KIT Plugins have already brought the sounds of one renowned studio to the masses, having released a steady stream of plug-ins that capture the sound of the vintage equipment at Nashville’s Blackbird Studios. Now, they’ve just announced a second partnership that will see them take the same approach with another iconic facility: New Mexico’s Norman Petty Studios.
Considered by many to be the most well-preserved vintage recording studio in the world, Norman Petty Studios is best known as the birthplace of Buddy Holly’s signature sounds. Nearly all of the artist’s groundbreaking hits were recorded there, along with albums by the likes of Roy Orbison, Buddy Knox and Waylon Jennings, and more recently, LeAnn Rimes.
"We are beyond excited about this partnership as we get to honour the studio’s remarkable legacy while bringing its unique sonic character to a new generation of music creators. - Matt Kleinman, Founder, KIT Plugins
Stepping inside the studios, visitors are greeted with a museum-like experience, passing through the 1950s apartment that Norman built to house artists while they recorded. The studio itself still houses a collection of original instruments, including the celeste from Buddy Holly’s ‘Everyday’ and the Solovox organ used on the Fireballs’ 1963 number-one hit ‘Sugar Shack’.
The control room is home to Petty's custom-built console — a fusion of three heavily modified Altec 1567a mixers and units from Pultec, Ampex and Fairchild — and the original Altec speakers are still suspended from the ceiling. One of Norman’s earliest innovations was a custom reverb chamber built in the mid-1950s, which is hidden in the rafters of his father’s adjoining shop. The chamber, which was later tiled by Buddy Holly’s family, was a key element in creating the signature reverb-laden sound that defined so much of Holly's music.
“Norman Petty Studios is thrilled to be involved with KIT Plugins on this amazing collaboration. Bringing Norman Petty’s story and recording techniques to a new generation of music makers has been a longtime goal of the studio and we couldn’t think of a better partner than KIT Plugins. - Ron Skinner, Audio Engineer / Digital Archives Manager, Norman Petty Studios
The first emulation from the iconic studio is already in development, and will be released later in 2025 — keep an eye on SOS News to find out more as the partnership develops!
