Quotes
Contact
Email
info@topfloorstudios.com
Location (map)
Stora Teatern
Kungsparken 1
411 36 Gothenburg
Sweden
About
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In the absolute center of Gothenburg lies Stora Teatern ("The Grand Theatre"), built in 1856. It is one of the city’s trademark buildings, and also the home of Top Floor Studios. Being a household name in the music business, the studio has been the choice of countless artists looking for both accessibility and quality.
Top Floor Studios serves as the main studio and headquarter for prolific Gothenburg producers Jakob Herrmann and Roberto Laghi and their surrounding team, but also functions as the hub to connect with artists wanting to work with them in Gothenburg or elsewhere.
The studio is also available for artists bringing external producers and engineers. With its reputation as a top-level music studio with an unbeatable location, Top Floor Studios continues to be a creative oasis in the heart of Gothenburg.
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The studio design includes floating floors, double doors, high ceilings, natural daylight, and an isolated climate system that ensures a perfect work environment. Defined by a controlled yet lively sound, the live room is designed for recording many different music sounds and instruments, and is perfect for a variety of drum sounds. The room’s intricate patchbay system together with dedicated guitar cab connections and ethernet outputs makes it suitable for all styles of recording setups.
The comfortable control room is designed from ground up for both recording and mixing, and features a fully equipped SSL 6000G console along with state of the art outboard and several speaker systems. The studio also features a huge microphone collection as well as a variety of amps and cabs, plus 6 drumkits, over 40 snare drums, and an excess of cymbals.
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Upstairs from the regular studio lies the theatre stage, with 40 microphone channels straight down to the control room, transforming it into Gothenburg's biggest studio connected recording room. Highly suitable for recording grand piano, choirs, brass or strings, as well as full-band setups and live recordings.
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To round it off, the studio building features two spacious guest apartments. For those preferring hotels, there are more than 40 of them available within walking distance, along will every restaurant the city has to offer.
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The client list for Top Floor Studios includes artists and musicians such as:
Devin Townsend - Anthrax - In Flames - AP Dhillon - Hurts - Machine Head - Raised Fist - Nico & Vinz - Cyhra - Suicideboys - Vildhjarta - Amaranthe - Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) - Danko Jones - Evergrey - Diablo Swing Orchestra - VOLA - Erik Grönwall - Tebey - Peter Wildoer - Justin Hawkins - Eradikated - Arkentype - Manimal - Mikael Wiehe - Kee Marcello - Bob Hund - Thyrfing - TEMIC - Darby Todd - The Resistance - Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) - Body Count - Engel - Hurula - Matt Guillory - Andreas Weise - Grand Magus - Freak Kitchen - Draconian, etc.Besides the studio’s team, several notable producers and engineers have worked together with Top Floor Studios, including:
Adam "Nolly" Getgood - Jens Bogren - Jacob Hansen - Jay Ruston - Joe Barresi - Tue Madsen - Buster Odeholm - Chris Edrich - Forrester Savell - Jonas Quant - Ryan Kelly - Steve Lagudi - Tobias Lindell, etc.
Team
Jakob Herrmann
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With a wide reputation for his work as a producer and engineer in many different genres and styles, Jakob Herrmann is still maybe best known for his immaculate drum productions. He is also appreciated for his understanding about not just the sound, but the performance, the music, and the arrangements.
As a sought-after traveling producer and engineer, he is not bound to his studio in Gothenburg, but his work continues to bring him all over Europe and the United States, as well as Canada and Japan.
Jakob’s extensive client list includes artists like Devin Townsend, Evergrey, Raised Fist and many more. He has worked on music awarded with several international Gold albums as well as wins and nominations for several placements in the Swedish Grammy awards.
Jakob is also the brains behind several pro audio tools, having produced signature packs for Toontrack’s Superior Drummer, EZDrummer and EZmix, as well as for Bogren Digital, RS Drums, Softube and Addictive Drums.
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Devin Townsend - Hurts - Anthrax - Raised Fist - Amaranthe - Evergrey - The Darkness - Europe - Avatar - Suicideboys - Dark Tranquillity - Vildhjarta - Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) - Humanity’s Last Breath - Hardcore Superstar - Diablo Swing Orchestra - VOLA - Erik Grönwall - Cane Hill - Peter Wildoer - Cyhra - Justin Hawkins - Eradikated - Mikael Wiehe - Kee Marcello - Thyrfing - The Resistance - Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) - Body Count - Engel - Mustasch - Freak Kitchen - H.e.a.t.
