21 Best Recording Studios In Detroit

With a rich musical history, Detroit is known best for Motown and punk rock. It’s even the birthplace of techno! Major artists like Eminem, Madonna, Kid Rock, and many others are all originally from Detroit.

Motor City has Lake St. Clair to the east, Lake Erie to the south, and is even skirting the U.S. / Canada border to the east (I wonder how that will come into play later in this guide…).

Plainly, Detroit is a great place to record, not just because of its history, but also because of its location. In this guide, we look at the best recording studios in Detroit.

Tempermill

Located less than 30 minutes from central Detroit in Ferndale, MI, Tempermill got its start in a basement in the 80s. With over 30 years of experience, the studio is housed in a 3,000 square-foot facility, which was practically tailor made for making records.

Inside, you’ll find a large control room, multiple isolation booths, a live end / dead end recording space, mastering suite, and even a lounge / kitchen with old school gaming at the ready.

They’ve been around a while, but that doesn’t mean they’re a monument to the past. Tempermill utilizes a Pro Tools setup along with a mix of high-end vintage equipment, including mic preamps, EQs, and analog summing consoles.

Tempermill offers tracking, overdubbing, mixing, and mastering services, tasks that are a pleasure to take on with high end gear like a Yamaha C7 concert grand, Hammond B3 organ, Telefunken U47 tube microphone, and plenty of guitars, amps, and keyboards.

Tempermill is a Grammy winning studio, and they’ve won over 20 music awards in total.

Their client list is mostly made up of labels, agencies, and organizations, so we don’t know what artists they’ve worked with recently but suffice it to say they’ve had the likes of Warner Brothers, Atlantic, Columbia, and many other notables as clients.

The Tempermill team consists of leader David Feeny, Jim Kissling, Tony Hamera, Erik Maluchnik, and Matt Besner, all of whom are quite accomplished.

If you have any questions, they’ve got plenty of information on their website – exactly what we like to see!

Parallel Sounds Studio

Parallel Sound Studios offers studio sessions and virtual mixing. We’re not sure if that means they don’t offer mixing if it’s not virtual and would love a little clarity on that. They also provide a few creative services, including album cover design, photography, and video production.

The Parallel team includes owner / lead engineer Phil, engineer Steven K, mix and master engineer / music producer QL, engineer Tony B, and engineer Daniel Son.

You can also find merchandise on their website. Speaking of their website, it seems a little incomplete. Their About page doesn’t work, and we’d love to see a little more information about their facility.

Customers of Parallel Sound Studios were mostly happy with their experience, though, and they liked the clean environment, professional equipment, and expert engineers.

SoundSlingers Recording Studio

SoundSlingers Recording Studio was established by Laystheproducer in the year 2000. They pride themselves in working with independents and professionals alike, and in offering quality recording services.

Their large, home-based, cozy studio environment is perfect for solo artists and singer-songwriters, or so they say. They have experience working with singers, rappers, and comedians, on beats, mixing, mastering, and even voiceover projects.

Their rates start at $50 per hour and they apparently have two locations, but we can’t confirm or deny.

Customers were mostly enthusiastic about working with SoundSlingers Recording Studio, and they loved the friendly and professional staff, quality mixing and mastering, and clean environment.

Get Fresh Studio

Get Fresh Studio started out as a go-to destination for local artists and has since attracted attention from artists, voice actors, and labels from across the world. The studio was founded by producer / songwriter Michael Seger in 2016.

If you want to work with, Get Fresh Studio, you get to choose from eight engineers, each at a different price point (between $70 and $100 per hour) – Michael, Chris, Ethan, Kay, Primo, Gage, Danny, and Nas.

Besides recording and audio production, Get Fresh also offers podcast and commercial related recording services in case that’s of interest to you.

Their clients loved the great vibes, welcoming and talented staff, and crisp sound quality delivered.

The Breakoutbox

The Breakoutbox is a recording and production studio situated near downtown Detroit. Their team consists of producer / engineer Tim, producer / engineer D Flat, and producer / engineer J Five.

Their website gives the impression that their studio is made up of a control room and possibly an isolation booth, no more, no less (which may not be accurate – reach out to the studio for comment). For making beats and recording pop, rap, hip-hop, R&B, and electronic genres, however, it should prove perfect.

