What Westlake Recording Studios does

Westlake Recording Studios is a commercial, full-service music recording complex operating two locations in the Los Angeles area — the flagship at 7265 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood (housing Studios C, D, E, The Barn, and Production Suites 1 and 2, plus administration) and the historic Studios A and B at 8447 Beverly Blvd. Founded as Westlake Audio in the early 1970s and operating for over 50 years, the company pioneered the concept of acoustically standardized interchangeable recording rooms — known as the 'Westlake-style' room — which propagated to professional studios worldwide. The facility is privately held under Bur-Mac Group Inc., a California corporation, and is co-owned by CEO Al Machera and President Steve Burdick.

The technical platform consists of nine distinct recording spaces built around premium analog and digital signal paths, including Solid State Logic XL9080K Super Analogue, XL9000 K Series, 9072 J Series, SL4000 G Series, and AWS 900+ consoles, Avid HDX systems, proprietary Westlake BBSM monitoring, variable-surface acoustic walls, and an extensive vintage and modern outboard gear inventory. Flagship Studio D features an 80-input SSL XL9000 K console, a 1,120 sq-ft grand tracking room with 17-foot ceilings, and a covert private entrance for high-profile clients.

Westlake generates revenue primarily through hourly studio rentals (6-hour minimum) and lockout bookings (12-hour day rate) for tracking, mixing, and overdub sessions, with optional 1st engineer services, floating gear rentals, and a separate rate structure for film/video production. The business is direct-to-customer: bookings are taken via phone and email, supported by an interactive virtual tour and an active Instagram presence. Customers include recording artists, music producers, and record labels spanning major-label and independent projects, with pricing structured as pay-as-you-go for independent artists and net/credit terms available for established business accounts.

Name

Westlake Recording Studios

Legal name

Bur-Mac Group Inc.

Website

https://westlakestudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Westlake Recording Studios is a privately held, full-service music recording complex in West Hollywood and Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, operating nine studios and production suites equipped with premium SSL consoles and serving recording artists, producers, and record labels on an hourly and lockout basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Recording Services

NAICS

Sound Recording Studios (51224), Sound Recording Studios (512240), Sound Recording Industries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Recording Studios (Commercial, Project, Mobile) (MPAIAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Production Management & Studio Support Services (Studio Managers, Techs) (MPAIAHAO)

Keywords

• Professional recording studios
• Music production facilities
• Tracking and mixing services
• Analog recording consoles
• Studio rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hollywood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Studio Time Rental: Hourly booking (6-hour minimum) and lockout booking (12-hour day rate) for studio sessions including tracking, mixing, and overdubs. Rates include assistant engineer. Overtime charged in 15-minute increments.
2. Professional Engineering Services: 1st engineer services available at additional cost, billed directly by the engineer. Net/credit terms available for established business entities.
3. Gear Rental and Add-ons: Rental gear, catering, and incidental charges billed as line items on session invoices.
4. Filming/Video Production: Filming on premises requires prior approval and is subject to increased rate structure or flat fees under signed location agreement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Westlake Recording Studios operates a commercial music recording complex in Los Angeles offering tracking, mixing, overdub, and production studio rentals across nine distinct rooms and production suites. The facility provides professional recording environments equipped with multiple Solid State Logic consoles, proprietary Westlake BBSM monitoring, and an included assistant engineer with optional 1st engineer services.

