What makes a song truly great? Is it the artist’s voice, the melody that sticks with you, or the emotions it stirs? While all of those play their part, there’s another layer to the process—a quieter, less visible one—that happens behind closed doors. Inside recording studios, raw ideas take shape, and the smallest details are given careful attention. These spaces are where artists and sound engineers collaborate, experiment, and refine, turning inspiration into a final piece of music that resonates with listeners.
In India, recording studios have played an essential role in defining the country’s rich and diverse musical landscape. From the high-energy hubs of Bollywood, where hit after hit is crafted, to smaller, independent studios nurturing fresh voices and experimental sounds, these spaces carry the heartbeat of Indian music. Each studio has its own story, its own unique atmosphere, and a history of shaping songs that have become part of our collective memory. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top recording studios in the country, places where India’s music comes to life.
1. Island City Studios
Island City Studios in Mumbai is home to two exceptional recording spaces designed to cater to a wide range of creative needs. The Bay (Studio B) is a compact yet powerful studio ideal for voiceovers, ADR, and single-instrument overdubs, but it’s also capable of tracking an entire band live, thanks to its 100-square-foot live room and DI inputs in the control room. Equipped with the Avalon 737 preamp, API 3124, and the Dangerous 2-BUS+, this cozy space delivers professional-grade sound and even features a private balcony for breaks. The Press (Studio A), the flagship studio, is built for larger productions and houses the legendary API 1608 console and Quested 212 monitors. Its 500-square-foot live room includes a Yamaha Baby Grand, Pearl Reference drum kit, Fender Rhodes, and a range of amps, offering everything needed for full-scale recording sessions. With panoramic city views, natural light, and an impressive lineup of vintage and modern gear, Island City Studios seamlessly blends inspiration, technology, and expertise.
2. Cali Recording Studios
Cali Recording Studios in Worli, South Bombay, is a fully equipped facility offering a wide range of services, including recording, mixing, mastering, songwriting, and music production. The studio features state-of-the-art technology, including Quested Monitoring, to support high-quality audio work for projects of all scales. It also houses a unique DJ practice room, the first of its kind in India, providing DJs with access to industry-standard equipment for practice or recording. Additional amenities include a chill area and a café, ensuring a comfortable and productive environment. Focused on supporting artists and fostering collaborations, Cali Recording Studios is designed to cater to the needs of musicians, producers, and creators alike.
3. o3 Studio
O3 Studio, founded in 2021 by Braindrop/Synister, is a boutique music production studio, DJ academy, and creative hub in North Goa. Known for its personalized one-on-one training, both in-person and online, it tailors courses to individual genres, offering aspiring artists hands-on learning and industry connections. The studio also provides high-quality mixing and mastering services at affordable rates for emerging artists and labels. Equipped with world-class production, mastering, and DJ gear, Studio A serves as the main control room and DJ space, while Studio B is available for rentals and streaming.
4. Kintsugi studios
Founded in 2015 by composer, producer, and mix engineer Abhishek Sekhri, this New – Delhi – based creative audio and music production studio is designed to blend professionalism with comfort. With a focus on high-quality production and meticulous attention to detail, the studio provides a welcoming yet industry-standard space for artists and brands alike. Their expertise spans music production, sound design, and mixing/mastering for visual media, artists, and bands, offering services such as jingles, voiceovers, scoring, and post-production. Over the years, they’ve worked with leading brands like Saffola, Amazon, and Cred, as well as artists including Mickey Singh, Nav Inder, and Komorebi, solidifying their reputation in the industry.
5. Bay Owl
Bay Owl Studios is a full-service audio production hub in Mumbai, offering everything from rehearsals and recording to post-production and live streaming. Home to one of the city’s largest and most affordable jam rooms, the studio comfortably accommodates ensembles of up to 25 artists. With five studios featuring different-sized live rooms, Bay Owl is equipped to handle full-band recordings, solo sessions, ADR, podcasts, and audiobooks. The facility boasts two API consoles, top-tier microphones, and high-end outboard gear for pristine sound quality. Beyond recording, the studio specializes in vocal tuning, noise cleanup, mixing, mastering, and film post-production, including foley, ADR, and sound design. Bay Owl also offers music production services for commercial jingles, background scores, and brand audio signatures, as well as session artist coordination for voiceovers and instrumentalists.
6. Boing Studios
BOING Recording Studios is a leading audio-post facility in Mumbai, known for its state-of-the-art recording rooms, award-winning engineers, and meticulous approach to sound. Designed by renowned studio architect Sam Toyoshima, BOING offers high-end services including recording, mixing, sound design, sonic branding, and Atmos mixing, catering to industries like advertising, film, television, music, documentaries, and video games. With a client-first approach and a relaxed yet highly professional environment, BOING has earned a reputation for excellence in audio production.