They use multiple Digital Audio Workstations (like Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Live), and they’ve got plenty of enviable mic preamps (Manley, Audient, Focusrite, etc.), Neumann mics, keyboards, and more.

We assume they are still relative newcomers, given that the Artists section of their website doesn’t have any content as of this writing.

Enthusiastic reviewers said they loved the team, quality results, quality equipment, and remodeled rooms.

AFK Recording

AFK Recording is a 24/7 recording facility with a beautiful, open concept working environment. And it really does look amazing!

We’d love to know more about them, but there’s just one problem – their website doesn’t contain much besides a photo gallery. We get it, because it’s a very neat facility, but equipment, staff, past clients, and the like would all be very useful information to have.

So far, however, customers have only had good things to say about them. What they liked most about AFK Recording is their professional and hardworking staff, comfy vibes, and quality sound.

Rust Belt Studios

Rust Belt Studios offers an array of recording services, including tracking, overdubbing, mixing, and more. With a multi-genre focus and a huge selection of microphones, instruments, and equipment, you won’t have to tighten your rusty belt to achieve the sonic results you’re looking for with this studio.

Rust Belt Studios works with independents and professionals alike, and they even offer song writing, music production, vocal production, custom music, coaching, and PR services.

With both analog and digital mixing equipment, Rust Belt can handle projects of any scope.

The Rust Belt team includes producer / engineer Al Sutton (who we also assume is the owner), and senior engineer Steve Lehane.

If you’d like to know what their rates are, Rust Belt Studios encourages you to drop them a line.

The Disc Ltd Recording Studio

The Disc Ltd Recording Studio offers music production, recording, mixing, and mastering services. They’ve worked with the likes of Akon, Kid Rock, Big Sean, George Clinton, Mary J. Blige, and many others.

The facility is home to Studio A with an SSL console, and Studio B, which seems like the ideal environment for vocal production and overdubbing (but we’re just guessing from the pictures and equipment list).

The Disc Ltd Recording Studio team includes president / owner Greg Reilly, as well as recording / mixing engineer Matt “Magnetic” Oleksiak.

Their rates for Studio B (off hours) start at $48 per hour, but go up from there, depending on the studio of choice as well as the time you opt to record at.

While The Disc Ltd Recording Studio features a very old school looking website, we don’t mind at all, given the thoroughness of information offered.

Mixed By Ethan

Mixed By Ethan offers tracking, mixing, mastering, song writing, production, and coaching services.

It sounds to us like the studio might be run by Ethan, and you wouldn’t be wrong to assume so, either! Audio / engineer / producer / singer / songwriter Ethan Marc runs this joint, and he started it because he couldn’t find a studio that offered the quality production he was looking for. Rates start at $70 per hour.

Reviewers said they loved the talented and professional engineer (some even consider him the best).

DPD Recording Studio

The DPD Recording Studio was originally established in 2013 in a tiny upstairs bedroom in Detroit. The studio moved to Grosse Point, MI during the pandemic, approximately 30 minutes from central Detroit. DPD has worked on a variety of projects with a variety of clients from across the nation.

The studio is owned by Jay and Carolyn Custer, and they offer an array of services – vocal recording, podcast recording, band recording, mixing / editing, mastering, music arrangement, and studio rental. Rates start at $60 per hour.

DPD uses a mix of Sweetwater, Slate Media, Presonus gear, and more. They’ve got access to multiple DAWs and plugins as well.

Their customers said they loved the recording environment, affordable rates, great engineer, quality gear, and quality sound.

54 Sound

54 Sound relies heavily on pictures to communicate their message… bold move. Let’s see how it pays off.

From what we can tell, the facility features a control room, isolation booth, and live room. It would appear they have a few of their own guitars, and maybe a grand piano and drumkit (we’re not sure if these instruments belong to them). If there’s more to it, there’s no way we could confirm because their website does not say.

The studio is in Ferndale, less than 20 minutes from central Detroit.

Customers haven’t had one bad thing to say about them. What they liked most about 54 Sound was their talented and professional staff (we’re not sure how many people there are).

