10 of the Best Recording Studios in Vancouver
Home recording has come a long way, but there’s something special about bringing your music into a pro studio environment.
Every studio session is an opportunity to capture your creative vision — to leverage the highest technical standards and craft a timeless piece of art. Selecting the right recording studio is vital to ensure you have the equipment, facilities and post-production services you need for your recording project.
If you’re eager to find the perfect space to bring your music to life, this article is for you! Here is our curated list of 10 of the best recording studios in the Vancouver area.
1. Barnhouse Sound Productions
Barnhouse Sound Productions is a barrier-free destination recording studio based in Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. In addition to having everything you need to produce quality music, they also offer luxurious accommodations and picturesque studio grounds.
With three bathrooms, two bedrooms, an outdoor hot tub, a kitchen, and a fire pit, their lodgings are thoughtfully arranged for both comfort and creativity. They also offer frequent studio and accommodation discounts to keep the destination studio experience available for independent musicians.
Their recording facility consists of a 1,200 sq ft. live room, 36-track recording, vintage gear, a $40k analog mastering chain, and a huge selection of outboard gear, pedals, and backline. Take a look at their full studio gear list.
Customer Review
“Justin is phenomenal at running his studio - professional and has lots of knowledge and pointers. You’ll feel a warm welcome from the first moment you meet him. I recorded my first single with him at the start of January 2023, but I have worked with him for several years. He has helped me grow so much in my music career. I HIGHLY recommend Barnhouse Sound Productions to anyone looking to record.”
—Austin O
Location
Barnhouse Sound Production is in Qualicum Beach, BC. Take a virtual tour of the studio to see its full amenities.
Price
Studio rates at Barnhouse Sound Productions start at just $595 per day. This includes access to an in-house engineer and technical pre-production services.
You may also take custom audio engineering and production lessons for as little as $125 per hour. For more information on bookings and rates, you can contact their team directly.
2. Armoury Studios
Built in 1993, Armoury Studios offers analog and digital recording services and has hosted artists such as AC/DC, the Cranberries, Nickelback, and Bruno Mars. This central-Vancouver studio has produced a wide range of award-winning music.
The facility's amenities include lounges, a full kitchen, a fireplace, and underground parking. Armoury boasts top-of-the-line equipment — including an iconic SSL 72 Channel SL4000G console.
Effects processors, compressors, and power amps can be rented, and the studio can be rented to host intimate concerts, as well.
Customer Review
“I have been to a lot of studios in North America, and the Armoury Studios is by far the best experience I’ve ever had recording/mixing. A beautiful building in a great relaxing and creative environment. The assistants and staff are always aiming to please. Such an awesome vibe.”
—Theo G
Location
Armoury Studios is at 1688 W 1st Ave #202, Vancouver. You can reach it by taking a 20-minute taxi from Vancouver International Airport.
Price
Interested clients must call the studio manager to inquire about rates.
3. Azur Studios
Azur Studios is a recording studio with unique services. It offers Japanese, French, and Spanish specialists who’ll help you lip-sync videos in other languages. Only a few studios in Vancouver can dub live-action and anime projects like this!
You’ll learn how to do voiceovers in various formats. It has a foley recording studio where an expert will assist you in creating sound effects.
Azur has impressive Shelford Channel preamps and a Source Nexus digital audio workstation. It’s no wonder the studio has produced many award-winning recordings.
Customer Review
“This place and the people in it do FULL sound service on whatever your project needs. Upfront about costs, problems, and obstacles. Hire them.”
—Amy F
Location
Azur is located at 210 - 1737 West 3rd Avenue, Vancouver, BC.
Price
Demo-reel productions and other services start at $550 at this Vancouver recording studio. The fee includes one hour of studio time and a voice director.
You may also take two-hour voiceover and dubbing classes for $450 to $500.
4. Demitone Studio
Located at the heart of Vancouver is Demitone Studio, a boutique facility just a few blocks from Main Street.
Although it’s not the biggest of the Vancouver recording studios, it has everything you need to produce an inspired recording. Demitone features a wide selection of outboard gear, mics, and amps, as well as an isolation booth, control room, live room, and lounge.
This studio provides great versatility in a vibrant, central location, making it an excellent option for your recording needs.
Customer Review
“Kelly's a Vancouver music scene veteran. He's got a world-class music recording studio and does a ton of ADR recording.”
—Josh L
Location
Demitone is at 5251 Chester Street, Vancouver, BC.
Price
You can request a quotation and studio rates through Demitone’s website.
5. Railtown Mastering
Railtown Mastering is a Vancouver music studio designed and built by Fred Gilpin and William Barker of FGA Acoustics. It specializes in post-production and ensuring transparency in playback.
This studio is headed by Andrew Downton, a Juno Award-winning mastering engineer. He’s worked with companies like Disney, Dreamworks, Sony Pictures, and Warner Brothers.
As a mastering-focused studio, you might consider sending your mixes here after recording elsewhere. If you use Railtown, you can attend mastering sessions and provide feedback during the process.
