Client resources: Billing Access your invoices and estimates online. Project Path Keep track of your project's calendar, to-dos and more.

what

What can moon and 6 do for me?

What do you want us to do? We do recording, mixing and editing. Our goal is to make you happy with your recordings. Sometimes that means making you sound like you do playing live; sometimes it means creating a whole new sound for your music. It's up to you.

who

Who are you?

Michael Chambers, thanks for asking. I'm a recording engineer turned musician turned recording engineer. It all started back when I got a Tascam 4 track when I was in grade 10. A few years later I ended up at the Producing Engineering Program at Harris Institute. Next thing you know people are paying me to make recordings in my basement apartment.

That's how I met Dave Azzolini. He found me through a mutual friend, and presto, we were making great demos for his projects. Shortly thereafter he asked me to be the guitarist of a band he started called The Golden Dogs. After almost five years of playing guitar, being the resident recording engineer, touring and a record deal, I decided to go back to what I love best: recording.

gear

What sort of gear do you have?

Software: Logic Pro 8 Pro Tools LE 6.9 Bias Peak LE Soundtrack Pro 2 WaveBurner Waves Gold Bundle Melodyne 2.6 MOTU AudioDesk 2 Hardware I/O: MOTU 828mkII Digidesign M-box

The studio is centred around a PowerMac G5 running Logic Studio. To get sound in and out of the computer we enlist the help of a Mark of the Unicorn 828mkII FireWire interface. We also have an M-box and Pro Tools LE, so we can (relatively) easily move your project from Pro Tools to Logic or vice versa.

As for fancy stuff like microphones, preamps and compressors, we have a few workhorse items like a Sennheiser BF521, a Shure SM57 and an Apex 420. For sessions where you'd like something more fancy, we can always make a trip to Long and McQuade's rental department. I'm always saving up for more exciting pieces of gear... who knows? Your session could be the one that finances that new BLUE microphone or API preamp. Of course, I'll let you use them.

For bedtracks I can either bring my rig to your space, or you can bring your rig to Catherine North Studios, just around the corner from my place — literally, around the corner. It's a great space with great gear.

We've also got a 1970s Traynor Bassmaster (modified into a guitar combo with Celestion Vintage 30), a couple of electric guitars, an acoustic, a bass, a Rhodes Seventy-Three Mark I electric piano, and a beautiful old Heintzman upright piano dating from about 1902 all available to use.

clients

Who have you worked with?

I recorded The Golden Dogs' “Red Face” CD, and also worked on recording the full-length album when I was in the band. I also recorded and mixed a demo for Dan Gorman (now leader of the band inUniform) whose production ideas helped me test the limits of my system.

I also recorded Showroom's EP Still Escalator and their full-length follow-up, The World Is Too Much With Us. Do check out their website for sample mp3s.

Other artists I've worked with include:

• Scott Cooper
• Ministry of the Environment
• The Rest
• Sparkling White
• Steph Fraser
• Barzin
• Leon Kingstone (formerly of the Planet Smashers, now Synthetic Folk Hero)

cost

How much do you charge?

That depends. Charging by the song rather than by the hour has worked out well. So that means, depending on the complexity of your arrangements (and the proficiency of your musicianship) it can take anywhere from eight to 16 hours to complete a song. That includes everything from setting up the mics on the drum kit, to giving you the final mix on CD. This does not include mastering. Contact me and we can work something out that works for you.

contact

How do I contact you?

E-mail is easy: michael(at)moonand6.com. I check quite often and I'll aim to get back to you within 24 hours.

Hey, where’s the studio anyway?

The studio is located in downtown Hamilton, Ontario. But we're pretty mobile and willing to relocate to your living room or rehearsal studio. Just ask!

gauguin

What does “moon and 6” mean?

W. Somerset Maugham once wrote a book loosely based on Paul Gauguin's life. Gauguin was just a normal guy leading a normal life, until one day he decided to defy convention and become a painter.

No, we're not trying to alienate ourselves from society only to have our work appreciated once we're dead. We just want to challenge the relevance of the traditional recording studio in today's world.