WE BEGIN
WITH THE END
IN MIND.
Whether in music, post-production, or education, we’re all about results. When you work with Studio West as a client or a student, you know that you’re getting the best the industry has to offer.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
01
WE’RE COMMITTED TO YOUR SUCCESS.
We’re committed to creating monumental work and launching monumental careers. The engineers, producers, and instructors at Studio West are passionate about every aspect of professional audio, and we’re personally invested in your success.
02
WE KNOW THE VALUE OF HANDS-ON EDUCATION.
Our education programs offer a solid foundation in professional audio, but we don’t stop there. In an industry where degrees and certifications often matter less than experience and dedication, we understand the importance of getting into the studio and doing the work. TRAC’s setting inside of a fast-paced and energetic production environment is vital to an exceptional practical education, and our programs are designed from the ground up to give you hands-on experience that you can’t find anywhere else.
03
NO PROJECT IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL.
With over 40 years of history in the music, film, and television industries, Studio West is truly unique in the scope of our offerings. Our studios are equipped to handle any and all production needs, from quick vocal sessions to full start-to-finish production projects. But Studio West is so much more than a collection of nice sounding rooms with top-notch gear — we’re a community of like-minded audio professionals with a passion for the work and a dedication to industry-quality results. Whether it’s your very first session or the finishing touches on your project, we’re excited to meet you and work with you to get where you’re going.
We live the “professional” in Professional Audio every day. Our love for the process runs deep.
WE’RE PROUD OF OUR LEGACY
WE’VE BEEN A FIXTURE OF PROFESSIONAL AUDIO IN SAN DIEGO FOR OVER Five DECADES
1971
“Hundreds of people have made a living in and around Studio West over the decades. There’s an energy that’s built up in this place.”
PETER DYSON, OWNER & DIRECTOR
1986
People ask me, “What’s the most famous act you ever recorded?” I tell them – “It’s Mickey Mouse!”
Lee Carroll (Original Owner)
Moving to Rancho Bernardo in 1986, Studio West vastly expanded its capacity with the construction of the legendary Studio A. The studio, which remains the largest live-tracking room in San Diego, was designed in consultation with famed studio architect George Augspurger. Originally built to accommodate full orchestras, its size and design now make it a perfect production space for shooting video and livestreaming, as well as recording drums, full bands, choirs, and just about anything else you can put a microphone on!
While Studio West continued on as a music production facility, the Rancho Bernardo location also served as a launching point for the studio’s long history of providing the Film and Television industries with ADR, Voiceover, and post-production services.
2004
“San Diego is such a unique place. Diverse creative industries are growing here, we’re close to Los Angeles but with that uniquely San Diegan energy. It’s an exciting place to be. There’s so much good energy, and there’s a lot going on here.”
PETER DYSON
Peter Dyson bought Studio West in 2004 and oversaw a significant expansion of the facilities. This included the addition of an entirely new space focused on the studio’s steadily growing post-production business. Studio C was designed with ADR and Voiceover in mind, and further solidified Studio West’s status as one of San Diego’s top post-production recording facilities. Peter also saw an opportunity to train aspiring audio professionals in a setting where it’s not usually done.
2006
“The relationship with Avid was instrumental in our education programs from day one. This industry is always changing, and having that kind of industry partnership has been vital to ensuring our programs evolve with advancing technology.”
PETER DYSON
2012
Present
“Change with the landscape, or get left behind.”
PETER DYSON
Over 250 Students have come through Diploma program, and countless more have participated in certifications, evening courses, camps, and youth programs.
Looking towards the future of Professional Audio and Music Production in San Diego, Studio West opened their newest studio, Satellite, in 2022. Satellite is located in Kearney Mesa and is home to noted Record Producer Jeff Berkley, as well as a team of in-house producers and engineers. Satellite offers a one-of-a-kind full service production experience for artists ready to get their music produced by the best in the business.
The industry is a lot different than it was in 2006 when TRAC launched the first Pro Tools certifications. To keep up with the shifting landscape of media production over the years, TRAC has added courses in digital video, the business of music, digital music technologies, and live sound – giving graduates a solid foundation from which to explore their own paths in the industry.
