By FARAH

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net


BEFORE musical engineer Neil Symonette knew it, Reel Time Studios had turned to a flourishing business.

It was not his intention to start a business venture, but the quality of work produced on a consistent basis was undeniable and attracted many musicians seeking a professional touch on their records.
This was the birth of Reel Time, which is also Neil’s sacred space where he can unwind and just make music.
“The studio did not originally start as a business venture but as a tool to record my original musical ideas on a cassettes, 4 track recorder, then 8 track reel to reel, to ADAT, and now computers,” he said.

“My late brother Trevor Symonette was a huge inspiration to me along with Michael Hanna and international recording engineer Kendal Stubbs,” Neil told In Ya Ear. 
“From the mid 90s I was asked by other artists to record their songs and I just wanted to accommodate them while I worked other jobs.

“It was all part time, then a friend, Greg Bartlett, said ‘man you gatta find a name for the business, I said ‘what business? Then it dawned on me that he was right so I saw the reels spinning and said ‘okay Reel Time’.

“Reflecting on it, it was directed by God. I truly thank him that the studio has evolved to this point and allowed people to see their dreams fulfilled. I try to remind myself every day that I am only a steward, he is the owner,” he said.
Neil and his team and Reel Time work with bands, vocal groups, individual artists, material recordings, original advertising music, soundtracks, demos, LP/cassette to CD transfers, CD duplication, and printing.
Apart from helping musicians realise their dreams, Neil said the studio is a training ground for others who want to know more about musical engineering and what it entails.
“I see the studio as a training ground and an inspiration depot. We would like to train, and motivate engineers and recording artists to harness new technology but to use it positively and not as a short cut but with good old fashioned practice and discipline to capture their inspiration and artistic expression.

“The recording industry has made it easy with a simple digital set-up these days like a Pro -Tools, M box or Reason sequencing software a mic and a computer,” he told In Ya Ear.
One of the toughest fights, he said, is finding a balance between his work as a musician and working as a musical engineer.
“The difficulty has been trying to maintain a personal artistic vision and grow as a musician with balancing an efficient business.

“I do apologise to some of our clients and thank them for their patience, but the good news is that a lot of positive changes have taken place allowing us to be more productive with the incredible assistance of gifted engineer Colyn McDonald and other part time assistants like Todd Marshall, Kent Burrows and Lawrence Smith Jr,” he said.
Neil is currently working on musical projects with a singer/songwriter from UK, Phil Tidy, a soundtrack for the documentary ‘Out of Egypt’ with Bahamian producer Travolta Cooper, overdubs for an upcoming live Praise and Worship CD and new material from ‘Puzzle’.
He has also worked with gospel artists including Shabak, Kevan Mckenzie, The Region Bells, Colyn Major, Stirling Marche, Soultimental, Deryck Adams, Heston Dean, Tracy Tracey, Richa Sands, Nigel Lewis. Puzzle’, Paul Hanna, Sammi ‘Starr’, Bahamen, Naomi Taylor K.B & Friends, Fred Ferguson and others. He has also done live recordings with various choirs such as Mt Tabor’s.
Mr Symonette said he would like to work on fusion projects with several international artists he is connected with and also experiment on merging a new sound with the more traditional Bahamian singers like Prophet Rolle, Sister Rachael Mackey and Elon Moxey, he said.
Expanding to accommodate large bands, choirs and creating a rehearsal space are also priorities.