I don’t think their website gambit ultimately paid off, but you should be impressed I was able to write five short paragraphs about them with the amount of information given.

Mix Factory One

What do you think Mary J. Blige, Rick Ross, and Eminem have in common? Nothing. No, just kidding. That’s right, they all recorded at Mix Factory One (now there’s a headline)!

Mix Factory One offers pre-production, recording, mixing, and mastering services.

IV Duncan is a producer and engineer, and from what we can gather, the owner of Mix Factory One as well. Besides those already mentioned, he’s also worked with the likes of Freeway, Rocko, Dollhouse, Karen Clark-Sheard, and Winans.

In a time when many studios and engineers are eager to solicit business online, Mix Factory One does not accept online bookings. You can, however, submit a session request from their website and they’ll be in touch.

Their facility includes Suite 1000, Suite 2000, Suite 3000, Suite 4000, Mobile Studio, and a soon to come Video Editing Suite. We don’t know too much about how each room differs (besides appearances), but what we do know is they sure love their Pro Tools setups!

The studio is obviously kind of a big deal, and their rates probably reflect this fact (although we have been wrong on occasion). If you think Mix Factory One might be the studio for you, you can find the facility in Southfield, about 20 minutes from central Detroit (we’re not telling you to drop in though, make no mistake!).

Audio Cafe Recording Studio

Audio Cafe Recording Studio was created as a private, dedicated environment where artists can go to get their project recorded, without ever being bothered by the comings and goings of other activity in the studio.

The facility is home to all the essentials, including a control room, live room, and isolation booth, but it also has a small lounge with a microwave, refrigerator (with soft drinks), and free Wi-Fi. Audio Café has flexible hours and sessions can be booked via appointment.

Their rates start at $65 per hour, but you do get a bit of a discount if you book a block at $60 per hour.

The studio is located roughly 20 minutes from central Detroit in Eastpointe. Clients loved the world class environment, professional and meticulous engineer, and quality equipment.

WiseGuy Records Studios

WiseGuy Records Studios’ priority with their website appears to be capturing photographic evidence of the people they’ve had in their studio, like The Temptations, to the exclusion of other important information (like their gear list, recording environment, engineers, etc.). We’re not saying it’s right or wrong, but we’d sure like to see a lot more relevant information on their website.

Reviewers liked their professional and attentive staff, quality sound, and great atmosphere.

Tuxedo Avenue Recording Studios

Tuxedo Avenue Recording Studios is housed in a 4,100 square foot creative facility in Roseville, roughly 20 minutes from central Detroit. The studio is the brainchild of local musician Paco Higdon, and the project is being brought to life by architect Tim Nichols and studio designer Frank Comentale.

The Tuxedo Avenue team is comprised of owner / founder / producer Paco Higdon, audio engineer / manager Jacob Rego, audio engineer / producer Josh Karpowicz, and musician Tom Phillips.

We can’t quite get a sense of the scope of the studio from the gallery alone, but we do see that they have a control room, live room, and lounge. We assume there is much more to it than that, with multiple recording suites.

It looks like Tuxedo Avenue is still relatively new, and their facility may not even be fully finished yet. But they will be a force to reckon with when the Death Star – I mean the studio – is fully operational! Customers said they liked the professional environment and quality equipment.

Tone Worx Studio

Tone Worx Studio offers production, recording, editing, mixing, mastering, and vocal tuning services. Their website indicates they are a “new” studio in the Detroit area, but we’re not entirely sure how new. The actual facility can be found about 25 minutes from the heart of Detroit in Fraser, MI.

They offer their services to amateurs and professional alike, and from what we gather, they’ve also relocated once to keep up with growing demand. They have enough space to accommodate solo acts and bands alike.

Their rates start at $35 per hour, but the less time you book, the more expensive it gets (not by much, though – the most you’ll pay is $45 per hour for a two-to-three-hour block).

Pro Tools and a Universal Audio Apollo audio interface are at the heart of their setup, but they’ve got Neumann mics, guitars, guitar amps, and more.

Reportedly, their techs are talented, the rates are reasonable (agreed), and they’ve got high quality equipment to boot. A great place to explore, especially if you’re on a budget.