Adding after-school and summer youth programs, evening courses, as well as continuing the Avid certification courses has given many more people the opportunity to explore what Studio West has to offer.
“I know everyone who’s come through the Diploma Program personally. It’s a family, and we’re all here because we love what we do. The kind of personalized hands-on instruction we offer is unique among educational institutions in this field, and the longevity of our program is a testament to its effectiveness.”
PETER DYSON
[We’re happy you’re happy]
OUR PARTNERSHIPS REMAIN STRONG OVER THE YEARS.
Studio West is proud to work with clients across all areas of professional audio and media production. Whether in music, video production, podcasts/content creation, or film and television, we’ve built strong partnerships over the years. Our friendly, knowledgable, and efficient team keeps clients coming back by providing an unforgettable studio experience and delivering a top notch product every time.
After advancing to the quarter-finals of NBC’s hit show “America’s Got Talent” in early 2020, Voices of Our City was in need of a facility and team to facilitate audio and video recordings of each choir member separately under strict social distancing measures. Studio West stepped up to the plate to film two performances that ended up airing on “America’s Got Talent.”
Since the original NBC productions, Voices of Our City and Studio West have continued collaborating— helping to advance the choir’s inspiring mission while further connecting Studio West with San Diego’s diverse creative community. The team at Studio West has worked with the choir on three music videos, including the choir’s original song “Sounds of the Sidewalk” and the song “Glory” which was released in celebration of Black History Month. In winter of 2020 Studio West hosted the choir’s annual fundraising event as a livestream in Studio A, and in 2021 we provided livestream video and audio support when the event returned to a live format. Studio West also helped the Choir build their own in-house production facility which provides hands-on training to their members and staff in audio and media production technology.
Voices of Our City Choir is a homeless choir based in San Diego whose mission is to “help San Diego’s unsheltered neighbors reconnect with hope and possibility through the healing power of music.” Led by CEO and Creative Director Steph Johnson, the choir provides a creative outlet, a sense of community, educational opportunities and facilities, as well as access to important support networks for San Diego’s vulnerable unsheltered community.
Studio West has developed a strong relationship with Los Angeles based Propagate Content, a company whose mission is to “spread and promote creative and groundbreaking content from the heart of Hollywood”. Studio West has become a production facility of choice for podcasts and other content including the popular “Office” podcast and the audio book “Welcome to Dunder Mifflin: The Ulitmate Oral History of The Office” both featuring Brian Baumgartner, as well as the theme song for the iHeart podcast “XOXO”. Our ongoing partnership with Propagate underscores our ability to efficiently and effectively support the production of broadcast quality work, while offering an alternative for A-List talent who prefer not to travel to Los Angeles.
FOUNDER, DRUM AMBITION
Simon taught one-on-one lessons out of Studio West’s Rancho Bernardo facility for years, while also helping to organize a series of popular drum workshops and clinics. When the time came to launch an online lesson platform, Studio West became much more than a space to hold lessons—it became the home base for content production. From day one, we’ve provided the efficiency and expertise needed to produce a truly impressive volume of top-notch educational content for the platform. All of Drum Ambition’s online content was shot, edited, and produced at Studio West with support from our team of audio and video experts. Studio West’s partnership with Drum Ambition is grounded in our expertise in both production and education, representing a perfect collaboration of like-minded artist/educators and entrepreneurs
Drum Ambition is one of the most popular online drum education platforms out there. Founder of Drum Ambition, Simon Das Gupta is a passionate drum educator who understands what it takes to teach effectively both in person and online.
Studio West was built in 1971 in the Claremont Mesa neighborhood of San Diego, originally focusing on commercial music. The studio has been a second home to countless great musicians, writers, producers, and engineers over the years.
In the early days, Studio West was closely affiliated with Tuesday Productions and Network Music, helping to develop extensive music libraries that are still in use today. These partnerships established a strong and consistent client base for the studio which included high profile clients like Disneyland and other major corporations.
The demand for studio quality recording in San Diego was so high, and Studio West so successful in meeting that demand, that original owner Lee Carroll saw a need to expand, and moved the operation to its current location in Rancho Bernardo.