Erik
Tesla Studios is owned and operated by Erik Widman, a professional musician and engineer. Erik's background includes extensive formal music education in Sweden and the U.S. He has been writing and recording music for over 13 years. He holds degrees in electrical engineering from Western Michigan University and University of Notre Dame.
Erik spends most of his time outside of the studio as a professional musician in his own band Love in October who's various successes include charting on CMJ Top 200, Rotation on MTVU, major radio airplay, multiple national television & radio commercial placements, and features in publications like Spin, AP, Kerrang! among others.
Erik started the studio to provide musicians with access to world class equipment and recording experience that otherwise would be beyond their budgets. He is passionate about music and unlike most producers cares about the bands and music he is recording.
Philosophy
There is no correct way to record a song. There is no microphone technique or mixing style preferable to another. The question at hand is "What are you going for?" This is the first question I will always ask you. I believe that the best sounding records occur when the artist is in a comfortable environment. Rather than forcing the artist into an uncomfortable recording situation, I will change our methods and approach to accommodate you to create the best possible recording.
My favorite songs are not played to perfection or beaten to death. The magic in a song lies in the imperfections between the notes. With the advancement of recording technology many producers have felt the need to beat map and autotune a song into submission. The outcome is a stale lifeless song that is more than often harsh or annoying to listen to. My favorite songs tend to be more loose in style and based on feel rather than technical correctness. I am fine with tracking a song "one instrument at a time", or doing it all live in one take. It just depends what the song calls for and what the band is comfortable with.
The foundation of the studio originates from my own personal journey as a professional musician. I know how hard it is to form a band and to get started. Early on in a career a great recording can do wonders for a young band. I was in this position when I started out and I have decided to give back to deserving musicians by guiding them through the pitfalls of recording and taking their songs to the next level. I started the studio to allow musicians to record with the best gear money can buy at a fraction of the price of larger studios. I do not charge musicians for the rental of the equipment, but for the use of my time. Let's create some music together.
- Erik