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| Recording studios often prepare basic instruments for clients (main photo); A Hue vocalist performing in a professional recording space (side photo) |
In the past, musicians from Hue often had to travel to Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City for professional recording sessions. Today, however, the city itself offers a variety of options. Names like Zoe Studio, Spyke Records, Nyan Music, and Drum House Studio… have gradually formed a small network catering to all genres, from rock, pop, and ballad to rap and hip-hop.
Some newer studios, such as Zoe Studio and Spyke Records, are run by young musicians who actively perform and therefore understand the needs of Hue’s music community. “I opened this studio because my own band needed a suitable space to rehearse and record. Rock is a demanding genre, not every studio can handle the sound intensity or playing style, so we decided to create our own space for this community,” shared Hoang Tien Nghia, owner of Zoe Studio.
Zoe Studio is currently a familiar name among Hue’s young rock bands. Besides recording, it also offers mixing, mastering, MV filming, and even digital distribution support. “Most of our clients are students. During peak times, the studio is almost fully booked from morning till night,” said Hoang Tien Hieu, Nghia’s younger brother.
This lively atmosphere reflects the strong pulse of Hue’s young music scene, where aspiring artists diligently rehearse, record, compose, and produce their own work. Many starts with simple cover songs or demo tracks, gradually learning to use equipment, collaborate with sound engineers, and discover their own musical identity.
Not only the rock community but Hue’s rap and hip-hop scene is also thriving. Spyke Records, founded by Vo Nguyen Hung, has become a go-to destination for young rappers. Hung recalled that back in high school, he and his friends already shared a love for music and dreamed of creating “a space where people passionate about rap and hip-hop in Hue could meet, exchange ideas, and create together”.
“In Hue, not everyone has the means to pursue formal music training. I want Spyke to be a place where talented young people get support and access to a proper creative environment,” Hung said. In addition to recording, Spyke offers full production services, including beat-making, sound mixing and mastering, and even mentorship for beginners. He added, “The market in Hue is small, and budgets are limited, but people are close-knit and supportive. At Spyke, clients and studio owners often become friends, working on projects together and growing side by side in the job”.
In these few dozen square meters studios, Hue’s musicians keep on working tirelessly with their instruments, rhythms, and voices. Some bands spend three or four sessions to complete a single track; some young rappers stay up all night trying to capture the perfect “moment” for a song.
Tran Quoc Trung, the guitarist of The Clocks, shared: “Recording in a professional studio gives us more inspiration, and the final product is much more polished than home recordings. Though the cost is still a challenge, thankfully, studios in Hue always support young bands, treating us more like partners than customers”. Behind every finished track are hours of repetition, sometimes playing the same riff or rap verse dozens of times, to achieve the best sound. But for Hue’s young artists, this is more than work; it’s the joy of living with music.
Alongside newer names like Zoe and Spyke, Hue is also home to long-standing studios such as Thai Thinh Studio, Nyan Music, and Drum House Studio, which have accompanied local artists and singers for years. Each has its own strengths: some focus on pop and ballads, others specialize in orchestral or traditional Hue-style recordings. Together, they complement one another, painting a vibrant, multifaceted picture of Hue’s evolving music scene.
Rock, indie, rap, or R&B - genres once unfamiliar to the ancient capital, have now found their place, nurtured by the dedication and enthusiasm of a new generation. Though the scale remains modest and the market small, the greatest gift these studios offer is space, for passion to speak freely. Here, music is not merely a profession but a way for young people to find themselves.
As Vo Nguyen Hung shared: “What makes me happiest is being able to live for and contribute to music. As long as there’s passion, the fruits will come in time. Perhaps that’s why many musicians in Hue continue their quiet journey, not seeking fame or showing off, but simply staying true to music. And as long as those small rooms keep their lights on late into the night, Hue’s music will keep playing, quietly, persistently, and full of life.”