578 Recording Studio Design Given the way that this industry is developing, however, such investment seems unlikely. 22.5 Studios and control rooms That the design of the recording rooms is an art form is in little doubt. The rooms in which the musicians play are instruments, or at the very least they are extensions of the instruments being played, because often the originally intended tonal character of the instruments took into account a degree of ambient sound. If the rooms feel good to the musician and sound good when recordings are made via microphones, then the rooms are good. Of course, a degree of understanding of the scientific principles involved goes a long way to achieving a successful design, but the same also applies to instru- ment designers and manufacturers. Few people would expect that they could work at weekends in their garden sheds and produce an electric guitar like a Les Paul or a Fender Telecaster. These were the products of highly talented and experienced designers. It can also be said that if a control room leads the recording personnel to achieve great mixes, then it too must be good, irrespective of its measured performance, but the situation here is somewhat different. Notwithstanding what has been discussed in the previous sections, there is still an implicit need for a control room to be a room of general neutrality, which allows the listeners to hear the recording. Unlike in the studio, where the ambience can