The Community EditionSAPLING AND SKY: A NEW RECORDING IN DTK STUDIO
Located within the 44 Gaukel St. arts space in the heart of downtown Kitchener, Sapling and Sky opened its doors to musicians and artists of all sorts this past June.
The studio is equipped for mixing/mastering, live tracking, vocal recording and song development along with in-house video and photography available.
For co-owners Doran Leung and Joshua Pascua, this new venture marks the realization of their mutual lifelong passions for music. Leung, who studied classical violin at Wilfred Laurier University is also a member of local band Maria Gabriella and Corduroy Blue.
Pascua studied at Mohawk College and has been performing as a singer and musician for over a decade, drawing on soul funk and disco influences.
The two met through mutual friends in 2022.
“I was trying to find someone willing to take that full leap into pursuing music full-time as a career—and Josh had already been doing so for years,” he said. “It was like a prayer answered when Doran hit me up, I would say. I think he saw something in me that I also saw in him,” Pascua said.
He previously had his own personal studio for just over a year, in which he refined his knowledge of studio production and recording.
“Ultimately it was a matter of, how can I take what I learned from this personal studio and help others with it?,” Pascua said.
The space is adorned with an array of records, featuring the likes of Jermaine Jackson, Miles Davis and Esther Phillips.
“Shout-out to Extra Large Records” Leung said. “Most of the records on the wall, we got from there. The sound panels are from a guy in Ayr who custom makes them.”
Joining these music greats on the wall are soundproofing panels evenly spaced out, all of it surrounding the studio’s heap of high-quality microphones, amps, and other production equipment.
Sapling and Sky is equipped to work with and record all varieties of sounds and genre.
“A few days ago we had a Nigerian artist from Brantford come by,” Leung said. “Tomorrow we’ve got a Punjabi rapper.”
A notable trait that the two joked about including as an official item on their terms and conditions form is the studio’s shoes-off policy. Rugs cover most of the studio space which combine with the blue sectional couch and warm colour lamps to create a comfortable, inviting atmosphere.
“It made sense with the rugs and how winter in Canada is with the salt. Plus, we’re Asian,” Leung said.
“We want this place to feel cozy, we want people to come in and treat this place like their home,” Pascua said.
Having both grown up in the GTA prior to moving to the Kitchener-Waterloo area, the duo expressed their love and appreciation for both the local music scene and the wider community overall.
“It’s been a lot of fun so far…here it really feels like community over competition,” Pascua said.
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