Canadian artist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, recording engineer and filmmaker Liam Hopkins recently opened the doors to his Saskatoon studio for a full video tour with Gavin Haverstick of Haverstick Designs. It is an impressive space, but what makes the tour especially interesting is how closely the studio reflects the way Liam actually works.
Liam records every instrument on his own releases and handles much of the production and visual work surrounding his music. At 18, he has already toured across Canada, worked with a number of independent artists and completed the Berklee College of Music Aspire Program at 15. His background covers drums, guitar, recording, production and filmmaking, so the studio needed to function as much more than a conventional recording room.
The studio tour gives a detailed look at how that idea came together, from the large live room and variable acoustics to the control room, instruments, microphones, outboard gear and monitoring system.
From Drummer to Producer and Engineer
Liam’s connection with recording started with drums. In the studio tour, his father Rick explains that Liam’s growing commitment to drumming eventually created the need for a dedicated space where he could practice, record and continue developing as a musician.
The idea was never simply to build a room full of equipment. Rick describes the project as building a school rather than just building a studio. Liam had already pursued lessons with several instructors and attended Berklee’s Aspire program, where he was encouraged to continue making music at a high level.
That philosophy can be seen throughout the finished space. The live room gives Liam enough volume for acoustic drums while still allowing him to change the character of the room using heavy curtains, diffusion and absorption. He experiments with drum placement instead of treating the room as though there is only one correct recording position. The studio is also designed around video production, with Blackmagic cameras and SDI wiring integrated into Liam’s workflow.
A Live Room Designed to Change With the Session
One of the most interesting parts of the tour is the flexibility of the live room. Large windows bring natural light into the space, while full-length curtains allow Liam to control reflections when he wants a tighter recording environment.
The large architectural diffuser, ceiling diffusion and absorption were planned around the room dimensions and expected drum positions. Liam explains that he has placed kits throughout the room and found different sounds rather than a single ideal location.
That flexibility makes sense for someone who moves between his own records, outside production work, drums, guitars and video. The room can stay open and lively or become considerably more controlled depending on the recording.
The Control Room
The control room follows the same practical approach. Liam’s setup includes a wide range of microphone preamps, dynamics, EQ, conversion and instruments collected over time.
His equipment includes pieces from Rupert Neve Designs, API, Undertone Audio, Audient, Empirical Labs, Radial Engineering, Lynx and others. There are also synthesizers from Moog and Roland, along with a substantial guitar and amplifier collection. Much of the equipment came from Liam’s own experience recording, touring and working with other musicians rather than from trying to assemble a studio around a predetermined equipment list.
Finding the Right Monitors With Nic
We were particularly happy to hear Liam discuss the process behind choosing his Kii Audio monitoring system.
Liam had been speaking with Nic at Studio Economik for quite some time while trying to decide which monitors made the most sense for his control room. He had initially been leaning toward a PMC system.
While passing through Montreal on tour, Liam contacted Nic and arranged to visit for a listening session. The important part was being able to compare the options for himself rather than making the decision from specifications or recommendations alone.
As Liam explains in the tour, hearing the Kii THREE changed the direction of the system. He connected immediately with their sound during the demonstration. That first comparison was done using the Kii THREE monitors without the BXT modules. After discussing the system further with Nic, Liam decided to go with the full Kii THREE BXT setup.
Nic had a great time working with Liam throughout that process and helping him narrow things down to the equipment that worked for his preferences and his room. For us, that is exactly what a good monitoring demonstration should accomplish. The goal is not to tell an engineer or producer what they should prefer. It is to make it possible to hear the differences clearly enough to make the right decision for their own work.
The Kii THREE BXT System
The Kii THREE is an active DSP-controlled monitor built around controlled directivity and Kii’s Active Wave Focusing technology. Adding the BXT modules turns each Kii THREE into a floorstanding system with additional low-frequency drivers, greater output capability and extended low-frequency performance.
In Liam’s studio, that system sits at the centre of a control room that was designed from the beginning with serious monitoring in mind. The studio was also wired with future Dolby Atmos expansion in consideration, something Liam says interests him given his background in film and video production.
More Than the Monitoring System
Nic’s involvement with Liam’s studio has also extended well beyond the monitoring system. Over the years, he has helped Liam source a number of the pieces that now show up naturally throughout the tour. The Lauten Audio SNARE MIC is one example, with Liam calling out that microphone while walking through his drum setup. Nic also worked with him on other parts of the recording chain, including Audient preamps, Lynx conversion, Neumann monitoring tools, Earthworks microphones, a Tube-Tech channel strip, studio furniture, patching and cabling. Taken together, those choices show how the studio was built gradually around Liam’s actual workflow, with Nic helping him find the right piece for each part of the room as his needs developed.
A Studio That Reflects the Person Using It
What stands out in the complete tour is how personal the studio feels. The drum collection, amplifiers, guitars, camera system, acoustic treatment and control room equipment all connect directly to the way Liam learned and the kind of work he wants to make.
That is ultimately what makes a studio useful. Great equipment matters, but it has to make sense for the person sitting in front of it.
It was a pleasure for Nic to be a small part of Liam’s process and to help him spend time comparing monitors until he found the system that clicked for him.
The full studio tour is embedded above and is well worth watching for a closer look at Liam’s live room, control room, recording setup and the story behind the studio.
Learn more about Liam Hopkins and his music at www.liamhopkins.net. To explore Kii Audio monitoring systems, visit our Kii Audio page here. If you would like to work directly with Nic on finding the right monitoring system or studio gear for your setup, you can reach him at nicolas@economik.com or call 514-937-2000 ext. 218.