Product overview

Westlake Recording Studios is a full-service recording facility offering a portfolio of nine distinct recording spaces. The flagship Studios A through E provide progressive tiers of recording capability: Studio D serves as the premier space with an 80-input SSL XL9000 K console and maximum privacy features, while Studios C and E offer 72-channel SSL J Series consoles for high-end tracking and mixing. Studios A and B provide historic and versatile mixing/tracking options respectively. Production Suites 1 and 2 deliver cost-effective alternatives with SSL AWS 900+ consoles for vocal tracking, songwriting, and overdubs. The Barn is a standalone 2,000 sq-ft creative space with Trident 88 console and performance amenities. All studios include access to floating gear rentals featuring premium microphones, preamps, instruments, and outboard gear. Virtual tour capabilities allow remote facility previews.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Studio A
• Studio B Mixing, tracking, and overdub room equipped with a vintage Solid State Logic SL4000 G Series 72-channel console, an 800 sq-ft tracking room with 11-foot ceilings, and a 65 sq-ft isolation room. Known for its tight and punchy acoustic signature.
• Studio C Premier tracking and mixing room with a 72-channel Solid State Logic SL9000 J Series console, a 1,000 sq-ft tracking room with variable surface walls, a large private lounge, and large skylights in both the control room and tracking room.
• Studio D Flagship studio with an 80-input Solid State Logic XL9000 K Super Analogue Console, an expansive control room, a 1,120 sq-ft grand tracking room with 17-foot ceilings, a 200 sq-ft piano isolation room, three private lounges, two private bathrooms, and a covert private entrance for maximum privacy.
• Studio E Mixing suite equipped with a 72-input Solid State Logic 9072 J Series console, extensive outboard gear, a 52 sq-ft vocal booth, and a newly remodeled private lounge with dining and living areas.
• Production Suite 1 Intimate production suite with a Solid State Logic AWS 900+ console, a large vocal/overdub room, and a private lounge, offered at a price-conscious rate for vocal tracking, songwriting, overdubs, and mixing.
• Production Suite 2 Production suite with a Solid State Logic AWS 900+ console, a 200 sq-ft control room with Westlake Audio BBSM 12 monitors powered by Bryston Amplification, and a 150 sq-ft Adaptable Isolation Room (AIR) with built-in Westlake BBSM 10s that can transform into a second standalone production suite.
• The Barn Standalone 2,000 sq-ft studio with 18-foot ceilings, a 24-channel Trident 88 sidecar and Avid S3 Control Surface, a vintage 1903 Steinway upright piano, performance stage with RGB LED spotlights, private entrance, private bathroom, kitchenette, light-draped alfresco patio with bistro seating, and reserved parking.
• Floating Gear Rental Add-on rental service providing access to premium microphones, preamps, instruments, amplifiers, speakers, and outboard gear, available upon request or reservation across all Westlake studios and billed as line items on session invoices.
• Filming and Video Production Location Rental Premises rental for music video shoots, documentary recording, and live performance capture, available with prior approval under a signed location agreement, Certificate of Insurance, and an increased rate structure or flat fees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 years of continuous operation since early 1970s with major artists continuing to record at the facility

Named customers46 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sound City Studios: Legendary single-room (with auxiliary spaces) commercial recording facility in Van Nuys, recently revived. Comparable in brand legacy and artist appeal, though smaller in room count than Westlake's nine-room complex.
• Capitol Studios: Legendary LA recording facility owned by Universal Music Group inside the Capitol Records building. Operates multiple rooms including the iconic Studio A (echo chambers), serving the same A-list artist, producer, and label segment as Westlake.
• Henson Recording Studios: Historic Hollywood studio (formerly A&M Records) operating multiple premium rooms with SSL consoles. Serves the same major-label, A-list artist segment as Westlake with a similar legacy-positioned business model.
• Record Plant Los Angeles: Historic multi-room commercial recording studio in Hollywood with a legacy roster of iconic recordings. Directly comparable multi-room, A-list-focused commercial studio model.
• Sunset Sound: Long-running Hollywood commercial recording facility known for analog consoles and historic rock/pop recordings. Multi-room operation serving artists, producers, and labels in a directly comparable model to Westlake.
• United Recording / Ocean Way Recording: Allen Sides' multi-room Hollywood complex combining United Recording and Ocean Way. Premium analog-equipped studios serving the same top-tier artist and label market as Westlake, with directly comparable legacy and pricing positioning.
• EastWest Studios: Iconic Hollywood commercial recording complex (formerly Western Recorders and Cello Studios). Operates multiple premium rooms with vintage consoles and has served A-list artists for decades — directly comparable to Westlake in scale, clientele, and business model.
• Village Studios: West LA multi-room commercial recording facility (formerly Village Recorder) with multiple SSL-equipped rooms, historic pedigree, and an artist/producer/label client base that directly overlaps with Westlake.
• Conway Recording Studios: Multi-room commercial recording studio in Hollywood with SSL consoles, serving major artist and label projects. Directly comparable in scale, premium positioning, and LA-centric client base to Westlake.

Broad incumbents

• Abbey Road Studios: World-famous multi-room commercial recording facility in London, owned by Universal Music Group, with a global brand, premium pricing, and an A-list artist roster that mirrors Westlake's positioning. Comparable as a globally recognized legacy studio rather than a direct LA competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/westlakestudios
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/westlake-studios

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Westlake Recording Studios