Recording Pop-Strings in Studio Two: My Day at Abbey Road

When someone says Abbey Road Studios, typically, what comes to mind first are the Beatles. However, since opening its doors in 1931, the famed EMI Studio complex located at 3 Abbey Road, St John’s Wood, City of Westminster, Greater London, England, has been home to a diverse roster of artists of every style and genre. The studio is still active, and from recording sessions in one of the complex’s famed tracking, mixing and mastering rooms, EMI and Abbey Road continue to develop new recording products and processes, explore new technology and beyond. They even house a full Dolby Atmos theater on the premises.

Beyond the studio’s storied history with pop, rock and the British invasion, Abbey Road continues to be home to some of the greatest orchestral recordings of all time, including an impressive credit roll of soundtracks from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings and the Hobbit series as well as many films in the Marvel cinematic universe.

I was fortunate to tour the facility and interview Abbey Road’s Head of Audio Products, Mirek Stiles, in our November 2019 issue. Then, in July of this year, I was invited to participate in a day of orchestral recording in Studio Two by producer Mark Hornsby.

While touring the Abbey Road facility is a fantastic experience in and of itself, being part of a production team for a day-long session in Studio Two is even better.