Lodged in an unassuming gray building at 9409 Delridge Way Southwest is something you wouldn’t expect. In an era when audio recordings and even entire films can literally be shot and edited on a phone, Tommy Sound is a recording studio in a somewhat extended process of construction. Actually it’s three businesses operating out of the same space. TommySound.com, SpeedofSoundStudios.com, and Verityaudio.fr.

Run by long time musician and audio expert Tommy Martin and his partner audio engineer Curt Nelson, the three companies work in audio recording, production, video, and the third entity sells what are called “line array” audio amplification systems which you will recognize at any major music show or even in the company’s most likely client, large churches as those suspended curved stack of speakers that project sound to everyone.

There are not many large recording studios being built anymore but Martin insists that the difference is “in the rooms” which offer a far higher quality of recording, something that matters a lot to those in the film industry since theater presentation means meeting exacting audio specifications.

‘You can do samples but everybody’s the same, and especially acoustic drums, it’s the room. By cutting the floor to tune the room. This room is based on a 1946 perfect acoustic design and we’re surprised at the reaction. It’s booked. As soon as we open we’re booked for years,” said Martin.

The 7,000 square feet of space is still incomplete with limited sheetrock in place, the rooms roughed in but the business is operating and also serving as lodging for now until it can be completed. The gear is all there and recording takes place all the time. Martin hopes to get a significant portion of the facility completed by this winter, hopefully following the NAMM show in January (an annual event that its organizers describe as "the world's largest trade-only event for the music products industry".

Martin has been in the industry a long time and has built strong relationships with people in the film and music business, hoping to one day wake up legislators to the multiple benefits of motion picture and television production a pollution free industry which right now is dominated by Vancouver BC.

The facility also has 3000 square feet of outdoor space that on Aug. 19, served as rehearsal space for a band called Backbone, playing at Hempfest. In attendance at the rehearsal were well known actor Eric Roberts (father of Backbone guitarist Keaton Simmons), Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame guitarist for The Ventures Don Wilson and his son Tim Wilson and others including Adam Vadel, Slim Kid Trey Hardson, Bob Lovelace, Eric Robert, plus Jessica Sylvia and Moonbeam Kelly singing backup.

The facility, once complete, will have a full green screen capability, multiple vocal, and drum isolation booths, a foley stage and recording studio rooms.

“For 30 years my dream was to have a production studio. So for the last eight years I looked for a property that would fit the bill and also be able to do the live sound testing on stadium systems without neighbors complaining,” Martin explained.

Martin was a working guitarist for BamBam during the grunge explosion, worked with Kirsten Berry with Susan Silver, and Called in Sic. “It was always the same thing, We’d go into production and run out of funds to keep on going," he said explaining that with his own facility he could finally have the freedom to let music be created as he wished. He considers himself a musician first. "It's always been music first," he said.

Recognizing the role a large recording studio must play in today's environment Martin explained the purpose of the facility is serve “film first, then music, I was brought up in film.”

That love of cinema must have rubbed off on his son, T. J. Martin who in 2012 won an Academy Award for his documentary Undefeated.

If Martin has a fondest wish it is to work with his son on audio and video production, making the dream of Seattle based production a reality.

EDITORS NOTE: If you'd like to help TommySound complete the work on the facility or want to know more about getting some professional audio work done, or are in need of an audio amplification system for your church or venue contact Tommy at Email: info@tommysound.com or Phone: (206)708-6941