Mention a recording studio, and it conjures up images of musicians in places like Abbey Rd, Muscle Shoals and Hitsville USA.
They are the places the elite went to record their music, creating an almost mythical aura around the process, far out of reach of the person on the street.
Today, technology and the internet have made recording music accessible to all.
Te Puke musician Axl Rose has recording technology at his fingertips, and he is willing to share his expertise.
"It's crazy what you can actually achieve now in terms of music and the internet has helped so much with it as well," he says.
Axl is opening his home studio for a day to those who are interested in seeing what can be done.
"My goal and what I would like to achieve with this studio day is to be able to give back to the music community and at the same time give the new generation of musicians a chance to be in a studio and gain the skills they need to make music.
"When I first started, I was offered a chance to be in a big professional studio and I didn't know the first thing about being in a recording studio. I'm with these professional people who are there to work and I went in there with the wrong mindset and that's what I'm trying to give this next generation - the mindset for when you are in a studio."
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Advertise with NZME.He says the day will also be a good opportunity for like-minded people to network and make new connections in the music world.
Axl's music is predominantly hip hop, but he says the principles are the same, whatever the style.
He has been making music for more than 10 years and while he is from a musical family, he took a road less travelled.
"My little brothers play rock and my uncles are musicians too, but not so much me, because they were all playing guitars, different genres."
He says he is largely self-taught and his motivation came from elsewhere.
"I was picked on at school," he says. "I didn't really have a voice, but music was a good therapy session, if you will, a good outlet and a good way to express myself without getting into trouble.
"I used to try and fit in with crowds a lot and jump from group to group and still not find my place, but in the studio, I feel like I can say anything and if I don't want to release it, I don't have to, but it gets it off my chest - it's a good way to let stuff out."
Axl Rose is his birth name - and yes, his family are Guns N' Roses fans - but he records under the name Mr Ridl and has plenty of content on various streaming platforms.
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Advertise with NZME."Mr Ridl was a nickname that I just got given over the years.
"Back in the day, to fit in, I got into graffiti - and that was my name - Ridl. Obviously, I got caught and that changed my perspective on what I wanted to do."
Music was an outlet that didn't cause damage, he says.
He also started a label - G7 - with a friend from Christchurch.
"We got a couple of artists signed on, then I took it over myself and I've been managing these artists, putting on events.
"Pretty much you get out what you put in, so I'm not chasing these artists to come in and record. They own their royalties, I don't make anything from it, I'm just there to help them get on the platform."
Axl has been involved in youth work in the district through Ngā Kākano Foundation and because of that, he knows there are talented youngsters in the area.
"But again, they don't have the opportunity to experience how to make music. That's another reason I'm doing this studio day."
The studio day will be on July 16 and anyone interested can contact Axl via Facebook or email at g7music.mail@gmail.com