Roberto Laghi
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Being a staple name in the Gothenburg rock and metal scene for decades, and one of the key figures of shaping the modern Scandinavian sound, Roberto Laghi’s significance can’t be overlooked. His abilities as a producer combined with his immense experience and knowledge about recording and mixing has served some of the biggest names in Swedish metal, and solidified Roberto’s own reputation as one of the finest producers in the business.
His sound has been described as raw, gritty and natural, and his brutal drums, amp tones and vocals are all foundations of his trademark sound, both in recording and mixing. There is also the softer side to Roberto’s productions and mixes, with several albums spanning many different genres.
With a career defined by several best-selling albums with artists like In Flames, Hardcore Superstar and LOK, Roberto has been constantly contributing to releases that have earned both critical and commercial success, with several placements on the Billboard chart, as well as numerous gold albums and awards.
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In Flames - Hardcore Superstar - LOK - Freak Kitchen - Mustasch - Sonic Syndicate - Diablo Swing Orchestra - Entombed A.D. - Deathstars - Raised FIst - Hurula - Nationalteatern - All Ends - Dia Psalma - B-Thong - Death Destruction - Lillasyster - 11 Pictures - Troublemakers - Transport League - Eldkvarn - Stefan Andersson - Kid Down - The Resistance - Misery Loves Co. - Grand Magus - Cyhra - Attentat
Gallery
Gear
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Mixing console
SSL 6000G - 48 channels with "Black" model EQ
DAW
Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase - all on a fully maxed out Mac computer.
Recording is virtually latency-free, even during large sessions, due to lightning fast AD/DA converters. Connecting external computers is done in a matter of seconds.
Speakers
Two flush mounted Genelec 1038B in front
Two elevating Focal SM9 in front
Two Genelec 8030 in the back
One wall inserted Genelec 7070 subwoofer
Additional Dynaudio and Genelec speakers -
Preamps
Neve 1073 (x4)
UA LA-610 Putnam Edition
UA 6176 (x2)
Vintage Series (x2)
Joemeek VC1Q
Vintagedesign M87D
Fredenstein (x2)
GA Pre-73
SSL 6000G (x32)
Compressors
Teletronix LA-2A
Universal Audio 1176 (x2)
Universal Audio LA-610
Universal Audio 6176 (x2)
SSL Bus Compressor
TFPro P38 Bus Compressor
Klark Teknik SQ1 (x8)
SSL 6000G (x32 mono, x8 stereo)
Reverb/Delay/EQ/Other
Tube-Tech PE 1B
Edax Audio Labs EQP2-E
TC Electronics M2000
Lexicon PCM81
V-Verb 2496
BBE Maximizer
Yamaha SPX90
Klark Teknik DN360 (x5)
Roland SDE3000 -
Dynamic
AKG D 222
Shure Unidyne III 545SD (x2)
Shure SM57 (x10)
Shure Beta57 (x5)
Shure Beta52 (x3)
Shure Beta56 (x3)
Shure SM7B (x2)
Sennheiser MD 21 (x2)
Sennheiser MD 421 (x6)
Sennheiser e901 (x2)
Sennheiser e902
Sennheiser e904 (x4)
Sennheiser e906
Sennheiser MD408N
Condenser
Neumann M49
Neumann U47 FET
Neumann U87 (x2)
Neumann TLM103
Roswell RM-8 (2)
Roswell Colares
Milab DC96C (x2)
Milab VM44 (x6)
Milab BDM-01
Rode Classic MK1 (x2)
Rode NT5 (x5)
Rode NT2 MK1 (x2)
Rode K2
sE Electronics SE4
sE Electronics T2
AKG C451B (x3)
AKG D224C
AKG C214 (x4)
AKG SE300B
Other
Bang & Olufsen BM 3 Ribbon (x2)
sE Electronics VR2 Ribbon
GAP Ribbon (x4)
Shure Beta91 (x3)
Shotgun mics
Yamaha Subkick (x2) -
Drum kits
Pearl Masterworks Birch/Maple (22, 22, 10, 12, 16, 18)
Pearl Masterworks Maple/Carbon Fiber (24, 12, 14, 16, 16, 18)
DS Custom Drums (24, 22, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18)
Ludwig 70s Vistalite (24, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18)
Ludwig 1965 vintage kit (20, 13, 15)
Snare drums
40+ snares from DW, Ludwig, Rogers, DS Drums, Pearl, Yamaha, Premier, Tama, Beat Head, Mapex, Spunky, custom builds, etc.
