Recording Studio in Paris Recording, mixing and mastering in the 18th arrondissement, since 2007
Studio du Poisson Barbu is an independent recording studio in the north of Paris, between Montmartre and Gare du Nord. Founded in 2007 by Léonard Mule, it welcomes artists, bands, labels, producers and voice talent in a warm, daylit space designed for long sessions without fatigue.
Our three sound engineers are all musicians, and sessions can be run in English.
Version française : Studio d'enregistrement à Paris. Les autres pages du site sont en français.
The studio
The studio sits on the ground floor of a leafy courtyard. The control room and the live room both look out onto it and get natural daylight:
- Control room (19 m²), acoustically treated, with Focal SM9 monitors, Focusrite Red 16 Line conversion and a comfortable client area.
- Live room (12 m²), a fully isolated box-in-a-box with a dry, warm sound, a Yamaha upright piano and a view of the control room. It easily fits three or four musicians playing live.
- Backline room for amps and extra recording.
Outboard includes an AMS Neve 1073 DPX, an API 3124+, a Universal Audio 4110 and a Purple Audio MC77. Microphones include Neumann U87 Ai and KM184, AEA R88, Coles 4038, Peluso 2247, Beyerdynamic M160, Electro-Voice RE20 and Shure SM7B. Drums (Drum Workshop, Pearl), Orange and Eden amps, keyboards and percussion are available at no extra cost. Up to 18 tracks can be recorded at once, with 4 separate headphone mixes. Full equipment list (in French).
Services
- Recording: live or track by track, for albums, EPs, singles and soundtracks, in every style (rock, folk, electronic, hip-hop, jazz, classical…).
- Mixing: hybrid analog and digital (Pro Tools, Cubase), delivered in stereo or as stems, in the studio or remotely. Dolby Atmos mixing in 7.1.4 (remote) or binaural (in the studio).
- Mastering: with our partner studio Phase Mastering or in-house, for streaming, radio, TV, film, CD (DDP) and vinyl.
- Voice-over and audiobooks: commercials, podcasts, language courses and audiobooks to Audible (ACX) standards, with up to 4 voices recorded at once. Voice casting available.
- Music production: pre-production, arrangements, session musicians and musical direction.
You are welcome to bring your own engineer: we set up the studio for them and stay on site if needed, with a discount on the overall price.
Rates
All rates include the sound engineer. No VAT is charged.
| Session | Monday - Friday | Weekend / Public holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | €65 | not available |
| 2 hours | €120 | not available |
| 3 hours | €160 | not available |
| 4 hours | €200 | €240 |
| Full day (8 hours) | €340 | €420 |
| Evening (7 pm - 11 pm) | €240 | €270 |
| 2 days or more | on request | |
- Vocals over a beat: €160 per track (3 hours: vocal recording, mixing and mastering in the studio).
- Single package: €400 per track (one day in the studio: vocals, editing and multitrack mixing, mastered at Phase Mastering).
- Remote stereo mixing: from €100 per track, in about two weeks.
- Mastering: €45 to €76 per track.
- Audiobooks, Dolby Atmos, music production, on-location recording: on request.
Packages are available Monday to Friday, daytime only, excluding public holidays. One- and two-hour sessions are booked the day before for the next day. Payment by cash, bank transfer, Wero, PayPal or cheque. Full rates (in French).
Who has recorded here
Wax Tailor and his guests (Charlie Winston, Tricky, Keziah Jones, Mark Lanegan…), Zaho de Sagazan, Abd Al Malik, Disiz, Olivia Ruiz, and voices such as Sandrine Bonnaire, Michael Lonsdale and Saul Williams. Clients also include the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Médecins Sans Frontières, Greenpeace and Ubisoft. See all credits.
The team: Léonard Mule, founder, producer and multi-instrumentalist; Romain Dowska, producer and sound designer, analog synth specialist; Susie Lopez Uroz, producer and multi-instrumentalist, Abbey Road Institute graduate. More about the team.
« I've recorded here two times, and I absolutely love the space, the vibe, and the team. (…) they were very friendly to an American looking to record in Paris. »
— Jonathan S.
Frequently asked questions
Can sessions be run in English?
Yes, sessions can be run in English.
What is included in the session price?
The sound engineer, all of the studio's backline (drums, amps, upright piano, keyboards, percussion) and wifi. Piano tuning, recommended the day before the session, is optional: €100, charged by our partner tuner. There is no VAT on our rates.
Can I come with my own engineer?
Yes, we regularly host outside teams. We set up and patch the studio so you can quickly work with our equipment and monitoring, then we stay on site if you need us. A discount applies to the overall price.
How do I book a session?
Call or email us. One- and two-hour sessions are booked the day before for the next day. For three hours or more, a 30% deposit is required; it is refunded in full if you cancel at least four weeks before the session.
Can I get my files back months or years later?
Yes. We have archived every session since the studio opened in 2007, free of charge. Only new work on your tracks is billed.
Getting here and booking
Open every day from 8 am to 11 pm, by appointment only. Gare du Nord (Eurostar) is two stops away on metro line 4, Gare de l'Est three. Plenty of places to eat nearby.
Studio du Poisson Barbu - recording studio, Paris 18th
📍 10 rue de Suez, 75018 Paris, France
Metro: Château Rouge (line 4) / Marcadet - Poissonniers (lines 4 & 12)