Customer Review
“Andrew offers an unbeatable service! His skill and understanding is unmatched! To top it off, he is one of the nicest people I've met in the industry. I can't recommend him and Railtown enough!”
—Thomas M
Location
Railtown Mastering is at 190 Alexander Street, Vancouver. It’s on the corner of Main and Alexander only a block from the waterfront.
Price
For rates and bookings, you can contact Railtown Mastering through their website.
6. KW Studios
KW Studios is an online music recording studio that allows you to live stream your music and videos. Packages include four cameras with 1080p streaming on YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook Live.
Your online concerts will stand out with the studio’s professional audio recording capabilities, dance floor, and full lighting rig.
KW Studio offers state-of-the-art analog and digital recording with a Universal Audio Apollo system. You get professional microphones, Behringer powerplay headphone mixers, and 32 patchable input channels.
The facility is ideal for those looking for a rehearsal space, production studio, and performance area with streaming capabilities.
Customer Review
“Amazing venue! The sound is incredible, and the space is beautiful! Recording and playing here is the best!”
—Meg d
Location
KW Studios is in Woodward’s Heritage building at 111 West Hastings Street, Vancouver.
Price
KW Studios offers standard rates starting at just $20/hr. If you wish to book for longer, a 10 to 24-hour lockout is $160. Moreover, there are subsidized rates for equity-seeking artists.
7. Blue Light Studio
Blue Light Studio is a voice recording studio offering professional equipment in the heart of Vancouver. It is commonly used for audiobook recording and videography.
Blue Light’s services include tracking, mixing, mastering, and editing. You can do voiceovers and go on live streams featuring the facility’s stunning interior.
Blue Light connects you with producers and engineers who are passionate about music. Since opening in 2010, it has hosted artists such as David Ward, Boyce Avenue, Aza Nabuko, and JP Maurice.
Customer Review
“The people running this studio are made of greatness. We had a rad show here, and all the techs and engineers were amazing with our barrage of instruments and requests.”
—Michael L
Location
Blue Light Studio is at 1839 Franklin Street, Vancouver, BC.
Price
For more information on pricing, get in touch with Blue Light Studio.
8. West Vancouver Memorial Library
West Vancouver Memorial Library is available to anybody looking to visit a recording studio — you just need to attend a quick seminar on how to use the equipment.
The library’s recording studio has a control room and a live room that can accommodate up to four people, where you can record instruments, podcasts, and vocal dialogue.
This studio has Yorkville Studio Monitors, a Focusrite Scarlett Audio Interface, and Shure Microphones.
You can also borrow additional mics, amplifiers, headphones, and keyboards if needed.
Customer Review
“The library itself is a work of art. The staff are the most helpful and friendly.”
—Rosana Z
Location
West Vancouver Library is at 1950 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC. It takes 15 minutes to get there from Vancouver via the Lions Gate Bridge.
Price
No charge, this studio is free to use!
9. Monarch Studios
With its extensive and comprehensive recording packages, Monarch Studios is one of the best recording studios in BC for an artist’s first pro session.
You can produce a three-song ep with a sound engineer, complete with five days of recording, editing, tuning, producing, and mixing, for a fixed package rate. You also get access to the studio’s top-notch instruments.
Monarch Studios has a live room, vocal booth, amp room, and piano room. It also offers tutoring and recording assistance to budding artists.
Customer Review
“I would give them six stars if I could. Tom is an absolute pleasure to work with, and the studio he built is nothing short of magnificent. We did a full-length album there and are already thinking about when I can go back to record more.”
—Myles H
Location
Monarch Studios is at 3702 Commercial Street, Vancouver, BC.
Price
Rates at Monarch Studios start at $630 per ten hours. You may book the studio for $95 per hour for a minimum of four hours.
10. Sound House Studios
Sound House is a BC recording studio specializing in live sessions and music production. Here, you can capture the best moments of your band to use for music videos and promotional content.
This studio is perfect if you want to rehearse before recording. It has acoustically designed areas with high-quality gear and rentals. It also doubles as an events space and team-building location.
You can book a fun workshop with your co-workers and create music together. Each group gets a producer, guitars, drums, and keyboards. Equipment includes guitar amps, microphones, and a complete sound system.
Customer Review
“I've been booking rehearsal space with SoundHouse Studios for years now. They are consistently organized, clean, and accommodating with their equipment rentals. The upstairs Mezzanine is a beautiful place to hang out or to rehearse. Sound House is a great go-to for musicians of the Greater Vancouver area.”
—Charlotte F.
Location
Sound House Studios is at 33 W 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC.
Price
For full pricing and booking information, contact Sound House.
In Summary
Vancouver is home to countless recording studios offering different prices, services, and equipment.
As an artist, you should consider all your options and pick the one that’ll bring out the best in your music. Think about your requirements, location, and budget.
If you’re interested in booking a recording studio or have any questions about navigating your recording project, get in touch, and we can help you get started.
