THE SHIRE answers some OF YOUR questions.

Does Vinyl actually sound better?

No. The best way to hear a recording is certainly the analogue tape master. The next best thing is high-resolution audio digital. But, as for the ritual of listening to vinyl, it is definitely, in our opinion, the best way. The process of hearing an album the way it was intended to be heard( i.e., not streamed or in a mix playlist) is much more satisfying. Plus, there are many less distractions when concentrating on music in a record listening session.

How many wires are used in The SHIRE’s recording studio?

t is estimated that if we were to lay all the cabling in our studio, end-to-end, it would stretch 914 metres…or just under 1 kilometre!!!

What was the best sit-com ever produced?

Fawlty Towers all the way!!! Nothing else comes close!!!!

What is our favourite orchestra fact?

The country of Monaco’s orchestra is larger than it’s army. Now THAT is a powerful notion!!

How fast can you come up with a musical idea?

Nano-seconds. But it takes slightly longer for him to remember it.

How important are honeybees?

Very important!!! For example, Americans consume about 285 million pounds of honey each year. On top of that, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that honeybees pollinate 80 percent of the country’s insect crops—meaning bees pollinate over $20 billion worth of crops each year. Most importantly, it's what we keep on hand when we serve our clients as a sweetener in tea or coffee.

Star Wars or Star Trek?

In terms of pure entertainment, both are fantastic. But Asif certainly is a Trekkie whereas Shehab is the Star Wars fan. Asif says that it is more scientifically “accurate” and he worships Spock like he is some sort of deity. The vehicle design in Star Wars is certainly top-notch, though, because Ralph MacQuarrie is so talented he may, in fact, be “not-of-this-Earth”.

The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?

The consensus here at The SHIRE is heavily positioned on The Beatles side of the fence. Although, if you ask Asif, he will maintain that The Police are better than both of them put together. “The Stones and The Beatles are highly over-rated!”, according to him. Shehab may beg to differ. And Tame Impala may give them all a run for the money. ( OK, Asif, we get it.)

Who is the best Trek Captain?

James Tiberius Kirk. Full stop.

What is the speed of light through a diamond?

As opposed to 186,000 miles/sec in a vacuum, light travels through a diamond at less than half the speed at 77,500 miles/sec. Even light slows down to take a look at the beauty of a diamond.

Why should we use custom music?

It’s really a “no-brainer”. Custom music will fit YOUR edit as opposed to having to fit the edit to your music. In this case, the egg MUST come before the chicken. Why shackle your creativity in your edit with stock music? Let us collaborate to get you the perfect fit.

VINTAGE INSTRUMENTS. WHAT”S THE ADVANTAGE?

Modern instruments are amazing. They keep their tuning and they are well-built. But if you are trying to mimic a hit song from an era like the 80’s or 70’s, it is much easier to get the “sound” you need if you start with instruments from those classic years.

WHY DO WE CLAIM TO KNOW WHAT YOU NEED?

Music is subjective. Visuals are the same. Everyone has their taste and there is nothing wrong with that. The catch is that not everyone can understand both enough to know how to marry the two effectively. Experience is a very valuable skill to have. Just like practicing an instrument, repeated exercises in marrying sound and visuals give us an edge.

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR LOGO?

The fox represents “Shehab”; always searching for an alternative route to think outside the box. The eagle represents “Asif” - because he loves everything that flies; airplanes, birds, ideas. The tree represents our strong roots in composition and our love for nature.

WHY IS THE STUDIO CALLED “THE SHIRE”?

Just like in Tolkien’s Middle Earth, Nova Scotia is the embodiment of Tolkien’s “Shire”. It is far enough away to have it’s own quaint signature, but close enough to the major cities like New York, Boston, Toronto and Montreal to grab some cosmopolitan flare. We named the studio after Tolkien’s Shire because no matter how far away our sights are aimed, we always desire to return home

HOW MUCH CAN MUSIC AFFECT PICTURE?

Try replacing John Williams’ “Imperial March” with Edvard Grieg’s “Hall Of The Mountain King” during the opening of Return Of the Jedi and come back and ask the question.

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THE MR. MEN MUGS?

If you’ve come to the studio, you might’ve asked for an herbal tea or rich coffee and been dubbed, “Mr. Grumpy” or “Little Miss Bad”. We spent the first ten years of our lives in England and the books were famous there. The label on the mug doesn't necessarily correlate with your personality, don’t worry!

WHO DESIGNED YOUR STUDIO SPACE?

One of Asif’s many hobbies is woodworking. He designed the space himself as well as built all the furniture. The studio console desk and the pre-amp rack are made of African Padauk and Brazilian Rosewood Burls. The Bar top is Thuya Burl, a relative of the cedar tree found in Morocco.

WHICH WEIGHS MORE: FRIDGE, STOVE, or A STUDER A827?

Analog Tape Machine. Trust us. The Studer A827 weighs over 550lbs and we had to get it down 7 steps. Trust us.

HOW DOES ASIF PLAY SO MANY INSTRUMENTS?

He describes it like renting a car. Once you’ve driven one, it’s only a matter of applying the same driving habits to the next one. He says instruments are the same. If you can drive a Honda Civic, you can most likely drive a Lexus. If you can play a guitar, a charango isn’t much of a difference…learn drum-kit, and a thumb piano isn’t all that alien….if you're adventurous enough to try.