Darkwood Studios is a professional recording studio with an acoustically treated live room, purpose-built mixing studio and is also fitted out as a multi-purpose music venue.

In 2019, our iconic and beloved ‘Smokehouse Studios’ was converted into a hotel so we packed up and moved to the rural delights of Hertfordshire – Symondshyde Farm

Given the option to start building from scratch, we decided to create a space that would be multifunctional and able to support recording, performing, rehearsal, video creation, photography, live performance, streaming, a meeting space and company offices.

Darkwood Studios comprises a large live room, a large vocal separation booth: kitted out for recording (with adjustable acoustic baffling) and performance (with high-speed, fibre-optic internet access available throughout the space). There is also an acoustically-treated control room with capability for sound and audio processing. Finally we have a break-out meeting/room with kitchen, TV and storage facilities.

Our vision was to provide a venue that would offer a full range of creative opportunities for both professional and emerging artists in Hertfordshire and North London. Our aim is to help local artists to create and promulgate their music and performance from a single creative hub, supported by a formal music label environment but without many of the financial constraints found in the mainstream music industry.

Our ultimate goal is for Darkwood Studios and 3MS Music to be self-sustaining, in effect a co-operative with local musicians of all types. Our musical canvas is broadening further, as we work with an increasing population of artists, including rock, indie, blues, folk, soul, jazz and R&B.