Covered Bridge Recording Builds State-of-the-Art 9.1.4 Genelec Immersive Studio
The Background
Just eight miles west of downtown Nashville in the neighborhood of Bellevue, Covered Bridge Recording is proving that world-class recording studios aren’t defined by age or location; they’re defined by vision. Opened less than a year ago by studio manager and engineer Grace Ritter and her partners, the rapidly growing 3000-square-foot facility was designed from the ground up around immersive audio, anchored by a meticulously engineered Genelec 9.1.4 Smart Active Monitoring (SAM) system that serves as the heart of the studio’s Dolby Atmos® production environment. The versatility of the studio includes the capability for podcast recording, audio book recording & mixing, video and photo shoots, preliminary film/TV scoring or editing, tracking, band practices, music release parties, writers retreats and more.
Originally home to a small mastering studio, the property has been completely transformed into a comprehensive recording complex featuring a large-format control room, multiple isolation booths, dedicated live room, piano room, synth room, producer lounge, podcast & mix suite, outdoor performance venue and an immersive control room capable of handling everything from full album production and stereo mixing to Dolby Atmos music, audiobook and post-production projects. Additionally, there is a full kitchen, living room, outdoor recreation area, pickleball, basketball, pool, darts, an outdoor stage and tour bus or trailer parking behind a secure fence.
Building Around Immersive
For Ritter, whose introduction to immersive audio began while interning at Nashville’s famed Blackbird Studio before becoming Dolby Atmos-certified through the MixHer program, building an immersive-capable studio wasn’t an upgrade, it was the foundation of the entire project.
“From day one, we designed Covered Bridge Recording around immersive audio,” said Ritter – Owner, Studio Manager and Audio Engineer at Covered Bridge Recording. “We worked closely with Dolby, Vintage King and Genelec to ensure every aspect of the room met Dolby Atmos specifications. We wanted a studio where artists and engineers could walk in and immediately begin working at the highest professional level, whether they’re recording a band, mixing a record or creating immersive content.”
The System
At the center of Studio A is an API 2448 recording console feeding a carefully designed Genelec 9.1.4 Smart Active Monitoring system that delivers the accuracy and consistency required for immersive production. The system includes Genelec 8361A Smart Active Monitors as the left and right mains and 8351Bs monitors handling the center channel, surrounds and overhead channels, along with dual 7380A Smart Active subwoofers operating as a clustered low-frequency system. The monitoring environment is managed through a Genelec’s 9320A SAM Reference Controller, allowing engineers to instantly switch between immersive monitoring, stereo console playback, and digital stereo workflows.
Paul Stewart, Genelec Inc. Senior Technical Sales Manager, remarked, “As immersive music production continues to mature, the 8361A and 8351B have become one of the industry’s preferred monitoring combinations because they deliver the consistency, precision and translation engineers demand across every channel of a Dolby Atmos room. From the main left, right and center speakers, to the surrounds and overheads, the Genelec system presents a seamless, three-dimensional soundstage that allows creators to focus entirely on the music rather than the technology. That's exactly what we set out to achieve with our Smart Active Monitoring family.”
The system was calibrated using Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM software), enabling precise alignment, level matching, delay compensation, bass management and room optimization across all fourteen full-range channels and dual subwoofers.
“The GLM software was one of the biggest reasons we chose Genelec,” explained Ritter. “When you’re dealing with a 9.1.4 monitoring system, having software that can calibrate every speaker and ensure everything works together seamlessly is invaluable. It allowed us to optimize the room quickly while giving us complete confidence that what we’re hearing is accurate.”
Because immersive monitoring demands significantly tighter acoustic tolerances than traditional stereo rooms, Covered Bridge Recording partnered with Nomad Studio Design to engineer every aspect of the control room, live room, and secondary studio. Together with GLM calibration, the result is an exceptionally balanced monitoring environment where mixes translate consistently across streaming platforms, headphones, automobiles and home immersive playback systems.
Studio A combines the Genelec immersive monitoring system with an extensive collection of world-class recording equipment, including an API 2448 console with Flying Faders automation, an Antelope Galaxy 64 interface, more than 30 pieces of analog outboard processing, over 20 boutique microphone preamps, a collection of more than 100 microphones, vintage keyboards, pianos, over 40 guitars, and approximately 25 guitar amplifiers. The entire facility is interconnected with Blackmagic Design video routing and multiple cameras, allowing performers and engineers throughout the building to maintain constant visual communication during recording sessions.
The immersive control room also influences how sessions are recorded from the very beginning. “Working in immersive changes the conversations we have with producers and artists before we even hit the record button,” Ritter said. “We’re thinking more about depth, harmonies, room ambience, and microphone placement because we know those decisions can create a much more engaging listening experience later in the mix.”
We wanted a studio where artists and engineers could walk in and immediately begin working at the highest professional level.
Looking Forward
Today the studio welcomes projects spanning rock, Americana, country, gospel, R&B, soul, pop, bluegrass, hip-hop, audiobook production and film-related work, while also serving outside engineers looking for an affordable Dolby Atmos-certified environment.
When you’re dealing with a 9.1.4 monitoring system, having software that can calibrate every speaker and ensure everything works together seamlessly is invaluable.
While stereo recording remains a significant part of the business, Ritter believes immersive audio is rapidly becoming a commercial necessity rather than simply a creative option. “As more streaming platforms, automobiles, headphones and consumer playback systems embrace immersive audio, demand is only going to continue growing,” Ritter said. “When clients experience a project in our Genelec room for the first time, they immediately understand what’s possible. It gives artists another creative dimension and opens additional opportunities for music, film and television.”
“Covered Bridge Recording demonstrates exactly how today’s independent studios are embracing immersive production without compromising traditional recording excellence,” said Will Eggleston, Genelec Inc. Marketing Director. “By building around a Genelec Smart Active Monitoring system from the outset, Grace and her team have created an environment where artists can record and mix with complete confidence that every creative decision will translate accurately across today’s expanding range of immersive playback formats.”
As immersive music continues to gain momentum, Covered Bridge Recording has positioned itself as a destination for artists, producers and engineers seeking an environment that combines premium analog recording tools with one of the most advanced immersive monitoring systems available, ready not only for today’s productions, but for the future of music creation.
