Who We Are
Shinya Matsushita has been involved in various aspects of audio engineering for 26 years, with roles which include in-studio and on-location recording, mixing, mastering, and studio design, with an emphasis on the requirements of acoustic music such as jazz and classical.He spent 15 years at a jazz-focused Tokyo recording studio and began cutting records there in 2015. In 2021, he took over the cutting lathe and started Piccolo as the owner/operator.As a result of his passion for recording great sounding music, he develops studio recording and playback equipment in house and is dedicated to providing unique solutions and services to his customers.
Lacquer Master Cutting
Scully/Western Electric RA-1389 Lathe with:
Custom Vacuum Platter
Custom Automatic Variable Pitch computer
Variable depth control
Tube/Solid-state Hybrid Cutting Amplifier
Westrex 3D II AH cutterhead
Custom cutting stylus supports modern cutting angles
Mono cutting also possible with a
Westrex 2B Mono cutteread
Many aspects of the all-analog mastering for cutting process require great care and optimization to achieve the best possible sound quality.
We carefully select and maintain every piece of equipment in the mastering chain to do minimal damage to the delicate signal. Of course, the quality of individual components is very important, but so is the compatibility with other components in the chain. Playback starts with a modern tape transport for best wow and flutter performance, but relies on vintage vacuum tube playback electronics for best sound quality. Signal conditioning devices such as equalizers, compressors, de-essers, and limiters are used when they will yield an improvement to the overall result. Whether tube or solid state, they are chosen based on their ability to preserve nuance, dynamics, and the organic impression that analog recordings are prized for.
Mastering for record cutting imposes difficulties which are unique to this medium and require extra sensitivity to achieve. Preserving high-frequency detail and dynamics without causing distortion during cutting or causing mistracking in playback, for example, is like a ballerina balancing on her toes or driving a race car at the limit of its grip. In addition to the careful signal processing and level adjustment for cutting, many aspects of the cutting process itself require scrutiny and optimization; cutting stylus profile and angle, groove depth, stylus heating, optimization of the cutterhead feedback level, screening of the lacquers, evaluation of the test pressing… All of these tasks contribute to the end result.
The all-analog mastering and disk cutting process is challenging, but it is just as rewarding, and we welcome your interest in using this process.
Our Services
Our special services for you.
Lacquer Master Cutting/Mastering
Full-service preparation of masters for analog record pressing.
Speeds of 33 1/3, 45, and 78 rpm for
12″, 10″, and 7″ disks are supported.
This includes optimization of sound quality for cutting.
Even if the source is already mastered, this work is almost always necessary because of the special requirements for disk cutting compared to digital media.
Recording
We perform multitrack small ensemble recording in third party recording studios.We often take our own custom and high-quality commercial outboard gear to sessions: custom tube microphones, Ampex 350/351 mic preamps, NTP compressor,custom T4B-based optical compressor
We also do location recording in concert halls.
Mixdown
In addition to computer-based editing and signal processing, we make extensive use of commercial and custom-made
analog outboard equipment (e.g. EMT 140 Tube plate reverb, Neumann EQ, NTP compressor, custom-made EQP-1 EQ, custom-made variable mu compressor, custom T4B-based optical compressor) to achieve a more organic, beautiful sounding mix.
We can support live-streamed remote real-time mixing.
Our Prices
Address
2-5-2 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0034
Bunseido Building, B1F
Access
Nearest Stations:
Tokyo Metro and JR Ochanomizu Station, Tokyo Metro Hongo-Sanchome Station.
For those arriving by car, please use a nearby coin parking facility.