Who we are

puppy garden studios is the songwriter-driven and cinematic music production and recording studio of DIOGO SARABANDO - a musician/producer from the region of Aveiro (Portugal), better known for the indie-folk project “himalion”

over the years the studio went through several changes, the home-base being Diogo’s childhood bed-less bedroom. as the years went on, Diogo would modify and upgrade the studio to fit the production’s growing needs. what started as composing and arranging entire songs on Guitar Pro 5, with a transition to digital recording on a DP-02 8 track digital studio, gradually developed into a instrument-filled studio with the capability of recording 28 tracks simultaneously.

puppy garden studios is a “retreat studio” located in a small town outside Aveiro (20 mins) and is 15 minutes away from the beachside, where a surf community can be found (so if that’s your thing we might be able to arrange discounts for few lessons and/or surf gear)

the studio is now in the process of moving to a new spot, a 35 m2 sunlight packed building which will incorporate an always ready to record live multitrack recording and mixing room + an iso booth and an extra high ceiling garage for bigger sounds.

the premise of our services is pretty simple: on what stage of development is your song and how can we help? Non existent? head over to “production” and “writing room”. There’s an arrangement and you only need to record it? head over to “recording”. It has been recorded and you only need help editing or mixing? Head over to “control room”

A polaroid photograph of a man with a beard and mustache, sitting on a chair with his arms crossed, wearing a dark shirt and a cap, against a plain background.
A printed photograph of a dog, possibly a golden retriever, sitting indoors with a window showing a view of trees and snow outside. The photo is on a white-bordered sheet of paper placed on a wooden surface.
A music studio corner with a wooden desk holding a laptop, a MIDI keyboard, and a mixing console, surrounded by speakers, guitars, amplifiers, and music equipment, with a microphone and soundproofing items.

puppy garden studios is not only a single place, a single person, a single dog, and its network offers the possibility to record larger ensembles on bigger rooms through various partnerships with our community

Timba, the studio mascot and the studio’s logo, was Diogo’s dog of 16 years, an always present partner who was there on every writing and recording session Diogo ever had. Your dog is also welcome, just reach out for logistics!

A modern single-story house with large windows, a wooden roof detail, a tree, a dog, a small doghouse, and a garden with purple flowers, set against a gradient sky background.

Tools

puppy garden studios is home to a collection of instruments and tools that is fruit of anxiety of separation and hereditary stubborn accumulation of over 20 years

with a strong focus on vibe-y instruments and mid-fi/lo-fi tools - including old casio keyboards, various types of guitars, tube pre-amps, old microphones, a 1967 zwicki pianette, and much more - we are passionate about recording sounds with “grain” and character

it’s a room full of gear but we rather think of it as a room where loads of interactions can happen, with tons of opportunities for creativity to spark

while the new place is undergoing construction, due to our effort in maintaining a collaborative network with other spaces and musicians from around the region of Aveiro, the studio has access to more tools, including the possibility to record in another room equipped with orchestral instruments such as timpani, glockenspiel, bells, xylophone, gong, and other types of percussion where live multi-tracking and band/ensemble recordings is possible

A brown dog with floppy ears and white markings on its face is sitting in front of an upright piano. The piano's keys and part of a music stand are visible. Shelves above the piano hold framed pictures, small figurines, and miscellaneous items. A gray bag is hanging to the left, and a backpack is partially visible on the floor. There is a blue wall behind the shelves and a poster on the wall. Various objects, including a microphone and cables, are on and around the piano.

REACH OUT ~

interested in working with us? let us know how we can help getting your song through the finish line and have some fun during the process!