or band who's just starting out, get in touch. Every so often we'll give away studio time for up-and-coming artists. America has been kind to me, and I want to return the love.
With Love,
Richard McCluskey
Founder, Right Take Studio