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In keeping with my desire to both write about Mexico and give you some helpful info. I have written the following. At a recent gathering of friends, it came up that there are so many aspiring “wanna be” artists who always wanted to be recorded but could not afford the costs of today’s stateside recording studios.  I spoke to some members of a touring show that graced our small village here in Ajijic, Mexico, who related to me, just how expensive it is in the States to get recorded. Later at another party it came up again, but this time it was mentioned that there was a recording studio somewhere in our area. I set out to find it and find it I did. I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.  The name of the recording studio is “South of the Border”, and is owned and operated by Alan and Carol Bedford. I called and spoke with Allan Bedford who was gracious, but as he is the recording engineer and handles the technical and production end, he turned me over to his wife Carol who, made an appointment for me for later in the week..

When I arrived, Alan met us at the gate and escorted us through the garden/yard to the house. As I remember, there was a fountain on the right of the front door just bubbling away and on the left a  waterfall. There were lots of tropical plants to complete this picture of calm ambiance..

Alan and Carols’ attractive front door was obliviously custom made just for them. It was black wrought iron with musical notes scattered here and there. It may have exuded a musical message but since I don’t read music, I can’t say. 

I then met Carol, who was gracious and extended her home to me. It was not until later that I realized just who she was. The whole time with the both of them, I kept thinking that I knew her name. She is a local singing star in our area and has sung professionally with her band throughout the USA and it was for her that Alan built this studio: to further her career. He tells me that she is blessed with “Perfect Pitch”. 

The story behind the Bedford’s is really amazing. Carol was telling me that she recently wrote a musical for Broadway and sent it in and it was well received. Perhaps it will become a top Broadway musical. I certainly hope so.

Look at Alan for a moment. I’ll just touch on the highlights of his earlier career:

He was a mouseketeer; I saw a photo of him standing beside Annette Funicello, who I had a crush on big time back then. There are lots and lots of mouse memorabilia in the studio. 

Alan was Grand National Ballroom Dancing Champion for 4 yrs in a row, and when he graduated from high school, he was hired to be the choreographer for the movie ‘Viva Las Vegas” starring Elvis Prestly and Ann Margaret.
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He’s been a DJ, which he did between jobs while in the construction business as an engineer. 

He is an accomplished piano player and presently plays in a band in local music halls. And I had the pleasure of hearing him play the drums recently at a local club. He’s great!

He met his wife Carol while she was playing in a country band in San Diego. She played in this band for some 4 years. They are both very accomplished musicians and entertainers.

Now a little about the studio here in San Juan Cosla, Mexico

San Juan Cosala is a small village just outside of Ajijic, which is almost attached to Chapala, on the northside of Lake Chapala, some 45 minutes S.W. Of Guadalajara, the second largest city in Mexico

Name “South of the Border Productions”
Phone: 011 52 387 761 0259
e-mail: Music@Laguna.com.mx

Tracking capabilities?  Up to 24 tracks
Do you provide musicians?  No
Digitally mastered?  Yes
Master here?  Yes
Do you provide the master tape, yes
Price per hour for recording? $ 500 Pesos ( Less than $50 US dollars) – 
Set price or by the hour
Includes, Basic Demo,  CD master
Do you have a translation service- Yes, extra
Ability to transfer from one media to another and clean up snap and crackle- Yes

The recording studio has 10% reflecting service and a Neumann super sensitive mic complete with a “p-popper”, which is a microphone screen designed to eliminate or minimize harsh “p’s” and snakey “s’s”.

There are CD burners, cassette turntables, open tape featuring an ADAT tape system, and Alesis Mixing Board. All top of the line equipment. 

This is a fully multitrack Recording Studio. 

Alan has worked with Glen Yarbough, RockinHorse Band, Members of Charlie Pride’s Band, Songwriter/Performer Dwayne Blackwell (“Friend’s in Low Places”, “I’m Mr. Blue”, etc and, Harry Hunna). 

South of the Border Productions are now able to provide some musicians, if needed, including rhythm, lead, or bass guitar, synthesizer, and drums. Each would be individually contracted and paid separately by the performer.

Sorry that I spent so much time on the background of the Bedford’s but they are even more interesting to me than the recording studio, but the object of this article was to help with recording problems and costs. Mexico can provide this service for far less than in the States.

So it seems to me that if you are one of the “wanna be’s”, or an old timer who wants to record in a first rate quality studio at reduced prices, then “South of the Border” recording studio is just the place for you. 

Accommodations in the area are inexpensive for the period of time that you’d be here recording.

Come on down and record that CD, tune, or song that you’ve always had a ”hankering” to do!

Good Vibes to you all! 

Mexicojerry,

Chapala, Mexico

The following are the previous articles Mexicojerry wrote for the magazine:

Living In Mexico For About $350 Per Month: Balancing Wants And Needs - Spartan but Sublime
Dental Work In Mexico - Getting New Choppers On The Cheap
An Earthquake And Some Dental Work ~ Making It Through The Tremors In Mexico 

To see Mexicojerry's web site Click Here

To contact Mexicojerry Click Here
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