The Farm Studio

The Farm (a.k.a. Fisher Lane Farm Studio) is an independent recording studio belonging to Genesis, which opened in 1981. It is located in Chiddingfold, Surrey.

Steinway grand piano

History
After much searching for an appropriate permanent rehearsal & recording space, Genesis purchased the Fisher Lane Farm farmhouse premises in October 1980 (by the time of which it was registered as a ltd. company). There was an adjacent cowshed to the building, which they chose to convert into a studio space - architect John Flynn was recruited for this. Refurbishment and building work on the cowshed took a full four months, and was finally ready in March 1981 for Genesis to record Abacab (written at the Farmhouse during the intervening period). Since then, it had been their main recording & rehearsal base.

To start with, the studio's basic gear revolved around an AMEK M2000A mixing console, with Studer A80 24-track & 2-track tape machines, EMT Echo plate reverb, UREI monitors (powered by Crown amps) and an assortment of Beyer, Shure, Neumann & PZM mics.

By 1984/85, the decision was made to further expand the studio, so building work took place over 6 months for a new control room and a recreation suite. Japanese acoustic designer Sam Toyoshima (from JVC) helped redesign the control room, so it was large enough to fit an SSL desk & everything and had plenty of soundproofing materials built into the walls. The SSL 56-channel desk was finally delivered and installed at The Farm in Summer 1985 (replacing the AMEK). For tape machines, the studio expanded to 48-track, adding two synchronised Studer A800 Mk. III's (with Dolby SP24 noise reduction) and for mixdown a new Sony 1630 digital mastering & editing system (following suit from producer/engineer Hugh Padgham, who mixed the Genesis album on his 1610 system). Genesis albums and solo projects from Invisible Touch onwards were recorded and/or mixed in this new control room over the next three decades, including various mixes done by Nick Davis for the 2007 Genesis reissues. Mike + The Mechanics' debut album (1985), however, was also partially done at The Farm during renovation.

Subsequent equipment upgrades included installing Westlake HR-1 cabinets (post-Invisible Touch, 1986) and adding Sony 48-track and 24-track digital tape machines (late 1980s) while keeping one of the analog Studers. Especially as engineer Hugh Padgham liked to record drums to analog tape and everything else to digital while working there.

As of March 2016, Fisher Lane Farm ltd. company filed for insolvency.

In early 2022, the SSL console was put on sale by Essex studios.

Mixing desk

 * SSL 4000E /w G-series computer

Tape machines

 * Sony 3348 digital 48-track
 * Studer A800 Mk. III 24-track /w Dolby SR 24-trk noise reduction
 * Dolby A 24-trk noise reduction
 * Ampex stereo 1/2-inch /w Dolby Model 363 SR/A stereo noise reduction
 * Studer A80 1/2-inch tape machine
 * Studer A80 1/4-inch tape machine (x2)

Synchronising

 * Adam-Smith 2600
 * Motionworks Motionworker
 * Brainstorm SR-1 Timecode Distripalyzer
 * DCS 900 A-to-D converter

Playback

 * SONY PCM-2500 PRO DAT
 * SONY DTC 1000 DAT
 * SONY CDP502ES CD player
 * AIWA XK007 cassette players (x4)
 * Technics turntable
 * 2 X 27" PROFEEL T.V. monitors
 * VTX 100 T.V. TUNER

Video

 * Sony 5850 video machine
 * Sony 5630 triple standard video machine
 * Sony video projector & screen

Monitoring

 * Westlake HR-1 MONITORS /w Sigtech AEC1000 processor, powered by six Crown PSA-2 amplifiers
 * Near Field monitors: Pro-Ac Studio One, Acoustic Research AR18, Yamaha NS10, Tannoy Little Reds
 * Hafler PRO 2400, Quad 520, Crown PSA-2, Quad 303 amplifier
 * AMEK 24 x 10 custom monitor matrix mixer
 * HHB/FLF custom-built monitor mix boxes 10 into 2
 * Beyerdynamic DT100, DT220, DT770, and DT202 headphones

Outboard gear
Reverbs & processors
 * Lexicon 224XL
 * Lexicon 480L
 * Lexicon PCM 70
 * Eventide H3000 Ultra Harmonizer
 * EMT echo plate
 * AMS RMX-16
 * Yamaha REV 1
 * Yamaha REV 7
 * Roland SRV-2000
 * Sony MU-R201

Delays & chorus
 * AMS DMX 15-80S DDL (12.5 seconds) /w MIDI & Keyboard interface
 * Roland RE-201 Space Echo
 * Roland SDE-3000
 * ROLAND SDE-3000 /w sample interface
 * Lexicon PCM-41
 * Boss CE-300 Super Chorus
 * Roland SDD-320 Dimension D

Multi-FX processors etc.
 * Yamaha SPX-1000
 * Roland DEP-5
 * Yamaha SPX-90 (x3)
 * Sony M7
 * Barcus Berry BBE 802 Sonic Maximiser
 * Russian Dragon
 * Panscan autopan
 * Dolby Spectral Processor 740

Compressors & limiters etc.
 * Tube-Tech CL1B
 * Brook Siren BSS DPR 402
 * Valley People Kepex II noise gates (x6)
 * Valley People Gain Brain II (x2)
 * Valley People Dynamite (x4)
 * Drawmer DS201 dual gates
 * UREI 1178
 * Dbx 160 (x2)
 * Dbx 163 (x2)
 * SCAMP De-Esser
 * Allen & Heath Mini Limiters (x2)
 * Aphex Dominators II 720

Equalisation
 * Focusrite stereo ISA 215 HD EQ
 * Tube-Tech PE1C EQ
 * NEVE EQ'S (x9)
 * Orban parametric EQ

Microphones

 * Neumann U47 (x5)
 * Neumann U87 (x4)
 * Neumann KM-84 (x3)
 * AKG 414 (x2)
 * AKG D12E (x3)
 * AKG 451 (x6)
 * AKG CK8 (x2)
 * AKG CK5 (x2)
 * AKG Extensions (x2)
 * AKG 224
 * ATM 25
 * Sennheiser 421 (x2)
 * Shure 58 (x5)
 * Shure 55SW
 * Shure SM57 (x7)
 * PZM (x2)
 * Beyerdynamic MC740 (x6)
 * Beyerdynamic MC 734
 * Beyerdynamic M420 (x6)
 * Beyerdynamic M81 (x2)
 * Beyerdynamic M201 (x2)
 * Beyerdynamic M380 (x2)
 * Beyerdynamic M88 (x9)
 * Beyerdynamic M160 (x4)

Other

 * Steinway grand piano /w Forte MIDI interface