Studio SQ is a San Francisco based recording studio and new media company that is deeply rooted in the arts and culture of this great city. San Francisco has cultivated a strong and diverse recording industry; our goal is to support this infrastructure by providing professional services that facilitate the entire life cycle of an artist's release. We take projects from concept to production and through to promotion and distribution.

Our top-of-the-line recording facility boasts a huge 1,000 square foot tracking space, a tuned control room operating Pro Tools|HD and analog tape in tandem, an isolation booth and the largest collection of vintage guitars and amps in the Bay Area. We've been working in the recording industry for over 10 years on both commercial and independent projects. This experience allows us to integrate the best of contemporary and classic-recording techniques, producing finely crafted results.

Studio SQ also offers a variety of promotional services. The work behind a good release doesn't stop when a recording is finished. Solid strategy for blog and magazine reviews backed by consistent radio play and touring, are crucial for getting your music heard and sold. Our PR team can help push your record to national or regional markets and generate solid buzz throughout the life of the release.

Our staff of engineers, songwriters, PR strategists, and art directors have been involved with music a majority of their lives and understand the needs of creative people. Working with you as a team, we can create unparalleled music and position it correctly for success.

Take a look at some of our testimonials below or feel free to contact us for booking or questions:

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Phil Manley (Trans Am, French Miami, Jonas Reinhardt):

"I Just recently finished a new record with San Francisco power trio French Miami - my second record with the band and my first working at San Francisco's Studio SQ. Formerly Take Root Studios, this place is a relic of the analog past. Beautifully crafted custom carpentry creates a mellow NorCal mood. The live room is nicely sized and has a well controlled sound.

Its always exciting for me to work in a new studio. I've worked in several studios in SF, including Louder, Coast, Tiny Telephone, Closer, Hyde St., and primarily at Lucky Cat. Studio SQ is definitely among the nicer spots in a lot of ways. Studio SQ is well air conditioned (at times too air conditioned!) and well isolated from environmental noise. Also, the control room is well isolated from the live room. These sound like basic things in a recording studio, but are not always the available in some studios."

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Mike Wells (Mike Wells Mastering):

"I have been working with John and his team at Studio SQ for a number of years now. There's many things that shine through in John's work: his attention to detail in the recording and mixing process, the value he brings to each artist through recording prep, the assistance he gives each artist in determining next steps post-mixing (whether it is mastering prep, promotional tools, marketing strategies)... the list goes on. Outside of the studio, John's team consistently demonstrates its commitment to the Bay Area recording artist community through seminar outreach participation and local artist recording sponsorships. Studio SQ is a true gem in the Bay Area recrding scene and a resource that should not be overlooked."

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Brad Dollar (Personal Engineer to Bob Weir, Bay Area Sound Studio):

"Service. A word long since lost from association with the phrase "studio business." SQ delivers incredible service. From the outstanding room to the fields of tasty of equipment or right down to a staff of real engineers, this place brings it home for me time and time again."

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Noah Landis (Neurosis, Valve Software, Left4Dead2):

"As an independent engineer in the Bay Area I get to work in a lot of different studios. I pretty much just try to book my sessions at Studio SQ now. The room is big, the mic closet is full of fun things, the control room has pre-amps galore. But the best thing about SQ is the team. They know their gear inside and out, literally, and they're always around when I need them. Studio SQ is a great place to work."

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Nicole Leigh (The Deli Magazine SF):

We visited Chloe [Chloe Makes Music] in the studio on day 5 of a 6 day recording marathon as she laid tracks with producer Chris Chu [vocalist for The Morning Benders] for her upcoming debut LP. Studio SQ has a nice warm welcoming feel. You're greeted by a friendly brindle boxer the door who naps on the couch when shes not monitoring the activity around and the studio itself is large and open and filled with a lot of wood which gives it that comfortable, home-y feel. It's almost hard to believe that such an intimate place can exist in what is a primarily industrial part of the city.

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Mitch Buttres (Lazertag):

I highly recommend Studio SQ for recording and mastering. When you show up for your first session, you will feel comfortable right away. They have a great selection of vintage instruments and the engineers are passionate, innovative and will really listen to you and help you achieve your vision. Jeremy mastered our record as well, and did a very nice job. Prices are way-reasonable compared to other top-tier bay area studios.

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Frances England (Artist):

"After searching the Internet for a Bay Area studio to record my second cd in, I stumbled across Snoppy Quop [Studio SQ]. I did a quick tour and thought it had a great vibe - very mellow, comfortable, and the kind of place I could easily hang out at for hours on end. But to be honest, the thing that really got me was how affordable it was, especially considering the staff's experience (John Flores, who owns the studio and mixed my entire cd, has recorded/mixed albums for big-name Grammy winners we've all heard of, while other staff there have specialized in recording/ playing with smaller indie bands). Having worked with these guys for 3 months, I honestly can't say enough good things about them. They have managed to create a fine balance of being extremely professional and hardworking; passionate and creative; yet all the while making this entire process laid back and a really fun experience. But above all of this, what stands out to me more than anything else and the reason I recommend Snoppy Quop so highly, is that this little studio has something a lot of other studios (ten times it's size & budget) don't have - HEART. I always felt that the guys there were completely invested in making sure my album would sound exactly the way I wanted it to and they kept at it until I was 100% satisfied."

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Nick Block (Artist):

"I have had the opportunity to work with the gentlemen at SQ on numerous occasions, and one thing is always consistent: the quality of the final product. I have been collaborating with SQ engineer Justin Sachs for years now. He brings a critical element to the table that engineers often lack - his own creativity. Recording music is not just a science, it is an art form in and of itself, and Justin never loses sight of that. He has a brilliant ability to understand the way I want a composition to sound in its final recorded form, and works with me every step of the way, honing my personal vision while simultaneously utilizing his own artistic sensibilities to get the project sounding as good as possible. The integrity of a good, clean mix, often lies in the finer nuances. Justin understands that, and ensures no stone is left unturned when it comes to identifying every element in a mix that can muddy up or hinder the true sound characteristics of the instruments involved. Beyond Justin's talent behind the console, SQ has always been incredibly accommodating of how I often have to work. I have a personal recording studio in LA and often track there, and then pass my audio files along to SQ for the mixing and mastering. It can be very challenging for engineers to work with content that they did not personally track, but Justin and Jeremy always seem to work their magic and get my files sounding as professional as possible, which is always very appreciated. Need I even mention the quality of their gear? (It's superb!) I will certainly continue to use Justin and Studio SQ for future professional recording projects - if I didn't, I would be doing myself a disservice."

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