The notes and lyrics that enter a musician’s brain are not yet the polished product we hear on the radio waves and record players. After the artist fine-tunes their craft, they take their work to the recording studio where they can further twist their songs or stay true to their original intent.

Columbia is home to several recording studios where musicians create compelling songs for listeners. These recording studios cater to a range of artists, from high schoolers to college students to full-time musicians, who fall under any genre, like rock, hip-hop and classical.

Here, we look not at the artist at the mic stand. Rather, we’re looking at the artist behind the control board. These producers and engineers are artists themselves as they aid the musicians in creating the music we hear today.

To read The Maneater’s project on recording studios, click [here.](https://www.themaneater.com/special-sections/on-the-record/)