Central Recording Studio

Central Recording Studio was established in 2006 and was founded by chief engineer Ved Kapic, who studied at the Recording Institute of Detroit. Their client list includes the likes of Swift, Rome, Lee Mayor, Fabian, Harpo, Lil Dee, Jay Grip, and many others.

Central Recording offers tracking, overdubbing, editing, mixing, mastering, beat production, photoshoots, video production, drum tracks, and music transfer (cassette to CD or MP3) services.

Their facility is home to Studio A, which features a live room, Studio B, which seems like the perfect place to edit, mix, overdub, and record vocals or duos, as well as their in-house video and photo studio.

Central Recording is located about 30 minutes from the heart of Detroit in Sterling Heights. Customers loved the meticulous and professional engineers.

Heavy House Studios

Heavy House Studios can be found in Livonia, a little over 20 minutes from the heart of Detroit. They offer recording, mixing, mastering, beat production, and music production services. Apparently, they are in the process of developing podcasting services and artist packages / memberships as well. Their rates start at $50 per hour.

The Heavy House team consists of engineer / producer / songwriter Aaron “AyeBeeOfficial” Simpson and engineer / producer Christopher “Chris.co” Davis.

Reviewers loved the equipment, engineers, atmosphere, and results.

The Sound Shop Studio

The Sound Shop Studio offers recording, overdubbing, mixing, and mastering services. No matter what you might be looking for, there’s a good chance they’ve worked on it – pop, country, Americana, blues, soul, big band, voiceovers, commercials, video games, and more.

The expansive 3,000 square foot facility features a mix of top of the line analog and digital equipment. The facility houses two control rooms, six isolation booths, and a myriad of gear, including a Yamaha C7, Hammond C3, guitars, amps, drums, and a great deal more.

The Sound Shop team is made up of producer / engineer / musician Josh “Motor City Josh” Ford, producer / engineer / musician Kevin Wesley Williams, producer / engineer / musician Ivan Fargo, producer / engineer / musician Phil Steuer, and social media / vocal coach / musician Erin Accomando.

If you need them to provide a band, they’ve already done the work of building connections with session drummers, bassists, keyboardists, guitarists, horn players, string players, vocalists, and more.

Their client list includes the likes of Delaney Natke, Pat Smillie, Bobby Murray, Zack Brandenberg, Jake McArthur, Emma Lee Aboukasm, and many others.

The location studio might be a little out of the way in Macomb, MI, about 43 minutes from central Detroit, but we know people that travel much farther than that to record!

Metro 37 Recording Studios

You’ll find Metro 37 Recording Studios roughly 30 minutes from central Detroit in Rochester Hills. They work on a variety of projects, including music, voiceover, and commercial audio utilizing vintage gear and cutting-edge recording techniques.

Metro 37 belongs to Kevin Sharpe, who has worked with the likes of Royal Blood, Emmure, Vixen, Fuel, Maxine, and many others.

Customers loved the owner, friendly staff, professional equipment, and great rates.

SLR STUDIOS

SLR STUDIOS offers producing, mobile recording, engineering, editing, mixing, Atmos mixing, and mastering services. They’ve worked with the likes of Jason Marsh, Christie Palazzolo, Autumn Kings, Nataly Ruscitti, and The Oh Chays, among others.

SLR Studios belongs to Martin Bak, Billboard charting producer. The facility is home to Studio A, designed with recording, mixing, and mastering in mind, as well as Studio B, ideal for recording and editing.

The SLR STUDIOS team also includes film and game composer Anthony Casalena, and electronic music producer Enton Mushi.

Okay, so one thing you should know about SLR is they are in Windsor, ON, Canada. Sure, it’s only 10 minutes from central Detroit, but if you’re stateside, you’ll need to cross a country border to get there. Fair warning!

If you’re interested in working with SLR, they’ve got a convenient contact form on their website you can use to reach out to them.

Top Recording Studios In Detroit, Final Thoughts

From hip-hop and R&B to punk rock and electronic music, Detroit is the ideal place to record a variety of musical styles. Soak in the inspiring environment, enjoy Detroit style pizza or sweet potato pie, and get some work done at one of their top-notch studios.

We hope you have a great time while in Detroit, and wish you all the best with your forthcoming project!