Cymbals
40+ high-end cymbals from Sabian and Zildjian
Amps
Peavey 5150 signature model
Engl Powerball II
Mesa Boogie Rectifier
Mesa Boogie IIC++
Mesa Boogie Transatlantic
Vox Night Train
Voc AC4
Fender Twin Reverb
Fender Deluxe
Fender Rumble 150
Marshall JMP 100w
Orange Tiny Terror
EBS Classic 500.
Cabs
Suhr 1×12
Hiwatt 4×12
Marshall 4×12
EBS Classic 4x10
Mahler Engineering 2×12 - The world’s only granite cab with 6 interchangeable speakers
Pedals
40+ guitar pedals of every kind imaginable. Delays, reverbs, fuzzboxes, distortion, wah-wah, noise gates, compressors, etc.
Other
KHE 8x4 guitar amp switch including fx loop
Dynamount robotic microphone mounts
Loadboxes, foot switches, amp switches, robotic mic stands, etc. -
Keyboards
M-Audio midi controller and piano style keyboards
Yamaha acoustic grand piano on the stage
Upright piano on the stage
Monitoring
Ethernet-based Aviom A16 Personal Monitoring System (x8)
Headphones
Audeze LCD-X (x2)
Sennheiser 280 (x6)
AKG K240 (x3)
Total Isolation (x2)
Metrophones (x2)
Vic Firth headphones (x2)
Third-party plugins
Softube, Soundtoys, McDSP, Metric Halo, Neural DSP, Waves, iZotope, FabFilter, Accusonus, Antares, Sonible, Bogren Digital, Plugin Alliance, Positive Grid, Soundradix, Stillwell, Toontrack, Valhalla, Wavesfactory, Celemony, Native Instruments, Sonnox, XLN Audio, Slate Digital, etc.
Plugins
produced at Top Floor Studios by Jakob Herrmann
DUALITY I
For dark, warm and organic-sounding hard rock and metal
Our custom made Pearl Masterworks in birch, maple and carbon fibre, along with a selection of Sabian cymbals. This kit features big sizes and thin drumheads, and have an old-school sound full of overtones that sounds amazing in the room mics.
METAL SONGWRITER
A pack for EzMix 3 designed to cover every stage of a metal production
Whether you’re looking to beef up your general mixing toolkit or need a complete solution to take your music from rough idea to razor-sharp, refined master, this pack with its wide range of tones and tools has you covered.
DUALITY II
For bright, metallic and progressive hard rock and metal
Featuring our DS Custom drumkit made to our exact specifications, and a wide array of Zildjian cymbals. It is the smaller, punchier and more modern kit with overall a more controlled and ”self-compressed” yet very full and natural sound.
THE HEAVIEST CAB IN THE WORLD
A collection of impulse responses made with the Mahler 2x12
Featuring the world’s only granite speaker cab, available only at Top Floor Studios. 50 raw captures as well as 10 custom tailored combination and presets. These IR’s feature many speakers and a wide range of sounds.
BIG STAGE
Arguably the most unique and iconic setting in Toontrack EZX history
A massive mid-1800s theater auditorium, featuring four contrasting kits as well as a plethora of ambience microphones positioned around the room. Ideal for anything from thunderous rock and metal to modern ambient pop, soul and more
PROGRESSIVE PRODIGY
Modern progressive drumming captured in a virtual instrument
Built around Evergrey/Temic drummer Simen Sandnes’ personal kit. From mix-ready presets to complete control of every detail, you can create without compromise, designed to support your creative process.
I’ve recorded several projects at Top Floor Studios over the years, and it’s become my go-to studio for tracking in Europe. By far the best sounding drums I’ve ever recorded. Amazing space and wonderful gear, Top Floor is my home away from home!
- Ryan Kelly
(Beyoncé, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Slash)