Trout Studios: The Start of Many Beginnings
Our New Release Surface of Last Scattering - Christmas 2012
Who Is Trout Studios?
Trout Studios began, like many things as an after thought to what was going on at the time. Cue Mr. Peabody's way-back-machine and set the dial to 1994. A group of singer songwriters got together and complained about the high price of recording studios. It was decided to bring all our equipment to one location and try recording ourselves. This was easier said than done. Mitch Rall, John Armes, Greg Smith and Chris Flynn began Trout Studios. This incarnation yielded the first and only John Armes project. We determined that Trout would be a place where beginners yearning to take their first steps into recording could come. In the early days the fee for recording was bring your own tape and a pizza.
Why Trout?
Trout, rather, TROUT is an acronym. Simply put it stand for: Trusting Renegades Outside Unsanctified Theocracy. You would be correct in assuming that we are a Christian studio. We are believers from a variety of backgrounds, but hold to the historic foundation of Christianity. You can see that in the Statement of Faith section. Why faith? Because faith plays a vital role in the process of creation. There is a huge leap of faith just moving from words to music to tape to CD. Just believing that someone else would like your musical creation requires faith.
Philosophy
Unlike professional studios, we decided that giving
away studio time would be the best use of our
resources. Why? Because to those who have been given
alot,
there is much expected. Or put another way, Trout
Studios is a ministry for those Christian singer
songwriters who want to take the first step into
creation. Some have gone on to be picked up by
regional distributors, others have a family
keepsake.
TROUT
Trusting
Renegades
Outside
Unsanctified
Theocracy.
One individual,
Arix Zalace, is
in the process of
selling his art work and music so that South
American Indians can buy back their native lands.
His art and music can be purchased from his web
site. (See Links section).
Adopt, Adapt, and Improve
In the beginning we were a four-track cassette tape
based organization. Almost comically we
started with a couple of Sure Mikes and some duct
tape. The very fact that we had no idea of what
we were doing didn't stop us, it just meant we were
crazy enough not to realize the task in front of us.
Donations of cash came (rather than pizza) and we
were able to buy more equipment. Finally, 10 years
Our First Decklater, we're recording on the computer. This doesn't
mean it came easy, no, it was quite an adventure
adopting new technologies, adapting recording
techniques and improving the whole studio several
times a year.
The key, through it all, is that it has been fun!