What happens when you build a studio in an industrial zone…and still end up in court for making records?
My guest today is Toby Suess, drummer, engineer, and owner of Tinroof Recording in Fallon, Nevada - a studio that started as nothing more than a rehearsal space and grew into a full hybrid recording room with a killer drum sound. Toby has recorded everything from punk bands to singer-songwriters, dialed in his live room, rebuilt a broken console card-by-card, and learned how to get great drum tones using ribbons, condensers, overhead techniques, and detailed tuning.
In this episode, Toby walks through the real-world evolution of building a studio on a budget - wiring rooms, treating windows, learning gear, adding outboard pres, integrating a Toft console, and figuring out how to track and mix drums with confidence. We talk about recording through compression, getting mixes nearly finished while tracking, checking phase during the mix, blending guitar mics through a Radial summing box, and why great drum recordings still start with tuning, players, and the room.
And then we get into the wild part - Toby’s studio ended up in a legal battle despite having a business license and being fully located in an industrial zone. Toby shares the whole story: sheriff visits, confused neighbors, gathering decibel readings, talking to the D.A., bringing evidence to court, getting the case dismissed, smoothing things out with neighbors afterward, and eventually earning the right to operate without interruption. It’s a powerful reminder that musicians can stand up for their creative work and win.
We close with mixing philosophies, self-doubt, imposter syndrome, confidence, and pushing through the uncomfortable parts of building a career - plus why his studio now attracts bands from Reno and even the Bay Area.
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