Event production professionals based in Manchester, covering the North West and North Wales. Specialists in lighting, sound, and media for live events, and technical consultancy for new-build and refurbishment projects at schools, churches, and entertainment venues.

Case Studies → Schools & Education

The Maurice Gibb Recording Studios

In 2002, BBTS staff were tasked with designing and installing a professional-standard recording studio at a secondary school in Greater Manchester. The main purposes of the studio were threefold:

1. As a teaching resource to help deliver the GCSE music and NCFE Music Technology courses
2. As a recording facility that students can "book out" and use to record their own work
3. As a commercial/community studio that external clients can "hire out" to record their own material

The studio needed to accommodate groups ranging from soloists and bands to large choirs and orchestras, all within a budget of under £20,000. BBTS staff soon realised that the music practice room designated for the studio would not be large enough for bigger ensembles.

After raising this concern, BBTS were able to incorporate two smaller adjacent rooms that could serve as vocal booths, drum rooms, and so on, all cabled back to the main studio for a very versatile setup.

As the recording studios were being built alongside the school's new 300-seat theatre, BBTS also proposed that the theatre's audio infrastructure be linked bidirectionally with the recording studio — enabling the recording of large choirs and concerts in the theatre, as well as allowing the studios to inject live material (voice-overs, sound effects, etc.) into live theatre productions.

The school approached the Bee Gees to share the news of the new studio, not long after Maurice Gibb had passed away. Wishing to pay tribute to Maurice, the school asked the two remaining Bee Gees — Barry and Robin — whether the studio could be named in his memory. Barry and Robin were only too happy to be involved, and attended the opening of the new Maurice Gibb Recording Studios on Wednesday 12th May 2004.