7. Fresh Lime Studios
Fresh Lime Studios, located in Saket, New Delhi, is a state-of-the-art recording and production facility, offering top-tier services in music, film, and podcasting. As the only studio in Delhi calibrated for and by Dolby Atmos, it provides an immersive audio experience tailored for musicians, filmmakers, and content creators. Powered by Neumann, the studio boasts industry-standard equipment, including the U87 microphone and KH monitoring system, ensuring exceptional sound quality. Founded by Berklee College of Music graduate Tanishq, the studio is home to a team of professionals dedicated to delivering world-class audio production. With multiple studio spaces, including The Lime for full-band recordings, The Soda for dubbing, and dedicated podcast studios The Fizz and The Splash, Fresh Lime Studios caters to a diverse range of creative needs.
8. Ferris Wheels Studios
Ferris Wheel Studios, located in Gurgaon, is one of North India’s largest and most advanced commercial recording facilities, offering a perfect blend of analog warmth and digital precision. Designed for world-class music production, the studio features multiple specialized spaces including Studio A (a hybrid analog-digital setup), Studio B (built for electronic music), a 256 sq ft Live Room for drums and choirs, an isolated vocal booth, and a dedicated amp room for guitar recordings. With cutting-edge gear like Universal Audio interfaces, SSL Fusion Color Buss, Pultec EQs, and Fractal Audio, the studio is known for pristine sound capture across genres. Founded and led by Mukul, Ferris Wheel Studios has earned a reputation for delivering technically flawless and creatively inspired work, with clients like Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Badshah, Prateek Kuhad, Indian Ocean, Dan Swift, and Lesle Lewis among others.
9. Compass Box Studio
Compass Box Studio, located in Ahmedabad, is a premier Dolby Atmos recording and production house dedicated to elevating music production with world-class facilities, high-end equipment, and a team of talented professionals. With an acoustically treated recording space and a strong focus on independent artists, the studio provides top-tier recording, mixing, and mastering services while actively contributing to India’s indie music scene. Through Compass Box Live Sessions, the studio offers free, one-take live recordings, making high-quality production accessible to emerging musicians. Recognized by platforms like Rolling Stone India and Red Bull Music, it stands out as one of the few studios cutting costs for indie artists.
10. Dawn Studios
Dawn Studios, operated by Pune Talkies Pvt. Ltd., is a full-scale production house based in Pune, offering comprehensive audio and video post-production services. Equipped with Dolby-certified facilities, high-end recording equipment, and a state-of-the-art mixing environment, the studio caters to feature films, web series, theatrical plays, corporate films, brand commercials, music albums, and live events. Dawn Studios’ audio services include music production, live recording, dubbing, voiceovers, sound design, foley, mixing, and mastering (5.1, 7.1, Atmos). The video production division specializes in editing, DI/CC, CG, VFX, and subtitles, ensuring a seamless end-to-end workflow. Expanding its reach, Dawn Studios also offers full-scale production support for ad films, animation, music videos, live concerts, and complete film production.
11. Katharas Studios
Katharas Studios, an independent art promotion wing of Saraswati Music College, is a premier audio and video production facility in the heart of New Delhi. Designed by four-time IIFA Award-winning sound engineer Satish Gupta, its state-of-the-art audio studio is known for world-class acoustics and cutting-edge equipment. Established in 2007, the studio has since become a go-to destination for Bollywood, international musicians, and Grammy-winning artists, hosting names like A.R. Rahman, Imtiaz Ali, and Mumford & Sons. The facility also includes a premium video studio with a 1400 sq. ft. shooting floor, soundproofed green rooms, and full power backup, along with a 24×7 jamming station for musicians and bands. In addition to production, Katharas Studios provides short-term courses in music production, audio recording, mixing, and mastering, continuing its long legacy of fostering artistic talent since 1924.
12. Lucid Recess Studio
Lucid Recess Studio, based in Guwahati, is a full-service digital audio recording studio run by brothers Siddharth and Amitabh Barooa, who transformed their bedroom studio setup in 2006 into a professional facility by 2008. Known for its commitment to quality and affordability, the studio has worked with over 300 artists from across India and was recognized by Rolling Stone India as one of the country’s top 10 independent producers in 2017. Lucid Recess Studio offers a wide range of services including full song production (recording, editing, drum programming or live drums, mixing, mastering), standalone recording, mixing/mastering, and live band recordings—capturing both audio and video in one take to preserve the essence of a performance.
